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I
TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY
SCOTLAND,
COMPRISING THE
SEVERAL COUNTIES, ISLANDS, CITIES, BURGH AND MARKET TOWNS,
PARISHES, AND PRINCIPAL VILLAGES,
WITH
HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL DESCRIPTIONS
AND EMBELLISHED WITH
ENGRAVINGS OF THE SEALS AND ARMS OF THE DIFFERENT BURGHS AND UNIVERSITIES
BY SAMUEL LEWIS.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. n.
From Keanlochbervie to Zetland.
^ffonti a^'Hitioih
LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY S. LEWIS AND CO., 13, FINSBURY PLACE, SOUTH.
M.DCCC.LI.
LONDON :
GII.HERT AND BIVINGTON, PRINTERS,
ST. John's sauARE.
UNIVEItSn V OF CALIFORNIA
SANTA BAliBARA
TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY
SCOTLAND.
K E I G
KeANLOCHBERVIE, or Kinlochbervie, a district,
in the parish of Eddrachillis, county of Sutherland;
containing 1028 inhabitants, of whom 105 are in the
village, 14 miles (N. by E.) from Eddrachillis. This
place is situated on the western shore of the county, on
the north side of Loch Inchard, and near its mouth :
the coast is much indented. In the interior are nume-
rous lakes ; and the district, generally, partakes of the
mountainous character of the land in this quarter. The
Duke of Sutherland is the sole proprietor ; and under
him the aspect of the country, though still rugged, has
been vastly improved within the last few years. Kean-
lochbervie was separated, for ecclesiastical purposes,
from the rest of the parish, some years ago ; and as that
arrangement was afterwards set aside, it is proposed by
the Court of Session to again erect it into a quoad sacra
district. It is in the presbytery of Tongue and synod of
Sutherland and Caithness, and the patronage is vested
in the Crown : the stipend of the minister is £120, paid
from the exchequer ; and there is a good manse, with a
glebe of some acres. The church was erected in 1828-9,
at the expense of government ; it contains 350 sittings,
and is of sufficient height to be enlarged by galleries.
The members of the Free Church have also a place of
worship. A school was built and endowed in 1845.
KEANLOCH-LUICHART, in the county of Ross
and Cromarty. — See Kinloch-Luichart.
KEARN, in the county of Aberdeen. — See Auchin-
DoiR and Kearn.
KEIG, a parish, in the district of Alford, county
of Aberdeen, 4i miles (N. E. byE.) from the post-town
of Alford ; containing 662 inhabitants. This parish,
which includes the north-eastern portion of the vale of
Alford, is bounded on the north by the mountain range
of Benachie, and on the east by the Menaway hills. It
is about five miles and a half in length, of irregular form,
and nearly two miles and a half in average breadth,
comprising an area of 7900 acres, of which 3100 are
arable, 2300 woodland and plantations, and the remain-
VOL. II.— 1
KEIG
der moorland pasture and waste. The surface in the
central part of the parish is generally flat ; and even
the acclivities of the hills are under tillage, to a height
of 700 feet above the level of the sea. The river Don
flows in a winding course through the parish (dividing
it into two nearly equal portions), and, after receiving
numerous tributary streams, falls into the German
Ocean at Aberdeen, in the south-eastern extremity of
the county : it abounds with trout and salmon. For
the most part the scenery is of interesting character,
being enriched with wood, and in some places beauti-
fully picturesque ; and it derives much additional in-
terest from the extensive and finely-planted demesne of
Castle-Forbes, which is within the parish.
In this parish the soil is mostly a gravelly sand com-
bined with clay, with the exception of the grounds along
the banks of the river, which have a rich alluvial mould ;
there are also some tracts of peat-moss in the hills,
furnishing but very indifferent fuel. The chief crops
are oats and bear, with a small quantity of wheat occa-
sionally, and crops of potatoes and turnips, of which,
however, not more is raised than is sufficient for home
consumption. The system of husbandry is greatly im-
proved, and a due rotation of crops regularly observed ;
much of the waste has been drained and brought into
cultivation, and the lands are well inclosed, chiefly with
dykes of stone. In general the cattle are of the native
Aberdeenshire breed, with a few crosses of the Galloway
and the short-horned ; but not more than 1100 or 1200
are reared, and of these a considerable number are fed
for a few years for the market, and many of them sent
by steamers to London. The sheep, of which about 600
are fed on the pastures, are principally of the black-
faced Highland breed, with some of the Leicestershire ;
the latter are kept principally for their wool, which is
used for domestic purposes. The plantations, chiefly on
the lands of Castle-Forbes, consist of oak, ash, white and
black poplar, birch, weeping-birch, aspen, beech, labur-
num, elm, lime, plane, cork, horse-chesnut, maple, Wey-
B
K EI R
KEIS
mouth pine, and larch, silver, spruce, and Scotch firs.
The prevailing rocks in the parish are granite, with
gneiss, greenstone, and clay-slate ; some masses of por-
phvry, also, are to be found, and fine specimens of rock-
crystal. The rateable annual value of Keig is £"2563.
Castle-Forbes, the seat of Lord Forbes, premier baron
of Scotland, is a spacious and elegant mansion in the
castellated style, beautifully situated on the north bank
of the Don, and on the acclivity of the mountain of
Benachie, commanding a fine view of the river. The
demesne, which is very extensive, is tastefully laid out
in walks and rides, and richly embellished with timber
and thriving plantations. There is no village ; neither
is there any trade, except the pork-trade to London, or
any manufacture, except the knitting of worsted stock-
ings for the Aberdeen houses, in which many of the
poorer females are employed. At Whitehouse, on the
borders of the parish, is a post-office, by which a mail-
coach runs daily to Aberdeen. Facility of communication
is maintained by the Aberdeen and Alford turnpike-road ;
by statute roads kept in good repair ; and by a hand-
some bridge of one arch, 101 feet in span, erected over
the Don in 1S17, at a cost of £2300, one-half defrayed
by government.
For ECCLESi.\STic.\L purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Alford, synod of Aberdeen.
The minister's stipend is £15S. 13. 6., of which one-
fourth is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £11 per annum: patron, the Crown.
Keig church, erected in 1835, is a handsome structure
in the later English style, crowned with pinnacles, and
containing 500 sittings. The parochial school is con-
veniently situated : the master has a salary of £34, with
a house and garden, and a portion of the Dick bequest ;
and his fees average upwards of £20 per annum. There
are two Druidical circles in the parish, one of which,
more entire than the other, is within the grounds of
Castle-Forbes, al)out half a mile from the house, in a
wood on the Cothiemuir hill ; it appears to have con-
sisted of eleven upright stones, and is twenty-five yards
in diameter. The other, situated near the farm of Old
Keig, is about twenty-two yards in diameter ; and within
the area are two upright stones, nine feet high, between
which is an immense slab, apparently used as an altar :
this slab bears a striking resemblance to the rocking-
stone, which was poised in such a way as to vibrate
with a touch of the hand, and yet to be scarcely move-
able by the greatest force. On the summit of a hill on
the north-west of the parish, is a circular wall of loose
stones, inclosing an area nearly eighty yards in diameter,
called the Barmekin ; but nothing of its history is known.
The place anciently gave the title of Baron to the Bishop
of St. Andrew'.s, who sat in the Scottish parliament as
Lord Keig and Monymusk.
KEIR, or KiER, a parish, in the county of Dumfries,
2 miles (S. W.) from Thornhill ; containing, with the
village of Barjarg, 984 inhabitants. This ])arish is sup-
posed to derive its name from the British word Cuer,
signifying "a fort ", used in reference to some fortress
of importance, all traces of which have now disappeared.
It is thought to have anciently belonged to the abbey of
llolywood, or, an nome say, was a vicarage belonging
to the parish of Caerlaverock, which latter was a par-
Honage connected with the abbey. After the Reforma-
tion, the feus thot used to be paid to the Church
were given to the Earl of Morton ; but that nobleman
having disobliged the sovereign, they were afterwards
granted to the Earl of Nithsdale, whose successors were
the chief heritors of the parish till 1702, when James,
Duke of Queensberry, purchased the barony of Keir.
The property has since been increased by several pur-
chases, and consists at present of three large portions,
held by the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, and
extending to nearly one-half of the whole parish. The
other estates are Capenoch, Waterside, Barjarg, and
Blackwood, one of which is still in the possession of a
very ancient family.
The PARISH is about seven miles and a half long, and
two miles and a half in extreme breadth, containing be-
tween 7000 and 8000 acres. It is bounded by the parish
of Penpont on the north, by Dunscore on the south, by
Closeburn on the east, and by Tynron and Glencairu on
the west. The surface is diversified with numerous hills,
affording excellent sheep pasture : the rivers are, the
Nith, and its tributary the Scar, the former of which con-
stitutes the eastern boundary of the parish. The Edin-
burgh road passes within the south-east end of the parish
for half a mile. The holm land on the banks of the
rivers consists of a fine rich loam. In other parts where
the ground is level there is a light, dry, and fertile earth,
producing good crops in moist weather, but soon parched
up with drought. The soil on the high grounds is deep
and strong, but very stony, and generally covered with
coarse though nutritious grasses. About 3375 acres are
cultivated for the usual white and green crops ; 750 are
meadow land, and nearly 2600 natural pasture : between
600 and 700 acres are occupied by wood, natural and
planted. The sheep are chiefly the black-faced, and the
cattle of the Galloway and Ayrshire breeds. Many im-
provements have been introduced into the district, the
chief of which is the reclaiming of waste land by drain-
age and other means, so as to increase the extent of
arable ground in a very great degree. The rocks in the
parish consist of greywacke in many varieties, with
sandstone and abundance of limestone, of the latter of
which a quarry is worked, producing annually lime
worth about £2500. The annual value of real property
in Keir is £4562. The mansions are Barjarg, Capenoch,
Waterside, and Blackwood Houses, all of them modern
with the exception of the first, which is |)artly an old
edifice. There are two villages, namely, Keir-Mill and
Barjarg. About eight miles and a half of turnpike-road
run through the parish, and five bridges connect Keir
with the adjoining districts : one of these bridges, a
suspension-bridge of a new ccmstruction, was lately
erected by the Duke of Buccleuch over the Scar ; the
span is 110 feet. Ecclesiastically the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Penpont, synod of Dum-
fries and Galloway ; patron, the Duke of Buccleuch.
The stipend is about £220 ; and there is a good manse,
with a glebe of ten acres, worth about £1S per annum.
Keir church, which is inconveniently situated .it Keir-
jNlill, near the upper end of the parish, was bviilt in 1814 ;
it contains 430 sittings, and is in good repair. There
are two parochial schools, in which Greek, Latin, mathe-
matics, and all the usual branches of education are
taught : each of the masters' salaries is £25. 13.4., with
from £14 to £18 fees.
KEISS, formerly a quoad sac ra parish, partly in the
parish of Wick, and partly in that of Canisiuy, county
K EI T
K EIT
of Caithness, 7| miles (N.) from Wick ; containing,
with the village of Keiss, 1009 inhabitants. The portion
of this district which is within the parish of Wick is
about five miles in length and three in breadth, contain-
ing soy inhabitants ; and after the erection and endow-
ment of a chiirch bj' government, in 1S27, was, with a
contiguous portion of Canisbay, formed into a quoad sa-
cra parish under act of the General Assembly, in 1S34.
Whinstone and red sandstone prevail in the district ;
and the soil is principally composed of a light loam
in some parts, and of a strong clay in others. The
herring-fishery, which is prosecuted in the months of
July and August, is very considerable ; and cod, ling,
and haddock are also obtained : in 1840 a salmon-
fishery on a small scale was commenced, but it was not
attended with much success. A cattle-market is held
in the month of June. Keiss House, a plain massive
building, erected about 1*60, is at present in a very
dilapidated state, not having been for a number of years
the residence of its owners. The village, situated at the
head of Keiss harbour in Sinclair bay, and on the great
coast-road from Wick to Huna, is chiefly inhabited by
persons engaged in the fisheries. Ecclesiastically the
place is in the presbytery of Caithness, synod of Caith-
ness and Sutherland : the stipend of the minister is £120,
paid by endowment of the government, with a manse,
built near the church. The church, erected by govern-
ment, in 1827, on a rising ground to the west of the
harbour, at an expense of £1500, is a plain structure
containing 350 sittings, and by the addition of galleries
would contain 200 more. The Baptists have a place of
worship. A school, also, has been erected, the master
of which receives a salary of £15, one-half derived from
the Rev. William Hallawall's endowment, and the other
paid by the Society for Propagating Christian Know-
ledge : he has likewise the fees. On a rock overhanging
the sea are remains of an old castle, called Keiss Castle ;
and there are some vestiges in the district of two ancient
chapels, and a Picts' house.
KEITH, a parish, partly in the county of Elgin,
but chiefly in that of Banff ; containing, with the town
of Keith, and the villages of Fife-Keith and Newmills,
4456 inhabitants, of whom 276 are in the county of
Elgin, and 1804 are in the town, situated 10^ miles
(N. W.) from Huntly, and 49 (N. W.) from Aberdeen. This
place, the name of which is of uncertain derivation, is of
very remote antiquity ; the old town was for many years
the principal seat of jurisdiction for the surrounding dis-
trict, and had precedence of Fordyce, Cullen, and Banff,
at that time the only other towns within the county.
The ancient courts of regality held their sittings in the
church, for the determination of all pleas, including
even those of the crown, and for the trial of capital
offences ; the tower of the church was used for a prison,
and the hill on which the new town is built was the
place of execution for malefactors. In 1645, a skirmish
occurred here, between the forces under the Marquess
of Montrose and a party of the Covenanters led by
General Baillie ; and in 1667 the peasantry, headed by
the Gordons of Auchinachy and Glengarrick, defeated
the banditti of Patrick Roy MacGregor, and took their
leader prisoner. The New Town of Keith is pleasantly
situated on the acclivity of a gentle eminence, to the
south-east of the Old Town, and consists of several spa-
cious and well-formed streets, parallel with each other,
3
and intersected at right angles by smaller streets and
lanes. The houses are well built, and attached to each
of them is a good garden. In the centre of the town is
an ample market-place, 700 feet in length and 150 feet
wide. Fife-Keith, on the north bank of the river Isla,
■was commenced by the Earl of Plfe in 1816, and con-
sists of regular streets of good houses, and a handsome
square, crescent, and terrace. It is connected by two
bridges with Old Keith ; and as Old Keith communicates
with New Keith by a street extending for 250 yards
along the great north road, the three places may be
considered as forming one town, about a mile in length.
A public library, containing a good collection of volumes
on history and general literature, is supported ; and
there are also a library connected with a literary associ-
ation, and several congregational libraries.
The linen manufacture was formerly carried on here
to a very considerable extent, but since the introduction
of the cotton manufacture it has been discontinued.
There are mills for carding and spinning wool, and home-
grown flax ; and also several corn and flour mills which
supply the country with flour for many miles round.
A distillery producing about 20,000 gallons of whisky
annually, and a tobacco and snuff manufactory, are in
active operation. There are also a tannery and a
bleaehficld, and many of the inhabitants are employed
in the extensive lime-works in the parish, from which
40,000 bolls of lime are sent every year. The numerous
handsome shops are amply stored with merchandise of
every description ; and branches of the Aberdeen, the
Town and County, and the North of Scotland Banks,
have been established in the town. A spacious and
commodious inn and posting-house, at which the mail
and another coach stop daily, was erected by the Earl
of Seafield in 1S23. A weekly market, for grain and
provisions of all kinds, is held on Friday ; and fairs,
chiefly for cattle, horses, and sheep, are holden on the
first Friday in January and March ; the first Tuesday,
O. S., in April and June, and the Friday before Huntly
fair in July. Fairs, also, for the hiring of servants and
for general business, are held on the Wednesday after
the first Tuesday in September, and on the third Fri-
day, O. S., in November. The September fair, called
" Summer Eve fair", formerly continued for a fortnight,
and was the great mart for the exchange of commodities
between the north and south parts of Scotland; it was
resorted to by crowds who, for want of accommodation,
took up their lodgings in barns and outhouses, and it
is still numerously attended. The post-office has three
deliveries daily ; and facility of communication is main-
tained by the great north road and several other tura-
pike-roads which pass through the parish. Though not
a burgh of barony, yet, being within the barony of Keith
or Ogilvie, courts may be held here by the baron-bailie
of the Earl of Seafield. The sheriff's court for the re-
covery of small debts, and a justice-of-peace court, are
also held in the town, the former six times in the year,
and the latter on the first Wednesday in every month.
A gaol has been erected within the last few years ; but
there being no town-hall in the burgh, the courts are
held in the inn erected by the Earl of Seafield.
The PARISH, which is situated in the beautiful and
fertile valley of the Isla, is of the form of an irregular
square, about six miles in length and nearly of equal
breadth, comprising an area of thirty-six square miles,
B2
REIT
K EIT
one-half arable and one-half pasture and waste. Its
surface rises gradually from the banks of the river Isla,
towards the north-western and south-eastern confines
of the parish, where there are hills of moderate eleva-
tion. The river Isla has its source in the adjoining
parish of Botriphnie, and flows through this parish in a
north-eastern direction, receiving several smaller streams
in both parishes ; it then runs into the parish of Grange,
and eventually falls into the Doveron: the river abounds
with trout of good quality, and, half a mile below Keith,
forms a picturesque cascade. In general the soil is
clay, alternated with loam, in some parts of great fer-
tility, and in others poorer and of lighter quahty. The
chief crops are oats and barley, with potatoes and tur-
nips ; flax is also raised on some lands, but little or no
wheat is sown. The system of husbandry is improved,
and a regular rotation duly observed ; but the lands are
not inclosed, and much yet remains to be done in the
way of cultivation. The cattle are of the native breed,
with a cross of the Teeswater, and great numbers are
sent to London ; the dairy-farms are well managed, and
the butter and cheese, which are much esteemed, find a
ready sale in the southern markets. The plantations
formed by the Earl of Fife on such parts of the land as
were incapable of cultivation are in a thriving state, and
others have been added by the Earl of Seafield and the
other proprietors. The principal substrata are lime-
stone and slate ; both these are quarried, and there are
several lime-works in the parish, affording employment
to a considerable number of persons. In the lime- works
at Maisly a vein of antimony has been found, and fluor
spar has also been discovered in some places. The only
seat of a landed proprietor is Edintore, a handsome
mansion lately erected. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is returned at £8001.
As to ECCLESi.\STiCAL affairs, the parish is in the
presbytery of Strathbogie and synod of Moray. The
minister's stipend is £22'2, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £.50 per annum ; patron, the Earl of Fife.
Keith church, wliich is situated in the centre of the parish,
is a very liandsome structure in the later English style
of architecture, with a square tower 120 feet high ; it
was built in 1S16, and contains ISOO sittings. There
are a well-built Free church, jilaces of worship for mem-
bers of the United Presbyterian Church and Indepen-
dents, and an Episcopal, and a Roman Catholic chapel :
the last mentioned is an elegant and much-admired
edifice, containing a splendid picture, the gift of Charles
X. of France, representing the incredulity of Thomas.
Keith parochial school, for which a spacious building
was erected in IH.'W, capable of receiving '260 children,
is well attended and admirably taught. The master,
who keeps an assistant, has a salary of £34, with an
allowance of £10 for a house and garden: the fees
average £80, and he receives a portion of Dick's bequest,
with a fixtd payment of £10. l.'i. 4. from the lands of
Edendrach, which were bequeathed for the sujiport of the
school; and also the interest of £.500 three per cent.con-
8oIk, be(|ucathe(l by Dr. Simson, of Worcester. There are
likcwiHc schools at Ncwmills and in other parts in the
parish, to the ntiniher of seventeen. Chalybeate springs
occur in ccvernl places ; but they arc not much used
medicinally. Al)out half a mile below the town are
the ruiuH of nn ancient castle, formerly the scat of the
Oliphant family. Ferguson, the eminent astronomer.
though not a native, was brought up from his infancy in
the parish.
KEITH and HUMBIE, a parish, in the county of
Haddington, 8 miles (S. W. by S.) from Haddington;
containing 881 inhabitants. This parish was formed,
subsequently to the Reformation, by the union of the
two parishes of Keith-Symmars and Keith-Hundeley.
It is about si.x miles in length from east to west, and
five in breadth from north to south, comprising an irre-
gular area which, towards the south-western extremity,
is intersected by part o£ the parish of Fala. Keith and
Humbie parish is bounded on the north by the parish
of Pencaitland ; on the east by the parishes of Bolton,
Salton, and Yester ; on the south by the Laramermoor
hills ; on the west and south-west by the parishes of
Crichton and Fala ; and on the north-west by those of
Ormiston and Cranston. Its surface is greatly diver-
sified, rising gradually from the northern part of the
parish, which is 350 feet above the level of the sea, till
it attains a height of 600 feet at the base of the Lam-
mermoor hills, of which Lammerlaw, the loftiest emi-
nence of the range, has an elevation of 1*200 feet, and
other eminences vary from 800 to 1000 feet. The lands
are watered by three rivulets, which have their source in
the higher grounds, and in their way through the parish
acquire a sufficient strength to give impulse to several
mills. Of these streams the Keith and the Humbie unite
their waters a little below the church, and after flowing
in one channel for nearly two miles, receive the waters
of the Birnswater, which, from its rise to its junction,
forms the eastern boundary of the parish : they all three
abound with trout of good quality. The scenery is en-
riched with timber of mature growth, and with young
and thriving plantations. Humbie wood comprises an
area of 400 acres of oak, birch, beech, and firs, many of
which display luxuriancy of growth, and in combination
with the adjoining woods in the parish of Salton form a
conspicuous and beautiful feature in the landscape, finely
contrasting with the various aspects of the Lammermoor
hills, some of which are covered with barren heath and
others with lively verdure.
In some places the soil is a rich loam, in others a
light sand, and in others again, clayey and mossy. The
number of acres in the parish is estimated at 17,000, of
which about 7'JOO are arable or capable of tillage. A
considerable portion of the mossy bogs in the Lammer-
moor range has been reclaimed by open surface-draining,
and converted into excellent pasturage ; and from '200 to
300 acres more might be brought into profitable culti-
vation. In addition to the 400 acres forming Humbie
wood, about 100 are covered with plantations in the
different demesne lands ; and '2500 acres arc hilly pas-
ture and moor. The system of agriculture, which has
always been good, is at present in a highly improved
state ; the crops are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, peas,
and turni])s. Rape-dust manure has been successfully
employed in the cultivation of wheat, and bone-dust on
the turnip grounds. The farm houses and olliees are
substantial and well arranged : the lands are inclosed
partly with stone dykes, but chiefly with hedges of
thorn, which have been planted at considerable expense,
even where the soil was not originally favo\irable to
their growth. Great attention is paid to live stock :
the sheep are generally of the Cheviot breed, or a cross
between the Cheviot and the Leicestershire, with a few
K EI T
K E I T
of the black-faced, which, however, are diminishing in
number ; about 3000 sheep are kept, and more than
300 head of cattle. The annual value of real property in
Keith and Humbie is £"603. Whitburgh, a handsome
modern mansion, pleasantly situated ; Keith House,
an ancient mansion, formerly the residence of the Earls-
Marischal of Scotland, the timber for the erection
of which was a present from the King of Denmark ;
and the mansion of Johnstonburn, lately much improved
and enlarged ; are the houses of note in the parish.
There is facility of communication with the towns of
Haddington and Dalkeith, which are the chief markets
in this part of the country for the sale of agricultural
produce. The roads throughout the parish are kept in
repair by statute labour : over each of the rivulets is a
good stone bridge of one arch. Ecclesiastically the
parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Had-
dington, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The stipend
of the incumbent is £2/2 : the manse was erected in
1790, and enlarged in 1822, and is a comfortable resi-
dence ; the glebe is valued at £10 per annum. The
church, situated nearly in the centre of the parish, was
built in 1800, and is a plain substantial edifice adapted
to a congregation of 400 persons. A place of worship
has been erected for members of the Free Church.
There are two parochial schools, the masters of which
have each a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and
the fees.
KEITH-HALL and KINKELL, a parish, in the
district of Garioch, county of Aberdeen, 1 mile
(E. by S.) from Inverury ; containing 913 inhabitants.
The former of these two districts was anciently called
Montkeggie, a word of uncertain derivation ; it assumed
the present appellation after the larger part of it had
come into the possession of Keith, Earl-Marischal of
Scotland. The Gaelic term Kinkell, signifying " the
head or principal church", was applied to the ancient
parish of that name, because the incumbent, who was of
great importance in the chapter of Aberdeen, had also
in his possession the six inferior parishes of Kintore,
Kinnellar, Skene, Kemnay, Dyce, and Drumblade. This
patronage, however, about the year 1 662, was annexed,
by the influence of Archbishop Sharpe, to the office of
principal of St. Leonard's College, St. Andrew's. In
1754, one-third of the parish of Kinkell was joined to
Kintore, and the remaining portion to Keith-Hall. The
PARISH is separated from the parish of Inverury on the
west by the river Urie, and from that of Kintore in the
same quarter by the river Don, which streams unite
about the centre of the western boundary. Its figure is
very irregular : the parish stretches in length about five
miles, and its breadth varies exceedingly, measuring
however in some parts nearly as much as its length. It
comprises between 7OOO and SOOO acres, of which 2000
are arable, 400 in plantations, and the remainder waste.
Though occasionally undulated and hilly, the ground is
marked by no particular elevations, and the principal
features in the scenery are the two rivers, of which the
Don, after the junction of the Urie, runs in a south-
eastern course, with numerous picturescjue windings,
till it falls into the sea at Aberdeen, in the south-eastern
extremity of the county. The canal from Inverury
passes parallel to the Don, all the way, to the same city.
Pike, eels, and trout are found in both the above-men-
tioned streams, and salmon are also taken in the Urie.
5
In rainy seasons they overflow their banks, especially
the Don, and occasion much damage to the neighbour-
ing crops.
The best land is in the western district, near the rivers,
where the soil is cither loamy or alluvial, and very fertile ;
the eastern portion has a great variety of soil, mostly of
inferior quality, and the usual subsoil is gravel or clay.
The grain and green crops comprehend the usual kinds.
The South-Down, Leicester, and Scotch breeds of sheep
are kept ; the cattle are in general excellent, and of the
Old Aberdeenshire kind. The late Lord Kintore, whose
family possess about two-thirds of the parish, cultivated
with great spirit and success the Ayrshire and Teeswater
breeds of cattle ; and his beautiful sfock is well known
as having produced the celebrated Keith-Hall ox, which
obtained the first premium at the Highland Society's
show in 1834, and was sold, at seven years of age, for
£100. Portions of waste land have been recovered
within these few years, though not to the same extent
as in many other parishes, the proprietors not offering
much encouragement for those improvements. The old
farm-houses with turf roofs have gradually disappeared,
and more convenient buildings have been raised, neatly
thatched, and in some instances slated. Some of the
farms are inclosed with hawthorn hedges ; but the in-
closures are in general of stone, many of them of a secure
and substantial nature. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £4067.
The plantations consist of beech, oak, elm, ash, plane,
Scotch fir, and larch, all growing well except the larch
and oak. In the grounds of Keith-Hall, the seat of the
Earl of Kintore, the luxuriant plantations constitute a
beautiful feature in the scenery, and increase the effect
produced by the view of the noble mansion, a quadran-
gular structure of ancient and modern architecture,
with an elegant front. The immediate vicinity of the
house commands extensive and striking prospects over a
rich valley, w'ell wooded and watered, with a fine range
of mountains in the distance. Inverury is only about a
quarter of a mile from the western boundary ; and to
it, therefore, the farmers convey their grain and other
disposable produce, to be sent to Aberdeen by canal.
The turnpike-road from Aberdeen to Inverury runs past
the western boundary of the parish, at a short distance;
and that from the same place to Old Meldrum passes
on the east ; but neither intersects the parish. An an-
nual fair is held at Kinkell on the Wednesday after the
last Tuesday of September, O. S., and is much frequented.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Ga-
rioch, synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Kintore : the minister's salary is £217, with a
manse, and a glebe of 25 acres, valued at £30 per annum.
The church was built in I771, and accommodates 600
persons with sittings. The Society of Friends have a
place of worship at Kinrauck, attached to which is a
cemetery. The parochial school affords instruction in
Latin and geography, with all the elementary branches ;
the master has a salary of £30, with a house, and £15
fees. Many illustrious persons who fell in the battle of
Harlaw were interred in the churchyard, among whom
was the high constable of Dundee.
KEITHTOWN, a village, in the parish of Fodderty,
county of Ross and Cromarty ; containing 64 inhabit-
ants. It is one of three small villages in the parish, and
is of recent formation.
KEL L
KE LL
KELLAS, a hamlet, in the parish of Murroes,
county of Forfar ; containing "25 inhabitants.
KELLS, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirkcud-
bright, 14 miles (N. W. by N.) from Castle-Douglas,
and 19 (X. by W.) from Kirkcudbright; containing,
with the burgh of New Galloway, 1121 inhabitants.
This place is supposed by some to derive its name from
its elevated situation, of which, in the Gaelic language,
the word is descriptive. Others deduce the name from
the British Cell, on account of the extensive woods for-
merly existing here, and of which considerable remains
are still found embedded in the various mosses. The
parish is one of the largest in the county. It is bounded
on the west and south by the river Dee, which separates
it from the parishes of Minnigaff, Girthon, and Balraa-
ghie ; and on the east by the river Ken, which divides
it from Dairy, Balmaclellan, and Parton parishes. Kells
is about sixteen miles in length and eight miles in ex-
treme breadth, comprising an area of 47,500 acres, of
which by far the greater part is mountain pasture, and,
with the exception of about 400 acres of woodland and
plantations, the remainder is arable and in good cultiva-
tion. Its surface is irregularly broken, rising towards
the north into a range of lofty mountains, including the
most conspicuous heights of Galloway, some of which
have an elevation of 2*00 feet above the sea. The ara-
ble lands, which are chiefly along the banks of the Ken,
are tolerably level, and interspersed with copses of oak
and birch. The lower grounds are watered by nume-
rous rivulets, intersecting the parish in various direc-
tions, and forming tributaries to the Dee and to the Ken.
The Ken has its source on the confines of Dumfries-
shire, and after entering the parish on the north-east,
receives the waters of the Deuch, and at the southern
extremity unites with the Dee. There are also many
lakes, of which those of Loch Dungeon and Loch Har-
row, in the north, are of considerable extent, but both
inferior to Loch Ken, on the eastern border of the
parish, which is about five miles in length and three-
quarters of a mile in breadth, and by far the most emi-
nent for the beauty of its scenery. A remarkably large
pike, probably the largest known to have been killed in
Scotland, was caught in this loch with the rod and fly
many years ago ; it weighed seventy-two pounds, and
the head is still preserved in Kenmure Castle, bearing
witness to its enormous size. The parish afl'ords an in-
teresting field for the investigations of the botanist.
The SOIL of the lands along the Ken is a rich clay,
producing good crops of oats, but not in larger quantity
than is suflicicnt for home consumption. The district
is chiefly pastoral, and, under the auspices of the Glen-
kcns Society, established in 1830 with the patronage of
Mr. Yorstoun of Garroch, has been greatly improved :
among other changes for the better, the cottages have
in many instances been rendered much more comfortable
and commodious. The progress of a^Tuiillnrdl improve-
mctit, however, is retarded by the difliculty of obtaining
lime at any moderate expense ; and coiisequcntiy, several
farmH which wotiid otherwise be capable of tillage are
thrown togctlu-r as sheep-walks. The number of sheep
pastured in about 17,500 ; about 560 head of cattle of
the Highland breed are kept, about 320 Galloways, and
420 cowH and their folhiwcrs. There are also a great
number of pigs kept in the parish. The sheep and cattle
are sent to the markets in the south. In this parish
6
the hills are chiefly of granite : there are neither mines
nor quarries of any description. The remains of ancient
wood are principally copses of oak and birch, both of
which are indigenous, and appear well adapted to the
soil ; the plantations, which are of recent formation,
consist of oak, intermixed with Scotch fir and larch,
and are well managed, and in a flourishing condition.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £5246.
Kenmure Castle, the seat of Lord Viscount Kenmure,
the principal landed proprietor, is a very ancient struc-
ture, seated on a circular mount, at the head of Loch
Ken, within a mile of the town of New Galloway ; and
is supposed to have been the residence of John Baliol.
It suSered frequent assaults during the wars with Eng-
land in the time of Edward I. ; and was burnt in the
reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, and again during the
usurpation of Cromwell. The estate subsequently be-
longed to the Gordons of Lochinvar, of whom Sir John
Gordon was created Lord of Lochinvar and Viscount
Kenmure, in 1633 ; but it became forfeited to the crown
in the time of William, the sixth viscount, who was
attainted for his participation in the rebellion of IflS,
and beheaded on Tower Hill, London, in the following
year. The property was, however, purchased from the
crown by a member of his family ; and the title was
restored by act of parliament, in 1824, to his grandson,
the late viscount and proprietor. The grounds are
tastefully embellished with stately timber and thriving
plantations, and the approach to the castle is by a noble
avenue of lime-trees. Glenlee is a handsome mansion,
which has been greatly enlarged, and is finely situated
on the banks of the Ken, in a park embellished with
many oaks of majestic growth. Knocknalling and Bal-
lingear are also good houses lately erected.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Kirkcudbright, synod
of Galloway. The minister's stipend is £300, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £15 per annum ; patron,
the Crown. Kells church, erected in 1822, is a hand-
some structure in the early English style of architec-
ture, with a square embattled tower ; it contains 560
sittings, and is capable of being made to hold a greater
number. In the churchyard lie interred the remains of
several generations of the Coultharts of Coulthart, chiefs
of their name, who had a seat in the parish during the six-
teenth and seventeenth centuries. The parochial school is
attended by about 100 children ; the master has a salary
of £34, with a house and garden, and the fees average
£30 per annum. The Glenkens Society annually award
prizes to the most deserving of the scholars. A school-
house has been erected in the northern part of the
parish, by Mr. Kennedy of Knocknalling, who pays the
salary of the master ; and there is also a Sabbath school
in the parish, to which is attached a good library. The
poor are partly supported by the interest of £522 be-
(|neathed by various individuals, in the hands of the
Kirk Session. There are several chalybeate springs, one
of which, on Cairn-Edward, about two miles from New
Galloway, was formerly in great repute, and is still used
by the inhabitants iu its neighbourhood. Among the
natives of the parish have been, Ijowc, the author of
Man/s Dream ; Heron, author of a history of Scotland ;
Gordon, the translator of Tacitus; and the Rev. William
Gillespie, author of the Progress of Rcjincmcnt, of Cuiiso-
lalioii, and other works.
K ELS
KELS
KELSO, a burgh of ba-
rony, a market-town, and
parish, in the district of Kel-
so, county of Roxburgh, '^3
miles (S. \V.) from Berwiclv-
' upon-Tweed, and 41 (S. E.)
from Edinburgh ; containing,
with the village of Maxwell-
heugh, 5328 inhabitants, of
whom 4594 are in the burgh.
This place is said to have de-
rived its name, anciently writ-
ten Calchow, or Calkow, from
the chalky cliff on which the original village was situ-
ated. The district now occupied by the town and
parish appears to have formerly included the parishes
of Kelso on the north, and of Maxwell and St. James
on the south, side of the river Tweed : of these the two
first had separate churches, and the last was part of the
ancient burgh of Roxburgh. The churches of Kelso and
Maxwell were both destroyed during the earlier period
of the border warfare ; that of St. James seems to have
been burnt down at a later date. These several parishes
were all granted to the abbey of Kelso by David I., the
founder of that institution, which he endowed for bre-
thren of the order of Benedictines, of the class called
Tyronenses, whom he placed in the abbey on its com-
pletion, about the year 1130. Under the munificent
endowment of that monarch's successors, the establish-
ment became one of the most wealthy in the kingdom.
From its situation, however, so near the border, the mo-
nastery was frequently exposed to violence and plunder ;
and after suffering repeated injuries, from which in pro-
cess of time it always recovered, it was, finally, almost
destroyed in 15'23 by a party of the English under Lord
Dacre. Having plundered the town, and laid waste the
adjacent country, they burnt the conventual buildings,
and removed the roof from the church, which they other-
wise defaced ; compelling the monks to retire to a village
in the neighbourhood, to celebrate the offices of religion.
In 1545, the town again sustained devastation from the
Enghsh forces, who also destroyed the greater portion
of what was left of the abbey, which never afterwards
recovered ; the north and south aisles and the choir were
battered down by artillery, and the venerable and stately
structure was reduced to a mere ruin. The monks, how-
ever, still maintained a religious establishment here, and
inhabited the remains of the conventual buildings till
the Reformation, after which the site and revenues were
granted, in 1587, to Sir John Maitland, lord high chan-
cellor, and subsequently to the Earl of Bothwell, on
whose attainder, reverting to the crown, they were be-
stowed on Sir Robert Ker of Cessford, warden of the
East marches, and ancestor of the Duke of Roxburghe,
the present proprietor.
The foundation of the abbey naturally led to the in-
crease and importance of the town, which previously
was only an inconsiderable village, and a comparatively
insignificant appendage to the burgh of Roxburgh, at
that time a place of great note. In the reign of Robert
I., the town had so augmented in extent as to be divided
into the two portions of Easter and Wester Kelso ; and
on the demolition of Roxburgh, it became the residence
of many of the inhabitants of that burgh. Its increase
was now still more rapid, and it had attained a high de-
7
gree of prosperity in 1545, when, participating in the
disastrous fate of its abbey, it was so reduced by the
English under the Earl of Hertford, that the markets
could no longer be held in it, and were consequently
transferred to the neighbouring village of Hume. On
the accession of the Ker family to the revenues and juris-
diction of the abbots, the town recovered ; the abbey
was erected into a temporal lordship in I607, by charter
of James VI. to the Earl of Roxburghe, and the earl
subsequently granted to the inhabitants all the privileges
of a free burgh of barony. But the place was arrested
in its career of prosperity by a destructive fire, which in
1686 burnt down more than one-half of the houses ; it
was again partly destroyed by fire in 1738, and subse-
quently sustained considerable damage by similar cala-
mities till within a comparatively recent period. These
losses, however, did not impede the progress of the town
so much as might have been expected ; and it is now in
a prosperous state.
Kelso is finely situated on the north bank of the river
Tweed, near its confluence with the Teviot, and consists
chiefly of a principal street, irregularly built, several
smaller streets, and a handsome square of considerable
extent, comprising ranges of buildings in a very pleasing
style. In general the houses are of light-coloured stone,
and roofed with slate ; and the whole has a cheerful and
prepossessing appearance. The streets are paved, and
lighted with gas 5 the inhabitants are amply supplied
with water, and a good approach from the opposite shore
is formed by a well-built bridge over the river. The
surrounding scenery, remarkable for many peculiarities
of feature, is agreeably varied, and when viewed in com-
bination with the ruins of the ancient abbey is deeply
interesting. Kelso bridge is an elegant structure of
stone, erected in 1803, to replace a bridge which had
been swept away by an inundation of the river in 1797.
It consists of five elliptical arches, seventy-two feet in
span, and about fifty feet in height above the surface of
the stream ; the structure is nearly 500 feet in length,
and was completed by the late Mr. Rennie, at an expense
of £18,000. This bridge forms a conspicuous feature in
the landscape of the town, and derives additional interest
from the beauty of the scenery on both banks of the
Tweed. The Kelso library, supported by a proprietary
of shareholders, contains a well-assorted collection of
more than 5000 volumes in all departments of literature,
and is held in a commodious building. The " New Li-
brary" and the " Modern Library" are also well sup-
ported, in a similar manner ; the former has 'ZOOO and
the latter 1500 volumes, chiefly modern works. There
is likewise a book club, maintained by subscribers, for
the purchase and circulation amongst its members of
standard and periodical publications ; and a reading-
room, chiefly frequented as a billiard-room, is established.
A Physical and Antiquarian Society has collected a va-
luable museum of natural history and antiquities.
The chief trade here is in corn, and in the various
articles of merchandise that are requisite for the supply
of the neighbouring district. There are no manufactures
carried on to any considerable extent ; the principal are
those of leather and tobacco, and the weaving of linen
and stockings, all of which together scarcely afford em-
ployment to 150 persons. On the river Tweed are several
valuable salmon-fisheries, one of which, of very small
extent, was let to some gentlemen at the high rent of
K E LS
K E LS
£210 per annum; the season commences in February,
and terminates in November. Kelso contains branches
of the four principal banking establishments in Scotland,
namely, the Bank of Scotland, the British Linen Com-
pany, the Commercial Bank, and the National Bank ;
and has three newspapers, one of them published twice,
and the others once, a week. The chief market is on
Friday, and is amply supplied with corn, and well at-
tended : there is a daily market for butchers' meat, fish,
and vegetables. Markets, also, for cattle are held on the
second Friday in every month. Fairs occur on the four
Fridays in March, for horses, and on the second Friday
for cattle also ; and a very ancient fair is held on the
5th of August, on St. James' Green, the site of the ancient
church of that name. This fair is numerously attended ;
and the magistrates of the town have a cumulative right
of jurisdiction with the magistrates of the burgh of Jed-
burgh, and divide the tolls with the lord of the barony.
The lands belonging to the abbey of Kelso were, as
already stated, granted, under the title of the lordship
and barony of Hallydean, to the Kers of Cessford, an-
cestors of the Dukes of Roxburghe, in 160* ; and in 1634
that portion of the lands which constitutes the town and
parish of Kelso was separated and erected into a burgh
of BARONY by James VI., who conferred upon the supe-
rior, Robert, Earl of Roxburghe, the right of holding a
weekly market and fairs, and of creating burgesses, a
baron-bailie, and other officers. The government is now
vested in a bailie, appointed by the superior ; a body of
sixteen commissioners of police, appointed luider the act
of the 3rd and 4th of William IV. for establishing a gene-
ral system of poUce in Scotland ; a town-clerk ; procu-
rator-fiscal ; and others. The bailie holds his office
during pleasure. There are seven incorporated trades,
the merchants, shoemakers, tailors, hammermen, skin-
ners, weavers, and fleshcrs ; and no person is authorized
to carry on trade in the burgh who is not a member of
one of these companies. The bailie holds a weekly court
for the trial and determination of civil and criminal cases,
of which, on an average, about forty of the latter are
decided annually. The town-house, situated on the east
side of the public square, is a well-built edifice of stone,
two stories in height, with a portico of four Ionic columns
supporting a triangular pediment, surmounted by a neat
turret, in which is a handsome clock. There is likewise
a small prison, employed chiefly as a place of temporary
confinement for vagrants.
The PARISH, which is of triangular form, is about five
miles in length and three in extreme breadth, and is di-
vided into two nearly equal parts by the river Tweed.
It comprises 4400 acres, of which 3800 are arable, 300
meadow and pasture, and '21.') inclosed plantation. The
surface is boldly diversified with broad vales and undu-
lating heights, and abounds with much variety and beauty
of scenery : the rivers Tweed and Teviot, especially, pre-
sent Hiime pleasingly picturesque views in their devious
courses through the parish, flowing between richly-
wooded banks, and receiving numerous tributary streams
from the higher lands. In this parish the soil is various,
but generally fcrtilu, and of light dry <|uality ; the crops
arc oats, wheat, barley, potatoes, and t\irnip.>-. The sys-
tem of agriculture is imjiroved.and the four and five shift
rnnrsei of liasbandry are prevalent : lime and bone-dust
form the principal manures. The lands have been well
drained, and inclosed partly with stone dykes, but chiefly
H
with hedges of thorn : the farm-houses are substantially
built, and some, of more recent erection, are elegant ;
threshing-mills have been erected on most of the farms,
some of them driven by steam ; and all the improvements
in the construction of agricultural implements have been
adopted. For the most part the sheep reared and fed in
the parish are of the Leicestershire breed ; and much
attention is paid to them : the cattle are all the short-
horned, or Teeswater. The Union Agricultural Society
hold meetings in the town, for awarding prizes to suc-
cessful competitors at the monthly show of cattle, and
for improvements in agriculture. The older wood con-
sists of oak, beech, ash, and other forest-trees, of which
many fine specimens are to be seen in the parks of Floors
and Springwood ; the plantations are chiefly firs, inter-
mixed with hard-woods. There are several mansions in
the parish and vicinity, of which Floors, the property of
the Duke of Roxburghe, is a stately edifice, erected in
17I8, after a design by Sir John Vanbrugh. It is situ-
ated on the north side of the river Tweed, in an extensive
park embellished with fine-grown timber and rich plan-
tations : a holly-bush in the park, of venerable growth,
marks out the spot where James II. was killed by the
bursting of a cannon, while employed in the siege of
Roxburgh Castle, in 1460. Ednam House is also an
elegant residence, in tastefully-disposed grounds. The
mansion of Springwood Park, to which is an approach
by a beautiful Grecian archway ; Hendersyde Park ;
Wooden; Pinnacle Hill; and Woodside, are all hand-
some ; and in the vicinity of the town are also numerous
pleasing villas. Facility of intercourse with the neigh-
bouring places is afforded by railways, by excellent roads
in every direction, and by bridges. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £19,75.5.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Kelso, synod of Merse and
Teviotdale ; and the patronage is vested in the Duke of
Roxburghe. The stipend is £320. 13. 6., with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £54. 1 5. per annum. Kelso church,
erected in 1773, and repaired and reseated in 1833, is an
octagonal edifice, conveniently situated, and adapted for
a congregation of 1314 persons. An additional church
was erected in 1837, on a site northward of the town, at
an expense of more than £3500, towards which £1500
were contributed by Mr. James Nisbet, of London ; it is
a handsome edifice in the later English style of architec-
ture, with a lofty square tower, and contains H77 sittings,
of which 144 are free. A certain portion of the parish
was allotted to it for a short time, as a district, and
called the North quoad sacra parish, with a population
of '2383. Adjoining it is a building for an infants' and
another school. There arc places of worship for mem-
bers of the United Presbyterian Church, the Free Church,
Reformed Presbyterians, Original Seceders, the Society
of Friends, and Wcslcyans, with an Episcopal chapel.
Two parochial schools arc held, one of which is a gram-
mar school, and the other a school for reading, writing,
and arithmetic. The master of the former has a salary
of £34, with .£80 fees, and a house and garden ; and the
master of the latter a salary of £5. 11., with £50 fees,
and the interest of a bequest of £'240 for teaching gra-
tuitously a numlier of poor children. Another school is
maintained partly at the expense of two of the heritors,
who give the masters a schoolroom and dwelling-house
rent free, in addition to the fees, for teaching children of
KELT
KELT
the south division of the parish. A school for boys and
girls, also, is supported by the Duke of Roxburghe and
others, who pay the mistress £15 per annum, including
fees, and give the master as much as will raise the amount
f)f his fees to £60. The poor have the interest of funded
bequests, producing £35. 10. a year. A savings' bank,
under good management, has contributed to prevent ap-
plications for parochial relief ; and there are several
charitable institutions, which have also been highly bene-
ficial to the poorer inhabitants. The dispensary, esta-
blished in 1777, and supported by subscription, contains
■wards for the reception of patients whose cases require
residence in the institution, and has hot, cold, and vapour
baths, which are accessible to the public. The majority
of the patients, however, are visited at their own dwell-
ings. The establishment is under the direction of a
physician and surgeons, and on an average affords relief
annually to about 500 patients.
The principal relics of antiquity are the interesting
ruins of the ancient abbey, which, within the last fifty
or sixty years, have been cleared from the barbarous in-
crustations of masonry by which they were long con-
cealed, and have been prevented by judicious repairs
from sinking into entire dilapidation. Of this once
magnificent cruciform structure, of the Saxon or early
Norman style of architecture, the principal parts remain-
ing are a portion of the choir, and the central tower, with
part of the nave and transepts. A portion of the build-
ing was fitted up in 1649 as a parish church, which was
in use till 1771 ; and the masonry employed for that
purpose, which concealed some of the finest parts of the
abbey, and disfigured the whole, was removed partly in
1805, and completely in 1816. By this means, the ruins
were restored to their original beauty; and in 18'-23
their further dilapidation was prevented, by replacing
much that was decayed, and thoroughly repairing what
remained. They are considered to be the finest speci-
men of Saxon architecture in the kingdom. No vestige
now remains of the ancient residence of the Earl of Mor-
ton, who resided in the village of Maxwellheugh in the
reign of Queen Elizabeth. Kelso gives the title of Earl
to the Duke of Roxburghe.
KELTON, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirkcud-
bright ; including the villages of Rhonehouse and
Gelston, and containing ^875 inhabitants, of whom 1848
are in the town of Castle-Douglas, 10 miles (N. E. by E.)
from Kirkcudbright. This parish derives its name, of
Celtic origin, from the extensive woods formerly in its
vicinity; and is bounded on the west by the river Dee,
which separates it from the parishes of Balmaghie and
Tongland. It extends nearly six miles in length, and is
about three miles in average breadth, comprising an area
of almost 11,400 acres, of which 3000 are arable, 560
woodland and plantations, and the remainder moorland
pasture and waste. The surface rises gradually from the
river into a ridge of hills of conical form, most of which
are arable to the summit, and which, towards the south,
increase in loftiness, till they attain, in some parts, an
elevation of 1200 feet above the level of the sea. Of
these hills the highest are Bengairn, the Skreel, and Dun-
gyle : from the two former is obtained an extensive view
embracing the whole vale of the Dee, the hill of Cairns-
muir, the mountain range that separates the county of
Kirkcudbright from Ayrshire, St. Bees Head, and the
Cumberland hills. The river Dee, which here attains its
Vol. II.— 9
greatest breadth, divides into two streams above and
below the bridge, inclosing two large and beautifully
wooded islands. Several rivulets, descending from the
hills, intersect the parish in different directions. The
Slack burn and the Auchlane burn, which have their rise
in Bengairn, after flowing for some distance towards the
north, take a western direction, and fall into the Dee.
Three other burns descend from the Skreel, one of which,
taking a northern course, flows past the village of Gel-
ston into Loch Carlinwark, while the other two run
south-eastward into the Solway Firth. The loch of
Carlinwark, situated in the north angle of the parish, was
originally 180 acres in extent ; but in 1765 it was partly
drained by the construction of a canal, one mile and a
half in length, which, conveying its water to the Dee,
reduced its height to the same level, and diminished its
surface to 100 acres. By the draining of the lake, great
quantities of rich marl were obtained, which, being car-
ried by the canal to the Dee in boats, were shipped to
many of the surrounding parishes for the improvement
of the lands.
For the most part the soil is a thin hazel loam, or
brown mould, mixed in some places with sand, and in
others incumbent on gravel and a stiff retentive clay, but
generally fertile, producing abundant crops of grain, with
potatoes and turnips, and the various grasses. The sys-
tem of agriculture has been greatly improved under the
encouragement of an agricultural society comprising
Kelton and the adjacent parishes, in each of which
ploughing matches take place by turns : and a general
show of stock is held annually at Castle-Douglas on the
first Tuesday in October, when prizes are awarded. The
farm-houses are substantially built, and roofed with slate.
The lands have been much enriched by the marl from
Carlinwark loch, and are inclosed partly with stone dykes,
and partly with hedges of thorn ; bone-dust is used as
manure for turnips ; and all the more recent improve-
ments in the implements of husbandry have been adopted.
On the moorlands is good pasturage for black-cattle, of
which considerable numbers are reared ; and though
none of the farms are exclusively appropriated to the
purpose, numbers of sheep, chiefly of the black-faced,
with a few of the Leicestershire and Cheviot breeds, are
fed on the several lands. There is no established fishery ;
but salmon are taken in the Dee, and trout, pike, and
perch in the loch, which is also frequented by almost
every variety of waterfowl. In this parish the substrata
comprise greywacke and slate, with veins of porphyry ;
and granite is found in the hills. The plantations, most
of which are of modern growth, consist of oak, ash, elm,
and larch, Scotch, and spruce firs, and are in a very
thriving state. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £9170. Gelston Castle was built by the late
Sir Willam Douglas, and is conspicuous for the elegance
of its architecture, and the romantic beauty of its situa-
tion. Carlinwark, erected by the late Mr. Mc Culloch,
and Daldawn, built by the late proprietor, Captain
Mc Dougall, are also handsome mansions. The village
of Rhonehouse, on Kelton hill, was long celebrated for
its annual fairs for cattle and horses, all of which have
been removed to Castle-Douglas, except the summer fair,
which is still held at Rhonehouse, on the first Tuesday
after the 17th of June, O. S., chiefly for horses and for
the hiring of servants. There are no manufactures of
importance ; but a few of the inhabitants are employed
KELT
K E M B
in hand-loom weaving for the houses at Carlisle. Fa-
cility of communication is afforded by good roads, of
which the military road from Carlisle to Portpatrick
passes through the northern part of the parish for about
four miles, and others intersect it in various directions.
This parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of
Kirkcudbright, synod of Galloway ; and both civilly and
ecclesiastically includes the ancient parishes of Gelston
and Kilcormack, which, after the decay of their churches, "
were anne.\ed to Kelton about the year 1689. The
minister's stipend is £"^46. IS., with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £'20 per annum ; patron, the Crown. The
present church, a plain substantial structure with a
campanile turret, was erected on a more eligible site than
that of the old edifice, in 1S06, and has since been en-
larged by the addition of galleries ; it now contains 1000
sittings. There are places of worship for members of
the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church, and
Reformed Presbyterians. Three parochial schools are
supported, of which the original school is at Rhone-
house, and the two others respectively at Gelston and
Castle-Douglas : about 440 children are instructed.
The master in Rhonehouse has a dwelling-house, and
one-third of £51. 6. paid by the heritors, with £2
from a bequest by Sir William Douglas, and £~. 10.
from the seat-rents of the galleries in the church. The
master of Gelston receives one-third of £51. 6., with
£3. 3. from Sir William Douglas's fund, but has no
dwelling-house ; and the fees in each of the two schools
average £32. The master at Castle-Douglas has one-
third of £51. 6., £~. 10. from the Douglas fund, and
£15 from seat-rents, in addition to the fees, which ave-
rage £120 per annum. There are three other schools,
for females, unendowed, but the teachers of which, besides
their fees, receive a small sum from the Douglas fund.
Miss Harriet Douglas bequeathed £100, the interest of
which is distributed in coal among the poor.
The parish contains numerous remains of antiquity,
among which is part of a Druidical circle on the farm of
Torrs. There are several British forts, two of which are
in good preservation, on the hill of Dungyle, and both
defended by three ramparts of stones and earth ; one
has a circular area of IIZ, and the other of si.xty-eight,
paces in diameter. In a tumulus near Gelston, have
been found a stone coffin containing human bones of
gigantic size, a copper helmet, and some military wea-
pons greatly corroded. At Mid Kelton, a Roman tripod
has been discovered by the plough ; and on an island in
Carlinwark loch has been found a large iron hammer,
supposed to have been used by the Druids. Several
canoes ; a Roman dagger, plated with gold, and twcnty-
Iwo inches long ; the remains of an iron forge said to
have been employed by the troops of Edward I., for shoe-
ing their horses ; and various other relics, have also been
discovered in the loch. The great cannon called Mons
Meg, which stands on the Argyll battery of Edinburgh
Ca?itle, -wan made in this parish, at a place called The
Buchan.
KELTON, a village, chiefly in the parish of Caer-
LAVEROCK.nnd partly in that of Dumfkiks, 3^ miles (S.
by E.) from Diiiiifrics ; containing 154 inhabitants. This
villagi- lies on the caHtern bank of the river Nith,and on
the hiyh road from (Jlenra|)leQiiay to Dumfries. It has
n umall harlirnjr, in wliich the water rises fifteen feet at
npring tides, and which affords anchorage for vessels of
10
ninety tons' burthen at all times. A considerable trade
was formerly carried on in the exportation of grain and
potatoes ; but the prosperity of the place has latterly been
checked by the more central position and increasing traffic
of neighbouring towns, and it is likely to decay.
KELTY, a village, in the parish of Beath, district
of Dunfermline, county of Fife, 6 miles (N. E. by E.)
from Dunfermline ; containing 257 inhabitants. The
population consists chiefly of colliers employed in the
mines of the parish. There is a place of worship here
for members of the Free Church.
KELTY, a village, in the parish of Cleish, county
of Kinross, 5 miles (S. by W.) from Kinross ; containing
164 inhabitants. It is situated in the south-eastern part
of the parish, and a short distance west of the road from
Burntisland to Kinross. In the vicinity is Blair-Adam
inn, where is a post-office.
KEMBACK, a parish, in the district of St. An-
drew's, county of Fife, 3 miles (E. by N.) from Cupar;
containing, with the village of Blebo-Craigs, 778 inha-
bitants. It is supposed to derive its name from the
rivulet called the Kem or Kam, which rises in the hills
of the parish of Scoonie, and flowing through this parish,
falls into the river Eden. The parish is bounded on the
north by the river Eden, and measures about three miles
in length and a mile and a half in breadth, comprising
2200 acres, of which 1700 are arable, with a due propor-
tion of meadow and pasture, and 320 are woodland and
plantations. Its surface is varied with hills, of which
a ridge traverses the parish from east to west, sloping
gently towards the south, and more abruptly towards the
north ; the highest eminence is Clatto hill, rising 548
feat above the level of the sea. The whole of this range,
formerly a wild barren heath, is now covered with thriving
plantations, adding greatly to the beauty of the scenery,
for which this district is distinguished. The river Eden
flows in a winding course, along the boundary of the
parish, between banks which in some places are level
with its stream, and in others rise into precipitous eleva-
tion ; while the Kem brook, frequently called the Ceres
burn, runs through a thickly-wooded ravine called Dura
Den, nearly a mile in length, abounding with romantic
scenery, and enlivened by a picturesque cascade. The
Eden contains plenty of trout in the spring and autumn,
and is a favourite resort for anglers.
In this parish the soil displays every possible variety;
along the banks of the river, a rich alluvial clay of great
fertility ; in other parts, black and brown loam, alter-
nated with peat-moss, sand, and gravel. The system of
agriculture is in an improved state ; the farm-buildings
are substantial, and on many of the farms arc threshing-
mills, driven by horses, water, or steam. The substratum
is chiefly sandstone of a bright yellow colour, occurring
in beds of great thickness, and abounding with organic
remains ; there are some quarries of whinstone, and coal
and ironstone have been discovered, but are not wrought.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £3515.
Blebo House, the seat of (jeneral Alexander Bethune,
the principal landed projjrictor, is a handsome modern
mansion ; there are also good houses at Dura and Kem-
back, belonging to other proprietors, and the latter of
which is an ancient building. The village is small, and
consists chiefly of scattered cottages, on the road to St.
Andrew's. The inhabitants are partly employed in the
spinning of yarn, for which there are two mills belong-
K EM N
K E N M
ing to Mr. David Yool, both situated on the Ceres burn.
Of these, Yoolfiekl mill was built in 1839, and the ma-
chinery is impelled by a water-wheel of thirty-nine feet
diameter, and, when water is scarce, by steam ; Blebo
mill, farther up the stream, is driven by a water-wheel,
and a steam-engine of ten-horse power. In the two
about 19.5 persons are employed, of whom 12.5 are females.
Connected with the Blebo mill are a meal-mill, a barley-
mill, and a mill for scutching flax ; and lower down the
stream, at Kemback, is a mill, also belonging to Mr.
Yool, driven by a water-wheel of si.xteen-horse power,
for grinding meal, sawing timber, and crushing bones.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of St. Andrew's and synod of Fife. The
minister's stipend is £159. 7-, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £24 per annum ; patrons, the University of St.
Andrew's. Kemback church, erected in 1814, is a neat
plain building. The parochial school is attended by about
forty children ; the master has a salary of £34, with a
good house and garden, and the fees average £16 per
annum. There are three other schools, partly supported
by subscription and the fees. The poor have bequests
producing £10 per annum. There are several tumuli in
the parish j and some relics of Roman antiquity have
been occasionally discovered.
KEMNAY, a parish, in the district of Garioch,
county of Aberdeen, 4 miles (W. by S.) from Kintore;
containing 63" inhabitants. This place is situated on
the banks of the river Don, which, by its circuitous
course in this part, forms the boundary on two sides,
separating Kemnay on the north from the parish of In-
verury, and on the west from Chapel of Garioch and
Monymusk. The parish is irregular in figure, and mea-
sures between four and five miles in length, and about
three in breadth ; comprising 6000 acres, of which about
half is pasture and in tillage, and half in plantations and
uncultivated. Its surface in general is uneven, and
diversified with a picturesque range of small hills called
kerns, running nearly parallel with the river. The scenery
is beautiful, combining well-cultivated arable grounds,
rich and verdant pastures, and numerous thriving plan-
tations, ornamented by the serpentine course of the river
Don ; and the burn of Ton, one of the tributaries of that
river, contributes in no small degree to heighten the in-
teresting appearance of this pleasing locality. On most
of the lands the soil is a light mould resting on sand,
but in the vicinity of the rivers are some tracts of fine
deep loamy earth ; and the higher grounds, which are
cultivated to the summit, are for the most part clayey.
The crops consist chiefly of oats, bear, potatoes, and
turnips, peas and wheat being very scantily sown : the
rotation system is followed. Much of the mossy land
has been brought into cultivation, and now produces
good corn ; but considerable tracts still remain, supply-
ing the inhabitants with their ordinary fuel. The whole
of the lands, till lately, were held by Lord Kintore and
another proprietor ; but the former has alienated part
of his property. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £2340. The rocks are of the granite for-
mation, quartz and mica prevailing in their composition :
the stone admits of a fine polish, and is raised from two
or three quarries, as well as found in detached masses
on the hills. Kemnay House, a modern structure, is
surrounded with thick and thriving plantations, and is
approached by an ornamental avenue of very fine beech-
11
trees. The road from Aberdeen to Monymusk passes
through the parish, and the basin of the Aberdeenshire
canal, at Inverury, is only five miles distant : the mar-
ketable produce is sent for sale to Aberdeen, Inverury,
and Kintore. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the pres-
bytery of Garioch, synod of Aberdeen, and in the pa-
tronage of the Earl of Kintore : the minister's stipend
is £150, of which about two-fifths are received from the
exchequer; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £15
per annum. The present church is a handsome edifice,
erected in 1844, and will accommodate about 400 per-
sons. The former church was very ancient, and had
become ruinous: it was extensively repaired in 1632,
and again in 1*94. Kemnay parochial school, which,
since the appointment of the present master, Mr. An-
drew Stevenson, has been admirably conducted, and, in
conjunction with a flourishing academy under the same
auspices, has excited much interest, affords instruction
in all the branches of a sound education : the master
has a salary of £25. 13. 4., with a house, £2 the interest
of various bequests, and £50 fees ; he also largely parti-
cipates in the Dick bequest. There is a parish library,
containing works on divinity, history, and general litera-
ture. The only relics of antiquity are several tumuli and
cairns.
KENDROCHAD, or Bridgend, in the county of
Perth. — See Bridgend.
KENMORE, a parish, in the county of Perth ;
containing, with the villages of Acharn, Blairraore,
Bridgend, and Stronfernan, 2539 inhabitants, of whom
106 are in the village of Kenmore, 6 miles (S. W. by W.)
from Aberfeldy. This place derives its name, in the
Gaelic language signifying " a great headland ", from the
situation of its church on a headland forming the south
bank of the river Tay, near its source, and stretching
far into the lake of that name. The parish comprises
an area of nearly sixty-two square miles, of extremely
irregular form, and in several parts separated into de-
tached portions by the intervening lands of other pa-
rishes. It is bounded on the north and south by the
hills that rise from the shores of Loch Tay, and com-
prises about 40,000 acres of land, of which 5400 are
arable, S6OO meadow and pasture, 5000 in woods and
plantations, and the remainder moorland and waste.
The surface, with the exception of that part of it covered
by the waters of Loch Tay, part of Loch Fraochy, and
one or two small lakes, is mountainous and hilly, with
some small portions of level ground, the chief of these
being the commencement of the valley of the Tay, a fine
open plain about a mile in width, through which that
river flovis with a full and rapid stream. Locli Tay, a
magnificent expanse of water, nearly sixteen miles in
length, and averaging about a mile in breadth, is of a
serpentine form, extending from the north-east to the
south-west, and in many parts not less than 6OO feet in
depth. From the margin of the lake, on both sides, the
surface rises gradually to a great height, forming two
parallel ranges of mountains, of which Ben-Lawers,
the highest point, has an elevation of more than 4000
feet above the level of the sea. The lower acclivities of
these mountains are in some parts in a high state of
cultivation, and in others afford luxuriant pasture, inter-
spersed with woods of ancient growth, and plantations
of recent formation, giving to the scenery of the lake a
rich variety, which renders it pre-eminent in beauty.
02
KENM
K E NM
Loch Tay, at its south-western extremity, receives the
waters of the rivers Dochart and Lochay, and on both
sides is fed by numerous torrents, which descend from
the mountains, and in their progress form picturesque
cascades. Loch Fraochy, part of which is within the
limits of the parish, is a fine sheet of water, about two
miles and a half in length and nearly one mile in average
breadth. It is situated in Glenquaich, a sequestered
dell to which the Quaich, a mountain torrent in the pa-
rish, gives its name. In this part, however, the scenery
is destitute of beauty, the dell possessing no features of
interest, and the shores of the lake being little more than
a dead swamp. The river Tay issues from the north-
eastern extremity of the loch of that name, and flowing
through the parks of Taymouth, the vale of Tay, part of
Strathmore, and by the Carse of Gowrie, falls into the
German Ocean below Dundee. Of the numerous cas-
cades formed by the various mountain streams, the
principal is the fall of Acharn, or the Hermitage, about
two miles from the village of Kenmore, and which is
strikingly grand. Salmon are found in Loch Tay, and
also some way up its two principal feeders, the Dochart
and the Lochay ; and pike, perch, eels, char, and trout
are abundant in both the lakes : the trout in Loch Fra-
ochy, though small, are of e-xcellent quality, and in great
request.
The SOIL in general is a light brown loam, with a
mi.\ture of clay, and in the hills a light moss ; the crops
are oats, bear, potatoes, and turnips. The system of
agriculture is improving, and considerable progress has
been made in draining and inclosing the lands. Some
of the farm houses and ofBces are inferior to others in
the country, but those of more recent erection are of
very superior character. Much attention is paid to the
breeding of cattle, chiefly of the West Highland kind,
with a mixture of the Ayrshire ; the average number
in the parish is more than 3000. The sheep, for which
the hills afford excellent pasturage, are mostly the black-
faced, and about 1*2,000 are kept : on the lands of Tay-
mouth are some sheep of the Leicestershire and South-
Down breeds. Horses, chiefly for agricultural purposes,
are bred by the farmers, but not in any great numbers ;
the average number of horses kept is 500, and there is
about the same number of pigs. The woods of natural
growth are oak, birth, common and mountain ash, alder,
hazel, cherry, hawthorn, and holly. The plantations are
larch and Scotch fir, interspersed with numerous fine
specimens of beech, elm, sycamore, lime, and chesnut,
and with various other ornamental trees of luxuriant
growth, among which are some remarkable cedars, abun-
dance of common and Portugal laurels, cypress, yew,
pines, and laljurnums. In this parish the substrata con-
sist of mica-slate, of which the rocks are mostly com-
posed, gneiss, clay-slate, &c. Limestone and other stone
ot peculiarly fine quality, and well adapted for building,
are extensively quarried j and a stone of harder grain is
obtained from the quarry near Kenmore, and is suscep-
tible of a very high polish. Quartz is also found in
large masses in several places, and is wrought for build-
ing and other purposes ; it is of remarkably white colour,
anil hiis been used in the construction of the dairy in
Taytnoulh I'urk. The annual value of real property in
Kenmore is £H'266.
The whole of the parish, with the exception of part
of Glenquaich, the properly of the Misses Campbell of
12
Shian, belongs to the Marquess of Breadalbane, who has
greatly contributed to the improvement of the soil and
the embellishment of the district, by the liberal encou-
ragement he has given to his tenantry in draining the
lands, and extending the plantations. Under his lord-
ship's patronage, also, the Breadalbane Agricultural So-
ciety has efl'ected considerable benefit, by the distribu-
tion of premiums annually. Taymouth Castle, the seat
of the marquess, and formerly the castle of Balloch, of
which some remains are incorporated with the present
mansion, is a spacious and elegant edifice, beautifully
situated on the southern bank of the Tay, and embo-
somed in woods of almost interminable extent. It is a
quadrangular building, with a lofty square tower in the
centre of the principal range, rising to a considerable
height above the roof of the mansion, and containing a
magnificent staircase, which leads to the principal apart-
ments, and is lighted from the roof of the tower, and by
windows in the walls, of elegant design, and adorned with
stained glass. The great hall, the dining-room, and
drawing-room are noble apartments, splendidly fitted
up : and the library, which is in part of the old castle,
but renewed of late in a most magnificent style, contains
an extensive and valuable collection. In the mansion is
also a gallery of paintings by the first masters of the
Flemish and Italian schools. The grounds are laid out
with exquisite taste ; and the scenery of the spacious
demesne is richly diversified with wood and water, and
with every variety of hill and dale in striking combina-
tion, the castle forming an object of imposing grandeur
in every point of view from which it can be seen. Tay-
mouth Castle was visited by Her Majesty during her
tour in Scotland in September 1842. She arrived here
on the afternoon of the 7th of that month ; and in the
evening a singularly magnificent scene presented itself,
from the simultaneous kindling of numerous bonfires in
the neighbourhood, and the variety of the illuminations
on the demesne. On the evening of the 9th, a grand
ball was given ; and on the following morning Her Ma-
jesty took her departure for the town of Crietf, entering
her beautiful barge at the village of Kenmore, amid the
cheers of the assembled people, and proceeding to Killin
by water. Shian, the residence of the Misses Campbell,
stands on the north bank of the Quaich, about a mile
from its influx into Loch Fraochy, and in the glen to
which that stream gives name. The village of Kenmore
is beautifully situated, and the houses neatly built : a
post-oHice has been established, which has a daily de-
livery of letters from Dunkeld ; there is a good inn, and
a small library has been opened, promising in due time
to be well supported. Kenmore is one of the chief
stages, or points, in the tour of Perthshire. The nearest
market-town is Crieff, distant as many as twenty-two
miles; but facility of intercourse with the neighbouring
district is maintained by good roads, branching off from
the village in various directions. In the immediate vici-
nity of the village is a small establishment for the dyeing,
spinning, and weaving of wool, which affords employ-
ment to twelve or fourteen persons. Fairs are held on
the first Tuesday in March, O. S., for horses and general
merchandise; on the '2Hth of June, for wares of all
kinds ; the '26th of July, for horses and wool ; the 17th
September, for cattle and agricidtural produce ; the Fri-
day in November before the festival of St. Donat ; and
the 22nd of December.
K ENN
K ENN
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Weem, synod of Perth and Stirling, and in the patronage
of the Marquess of Breadalbane : the minister's stipend
is £253. 14. 9., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10
per annum. Kenmore church, erected in 1761-2, is a
spacious cruciform structure, with a tower at the west
end, and is beautifully situated, but at an inconvenient
distance from many parts of this very extensive parish ;
it is adapted for a congregation of 636 persons. There
are two chapels of ease, one at Ardeonaig, and the other
at Lawers, both erected by the Marquess of Breadalbane,
at his own expense, for the accommodation of the more
distant parishioners. They are under the patronage of
the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, by
whom, conjointly with the marquess, the salaries of the
ministers are paid. The salary of the minister of Ar-
deonaig is £60 per annum, with seventeen acres and a
half of glebe land, and a comfortable residence built by
the marquess ; the minister of Lawers has £50, with a
dwelling-house, and six acres and a quarter of glebe.
There is also a place of worship for members of the Free
Church ; and at Lawers is one for a small congregation
of Baptists. Kenmore parochial school affords a useful
education ; the master has a salary of £34, with £20
fees, and a house and garden. There are three schools
endowed by the Society for Propagating Christian Know-
ledge, situated respectively at Moreinsh, Ardtallanaig,
and Shian ; the masters have each a salary of £15, paid
by the society, with a house and garden given by the
Marquess of Breadalbane, in addition to the fees. A
school is also carried on at Kiltrie, the teacher of which
is paid £10 per annum by the marchioness. The poor
have the interest of charitable bequests, producing £56
annually ; and the Breadalbane family, by private hos-
pitality, provide for the wants of their poorer tenantry
by various distributions of provisions and clothing, and
by other donations.
On an island in Loch Tay, near the source of the
river, and separated from the main land only by a narrow
creek, are the ruins of a priory founded by Alexander I.,
as a cell to the monastery of Scone : the remains are,
however, scarcely perceptible among the wood by which
they are overgrown. Sibilla, daughter of Henry I. of
England, and consort of the founder, was interred in
the chapel of this priory. Coins of the reigns of Ed-
ward I. of England, and Alexander III. of Scotland, have
been found in a field near Loch Fraochy j they are of
silver, in good preservation, and some of them are in the
possession of the Marquess of Breadalbane. In making
a road from Taymouth to Glenquaich, in 1775, were
found some Roman coins of the Antonines, embedded in
a substance resembling charcoal ; they were also of sil-
ver, with the legends in a perfect state.
KENNET, a village, in the parish and county of
Clackmannan, f of a mile (S. E.) from Clackmannan;
containing 238 inhabitants. This is a neat village, lying
westward of the high road from Clackmannan to Kin-
cardine, and is one of several villages in the parish, the
late increase of whose population is ascribable to the
extension of mining operations in their respective neigh-
bourhoods, particularly the working of coal. The man-
sion of Kennet is beautifully situated on ascending
ground which overlooks the Forth, and is about a mile
distant from the river ; it is more remarkable, however,
for its internal elegance than its exterior appearance.
13
In the village is a very handsome school-house, with a
master's dwelling, and a garden attached : the buildings
were erected by the Bruce family, by whom the school
is endowed. On the shore of the Forth is the hamlet of
Kennet-Pans, where is a distillery, and where formerly
were salt-works : its harbour affords facility for the
shipping of coal.
KENNETHMONT, in the county of Aberdeen.—
See KlNNETHMONT.
KENNOWAY, a parish, in the district of Kirk-
caldy, county of Fife ; containing, with the village of
Baynton, and part of Star, 2044 inhabitants, of whom
1101 are in the village of Kennoway, 3^ miles (E.) from
Markinch. This parish, which derives its name from
the situation of the village at the head of a small but
beautifully romantic glen, is about three miles in length
from east to west, and two in breadth from north to
south. It comprises about 3750 acres, whereof 3470 are
arable, 250 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
pasture and waste. The surface, which is gently but
irregularly undulated, is diversified with hills and valleys;
and the higher grounds command extensive and richly-
varied prospects over the adjacent country, comprehend-
ing a fine view of the Firth of Forth, with the shipping,
the island of May, the Bass Rock, and Inchkeith, the
southern coast from Dunbar to Edinburgh, the Lammer-
moor, and part of the Pentland hills. From the highest
eminence in the northern part of the parish, is a more
extended prospect, including nearly the whole of the
county, with large portions of the counties of Perth,
Angus, and Stirling, and the range of the Grampians.
The scenery is enlivened by numerous small rivulets that
intersect the parish in various directions, and by others
flowing along its boundaries. Of these rivulets one,
entering the parish near Balnkirk, on the north, after
following a circuitous course, passes close to the village
of Kennoway, where it meanders through a deep dell,
darkened by the foliage that crowns its banks. Issuing
from this dell, it receives a tributary stream at Kenno-
way-Burns, on the south boundary of the parish, whence
proceeding about a mile southward, it falls into the river
Leven.
The SOIL is fertile, though varying in quality ; in
some parts light, in others a dry loam, in others a rich
loam intermixed with clay, and towards the western
extremity of the parish a peat-moss. The crops are
wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, turnips, and a few acres of
beans. In this parish, as in others, the rotation system
of husbandry is generally practised ; and through the
improvement of the lands by draining, and the abundant
use of lime and manures, the crops are greatly superior,
both in quantity and quality, to what they formerly
were. The cattle reared are in general of the Fifeshire
breed, with occasionally a cross of the Teeswater, which
produces a stock nearly as forward at three years old as
the Fifeshire at four, and which is more easily fattened :
the cows for the dairy are all of the native Fifeshire
breed. The plantations consist chiefly of larch and
Scotch fir, which thrive well, and attain to a considerable
growth ; and many hard- wood trees have been inter-
spersed, and appear to be adapted to the soil. Great
improvements have been made on their respective lands
by the various proprietors. The farm-buildings are sub-
stantial and commodious, and some have been lately
built in a superior style : on most of the farms thresh-
KEPP
K ETT
ing-mills have been constructed, some of which are set
in motion by steam. The lands are well inclosed with
hedges, kept in good order. Among the substrata are
freestone and whinstone : the former, of very soft qua-
lity, and coarse in its texture, is quarried only on a very
limited scale ; the whinstone, which is good, is quarried
in various parts for building, and for mending the roads.
Coal is found in several places, and is worked at Balgrie
by J. B. Fernie, Esq., of Kilmux, who, in consequence of
the exhaustion of the former mines, which had been in
operation for more than sixty years, lately opened a new
mine in that part of the parish. The coal lies at a depth
of more than fifty fathoms ; the vein is nearly six feet in
thickness, and of very good quality, affording an ample
supply of fuel for the neighbourhood. About fifty per-
sons are employed in the pits, from which the water is
drawn off by a steam-engine of forty-eight horse power.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £4654.
In this parish the seats are, Auchtermairnie, a fine old
house, pleasantly situated in a tastefully-embellished
demesne ; and Kingsdale and Newton Hall, both hand-
some modern mansions, in grounds ornamented with
flourishing plantations.
The village of Kennoway, where the church stands,
is neatly built on the banks of the principal stream,
which are richly clothed with plantations. The chief
employment of the inhabitants is the weaving of linen,
in which not fewer than 300 persons are engaged ; and
several are occupied in spinning and winding yarn.
Exclusive of two mills for grinding oats and barley,
there are a mill for sawing wood and a mill for spinning
tow, driven by water. The principal articles manu-
factured are dowlas, sheetings, twills, diapers, and Dar-
hngtons. For the greater facility of procuring reeds
for the use of the weavers, a society has been established
in the village, called the Kennoway Reed Society, con-
sisting of I'iO persons, who form a proprietary of 200
shares. Fairs are held in April and October ; but they
are not very numerously attended, and little business is
transacted. Intercourse with the neighbouring market-
towns of Cupar and Kirkcaldy is maintained by good
turnpike-roads, and easy communication between the
several parts of the parish is afforded by convenient
roads in every direction. Kennoway is ecclesiastically
in the presbytery of Kirkcaldy, synod of Fife, and in
the patronage of the Crown : the minister's stipend is
£'24'Z. 17., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per
annum. The church is an ancient structure, displaying
some interesting architectural details ; it was substan-
tially repaired in 1832, at an expense of £200, and is
adapted (or a congregation of nearly .500 persons. There
are places of worship for members of the United Presby-
terian Church and the Free Church. The parochial
.school affords instruction to about 120 scholars ; the
master has a salary of £34, with £30 fees, and a house
and garden. There are also Sabbath schools, in con-
nexion with which is a juvenile library of 400 volumes.
An annual distribution of coal and meal is made among
the poor, about the commencement of the year, for
which an extraordinary collection is raised at the church.
A savingh' bank has been established upwards of fifteen
yearn, and .still continues in operation.
KKI'I', a village, in the parish of Kiim'en, county
of I'KKTir, 2 miles (W.) from Kippen ; containing 43
inhabitants. It is about a mile southward of the river
14
Forth, and on the high road from Kippen to Buck-
lyvie.
KEPPOCK-HILL, a suburban village, in the former
ecclesiastical parish of Camlachie, parish of Barony,
and within the jurisdiction of the city of Glasgow,
county of Lanark, 1^ mile (N.) from Glasgow ; con-
taining 235 inhabitants. This place is a precinct of the
city of Glasgow, chiefly occupied by hand-loom weavers
and labourers.
KERERA, an island, in the parish of Kilbride,
district of Lorn, and county of Argyll ; containing 187
inhabitants. This isle is situated in the sound of Mull,
about eight miles eastward of that island, and one mile
from the main land of the district of Lorn, in which
direction Kerera contributes to form the excellent and
romantic harbour of Lorn. It is four miles in length
and two in breadth, and is very mountainous : many of
the rocks have a volcanic appearance. Kerera possesses
two good harbours, called the Ardintrive and the Horse-
Shoe bay. In the latter, Alexander II. anchored a large
fleet of 160 galleys, when upon an expedition against
the Danes ; and here he caught a fever, which obliged
him to be removed on shore, where he died on the
Sth of July, 1249. The place where his pavilion was
erected still bears the name of Dalrigh from this cir-
cumstance, signifying " the King's field ". On the south
point of the island are the ruins of the old Danish fort
of Gylen.
KERRYCROY, a village, in the parish of Kingarth,
Isle and county of Bute, 2:^: miles (S. E. by S.) from
Rothesay ; containing 97 inhabitants. It lies on the east
side of the island, and on the western shore of the Firth
of Clyde ; and consists of several neatly-built houses at
the bay of Scoulag : the coast road from Kilchattan
bay to Rothesay passes through it. South of the village,
in the demesne of Mountstuart, is a neat church, still
in tolerable repair, and at one time used as the parish
church.
KETTINS, a parish, in the county of Forfar ;
containing, with the villages of Campmuir, Ford of Pit-
cur, Ley of Hallyburton, and Peatie, 1109 inhabitants,
of whom 171 are in the village of Kettins, 1 mile (S. E.
by E.) from Cupar- Angus. This parish is situated prin-
cipally on the south side of the valley of Strathmore,
and on the northern declivity of the Sidlaw hills, and
measures in length four miles from east to west, and
three from north to south, exclusive of the detached
portion called Bandirran, in Perthshire, six miles distant
to the south-west. It comprises 8238 acres, of which
6130 are arable, 1579 in plantations, ISO uncultivated
pasture, and chiefly hilly, and the remainder roads, gar-
dens, &c. The scenery is delightfully picturesque. The
whole parish, with slight exce])tions, is richly adorned
with larch and pine, interspersed with many other trees ;
and the village of Kettins is pleasantly situated on the
banks of a rivulet which, after passing through Cupar-
Angus, falls into the Isla, and which, being embosomed
in wood, forms a striking and beautiful feature of this
interesting locality. In general the soil is light and
thin, consisting of a dryish black minild, or siliceous
loam, tolerably fertile, and resting on a loose red tilly or
gravelly subsoil ; l)ut in many ])arts the land is wet and
spongy ; and in others there is a considerable ])ortionof
strong red clay. Much has been done in the way of
draining ; and waste laud to some extent, on the hills of
KETT
K ETT
Baldowrie, has been reclaimed and brought under culti-
vation. Great improvements have also taken place in
the breed of live stock, promoted by the encouragement
of several agricultural associations. The cattle are of
the Angus or polled breed, and the Teeswater, with a
few of the Ayrshire, and several crosses. The rocks in
the parish are of the old red or grey sandstone, except
in the southern quarter, tovvards the Sidlaw hills, where
the substrata are much intermixed with trap : several
quarries are in operation, supplying an excellent and
durable material for building. The annual value of real
property in Kettins is £8524.
In this parish the chief mansions are Hallyburton
House, Lintrose, Bandirran, Newhall, and Baldowrie,
some of which have grounds handsomely laid out, and are
ornamented with fine clusters of wood. The village of
Kettins is generally admired as a picture of neatness,
seclusion, and rural simplicity. The cottages, furnished
with pleasing gardens, are clustered round a green, the
site of rustic sports and pastimes ; and in the immediate
vicinity are the mansions of Newhall, Beechwood, and
Hallyburton, the whole being shrouded among shady and
verdant trees, and enlivened by the course of the silvery
rivulet. About fifty persons are employed in the weaving
of brown linen, and at Borlands is a small bleachfield.
Facilities of intercourse are afforded by the Scottish
Midland Junction railway, and the turnpike-road from
Dundee to Cupar-Angus : Dundee and Perth are the
markets for the sale of the grain raised here ; and pota-
toes are sent in considerable quantities to London.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Meigle,
synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage of
the Crown : the minister's stipend is £'i^26, with a manse,
and a glebe of four acres, valued at £1'3 per annum.
Kettins church was built in I76S. The parochial school
affords instruction in the usual branches ; the master
has a salary of £30, with iS'i from other sources, of
which £13 are the produce of diflferent bequests for
teaching children. Besides several considerable bequests
for the benefit of the poor, there is one by the Rev. James
Paton, amounting now to £500, for educating one or two
girls at the public shools of Dundee. The parish con-
tains the castle of Pitcur, now in ruins, but which once
gave the title of baron to the ancient family of Hally-
burton, great promoters of the Reformation. At Camp-
muir are the remains of a camp supposed to be Roman ;
and at Baldowrie is a Danish monument, six feet high,
marked with figures now almost defaced. Prior to the
Reformation, the church of Kettins belonged to the Red
Friars at Peebles, and had six chapels dependent on it,
most of them with small inclosures for burial-places,
none of which, however, now remain.
KETTLE, a parish, in the district of Cupar, county
of Fife ; including the villages of Balmalcolni, Bankton-
Park, Coalton, and Holekettle- Bridge, and the hamlets
of Muirhcad and Myreside ; and containing 2312 in-
habitants, of whom 480 are in the village of Kettle, 6
miles (S. W.) from Cupar. This place derives its name,
which in ancient documents is written C'atril and
Katel, from its having belonged to the kings of Scotland,
by whom it was appropriated to the pasture of the cattle
of the royal household ; and towards the close of the last
century there were, on the lands of Blackdikes, the
remains of an ancient building, said to have been the
residence of the king's herdsman. The greater portion
15
of the lands is still the property of the crown, and the
rents are duly paid into the exch.equer. The parish is
situated on the river Eden, and is bounded on the north
by the parishes of Auchtermuchty and Collessie ; on the
south by Markinch, Kcnnoway, and Leven ; on the east
by the parish of Ceres and Cults ; and on the west by
the parish of Falkland. It is about eight miles in length,
and three miles at its greatest breadth, forming an irregu-
lar area of nine square miles. In some parts the surface
is level, and in others rises to a considerable elevation :
the lower parts are watered by the Eden, which abounds
with red and white trout, pike, and eels ; and though in
summer its stream is very shallow, yet, from its winding
course, and the sluggishness of its current, it sometimes
inundates the adjacent lands. To remedy this evil,
frequent attempts were long ago made to open a canal
of considerable depth, to receive and carry off the super-
fluous waters ; and Mr. Johnstone, in 1783, cut a spa-
cious canal through the extent of his own lands, which
materially improved his property ; but the neighbouring
proprietors not continuing the line through their estates,
the evil is but partially removed, and many of the low
grounds are still subject to occasional floods.
The SOIL is very various, even in the level lands, part
of which are extremely rich and fertile, and others
sandy, with moss resting on beds of stifif clay. On the
rising grounds are light friable moulds, with a strong
clayey soil, which under proper management produces
good crops : the more hilly parts of the parish afford
excellent pasture, and even to their summits are covered
with verdure. The whole number of acres is 6375, the
principal portion of which is arable ; very little land is
in pasture, and the chief plantations comprise not more
than 200 acres. A moderate extent of common has
been divided, and partly brought into cultivation and
partly planted, by which the appearance of the parish
is greatly improved. The crops are barley, wheat, oats,
potatoes, and turnips, with the usual green crops ; the
system of husbandry is of a highly advanced kind, and
much greater quantities of grain, and of finer quality,
than formerly, have been raised of late years, a very
considerable portion being now sent to the neighbouring
markets. The farm-buildings are substantial and com-
modious, generally roofed with slate ; and all the im-
provements in agricultural implements havebeeii adopted.
Considerable progress has also been made in draining
and inclosing the lands ; the fences, partly of stone and
partly of thorn, are kept in good order. The substratum
is mostly limestone, freestone, and fine trap whinstone.
The limestone is of excellent quality ; it contains, accord-
ing to an analysis, ninety-eight parts of fine lime in
every hundred, and is worked at Forthar quarry, belong-
ing to General Balfour, from whose pits at Balbirnie the
kilns are supplied with coal. This quarry affords em-
ployment to a considerable number of men ; and the
produce, after supplying the neighbourhood, is sent to
Newburgh, whence it is shipped to Dundee and other
places. Coal was formerly wrought at Burnturk, in the
parish ; but with the exception of a little which is em-
ployed in burning lime, it is not now worked. Ironstone
is also found, but in small quantities. One of the beds
of trap whinstone rises perpendicularly in pentagonal
columns from five to seven feet in height ; and these,
when detached from the quarry, are without further
preparation used for gate pillars. There is also a quarry
K I L A
K I L B
of trap tuffa, which, from the durability of the stone, and
its capability of resisting the action of fire, is admirably
adapted for ovens and other purposes subjecting it to
intense heat. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £S6r5.
The lands are divided among numerous proprietors ;
the late Mr. Johnstone, of Lathrisk, built an elegant man-
sion upon that estate, and there are several other hand-
some houses, belonging to resident proprietors, which,
with the plantations on their demesnes, greatly enliven the
scenery. The village of Kettle is pleasantly situated on
the south side of the river Eden, and is well inhabited ;
it is plentifully supplied with provisions of every kind
at a moderate price. Many of the inhabitants of the
parish are employed in weaving linen, in which, upon
an average, 400 hand-looms are engaged ; the principal
article is dowlas, and about forty looms are occupied in
weaving window-blinds. There is also a mill for the
manufacture of linen yarn. Facility of intercourse with
the neighbouring district is greatly promoted by the
line of road forming the thoroughfare from the Firth of
Forth to the Firth of Tay, which is continued for four
miles through the parish. A post-office has been esta-
blished in the village, and the Edinburgh, Perth, and
Dundee railway has a station here. Ecclesiastically the
parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Cupar,
synod of Fife ; and the patronage is vested in the Crown.
The stipend of the incumbent is f'i'iS : the manse,
built in 1792, is a substantial and comfortable residence
in good repair ; and the glebe is valued, with £"2. 3. 4. in
lieu of pasturage, at £5.3. 4. per annum. Kettle church,
a handsome cruciform edifice in the later English style,
with a square tower, was erected in 1S34-5, at an e.xpense
of £3000, and is adapted for 1200 persons. There are
places of worship for members of the Free Church and
United Presbyterian Church. The parochial school is
under good regulation ; the master has a salary of £34,
with an e.vcellent house and garden, and the fees, which
are very moderate. On the hills of Bowden and Down-
field are some remains of ancient encampments ; and
there are several barrows in the parish, of which two,
called respectively Pundlers Know and Lowries Know,
are in the grounds of Forthar, and a third, called Lacker-
stone, in the grounds of Kettle. In the eastern extremity
of the parish are some lands called Clatto, formerly the
residence of the Seatons, whose predatory excursions are
still the subject of traditionary story.
KILARROWor Kilakow, and KILMENY or Kil-
MENZiE, a parish, in the district of Islay, county of
Argyll ; containing, with the villages of Bowmore and
Bridgend, 5782 inhabitants, of whom 4026 are in the
clistrict of Kilarrow. These two ancient parishes, now
united, arc frequently designated as the parish of Bow-
more, from the erection of the new church of Kilarrow
in that village. The feuds which had so long subsisted
in this quarter between the Macdonalds, lords of the
Isles, and the Macleans, of the Mull, terminated about
the commencement of the seventeenth century, in the
Hucccssion of the Campb<:lls of Argyll, whose descendant,
W. F. Campbell, Esq., of Islay, is the sole proprietor of
the lands. The parish, which is situated on the eastern
shore of Loch Iiulal, i.s about seventeen miles in length
and six in extreme breadth, comprising 49,920 acres,
whereof 15,000 acres are arable, a small portion in
plantations, and the large remainder rough pasture,
IG
moorland, and waste. Though generally level, the surface
is diversified with hills of moderate elevation, covered
with heath and fern. The rivers are, the Laggan, which,
taking a south-western course, falls into the bay of
that name ; and the Kilarrow, which empties itself into
Loch Indal. There is a salmon-fishery on the Laggan.
The soil is various, and on some of the farms rich and
fertile. The system of agriculture has been much ad-
vanced by the spirited and liberal efiforts of the Camp-
bell family ; the pasture lands have been improved by
surface draining, and large tracts of moor have been
reclaimed and brought into cultivation. Furrow drain-
ing is also growing into extensive use, a tile-work having
been established for that purpose. Great attention is
paid to the rearing of sheep and black-cattle, and prizes
for the improvement of the breed are awarded by an
agricultural society, which has been established here
some years. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £8888. The plantations are well attended to ;
the soil appears best adapted to the growth of hard-wood
trees. Islay House, the seat of Mr. Campbell, is a hand-
some mansion, beautifully situated on the north shore of
Loch Indal, in grounds tastefully laid out, and em-
bellished with plantations. The villages of Bowmore and
Bridgend are described under their own heads.
Kilarrow originally formed part of the parish of Kil-
dalton, from which it was separated in 17 67, when Kil-
meny was annexed to it. The parish is in the presbytery
of Islay and Jura, synod of Argyll ; and the minister's
stipend is £I60, of which two-thirds are paid from the
exchequer; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10
per annum : patron, the Crown. The church is an elegant
structure of circular form, with a handsome spire ; it
was erected in I767, enlarged by the addition of galleries
in 1828, and contains 830 sittings. A church, also, has
long existed at Kilmeny (which see), about seven miles
distant ; it is now a separate incumbency, and the
minister has a stipend of £120. The parochial school,
situated in Bowmore, is a commodious building, erected
by Mr. Campbell ; the master has a salary of £34, with
a house and garden, and the fees average £25 per annum.
A parliamentary school has been established at Bally-
grant, in the district of Kilmeny, the master of which
has a salary of £35 ; two schools are supported in the
parish by the Gaelic Society ; and near Bridgend is a
female school, supported by Mrs. Campbell, who allows
the teacher a hoiise and garden, and a salary of £12.
There are various remains of forts, the ancient strong-
holds of the Macdonalds.
KILBARCHAN, a parish, in the Upper ward of the
county of Renfrew; containing, with the village of
Linwood and part of Bridgc-of-Weir, 5595 inhabitants,
of whom 2382 are in the village of Kilbarchan, 5 miles
(\V. by S.) from Paisley. This place is of considerable
antiquity, and derives its name, either from the founder
of its ancient church, or from the situation of the church
in a vale bounded by hills, of which the Celtic terms
Kil, liar, Chan, are said to be minutely descriptive. The
parish is unconnected with any event of historical im-
portance. It is situated nearly in the centre of the
coimty, and is rather more than seven miles in length
from cast to west, and about two miles in average
breadth. Kilbarchan is bounded on the north by the
river Gryfe, separating it from the parish of Houston
and Kilallan ; on the east, by the parish of Renfrew ; on
KI LB
KILB
the north-east, by Inchinnan; on the south-east, by the
Abbey parish of Paisley : on the north-west, by the
parish of Kilmalcohn ; and on the south-west by the
parish of Lochwinnocb. Its surface is agreeably varied;
in the eastern portion, between the rivers Gryfe and
Black Cart, generally level ; and towards the west and
north-west, rising into considerable eminences. The
scenery is enriched with thriving plantations, and enli-
vened with numerous gentlemen's seats and pleasing
villas. The Barr hill, extending for nearly a mile to the
east of the church, commands some beautiful prospects,
that suddenly burst upon the view after an extensive
ride through a fine avenue obscured by the thick foliage
in which it is embosomed. The Locher, a tributary of
the Gryfe, forms various cascades in its progress through
the lands, flowing, in several parts of its course, between
rocky banks of precipitous elevation, crowned with over-
hanging plantations of hazel, birch, and mouutain-ash.
Of this parish the entire number of acres has been
estimated at 9'216; the soil in the lower portions is a
peat-moss, alternated with a rich loam, and in the upper
lands of a gravelly nature. The system of agriculture
has been considerably improved, and large portions of
unproductive land have been brought into cultivation,
by clearing the surface from moss. The cattle are mostly
of the Ayrshire breed ; the dairy-farms are well ma-
naged, and the produce finds a ready market in the
neighbouring towns. The horses are principally of the
Clydesdale breed. The farm-buildings of later erection
are substantial, and in general roofed with slate ; the
lands are inclosed with fences of stone in the upper, and
with hedges of thorn in the lower, parts. Coal is abun-
dant ; it has long been wrought, and the produce of the
mines is considerable. Limestone of tolerable quality is
quarried both for building, and for burning into lime,
for which latter purpose part of the coal found here is
used. Freestone and greenstone are also quarried ; the
former is of excellent quality, and the latter is employed
for the roads. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £17,394. There are numerous handsome
houses belonging to resident proprietors, one of the
principal of which is Milliken House, a modern mansion,
finely seated in an ample demesue tastefully disposed in
pleasure-grounds, and embellished with thriving planta-
tions. Glentyan House is a spacious mansion of mo-
dern style, situated above the village of Kilbarchan, in
grounds commanding some pleasing views : this house,
which was built at the commencement of the present
century, contains a valuable collection of paintings.
Blackstone House is a substantial and well-built man-
sion, erected about the middle of the last century, on
the site of a country-seat of the abbots of Paisley.
Craigends is of ancient foundation, with modern addi-
tions and improvements, and is beautifully situated on
the right bank of the river Gryfe. Clippens House is a
handsome villa, erected about twenty or thirty years
since, by the late Peter Cochrane, Esq., M.D.
The village is built of freestone from the quarries of
Barr hill, and consists of several well-formed streets.
There are two public libraries supported by subscrip-
tion, and a masonic lodge; and the Kilbarchan Agricul-
tural Society hold their annual meetings here, for the
distribution of premiums for the most approved speci-
mens of live stock, and for the general improvement of
agriculture. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in
Vol. n.— 17
the weaving of silk and cotton for the manufacturers of
Paisley and Glasgow, in which from 600 to 700 looms
are sometimes engaged ; and a considerable number of
females are occupied in tambour-work, and embroider-
ing the finer muslins. The cotton-mill lately belonging
to Messrs. Findlay and Co., at Bridge-of-Weir (wliicli
see), is an extensive structure, 120 feet in length, thirty-
two feet in breadth, and six stories in height, and contains
7000 spindles : in the mill at Barbush, belonging to
Messrs. Napier, there are 1.3,000 spindles at work. In
the village of Lin wood, of which an account is given
under its own head, the cotton manufacture is also car-
ried on to a very considerable extent. On the river
Locher, a print and bleach field was established more
than half a century ago, but the water of that stream
not being sufficient for the purpose, the establishment
became considerably reduced : an active company are
now engaged at these works as printers. Part of the
village of Bridge-of-Weir is within the parish of Hous-
ton and Kilallan, on the opposite bank of the river Gryfe,
over which is a substantial bridge of stone, connecting
the two portions of that village. Communication is
maintained by good turnpike-roads ; by the Glasgow,
Paisley, and Greenock railway, which intersects the
eastern extremity of the parish ; and the Glasgow,
Paisley, and Ayr railway, which passes on the south of
the parish. The canal from Johnstone to Glasgow, on
which boats ply daily, also affords great facility for the
conveyance of goods. A fair is held on the second
Tuesday in December, which is a great market for
horses; and a cattle- show takes place in the last week in
July.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Paisley, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr : the minister's stipend is about £294, with a
manse, and a glebe worth £32 per annum ; patron. Sir
William Milliken Napier, Bart. The church was built
in 1724, and has been lately repaired ; it is a neat
structure containing 620 sittings. There are places of
worship for members of the Free Church, the United
Presbyterian Church, and Scottish Baptists. The paro-
chial school is well attended ; the master has a salary
of £34, with an allowance of £10 in lieu of house and
garden, and the fees average £15. 10. per annum. A
school is also supported in the village of Linwood, by
the proprietors of the cotton factories, for the accom-
modation of the children of their workmen. About
half a mile from Bridge-of-Weir are some remains of
the castle of Ranfurly, the ancient seat of the Knox
family, from whom descended the celebrated reformer,
John Knox. There are also remains of several chapels;
and on the farm of Clochoderick (Clach-na-Druid) is a
large stone twenty-two feet in length, seventeen feet in
breadth, and twelve feet high, supposed to be a Druid-
ical relic, and from which the farm appears to have de-
rived its name. On the Barr hill are the remains of a
camp thought to be of Danish origin ; and near it are
some rocks of greenstone, among which is a recess called
Wallace's Seat. Ranfurly Castle gives the titles of Earl
and Baron to the family of Knox.
KILBERRY, in the county of Argyll. — See Kil-
CALMONELL.
KILBIRNIE, a parish, in the district of Cunning-
HAME, county of Ayr, 3 miles (\V. by N.) from Beith;
containing 2631 inhabitants. It derives its name from
D
KILB
K I L B
the term Kil, signifying a church, chapel, or monastic
cell, and Birnie, or Birinus, the tutelar saint of the pa-
rish, the church of which, with the rectorial tithes and
revenues, belonged in ancient times to the monastery
of Kilwinning, the monks providing a vicar to serve the
cure. The parish is situated in the northern extremity
of the county, bordering on Renfrewshire, and is of an
oblong form, measuring in length from south-east to
north-west between seven and eight miles, and about
two miles and a half in average breadth. It consists
nominally of the three baronies of Kilbirnie, Glengar-
nock, and Ladyland ; and comprises an area of 10,800
acres, of which 1600 are arable, 2800 in cultivated grass-
lands and meadows, 1'270 green-hill pasture, 70 in plan-
tations, and the remainder heath, moss-land, and water.
The surface is much diversified in appearance, and is
naturally formed into two distinct tracts. Of these, one
is wholly arable, and ornamented by the beautiful water
of Kilbirnie loch on its eastern limit, and the winding
stream of the Garnoch running from north to south.
The other is marked by hill pastures, bog, and moor-
land, and has a very irregular surface : it rises first into
lofty uplands, and these are succeeded by dreary tracts
of moss and heath, and ranges of barren and uninviting
hills, the highest of which, called the hill of Staik, is
1691 feet above the level of the sea, and commands
prospects the most extensive, varied, and beautiful.
Kilbirnie loch contains trout, perch, roach, pike, and
abundance of eels. The Garnoch and the Maich, also,
are good trouting-streams. The former has its source
in the hill of Staik, and runs in a south-eastern direction :
about a mile and a half from its source it forms a wild
and romantic waterfall called the Spout of Garnock, and
some miles further down descends along a well-wooded
ravine, passes the village, and then pursues its course
through the parishes of Dairy and Kilwinning to the
sea at Irvine. The Maich runs along the north-eastern
boundary of the parish, nearly parallel with the Garnock ;
and after a course of about five miles in a deep channel,
through lonely moorlands, with very little interesting
scenery about its banks, except when, like the Garnock,
passing one or two favoured spots, it falls into the loch
of Kilbirnie.
The SOIL comprises several varieties, with numerous
modifications and admixtures. In the lower, or south-
ern, part of the parish is a very fertile alluvial loam,
which, higher up the Garnock, assumes the character
of a rich clayey loam. Towards the cast, near Kilbirnie
loch, and along part of the Maich, the soil is a light red
clay, incumbent on a stiff clayey subsoil. West of the
Garnock, clayey loam is again found, and also a tenacious
clay mixed with sand, crossed with stripes of meadow
land. The soil of the higher ground is a light, dry, and
fertile earth, resting on trap and limestone, and well
suited to pasture ; tlic moorish uplands consist of mossy
tracts lying on clay, much interspersed with pools of
stagnant water. The produce comprehends all the
usual white and green crops ; but wheat is now culti-
vated only to a very limited extent, the returns for
several years having been unsatisfactory, in consequence,
principally, of the humidity and coldness of the climate,
and till' moist retentive nature of the subsoil. The
farms vary much in size ; thr)He under the plough are
from fifty to IHO acre«, and the rotation system of hus-
bandry iH followed. There is a corn-mill in the parish.
to which all the lands are thirled; and fifteen of the farms
have threshing-mills. On the lower grounds the inclo-
sures are chiefly ditches and thorn-hedges, while those
on the higher grounds and pastures are stone walls; and
in addition to the great improvements effected during
the present century by liming and draining, some supe-
rior farm-houses have been built, with good offices :
the old, ill-constructed, thatched tenements, however,
are still numerous. The sheep, of which upwards of
2000 are kept, are principally the black-faced, and fed
on the moorlands ; but a few crosses of various English
breeds are to be seen on the arable farms. There are
about 5.50 milch-cows and 6OO or 700 head of cattle,
mostly of the Cunninghame breed, to the selection of
which, and the management of the dairy, much attention
is paid : the horses used in husbandry are of the Clydes-
dale kind. The strata of the parish comprise coal of
several descriptions, freestone, limestone, and ironstone.
The coal is generally found in moderate-sized basins,
and has long been worked. Both freestone and lime-
stone are wrought in abundance ; and the ironstone,
formerly neglected, is now wrought to a great extent by
the Glengarnoek Iron Company, who have a number of
smelting-furnaces in operation. The annual value of real
property in Kilbirnie is £76*8.
The plantations were chiefly formed in the early part
of the present century ; but they are of little interest :
there are a few fine old trees in the vicinity of Kilbirnie
House and the mansion of Ladyland. Kilbirnie House,
sometimes called the Place of Kilbirnie, is situated a
mile westward of the village, and embraces fine views of
the vale of Kilbirnie loch and the river Garnock, with
the country beyond. It consists of an ancient quadri-
lateral tower, and a modern addition built about 16'27,
extending at right angles from its eastern side, the whole
forming a large commanding edifice. The structure was
accidentally destroyed by fire in the year 1757, leaving
a ruin which time has since been gradually desolating;
and all the beautiful wood that once surrounded it, with
the ornamental grounds and approaches, have nearly
disappeared. The old house of Ladyland, with the ex-
ception of a small portion, was demolished in 1815; and
in the following year, an elegant and spacious mansion
was built by the proprietor, which is situated on a gentle
eminence, and adorned with some thriving plantations,
intermixed with fine old trees. The village consists prin-
cipally of a hmg street lying along the right bank of the
river Garnock, and a shorter one extending westward
from its upper end. Its general appearance is neat,
clean, and interesting : many of the houses, which are
of a light-coloured freestone, have been but lately built;
and the population, now amounting to 1500 or I6OO, has
been doubled within the last thirty years, through the
progress of manufactures in the locality. The houses
are mostly lighted with gas, procured partly from a
power-loom manufactory, and partly from the gas-work
of Mr. John Allan, erected at bis own expense, and ca-
pable of supplying half the village.
In the beginning of the present century, a small cotton
factory was estabhshed, which, being burnt down in
18.11, was rebuilt on an enlarged scale. This establish-
ment, in 1834, was sold to a Glasgow merchant, who
converted it into a spinning power-loom manufactory,
on an extensive footing ; the machinery is driven by
two steam-engines, and the works employ altogether
K I L B
KILB
350 persons. In 1834, also, a mill was erected for the
spinning of flax ; the machinery is impelled by steam-
power, and the works employ 150 hands. On the oppo-
site side of the river is a bleachfield, in full operation,
where about 140,0001b. of linen thread-yarn are an-
nually bleached for the manufacturers of Beith, besides
which, 90,000lb. of coloured thread are finished ; the
whole engaging from ninety to 100 hands. The proprie-
tors have lately erected, near these works, a mill for spin-
ning flax. About 160 hand-loom weavers, also, reside
at Kilbirnie, who are engaged in the usual kinds of work
given by the Glasgow and Paisley manufacturers ; and
150 females are occupied in ornamental work on muslin.
A rope-work is likewise in operation, employing twenty
men and boys ; the produce is chiefly sold at Paisley.
A sub-post office in the village communicates with Beith
twice a day ; the turnpike-road from Dairy to Loch-
winnoch runs in a north-eastern direction across the
lower part of the parish, and another, to Largs, inter-
sects it on the west. There are also two good parish
roads, and several bridges, opening up easy communica-
tion in every direction. The Glasgow and Ayr railway
proceeds to the south, on the eastern verge of Kilbirnie
loch, where the line attains its summit level, which is
seventy feet above the Glasgow terminus, and nineteen
miles from that station ; it then continues its course on
the east of the Garnock river. Near the northern ex-
tremity of the loch is the Beith station on the line, and
near the southern extremity the Kilbirnie station. The
coke furnaies of the railway company, employed in
manufacturing the coke consumed by the locomotives,
are situated at Kilbirnie. The agricultural produce of
the parish is disposed of at Paisley, Glasgow, and several
neighbouring places. A fair called Brinnan's, a term
corrupted from St. Brandane, the apostle of the Orkneys,
is held on the third Wednesday in May, O. S., and being
the largest horse-market in the west of Scotland, is at-
tended by a great concourse of people. Coopers' work
and culinary utensils are also sold at it in great quan-
tities, and general business is transacted extensively. A
fair held on the first Tuesday in July, and one on the
last Tuesday in October, have dwindled away.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Irvine, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage
of the Earl of Eglinton : the minister's stipend is £193,
with a manse, and a glebe of nearly nine acres, valued
at £18 per annum. Kilbirnie church, situated about
half a mile south of the village, is one of the most
ancient in the west of Scotland, the body of it having
been built a considerable time before the Reformation.
An aisle, called the Glengarnock aisle, bears the date of
1597 ; but it is considered to be a much more recent
addition. The most modern part of the structure is the
Craufurd gallery, erected opposite to the aisle in 1654
by Sir John Craufurd, according to an inscription in
relief over one of the windows. The church has long been
an object of interest to the antiquary on account of the
rich carvings in oak, profusely displayed on the gallery
and on the pulpit : the gallery also exhibits the armorial
bearings of twelve of the ancestors of John, first Vis-
count Garnock, by whose order the edifice was repaired,
and the ornamental work executed, about the year 1700.
In the churchyard is the tomb of Captain Thomas Crau-
furd, of Jordanhill, who performed the remarkable ex-
ploit of storming the castle of Dumbarton in 1571 : the
19
monument, built of sandstone, is nine feet long and six
wide, and through an aperture in the east end are faintly
seen the recumbent efligies of the captain in a military
garb, and of his lady in the costume of the times. There
is a place of worship in the village for the Reformed
Presbytery ; and the members of the Free Church, also,
have a place of worship. The parochial school affords
instruction in Latin, Greek, practical mathematics, and
book-keeping, in addition to the usual branches ; the
master has a salary of £'25. 13. 4., with a school-house
and dwelling, erected in IbIS, two acres of land, and
about £42 fees. A subscription library was established
in 1820, and now contains upwards of 500 volumes. A
society was instituted a few years since for granting
relief in sickness, called "the Kilbirnie Gardeners' So-
ciety" ; it has above 100 members, and £100 stock.
The chief relic of antiquity is the ruin of Glengarnock
Castle, situated on a precipitous ridge overhanging the
river Garnoch, about two miles north of Kilbirnie.
The date of the erection of this extensive fortification is
uncertain ; but it is conjectured to have existed in the
time of the de Morcvilles.
KILBRANDON with KILCHATTAN, a parish, in
the district of Lorn, county of Argyll, 14 miles
(S. by W.) from Oban ; containing 2602 inhabitants.
In ancient times there were four churches or chapels
within the boundaries of this parish, dedicated respec-
tively to St. Brenan or Brandon, St. Cattan, St. Bride
or Bridget, and St. Coan. The two first names have
been retained, and are now, with the common prefix
Kil, the proper designation of the parish, though the
natives usually adopt the term Cuan, on account of the
proximity of the church to the sound of Cuan. The
parish is situated in that part of the country styled
Nether Lorn, and consists of a portion of the main land,
and of a group of islands, of which those of Seil, Luing,
Easdale, Torsaj', and Shuna are inhabited. The whole
measures between ten and eleven miles in length, from
north to south ; and the extreme breadth, from east to
west, is six miles, including the sound of Kilbrandon.
The mainland portion is four miles long and two broad,
and is washed on its south-eastern boundary by Loch
Melfort, and on the west by the sound of Kilbrandon,
at the northern extremity of which is the spacious bay
of Ardmaddy, formed by the receding of the shore. The
island of Seil, also four miles long and two broad, is
separated from the parish of Kilninver and Kilmelfort,
on the north-east, by the sound of Clachan, a shallow
and very narrow channel, in some places nearly dry at
low water, and over which a bridge was built towards
the end of the last century. Southward of the island of
Seil, and divided from it only by the sound of Cuan, is
the island of Lidng, extending six miles from north to
south, and two from east to west ; and on the east of
Luing is the island of Shuna, measuring two miles and
a half by one mile and a half, and separated by a narrow
strait of its own name. Each of the other islands is less
than a square mile in extent: Torsaij, almost wholly arable,
hes on the east of the northern division of Luing, and
Easdale, celebrated for its fine slate-quarries, a little to
the west of Seil. The sound of Jura runs on the south
and south-west of the parish, and the sound of Mull on
the north-west, exposing it to the impetuosity of the
Atlantic. The coast on the east side of the islands of
Seil and Luing, which constitute the chief portion of the
Da
K I L B
K I L B
parish is low, and marked by numerous bays, affording
a secure retreat and good anchorage in stormy weather :
the bays of Blackmill and Toberonchy in Luing, and
Balvicar in Seil, are the most considerable. On the
west, however, are bold and lofty rocks, especially about
Easdale ; they form a striking feature, and supply an
important barrier against the fury of the ocean.
The surface of the main land is chiefly hilly, and
covered with pasture; some of the ridges rise from 600
to 800 feet above the level of the sea. In Luing the
surface is mostly level ; but Seil consists to a great ex-
tent of a series of undulations, interspersed with fertde
slopes, rich dells, and pleasant valleys. In both the isles
the soil is tolerably good, and suited to all kinds of
crops ; but the crops are frequently spoiled through the
moisture and variableness of the chmate. The agricul-
tural character of the parish has been much improved
within the last few years, by draining, the reclaiming of
waste land, and the introduction of a superior method
of cultivation. The rotation system is in operation ;
the six-shift course is preferred for the larger farms, a
five-shift for farms of moderate extent, and a four-shift
for crofts. The Marquess of Breadalbane, to whom about
three-fourths of the parish belong, has adopted regula-
tions for the protection, comfort, and independence of
the cottars, and affords his patronage to an agricultural
society established on his property about the year 1838.
Premiums are awarded for the best black-cattle and
sheep, to the rearing of which considerable attention is
paid ; the former are of the West Highland breed, and
in general of an excellent description, and the latter the
native black-faced, but not so fine as the cattle. Prizes
are also given to the most expert ploughmen, and for
the best-kept horses and harness, as well as to those
cottars who manage their gardens in a superior manner ;
and the cultivation of turnips, especially, has been much
improved under the same auspices. The strata of the
parish are chiefly of the schistose formation ; and the
fine durable slate quarried here for nearly two centuries,
has conferred great and well deserved celebrity on the
district. Though this material is procured at Balvicar
in Seil, and at two places in Luing, yet the principal seat
of operations is Easdale, where one of the quarries is
1 20 feet below the level of the sea ; the number of men
employed at the different works averages 200, and they
raise between four and five millions of slates yearly. In-
dications of lead-ore and zinc have been observed in
Lning and Seil ; and there is a marble-quarry near Ard-
maddy, which was formerly worked. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £49'2S.
Ardmaddy Castle, the property and occasional resi-
dence of the Marquees of Breadalbane, is situated on the
main land, at the head of tlie bay of the same name, and
commands extensive prospects both of sea and land. It
is an ancient structure, and was once the residence of a
branch of the Mc Dougalls. In the reign of Charles II.,
and of his successor James, it was occupied by Lord
Niel CainpljcU, brother of the Earl of Argyll, who made
additions to the edifice, and whose initials, with those of
hi.s lady, may be seen, cut in stone, with the date 16*6.
The only other mansion, situated at Ardincaplc, was
built at the close of the last century. In the parish arc
five villagex, namely, Easdale, on the sound of Easdale,
which is the largest village ; Balvicar, in Seil ; and
Tubcronchy, Millbay, and Colipool, in Luing ; all built
ao
in the neighbourhood of slate-quarries. The village of
Easdale, including that portion of it which is situated
on the Seil side of the sound, and called Eilean-na-beithe,
" isle of birch", contains several hundred persons ; most
of the houses are neatly constructed, one story high,
and covered with slate. A few persons in the parish
are engaged in the herring-fishery : in May and June
considerable number of herrings are caught with the fly,
and they usually fetch a high price. Attempts have been
made, under the patronage of the principal proprietor,
to introduce cod and ling fishing. Easdale contains a
post-office, which communicates daily with Oban. The
steam-vessels plying between Glasgow and the ports in
the north pass along the sound of Easdale, and touch at
its harbour ; and the coal used by the quarry-men is
obtained from Glasgow : the farmers mostly burn peat.
The means of communication with the interior are also
easy, on account of the number of ferries and roads;
the road from Oban enters the parish from the north-
east, at Clachan bridge, and passes through the centre of
Seil and Luing.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Lorn, synod of Argyll, and in the alternate patronage of
the Duke of Argyll and the Marquess of Breadalbane.
The stipend is the minimum, £14 of which are annually
paid out of the exchequer ; there is a manse, with a
glebe valued at £15 per annum. The church, which is
more than a hundred years old, was repaired and enlarged
in 1816, and accommodates about 600 persons ; it is
situated at the south end of the island of Seil, and it is
necessary for all the parishioners who attend, except those
dwelling in the island, to cross one or more ferries on
their journey. The members of the Free Church and
the Reformed Presbyterians have places of worship. A
parochial school is established in Kilbrandon, and
another at Luing ; the ordinary branches of education
are taught, with Latin, mathematics, and navigation, if
required. The master of the Kilbrandon school, who
resides at Seil, has the maximum salary, with a house
and garden, and £'26 fees ; and the other master, £'25
per annum, with the same amount in fees, and a garden.
A school is supported at Easdale by the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge, the master receiving
a salary of £15. There are several schools partially
supported by the proprietors of estates in the respective
localities, and others entirely dependent on fees. The
scholars of all are eligible to join in a public competition,
at which prizes are awarded by the liberality of the Mar-
quess of Breadalbane : the competition has not been
held invariably every year, but it is hoped that in future
it will be annually observed.
KILBRIDI''., county of Argyll. — See Kilmore.
KILBRIDE, a parish, in the island of Arran,
county of Butk, '20 miles (S. W. by W.) from Saltcoats ;
containing, with the villages of Brodick and Corrie,
2/86 inhabitants, of whom 271 are in the village, or
kirktown, of Kilbride, called also Lamlash from its
situation on the bay of that name. This ])arish, which
derives its name from the dedication of its ancient
church to St. Bridget or Bride, was the scene of some
interesting events during the wars with England that
originated in the disputed succession to the Scottish
throne, after the death of Alexander III. In 1306,
Rol)ert Jiruce, who during his reverses of fortune had
remained for some time in concealment in Ireland, landed
K I L B
K I LB
on the Isle of Arran with a small fleet, and being joined
by Sir James Douglas and others of his adherents, as-
saulted and reduced the castle of Brodick, which was
then held by Sir John Hastings for Edward I. of Eng-
land. Upon this occasion, Bruce, in recompense of
their important services, conferred upon his friends
many of the lands of Arran, which, however, long since
passed from their descendants, and are now the property
of the Duke of Hamilton. The island of Arran, which
at that time was thickly wooded, became a favourite
resort of the Scottish kings, for pursuing the diversion
of the chase ; and the castle of Loch Ranza, the re-
mains of which denote its former magnificence, was
erected as a hunting-seat by one of the Stuarts, prior to
the year 1380.
In 1544, the castle of Brodick was demolished by the
Earl of Lennox, whom Henry VIII. of England had sent
with an expedition against the west coast of Scotland,
this being one of the king's warlike measures to punish
the Scots for their refusal to concur in the proposed al-
liance of Mary of Scotland with Prince Edward, afterwards
King of England. Some years subsequently, the Earl of
Sussex, lord lieutenant of Ireland, who had landed with
a considerable force in Cantyre, then in the possession
of the Macdonalds, to retaliate the frequent incursions
of the islanders into the north of Ireland, sailed to the
bay of Brodick, and laid waste the adjacent country. In
1651, the castle of Brodick was garrisoned by Cromwell,
who also repaired the fortifications, and erected an addi-
tional bastion ; but the garrison, who had rendered
themselves obnoxious to the inhabitants, were surprised
while on a foraging party, and put to the sword. The
remains of this fortress are considerable, though, from
its frequent demolition, but little of its ancient character
is preserved. The Duchess of Hamilton, more than a
century since, made a large addition to the buildings ;
and within the last few years, extensive repairs and addi-
tions have been effected. In February 1845, a few weeks
after the principal tower had been completed, that por-
tion of the structure fell down ; but it was soon after-
wards rebuilt, with every precaution taken to prevent a
similar accident. The castle is now called Arran House,
and is the principal residence, especially during the sum-
mer, of the Marquess and Marchioness of Douglas.
The PARISH, which occupies nearly one-half of the
Isle of Arran, is bounded on the east by the Firth of
Clyde, and on the west by a range of mountains sepa-
rating it from the parish of Kiimorie, which forms the
remainder of the island. It is about twenty-two miles
in extreme length from north to south, varying from
two miles to four and a half in breadth ; and comprises
an area of 4'2, 000 acres, of which nearly 6000 are arable,
900 woodland and plantations, and the remainder hill
pasture, moorland, and waste. The surface is strikingly
varied with hills and mountains, interspersed with deep
and narrow glens of picturesque character ; and the sce-
nery abounds with features either of wild magnificence
and majestic grandeur, or of romantic beauty. The hills,
from the southern boundary of the parish to the bay of
Brodick, rise gradually in gentle undulations to a height
of 800 feet, and are covered to their summits with grass
and heath. Towards Loch Ranza, near the northern
boundary, however, they rise precipitously in rugged
masses of barren rock, the highest of which, Goatfell,has
an elevation of nearly 3000 feet above the level of the
21
sea. The glens, the principal of which are Glen-Rosa,
Glensherag, Glenshant, Glen-Sannox, Glencloy, and Ash-
dale, are watered by their respective rivers, flowing be-
tween narrow banks of mountainous acclivity that darken
their stream : the river of Ashdale, obstructed in its
course by masses of rock, forms two romantic cascades,
falling respectively 100 and 50 feet from ledges of co-
lumnar basalt. These rivers, which, in their progress
through the glens, receive numerous tributary streams,
abound with trout and eels of small size ; and when
swollen with rains in summer, salmon and sea-trout as-
cend in considerable numbers. The only lake belonging
to the parish is Locli Urie, on the hill of Urie ; it is of
small extent. Springs of the purest water, issuing from
the rocks, occur in many parts ; and there are some
springs impregnated with iron and other minerals.
The whole extent of the sea-coast, except where it is
indented with bays, is guarded by a ledge of rude cliffs
and rugged precipices, between which and the sea is a
narrow tract of level land. These rocks are in many
places clothed with ivy, and interspersed with birch, ash,
oak, and brushwood. On the eastern shore are the bays
of Lamlash and Brodick. That of Lamlash is a fine cir-
cular haven, about three miles in length, of sufficient
depth to afford safe anchorage to a large fleet of vessels
of any burthen, and surrounded with a fine sandy beach.
The entrance to this bay is by two inlets at the extre-
mities of the island of Lamlash, or the Holy Isle, which
lies in front of it, a picturesque island of conical form,
rising to a height of 900 feet above the level of the sea.
A quay was formed here by the Duchess of Hamilton,
at a cost of nearly £3000 ; but the materials were, from
time to time, removed for building the village at the
head of the bay, and the loss is now severely felt. The
bay of Brodick, to the north of Lamlash, is about two
miles in length, and of considerable depth ; and at the
northern extremity are the remains of the ancient castle,
now Arran House, the residence of the Duke of Hamil-
ton's eldest son. To the south of Lamlash is Whiting
bay, of smaller dimensions, but the shores of which
present much interesting scenery ; and to the north of
Brodick is the bay of Corrie, where is a small harbour.
There is also a good harbour at Loch Ranza, on the
north-west. The sea abounds with various kinds of
fish ; the most numerous kinds are whiting and haddock,
but cod, ling, mackerel, conger-eels, skate, flounders,
soles, and turbot are likewise taken in considerable quan-
tities. Lobsters, crabs, and other varieties of shell-fish
are also to be obtained on every part of the coast ; oysters
are found only at Loch Ranza. Herrings occasionally
visit the coast, but in greater numbers on the north and
west sides of the island.
The SOIL of the cultivated lands is generally light. In
the valleys the soil is extremely various ; in some places,
little more than sand ; and in others, a fine alluvial
loam, and moss and marsh converted by draining and
manure into rich black loam, more or less interspersed
with gravel. The crops raised in the parish are oats, bar-
ley, beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips, with a few acres
of flax. The system of husbandry has been greatly
improved under the encouragement of the principal pro-
prietor, and by the stimulus of a farming association
which awards prizes for the best specimens of stock and
rural management. The lands have been well drained
and inclosed; the farm houses and offices are generally
KILB
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substantial and commodious ; and the various recent
improvements in the construction of agricultural imple-
ments have been introduced. On the hills there is good
pasturage for the numerous flocks of sheep, which are of
the black-faced breed, with a few of the Cheviot and
Merino on the lower grounds. The cattle are mostly of
the Argyllshire Highland breed, to the improvement of
which much attention has been paid. Ayrshire cows are
kept on the dairy-farms, which are well managed ; and
the butter and cheese produced here are equal to what is
made in the best districts of Ayrshire. There are some
remains of the ancient woods, which were very extensive.
The plantations round the castle of Brodick, near the bay
of Lamlash, and at Kilmichael, which last are of very
recent date, consist of larch, Scotch, spruce, and silver
firs, oak, ash, elm, sycamore, and birch, and are in a
thriving condition. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £4,548.
The geology of the district is in the highest degree in-
teresting, exhibiting within a small compass a kind of
epitome of the mineral structure of Scotland. There are
granite, trap, porphyry, and porphyritic clay-stone ; and
rock crystals of almost every variety are found : the
substrata also comprise sandstone, clay-slate, limestone,
ironstone, and coal, which last is found near the Cock of
Arran. There are quarries of limestone and freestone
near Corrie. An attempt was once made to work the
coal, but for some reason it was abandoned ; and a slate-
quarry in the neighbourhood was for a time in operation.
At Sannox is a quarry of barytes, the proprietor of vkhich
has erected a large mill for pulverizing the mineral, and
extracting the sulphate, which obtains a high price in the
market. The ironstone, though abundant, is not wrought.
The whole of the parish, with the exception only of the
farm of Kilmichael, belonging to John Fullarton, Esq.,
who resides on his estate, is the property of the Duke of
Hamilton. The village of Lamlash consists chiefly of a
few rural cottages and some shops, and, during the sum-
mer, is the resort of visiters for sea-bathing : there are
three good inns. A small fair is held at Lamlash, about
the commencement of winter, principally for horses, but
it is not much frequented ; and there is also a fair at
Brodick, for cattle, horses, and wool, held in the last
week of June, and numerously attended. Two branch
offices in the parish, under the post-office of Saltcoats,
have daily deliveries. Facility of communication is
afforded by good roads in various directions, and by
steamers which frequent the bay, plying in summer
daily, and in winter twice a week, between Arran and
Ardrossan, and also twice in the week between Arran
and Glasgow from the beginning of June till the end of
September.
For KCCLESiASTiCAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Cantyre, synod of Argyll.
The minister's stipend is £'259, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £'20 per annum ; patron, the Duke of
Hamilton. Kilbride church, situated on the shore of the
bay of Lamlash, was erected in 1773 j it is a plain struc-
ture, without either tower or spire, and contains 560 sit-
tings. A chapel in connexion with the Established
Church was erected at Loch Ran/a, about the year 178'2,
by tlie Duke of Hamilton, for the accommodation of both
the parinhcs of Arran ; it contains sittings for 400 per-
s(>n<^. 'I he minister has a stipend of £41, arising from
an endowment by the Duchess of Hamilton. A church
22
was erected at Brodick in 1839, at an expense of £850,
of which £100 were given by the duke, £167. 15. by the
extension committee of the General Assembly, and the
remainder raised by subscription ; it is now occupied by
the Free Church of Scotland, the missionary or assistant
minister who officiated in it having seceded at the time
of the Disruption in 1843. The salary of the parochial
school is divided among four teachers, one of whom, at
Lamlash, has £19; one at Brodick £16; one at Corrie
£4 ; and the fourth, at Loch Ranza, £6, with nearly an
equal sura from the parish of Kilmorie, to which that
school is open. The masters have each a house and
garden, rent-free, from the Duke of Hamilton, in addi-
tion to their fees, which vary from £14 to £5 per annum.
There is also a school at Whiting bay, to the master of
which a salary of £25 is paid by the General Assembly.
A parochial library, established in 1824, and having now
a collection of more than 300 volumes, is supported by
subscription.
There are some remains of Druidical circles ; and
several have been destroyed at different times, to furnish
materials for building. Near the manse are two sepul-
chral cairns ; and at the head of Monieraore glen, is one
more than 200 feet in circumference at the base, on the
removal of part of which stone coffins were found. Simi-
lar coffins have been found in various places, containing
human bones ; and in one of them was a piece of gold,
supposed to have been part of the guard of an ancient
sword. The Holy Isle, at the entrance of Lamlash bay,
was the solitary retreat of St. Molios, a disciple of St.
Columba, who, for greater seclusion, is said to have re-
moved from lona to this place, whence he diffused the
light of Christianity among the pagan inhabitants of Ar-
ran. The cave that was his abode was hewn in a sand-
stone rock ; and in the roof is a Runic inscription, setting
forth his name and office. A monastery was afterwards
founded on the island, the ruins of which were visible in
1594: the cause of its abandonment was the loss of a
vessel, conveying a number of people attending a corpse
for interment in its cemetery, which was distinguished
by various rude tombstones till within the last ten years,
when they were removed. In Glencloy were till lately
the remains of the ancient chapel of Kilmichael ; and at
Sannox was a church, the only vestige of which now re-
maining is a rude figure of its patron saint, built up in
the wall of the cemetery, which is still used.
KILBRIDE, EAST, a parish, in the Middle ward of
the county of Lanark ; containing 3810 inhabitants, of
whom 926 are in the village, 8 miles (S. S. E.) from
Glasgow. This place, distinguished by its affi.x East
from West Kilbride in the county of Ayr, and including
the ancient parish of Torrance, is of great antiquity, and
once formed part of the see of Glasgow, to which the
original grant was confirmed by a bull of Pope Alexander
III., in 1178, and by some of his successors. A castle
was erected here by Robert de Valnois, about the year
1182; and previously to the reign of Robert Bruce,
nearly two-thirds of the lands belonged to the family of
Cummin, in whose hands they remained till 1382, when,
on their forfeiture by John Cummin, they were granted
by that monarch to John Lindsay, of Dunrode, as a re-
ward for his fidelity. The lands of Caldcrwood were the
property of the Maxwell family in the reign of Alexander
III., and are still in the possession of their descendant,
Sir William A. Maxwell, Bart. Those of Torrance be-
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longed to Sir William Stuart, who, in 1398, was one of
the sureties on the part of Scotland for tlie peace of the
western marches, and whose representative. Miss Stuart of
Torrance, is the present proprietor. During the preva-
lence of the plague in Glasgow, the inhabitants of this
neighbourhood used to deposit the produce with which
they supplied the city, at a spot on the old Glasgow road,
about a mile and a half northward of the parish : to this
spot the citizens resorted as a temporary market, and it
has since retained the name of the Market Hill.
The PARISH takes its name from the dedication
of the church to St. Bride or Bridget. It is about ten
miles in length, and varies from two to five miles in
breadth, comprising an area of 22,786 acres, of which
almost 18,000 are arable, and the remainder chiefly
peat-moss and moorland, affording tolerable pasturage
for sheep. The surface is greatly diversified with hills,
from 200 to 1600 feet above the level of the sea. The
lower lands are watered by various streams, the principal
of which is the Colder, flowing for nearly seven miles
along the eastern boundary of the parish ; the scenery
on its banks, at Torrance and at Calderwood, is richly
diversified, and near Calderwood House the river forms
a beautifully picturesque cascade. The Poivmillon has
its rise in the south-eastern confines of the parish, and
after a course of about two miles, runs into the parish
of Avondale, and thence into the river Avon. The Kit-
tock has its source in the northern portion of the parish,
in a marsh about two miles from the village of Kilbride,
and after a winding course falls into the river Cart
near Busby. The Cart, after bounding the parish for
four miles on the north-west, flows into the parish of
Carmunnock near the village of Jackton.
The SOIL is chiefly a stiff wet clay ; it has been ren-
dered more fertile by tile-draining within the last few
years, and considerable improvement has been made in
the system of agriculture. The crops are oats, barley,
potatoes, and turnips ; but the principal reliance is on
the dairy-farms, which have been greatly increased, and
are under excellent management : their produce is sent
to Glasgow, principally in butter and milk, many of the
farmers sending about a cart-load every day during the
summer. Much attention is paid to the treatment of
the milch-cows, which are of the Ayrshire breed ; and
considerable improvement has been made in the breed
of cattle generally, under the encouragement of an agri-
cultural society established in 1816, which holds an an-
nual meeting here on the second Friday in June, when
a cattle-show takes place. Numbers of sheep, also, are
pastured on the hills and moors. The lands have been
partly inclosed ; and the farm-buildings have been ren-
dered much more commodious than formerly, and are
still improving. The plantations are almost confined to
the grounds of Torrance and Calderwood, and the lands
belonging to Glasgow College. Around most of the
farm-houses, however, even in the more exposed situa-
tions, are large trees of various kinds, the favourable
growth of which is attributed to especial care in the
preparation of the soil by draining previously to plant-
ing, and to their protection from early injury by the
cattle. It is thought that the subdivision of property
has alone operated as an obstacle to the increase of
plantations throughout the parish. Coal, ironstone, and
limestone are abundant : the coal was formerly wrought,
but being of inferior quality, the works have been discon-
23
tinued, and a better supply is now obtained from the
collieries in the neighbouring parishes. The ironstone,
which is of a good kind, is wrought by the Clyde Iron
Company, who employ about eighty men in their works
in the parish. The limestone, which occurs in beds
varying from three to ten feet in thickness, and much
intermingled with seams of greenstone, is also exten-
sively quarried, and burnt into lime for agricultural use.
Freestone is found in several parts ; clay of good quality
for tiles is also abundant, and Roman cement is made
in considerable quantities. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £24,190.
Torrance House is a spacious ancient mansion, with
modern additions of various dates : in front are the
arms of Scotland on a stone removed from the old castle
of Mains by Colonel Stuart. It is beautifully situated,
and the grounds are embellished with thriving planta-
tions. Calderwood House is an elegant mansion, of a
castellated form, to which some very tasteful additions
have been made ; the demesne is richly planted, and the
grounds command a fine view of the fall of the river
Calder, and comprise much beautiful scenery. Lawvioor
is a neat modern house, pleasingly situated ; and Cross-
basket is a handsome residence, principally of modern
character, Kirktoun Holm is now in a dilapidated con-
dition, and occupied by a number of families as tenants.
Cleughorn Lodge is a good residence. There are several
villages in the parish, namely, Kirktoun or East Kil-
bride, Maxwellton, part of Busby, and the smaller ham-
lets of Aldhouse, Jackton, Braehead, Kittockside, and
Nerston. East Kilbride was constituted a burgh of ba-
rony in the reign of Queen Anne, and had a charter for
a weekly market on Tuesday, and four annual fairs.
The market has, however, been discontinued many years ;
and of the fairs, the only one that is still observed is
held on the second Friday in June, for the sale of cattle
and sheep. The village is pleasantly situated near the
river Kittock, and is somewhat compact. A subscrip-
tion library has been established in it, and it has a post-
ofl^ce subordinate to that of Glasgow, with a daily de-
livery. The cotton manufacture is carried on to a con-
siderable extent, affording employment to about 300 of
the inhabitants. A savings' bank has been instituted in
connexion with the Glasgow National-Security Savings'
Bank. Facility of communication is afforded to the
inhabitants of the parish by the road from Glasgow to
Strathaven, which passes through the village, and for
nearly five miles through the parish ; and by other roads
kept in good repair, one of which runs from the village
to Eaglesham, and another from Busby to Carmunnock.
At the southern boundary of Torrance is a bridge over
the river Calder, leading to the parish of Glassford.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Hamilton, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The minister's stipend is £280. 8., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per annum ; patron,
the Crown. Kilbride church, which is situated in the
village, is a plain neat structure, with a tower sur-
mounted by a spire ; it was erected about 1774, and
contains 913 sittings, which number, if the whole of the
interior were rendered available, might be increased to
1200. There are places of worship for the Free Church
and the United Presbyterian Church. The parochial
school is at the village of Kilbride, and has branches at
Aldhouse and Jackton ; the master receives a salary of
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£34, and the fees average about £40 per annum. The
master of the branch school at Aldhouse has a salary of
£8, with a house rent-free, and the master at Jackton a
salary of £8, without a house, the residue of their in-
come being made up by the fees. There is also a very
etficient school at Maxwellton, supported by Sir William
Maxwell. A parochial library has been established,
which has a good collection of volumes ; and several
friendly societies have tended materially to diminish ap-
plications for parochial aid. Near Kittockside were
some remains of two fortifications, situated respectively
on Castle Hill and Rough Hill, about ^00 yards distant
from each other ; but the stones of both have been long
removed, and the site of the former planted with trees.
Near the latter, an ancient stone celt was found, six
inches and a half in length and three inches in breadth,
formed of a coarse kind of ironstone. About a mile
northward of the church are the ruins of Mains Castle,
the once stately baronial residence of the Cummins, and
the Lindsays of Dunrode ; and the same distance south-
ward of the village, was the castle of Lickprivick, of which
nothing remains except the mound near its site. There
were also several cairns formerly in the parish, among
which was Herlaw, where urns with fragments of human
bones were discovered. One near Mains Castk was re-
markable for having at the base a circle of flagstones,
set on their edges, and sloping outwards ; but the stones
were long since removed. Dr. William Hunter, the
eminent physician, and his brother, John Hunter, the
distinguished surgeon and anatomist, both of whom were
at the head of their profession in London, were born at
Long Calderwood, in the parish.
KILBRIDE, WEST, a parish, in the district of
CuNNiNGHAME, couuty of Ayr, 5^ miles (N. W. by W.)
from Saltcoats; containing 1885 inhabitants. This
place derives its name from the dedication of its church
(anciently an appendage of the monastery of Kilwinning)
to St. Bride, a virgin occupying a distinguished rank in
the Scottish calendar. In 1'263, it was the scene of a
severe conflict with a party of Norwegians that had made
a descent on the coast of Largs under Haco, who was
here attacked and defeated by a body of Scottish forces
commanded by Sir Robert Boyd, ancestor of the Kil-
marnock family. As a reward for his conduct in this
instance, Boyd obtained a grant of land in Cunninghame ;
and his services as the firm adherent of Bruce procured
him the lands of Kilbride and Ardncil, in this parish.
The PARISH is advantageously situated on a peninsular
projection in the Firth of Clyde, below the Cumbray
islands, the smaller of which, for all ecclesiastical pur-
poses, is included within its limits. It is six miles in
length and two and a half in average breadth, and com-
prises about 1 1,000 acres, of which 7500 are aral)le, and
iJOOO pasture and waste. The surface is diversified with
hills forming part of the continued chain of the Renfrew-
shire range, and the highest of which within the parish,
• ailed Kamc Hill, has an elevation of nearly 1000 feet
above the level of the sea. There are also many hills of
smaller elevation, partly cultivated, and some nearly to
their summit; arid others in detached situations, the
chief of which are Law, Ardiieil, and Tarbert. The coast
is |f)W, consisting of shelving rocks of sandstone, with
the exception of the promontory of I'ortincross, which
is precipitous, terminating in a point called Ardneil Bank,
or Goldbcrric Head. The sands of Southanan extend
24
for two miles in the north of the parish. Immediately
to the south of them, the coast for nearly a mile is formed
of the promontory, a wall of rock rising to the height of
300 feet, and separated from the sea only by a narrow
slip of verdant land. This majestic rampart, whose base
is thickly studded with coppice wood interwoven with
oak, ash, hazel, and hawthorn, has a romantic grandeur
of appearance as seen from the water : three detached
cliffs that rise above the general height have obtained
the appellation of the Three Sisters. To the south of
the promontory is the bay of Ardneil, of semicircular
form, the shores of which, a fine compact sand, afford a
delightful promenade, with every facility for bathing, for
which this part of the coast is peculiarly adapted. The
Gourock, Kilbride, Southanan, and Fairly burns, which
have their rise in the eastern confines, flow in various
directions through the parish into the Firth. The South-
anan, in part of its course between banks richly wooded,
forms a pleasingly picturesque cascade ; the others are
not distinguished by any particular features. Numerous
springs are also found in different parts, affording an
abundant supply of excellent water.
In the lower lands near the coast the soil is in some
places a rich loam, in others sandy and gravelly ; the
higher parts are of very inferior quality, generally thin,
cold, and spongy moor, with the exception of some por-
tions around the bases of the hills, which are of loam
mixed with calcareous earth. The crops are wheat, oats,
barley, a small quantity of rye, beans, peas, potatoes,
turnips, and carrots ; but, as well from the nature of the
soil, as from the situation of the parish in a wide manu-
facturing district, most of the farms are appropriated to
the dairy. The milch-cows, which receive great care
and attention from their owners, number about 600, and
the other cattle, 800 : about ^500 sheep, chiefly of the
black-faced breed, are pastured on the moorlands and
hills ; and about 220 swine are kept. The chief produce
of the dairy is cheese, of which large quantities are sent
to the neighbouring markets, where it is sold under the
appellation of Dunlop cheese. The system of agriculture
is advanced, and the implements of husbandry generally
of the most approved kind. The farm-buildings, which
were formerly of a very inferior description, have in
many instances been rebuilt in a substantial and com-
modious style, and on most of the farms threshing-mills
have been erected ; the lands are all inclosed with hedges
and ditches in the lower parts of the parish, and in some
of the higher parts with stone dykes. In this parish the
woods are of small extent, not more than 150 acres, and
of these about one-third is coppice wood ; the remainder
consists of oak, ash, plane, elm, and beech, with a little
fir. On some of the lands are fine specimens of old
timber ; but they are comparatively few, and in general
the proper management of plantations is little regarded,
though a great quantity of land, which from its quality
is incapable of cultivation, might, on account of its fa-
vourable situation, be advantageously appropriated to
this use. The substrata arc, sandstone of brown and
red colour, whinstone porphyritic and basaltic, some
slight veins of limestone, and a white sandstone inter-
mixed with quartz. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £<)805.
UncUrhauk, a pleasing villa, erected near the site of
the old mansion-house of the barony of Southanan, is
finely situated in a richly-wooded demesne. Crosby has
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been repaired in good taste. Huntcrston is beautifully
situated at some distance, towards the sea, from the an-
cient mansion-house of the same name, which is now
occupied by a tenant, and of which the square tower is
still in good preservation. The village stands about a
mile from the sea, in a small secluded vale watered by
the Kilbride burn, which in its course gives motion to
five different mills, two of them for grinding oats, one
for bark, one for grinding charcoal, and one for dressing
flax. There is a public library, supported by subscrip-
tion ; and a post-office has been established. Part of
the inhabitants of the parish are occupied in weaving for
the manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley, in which
more than 100 hand-looms are at work ; and a portion
of the females are engaged in sewing and embroidering
muslins. A few lobsters are taken in the season, and
sent to the Glasgow market, and herrings are occasionally
taken in large quantities ; the other fish are cod, whiting,
mackerel, &c., but they are not in any great abundance.
The streams that flow through the parish abound in
trout of good quality. A small quay was constructed at
Portincross some years since, at the expense of the pro-
prietor ; it is accessible at high water to vessels of forty
or fifty tons. The Clyde steamers from Glasgow to
Ardrossan and Ayr pass by the coast, and facility of in-
tercourse with the neighbouring towns is maintained by
good roads, of which the turn pike- roads to Greenock
and Portpatrick run through the whole length of the
parish, and a line from the village communicates with the
road to Glasgow at the village of Dairy.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Ir-
vine, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage
of the Earl of Eglinton : the minister's stipend is £20'2.
12., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £13. 12. per
annum. Kilbride church, situated on a gentle eminence
in the centre of the village, was rebuilt in 1732 ; subse-
quent additions have been made to it, and within the
last few years an aisle has been erected by voluntary
subscription. It is now adapted for a congregation of
800 persons. There are places of worship for members
of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church.
The parochial school affords instruction to about 130
children; the master has a salary of £27. 17- 8., with
£40 fees, and a house and garden. Three friendly socie-
ties tend to diminish the number of applications for pa-
rochial relief. Along the steep banks opposite the sea
are several circular mounds, at unequal distances, called
the Castle Hills ; the area on the summit, about forty
feet in diameter, is inclosed with walls of undressed
stone. Their origin is uncertain ; by some they are
ascribed to the Danes, by others referred to a more re-
mote period. Tumuli have been explored in various
places, containing urns with calcined bones and ashes ;
and in forming the new line of road along the coast,
some years since, four entire urns, rudely formed of
coarse red clay, were dug out of a stratum of gravel. A
silver brooch, of exquisitely delicate workmanship, and
bearing an inscription in Runic characters, was found at
Hunterston a few years ago. The walls of the ancient
castle of Portincross are still tolerably entire, and form
a singularly romantic object, standing on a ledge of rock
projecting into the sea; it is supposed to have been a
residence of the Scottish kings. One of the large ships
of the Spanish armada sank near the promontory, in ten
fathoms of water ; and an iron cannon which, with
Vol. II.— 25
others, was recovered from the wreck, is still remaining
on the beach : the arms of Spain, and a crown engraved
on it, may be faintly traced. On an eminence overlook-
ing the village of Kilbride are the remains of a very
stately tower called Law Castle, the walls of which are
in perfect preservation. In the parish are also some
remains of an ancient chapel, round which are some fine
old trees, and which are not far distant from the ruin of
Fairlie Castle in the parish of Largs. Dr. Robert Sim-
son, professor of mathematics in the university of Glas-
gow, and the well-known translator of Euclid, had some
property in the parish. General Robert Boyd, lieut-
enant-governor of Gibraltar during the siege of that for-
tress in 1782, was born here ; and it is supposed that
John Hunter, the celebrated surgeon, was remotely de-
scended from the Hunterston family of this place.
KILBUCHO, county Peebles. — See Broughton.
KILCADZOW, a village, in the parish of Carluke,
Upper ward of the county of Lanark, 2 miles (E. S. E.)
from Carluke; containing 160 inhabitants. It lies in
the south-eastern part of the parish, on the high road
from Carstairs to Carluke. Limestone of excellent qua-
lity abounds in its neighbourhood. Kilcadzow Law, the
most elevated hill in the parish, is about 900 feet above
the level of the sea : and from its summit is a magnifi-
cent view of the surrounding country. The Roman road
which passed through Clydesdale to the western extre-
mity of the wall of Antoninus may be traced here.
KILCALMONELL and KILBERRY, a parish, in
the county of Argyll ; containing, with the village of
Tarbert, 3325 inhabitants. The former of these two
ancient parishes, now united, derives its name from the
Gaelic term signifying " the burial-place of Malcolm
O'Neill". The word Kilberry is by some traced to the
Gaelic term Cill-a-Mhairi, "the burial-place of Mary".
Kilcalmonell is situated at the northern extremity of the
peninsula of Cantyre ; it stretches to Loch Fine on the
north-east, and is bounded on the north-west, nearly
throughout its whole length, by West Loch Tarbert and
the Atlantic Ocean : the district is about sixteen miles
long, and two and a half or three broad. Kilberry ap-
proaches in figure to an equilateral triangle, each side
measuring eight miles, and is situated in the district of
Knapdale ; it is separated from Kilcalmonell by West
Loch Tarbert, and bounded by the sea or the loch on
all sides except the north-east. The surface of Kilcal-
monell is irregular and varied, rising in some parts with
a gentle acclivity and in others much more abruptly,
and terminating on the south-east in a hilly range about
1500 feet high : it is diversified occasionally by low
valleys, 100 or 150 feet above the level of the sea. The
coast of this part of the parish is sandy, and altogether
uniform and uninteresting, except in the vicinity of
Loch Tarbert, where birch, alder, and other trees, dis-
playing a wild profusion of fohage, relieve the tameness
of the scenery. In the Kilberry district is a ridge of
lofty hills running from west to east, and gradually in-
creasing in elevation till it reaches Sliobhghoil. One of
the two bases of this height spreads itself out into a
large tract of sterile moorland, while the other affords a
striking contrast in the superiority of its soil, and its
eligibility for agricultural operations. The shore pre-
sented to the Atlantic is bold. The only bay of conse-
quence in the parish is Stornaway, near which is the
headland of Ardpatrick, the landing-place, according to
E
KILC
KILC
tradition, of St. Patrick, on his way from Ireland to
Icolmliill. West Loch Tarbert, which divides the two
parochial districts, is a branch of the Atlantic, nine miles
long and one broad : at the northern extremity stands
the populous fishing-town of Tarbert, where a narrow
isthmus, separating East Loch Tarbert from West Loch
Tarbert, makes Cantyre a peninsula. There are several
fresh-water lochs ; but they are small and unimportant,
and contribute little to the improvement of the generally
unattractive scenery.
A few of the farms are well cultivated : potatoes con-
stitute the principal crop, and a large quantity of them
is sent both to the English and the Irish markets. The
tenants mostly hold their lands at will, and but little
improvement in husbandry has taken place ; but there
are some exceptions, especially on the farm of Crear, in
Kilberry, where the land has been brought into good
cultivation, and received much embellishment. Lime-
stone occurs in several places ; but it lies in thin beds,
and is not much used. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £7563. The principal mansions
are, Stonefield, situated in Kilcalmonell ; Dunmore and
Ardpatrick Castles, in Kilberry ; and an elegant castel-
lated edifice lately erected near Tarbert. The village of
Tarbert, which is separately described, is supposed to
have been anciently the county-town of Argyll ; it is
now chiefly famed for its harbour, and for the herring-
fishery in which its inhabitants are actively and success-
fully engaged. Tarbert has a general post-office, com-
municating by steamer daily with Glasgow ; and a road
runs through Kilcalmonell to Campbelltown, by which
letters are forwarded to the latter place. The produce
of the parish is sent for sale, partly to Campbelltown,
but chiefly (especially the potatoes) to Ireland and Eng-
land. A fair, principally for horses, is held at Tarbert
in the beginning of August. For ecclesiastical purposes
the parish is in the presbytery of Cantyre, synod of
Argyll, and in the patronage of the Duke of Argyll.
The minister's stipend is £'218, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £1*. 10. per annum. The church of
Kilcalmonell was built about the year 1760 ; that of
Kilberry in 1821 : the former contains 600 sittings, and
the latter 700. A chapel is supported at Tarbert by
Royal Bounty ; and the Independents have a place of
worship. There are two parochial schools, affording
instruction in the ordinary branches ; the masters each
receive a salary of £25 per annum, with the fees. The
parish contains the forts of Dunskeig, forming part of
a chain of strongholds built along the coast of Cantyre;
they are very ancient, lofty, and strong, and command
extensive views. The castle of Tarbert, now in ruins,
was, formerly, also a place of great strength ; and there
wa-s once a large vitrified fort in the parish, the remains
of which arc still to be seen.
KILCMATTAN, Aiu;yllsiiire. — See Kildrandon.
KILCIIArrAN-BAY, a village, in the parish of
Kingauth, Isle and county of Butk, 6 miles (S. by E.)
from Rothesay ; containing I67 inhabitants. This vil-
lage derives its name from the fine bay on the south-
ca-st of tiie island, opening into the Firth of Clyde, and
eastward of which, and immediately opposite to i*, are
the h\vH of f;reat and Little Cumbray. in the village,
from which is a good coast-road to Rothesay, are about
fifty inhabited Iioii.hcs ; and there is a wharf for lading
and unlading small vessels. A rapid increase has taken
26
place here, within the last few years, in the exportation
of agricultural produce and of lime, which is very abun-
dant in the neighbourhood. Near the north-east shore
of the bay are two barrows, a short distance from each
other.
KILCHENZIE, Argyllshire. — See Killean.
KILCHOMAN, a parish, in the Islay district of the
county of Argyll, 12 miles (W. by S.) from Bowmore;
containing 4505 inhabitants. This place, which is situ-
ated at the south-western extremity of the island of
Islay, is supposed to have derived its name from a church
founded here by St. Chomanus, who was sent by St.
Columba from the monastery of lona, to convert the
inhabitants to Christianity. Little more of its ancient
history is known than that, for many years, it was
in the possession of the Danes and Norwegians, and
subsequently became the property of the Macdonalds,
lords of the Isles, the site of whose baronial seat is now
occupied by the manse and gardens of the minister. In
158S, a sanguinary battle took place between the Mac-
donalds and the Macleans, of whom the latter, of the
isle of Mull, landed a considerable force to dispossess
the former of their territory. The conflict occurred near
the shore of Loch Gruinard, and terminated in the de-
feat of the Macleans, whose leader fell in the action ;
and his followers giving way, many of them took refuge
in the church of Kilnave, near the field of battle, pursued
by the Macdonalds, who set fire to the building. The
body of Maclean, being found among the slain, was buried
in the church of Kilchoman.
The parish, which is of peninsular form, is bounded
on the west by the Atlantic, and on the east by Loch
Indal ; and is deeply indented on the north by Loch
Gruinard, between which and Loch Indal there is little
more than a mile of land at high water. It is about
twenty miles in extreme length, and five at its greatest
breadth, comprising an area of upwards of 50,000 acres,
of which not more than 5000 are arable, and the remain-
der, with the exception of twenty acres of plantations, is
hill pasture and waste. The surface is diversified with
ridges of hills of moderate elevation, the highest not
exceeding 500 feet above the level of the sea ; and be-
tween these undulating ridges are large tracts of level
ground, covered with moss, and interspersed with lakes,
the largest of which, Lochgorum, is about 6OO acres in
extent, and from five to seven feet in depth. There is
no river of any importance. The coast, which is more
than thirty miles in circuit, is mostly bold and precipi-
tous, abounding on the east with creeks, and on the
west with bays. The largest bay is that of Kilchoman ;
hut it is so exposed to the swell of the Atlantic that
fishing-boats, to be in safety, must be drawn above high-
water mark. Loch Gruinard is about four miles in
length, and affords shelter for small vessels, but is partly
dry at low water ; Loch Indal is twelve miles in length,
and eight in breadth at the entrance, forming a good
roadstead, and being much frequented by vessels in ad-
verse weather.
In this parish the soil includes almost every variety :
on the shore of Loch Indal is some rich alluvial land of
great fertility ; on the western shore the soil is less pro-
ductive, and in other parts nearly sterile. The crops
are oats, barley, potatoes, turnips, peas, and beans, with
the usual grasses. The system of husbandry is improv-
ing on some of the farms ; considerable progress has
K I LC
K I L C
been made in draining the lands, and several tracts of
moss have been reclaimed. From the tenure of the
smaller farms, however, the spirit of enterprise is much
restrained. The chief attention is paid to the improve-
ment of live stock : the cattle are generally of the West
Highland breed ; the sheep, with the exception of a few
of the black-faced, are of a very ordinary kind. The
principal substrata are clay-slate, greywacke, alternating
with thin beds of quartz, basalt, greenstone, and por-
phyry. There is no limestone ; but the want of it is
supplied by the abundance of shell-marl found in the
numerous creeks and bays. Slate of good colour and
quality is extensively quarried at Kilchiaran. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is £7430. Sun-
derland House is a spacious mansion, erected by the
proprietor in 1820, pleasantly situated on an acclivity,
about a mile from the shore of Loch Indal, and sur-
rounded with thriving plantations. Balinaby is also a
handsome residence. There are three villages in the
parish, viz., Portnahaven, Port-Charlotte, and Port-
Wymss, which last has but lately grown into exist-
ence. At Bridgend, about nine miles distant, is a post-
ofBce, from which letters are brought daily by a private
messenger ; and facility of communication is afforded
by good roads, which intersect the parish in various di-
rections.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Islay and Jura, synod of
Argyll. The minister's stipend is £158. 6., of which
two-thirds are paid from the exchequer ; with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £15 per annum : patron, the
Crown. The parish church, erected in ISSS, is a hand-
some structure containing "00 sittings. A church has
been built at Portnahaven. There is a place of worship
for members of the Free Church ; and at Port-Char-
lotte is one for Independents. The parocliial school is
well attended ; the master has a salary of £25. 13. 4.,
with a house, an allowance in money in lieu of garden,
and about £4 fees. Two schools are supported by the
General Assembly, one by the Society for Propagating
Christian Knowledge, and one by the Edinburgh Gaelic
Society. There are also six Sunday schools. The poor
have the interest of some charitable bequests and private
contributions ; and the Kirk Session possess the pri-
vilege of recommending patients to the royal infirmary
of Glasgow. There are numerous ruins of religious
houses, to which are attached cemeteries still in use ;
and in the present churchyard is an ancient cross,
beautifully sculptured. On several of the hills are
obelisks, whose history is unknown ; and on islands in
the lakes, and in various ravines on the shores of the
coast, are remains of fortifications. Under a large stone
near Sunderland House, which had fallen from the erect
position in which it originally stood, were found two
golden ornaments, weighing nearly six ounces; and in
the hills around have been found rude coffins of stone,
some containing human bones, and others urns of un-
baked clay, rudely formed.
KILCHRENAN and DALAVICH, a parish, in the
district of Lorn, county of Argyll, 1 1 miles (W. by S.)
from Dalmally ; containing about 700 inhabitants, of
whom about 400 are in Kilchrenan. The names of
these places, which are of Gaelic origin, signify respec-
tively " the church or burial-place of Chrenan", the
tutelary saint of the locality, and " the field of Avich", a
term descriptive of a level tract situated near the river
Avich. This is an inland parish, lying on each side of
the beautiful expanse of water named Loch Awe, and
measures sixteen miles in length and eight in average
breadth, comprising, it is supposed, between 70,000 and
80,000 acres, of which considerable portions are arable
and pasture land. The surface is finely diversified,
rising in each direction from the lake, in a gradual
manner, for nearly four miles. On the east it reaches
the summit of a range of hills called the Muir of
Leekaii, twenty-four miles long ; and on the west is
another range, also twenty-four miles long, called the
Mid-Miiir. The scenery is of the highest order, consist-
ing of a rich combination of almost every picturesque
and romantic object usually to be seen in the most ad-
mired Highland districts. In Loch Awe are several
wooded islands with interesting ruins ; numerous creeks
intersect its shores, and the whole lake is relieved, with
great effect, by the bold mountain heights overhanging
the district. The average breadth of the loch is about
a mile ; and on its banks are two ferries, one of them
three-quarters of a mile from Dalavich, and the other a
mile from Kilchrenan. The island of Inish-Chonnel, a
beautiful spot opposite the church of Dalavich, exhibits
an ivy-mantled ruin of great antiquity, for many cen-
turies the chief residence of the Argyll family. Near
this is the isle of Inish-Errich, containing the ruins of
a chapel, and an old burying-ground still in use ; and
at a small distance from Inish-Errich is Eilean'n Tagart,
otherwise Priests' isle, formerly the priests' residence.
Loch Avich, anciently called Loch Luina, a prominent
feature in the scenery, is situated a little west of Loch
Awe, and communicates with it by the Avich stream.
It is of triangular form, measuring about eight miles
along the entire line of its shores, and is well supplied
with trout. The vicinity of this lake, which has a castle
and several islands frequented by a great variety of
water-fowl, was the scene of Cathluina, or the Conflict
of Luina, described in an ancient Celtic poem ; and one
of its isles was the scene of another event, the subject
of a poem called Laoi Fraoich, or the Death of Fraoch.
Many places in the parish are named after some of the
heroes of Ossian. Besides the two lakes, contributing
so largely to the embellishment of the scenery, there are
several streams, tributaries of Loch Awe, flowing among
numerous elevations and hollows, ornamented in some
parts with good natural pasture, and in others with tracts
of valuable wood.
The fertile banks of Loch Awe are well cultivated,
producing good crops ; the mosses, covering a large
space, are to some extent capable of improvement, and
draining has lately been carried on in several places.
The chief avocation of the inhabitants, however, is the
rearing of black-cattle and sheep ; and the district is
more distinguished for its imposing scenery than for
agricultural operations. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £4280. The rocks consist of
mica, quartz, limestone, and whinstone. The mansion
of Eridine House, and that of Sonachan House, are both
situated here. A manufactory for pyroligrifeous acid
has been erected, in connexion with an establishment
at Camlachie, near Glasgow. Ecclesiastically the parish
is in the presbytery of Lorn, synod of Argyll, and in
the patronage of the Duke of Argyll. The minister's
stipend is about £150, of which about a sixth is received
E2
K I L C
K I L C
from the exchequer; with a manse, and a glebe of ten
acres valued at £11 per annum. There are two churches,
more than nine miles distant from each other : that of
Kilchrenan was built in 1*70, and the church of Dal-
avich a j'ear later ; the one containing 2S0, and the
other 242 sittings. The incumbent generally takes the
services alternately, but occasionally preaches in both
churches on the same Sunday, though this is seldom
practicable, the climate being rainy, and the roads very
bad. The members of the Free Church have a place of
worship in the parish. Kilchrenan parochial school
affords instruction in the usual branches ; the master,
who keeps an assistant, has a salary of £17, with about
£6 fees, and receives in addition £11. 10., of which
£10 are the interest of a charge on the Marquess of
Breadalbane's property, left for the education of poor
children. This bequest is under the control of the kirk-
session, and does not necessarily belong to the parish
school. There are also two parochial schools at Dal-
avich : the masters have salaries respectively of £17. 4.
and £1". 10., with £7 and £5 fees; they likewise re-
ceive £1. 15. and £1 from other sources.
KILCONQUHAR, a parish, in the district of St.
Andrew's, county of Fife; containing, with the burghs
of Colinsburgh and Earlsferry, and the village of Kil-
conquhar, 2605 inhabitants, of whom 566 are in the
village, li mile (N. by W.) from Elie. The lands of Kil-
conquhar and Balcarres belong to two branches of the
family of Lindesay, of whom Walter and William de
Lindesay, brothers, occupied stations of importance in
the reign of David I.; the latter became the head of the
family, and one of his descendants vv'as created Earl of
Crawfurd in 1398. Kilconquhar is now in the posses-
sion of Sir Henry Lindesay Bethune, Bart., a descendant
of the family, whose baronetcy was conferred upon him
for his services in Persia. John, second son of David,
eighth Earl of Crawfurd, obtained the estate of Balcarres
in the parish, which, together with other lands, was
erected into a barony in 1592; and his son David, who
was created Lord Lindsay of Balcarres, built a chapel
at this place, in which he was interred. David's son,
Alexander, who was the first Earl of Balcarres, was a
firm adherent of Charles IL, whom he attended while in
exile at Breda, where he died a short time before the
Restoration, and whence his remains were brought
home, and deposited in the family chapel. The estate
is now in the possession of his descendant. Colonel James
Lindsay.
The PARISH derives its name from its situation at the
head of a lake ; of which the Gaelic term is descriptive.
It is about nine miles in length, and two miles in average
breadth ; is bounded on the south by the Firth of Forth,
and on the west l)y the bay of Largo ; and comprises
about 5400 acres, all of w hich are arable, and under high
cultivation, except what is covered with wood. The
surface varies greatly in elevation. From the south,
where it is mostly flat, the land rises gradually towards
the nortli until it reaches the middle of tiie parish, in
the hills of Hcres and Kilbrachmont, points of a ridge
extending -from Kcllie Law on the east to Largo Law on
the west, and having an elevation of more tlian 600 feet
above the level of the sea. In the southern portion of
the parish is the hill of Kincraig; and in the northern
part the liill of Dunikcr Law, wliich has a licight of
750 feet. From the summit o( this hill is an extensive
28
and varied prospect, embracing the estuaries of the
Forth and the Tay, and, towards the north and west, the
mountains in the counties of Perth, Angus, and Argyll.
The Craig of Balcarres commands a diversified view of
the adjacent lands, which are beautifully wooded ; the
towns on the coast extending from Dysart to Crail, with
numerous handsome mansions surrounded by plan-
tations ; the Firth of Forth and the shipping in the
harbour ; the rich lands of East Lothian, the city of
Edinburgh, the hills of Linlithgow, Pentland, and Lam-
mermoor, and the German Ocean. The home scenery
is greatly enriched by the beautiful loch of Kilconquhar,
which is about half a mile in breadth and two miles in
circumference, abounding with pike and eels, and fre-
quented by swans, teal, wild-duck, and other aquatic
fowl. The banks of the lake are ornamented with plan-
tations; and from its proximity to the village, the whole
forms an interesting and beautifully picturesque feature
in the landscape. A small stream issuing from it falls
into the sea at Elie. A burn which in its course drives
several mills flows into Largo bay, and some streamlets
that rise in the northern portion of the parish join the
river Eden.
The SOIL, though generally fertile, varies considerably :
in the portions near the sea, it is a light loam intermixed
with sand ; and in those more remote, a rich and deep
loam producing abundant crops. The rotation plan of
husbandry in its most improved state is practised, and
the system of agriculture has been brought to great
perfection ; the crops are oats, wheat, barley, beans,
potatoes, and turnips, with a small quantity of flax.
Much attention is paid to the rearing of cattle, of the
Fifeshire breed, with an occasional mixture of the Tees-
W'ater ; and in order to encourage improvement in this
respect, the East Fife Agricultural Society hold annual
meetings at Colinsburgh, for the public distribution of
premiums to the successful competitors. The average
number of cattle is 1500, and about 500 of them are
annually fattened for the butcher. The number of horses
employed in agriculture is 200, and about fifty horses
are annually sold : the feeding of sheep has been intro-
duced within these few years to a considerable extent,
chiefly of the Cheviot breed. The plantations are oak,
ash, beech, plane, and larch. Some most valuable timber
is found on the lands of Balcarres and Kilconquhar, in
which are many trees of majestic growth, more than two
centuries old ; and in that part of the Balcarres estate
called the Den are about 100 acres, chiefly of hard-wood
of great height, and which have been planted for above
half a century. In general the farm-buildings are sub-
stantial and commodious, and roofed with slate ; thresh-
ing-mills are in use on the various farms, and several of
them are driven by steam-engines, whicli have been
lately introduced, and appear to be on the increase.
The lands have been much imjiroved by draining ; and
the fences, usually stone dykes, are kept in good order.
The annual value of real property in Kilcontiuhar is
£10,998.
The general coal formation extends throughout the
whole of the parish ; and in its various sections are
found basalt, greenstone, clinkstone, trap tuflTa, amygda-
loid, wacke, and [xirphyritic claystone, sandstone, shale,
ironstone, and coal. The basalt is of a gr<-yish black
colour, and extremely hard, and is found in columnar
groups of great beauty, on the south-west extremity of
K I L C
KI LD
the parish. Kincraig Hill, ascending abruptly from the
beach to the height of 200 feet, abounds with all these
varieties, comprehending every species of trap forma-
tion ; and Balcarres Craig, which rises from a deep
ravine to a similar height, and is completely detached
from all the surrounding hills, displays near its summit
a beautiful specimen of columnar formation, of a dark
blue colour, exceedingly close-grained and hard, and
which, though possessing the properties of felspar or
clinkstone rock, is frequently supposed to be basaltic.
The Balcarres coalfield comprises four distinct seams,
two of which are splint and two common coal. The
seams of splint coal are respectively six and two feet
thick ; and the seams of common coal, one of which is
subdivided by an intermediate layer of marl, are about
three feet in thickness. Coal is likewise found at Lath-
allan, Largoward, and Falfield, in the upper division of
the parish, in which is also cannel coal of very superior
quality. Limestone is not plentiful, but is found at
Kilconquhar, Balcarres, and some other places ; and large
boulders of greenstone, mica-slate, and granite occur
along the sea-shore. In this parish the principal seats
are Balcarres, Kilconquhar House, Charleton, Lathallan,
Falfield, and Cairnie, all handsome mansions, situated in
tastefully-disposed and richly-embellished demesnes. The
produce of the agricultural districts is more than requi-
site for the supply of the population, and large quantities
are consequently conveyed to the neighbouring towns,
with which an easy intercourse is maintained by turn-
pike-roads kept in excellent repair. The village is neatly
built and pleasantly situated : of its total population,
namely 566, 232 are in that part called Barnyards. The
inhabitants of the parish are chiefly employed in agri-
culture, and in weaving for the manufacturers of Dundee
and Kirkcaldy : the articles of manufacture are checks,
sheetings, dowlas, &c., in the production of which about
230 persons are employed, of whom 120 are females ; all
working at handlooms in their own dwellings. There is
also a tannery, in which a few men are engaged.
This parish, which formerly comprehended the whole
of the parish of Elie, and the barony of St. Monan's,
both separated from it in 1639, is in the presbytery of
St. Andrew's and synod of Fife, and in the patronage of
the Earl of Balcarres. The minister's stipend is about
£300, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £27. 10. per
annum. The church, erected in 1821, is a handsome
edifice in the later English style of architecture, with a
lofty tower, and is adapted for a congregation of 1030
persons. At Largoward is a chapel of ease, built in
1835, for the accommodation of the northern part of the
parish ; the service is performed by a missionary ap-
pointed by the presbytery. There are also places of wor-
ship in the parish for members of the United Presby-
terian Church, Independents, and Baptists. Kilconquhar
parochial school, situated in the village, affords a liberal
course of instruction ; the master has a salary of £34,
with £60 fees, a house and garden, and the privilege of
taking boarders. There is also a school at Largoward,
to the master of which the heritors pay 100 merks per
annum ; and at Earlsferry and Colinsburgh are schools
with upwards of 100 scholars each, but without endow-
ment. Under Kincraig Hill is the picturesque and ro-
mantic cavern called Macdutf's Cave, in which that thane,
in his flight from the usurper Macbeth, is generally sup-
posed to have concealed himself for some time.
29
KILDA, ST., an isle, in the county of Inverness.
This island, also called Hirta, is the most remote of the
Western Isles : the nearest land to it is Harris, from
which it is distant sixty miles in a west-south-west direc-
tion ; and it is 140 miles from the nearest point of the
main land of Scotland. In length it is about three miles,
from east to west, and in breadth two miles, from north
to south. The whole island is fenced by one continued
perpendicular face of rock, of prodigious height, with the
exception of a part of the bay, or landing-place, lying
towards the south-east, and even there the rocks are of
considerable height. The bay is inconvenient ; and the
tides and waves are so impetuous that, unless in calm
weather, it is extremely hazardous to approach. The
surface of the island rises into four high mountains,
covered with a blackish loam, except at their summits,
where is moss about three feet in depth ; but the soil is
rendered fertile by the industry of the inhabitants, who
manure their fields so as to convert them into a sort of
gardens. There are several springs that form a burn
running close by the village, which is situated about a
quarter of a mile from the bay. The ordinary means of
intercourse with the island is, by the packet from Dun-
vegan, in Skye, to Rodel, in Harris, and thence to the
isle of Pabbay, at the extremity of the sound of Harris,
whence a number of fishermen make the voyage in large
open boats. It is accessible, also, by steamers in summer,
and is visited occasionally by revenue cruisers.
KILDALTON, a parish, in the district of Islay,
county of Argyll, 14 miles (E. by S.) from Bowmore ;
containing, with the village of Port-Ellen and the former
quoad sacra district of Oa, 3315 inhabitants, of whom
904 are in Port-Ellen.- This parish, which is supposed
to have taken its name from one of the step-sons of the
Macdonalds, who was buried in the church, forms the
south-eastern portion of the isle of Islay, and is bounded
on the north-east by the sound of Islay, and on the
south-west by the Atlantic Ocean. It is twenty-four
miles in length and seven in breadth ; the number of
acres has not been ascertained, and only a very small
portion of the parish is arable. The surface is broken
by a range of hills extending from south-west to north-
east, and increasing in elevation towards the sound of
Islay ; of these, Benvigory and Mc Arthur's Head are the
highest. To the north-west of the hills is a large extent
of level ground, gradually coming into cultivation ; and
the valleys, which intersect the parish from east to west,
are in general fertile, yielding good crops of oats, barley,
and potatoes. There are numerous excellent springs in
various places, but no rivers of any importance ; also
several small lakes, in most of which are found trout of
large size, and in some pike. The coast extends for
more than fifty miles ; it is generally low and rocky, and
is indented with bays, the principal of which are Port-
Ellen, Lagamhulin, Lochknock, Lochintallin, Ardmore,
Kenture, Aross, Claigean, Ardtealla, and Proaig. The
most prominent headlands are, Mc Arthur's Head on
the north, Ardmore Point on the east, and the Mull of
Oa on the south. In different parts the rocks are per-
forated with caverns of romantic appearance, one of
which is about 300 feet in circumference, and nearly 200
feet in depth : the sea flows into this cavern through
two apertures, one of them a lofty arch of considerable
span, and the other a narrow fissure in the rock. There
are also numerous small islands near the coast, the chief
K IL D
K I L D
of which are Texa, EUan-nan-Caorach, Ellain-Imergay,
the Ardelisters, and a cluster of islands in the bay of
Ardraore.
In this parish the soil, is extremely various. The
system of agriculture is improving; and within the last
few years considerable tracts of land have been brought
into cultivation under the auspices of the proprietor,
W. F. Campbell, Esq., of Islay, who has also formed
plantations of large extent. These consist of oak, ash,
fir, plane, horse-chesnut, and beech, which are all in a
thriving state ; and in the north-east of the parish are
many acres of brushwood. Numbers of black-cattle of
the native breed, and sheep, are reared in the pastures ;
and great attention is paid to their improvement. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £4562.
The principal substrata are slate, granite, whinstone, and
limestone ; and in some parts indications of ironstone
are observed, with appearances of lead and copper ore ;
but the slate and limestone only are wrought. A neat
shooting-lodge has been erected by Mr, Campbell, in
which he occasionally resides during the season. There
are five distilleries, employing about forty persons.
Fairs for black-cattle are held at Port-Ellen, in the be-
ginning of June, July, August, September, and November;
and a runner from the post-office at Bowmore conveys
letters three times a week to a receiving-house at Lagam-
hulin.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Islay and Jura, synod of Argyll. The
minister's stipend is £158. 6. 8., of which two-thirds are
paid from the exchequer; with a gratuity of £5 from
the heritor, a manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per an-
num : patron, the Crown. Kildalton church, situated
nearly in the centre of the parish, is a neat structure,
erected in 1816, and enlarged in 1830, containing 600
sittings. A church has been built at Oa, in the south-
west. The parochial school is well attended ; the master
has a salary of £25, with a house and garden, and the
fees average £10 per annum. A school is supported by
the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, who
allow the master a salary of £16, with a house and some
land ; and there is another school, to the master of which
the Gaelic Society pay £20. In Oa is a parliamentary
school with a salary of £30 ; and at Kenture, Lagam-
hulin, and Kintraw are General Assembly schools. The
poor have the interest of a bequest of £100 by Major
Mc Neill. There are remains of several churches, con-
sisting chiefly of the roofless walls : near the ruins of
the old church of Kildalton are two crosses of grey
granite, one of which is richly ornamented with sculp-
ture. Vestiges of three ancient forts may be seen in the
parish at the Mull of Oa, near Port-Ellen, and at the bay
of Lagamhulin : the first is supposed to have been
erected by the Danes ; the fort near Lagamhulin, called
Dun-naom-haig, is thought to have been built by the
Macdonalds, and was the last stronghold that they pos-
sessed.
KILDONAN, a parish, in the county of Suther-
land, 9 miles (N. \V. by VV.) from Helmsdale ; containing
256 inhabitants. This parish takes its name from Kit,
a " cell or chapel", and Ihman, the name of the saint
who promulgated Christianity in this part, and whose
memory has been handed down by tradition with great
veneration. It is chiefly remarkable as having been,
for several ages, the residence of the celebrated clan
30
Gun. They are supposed to have descended from the
Norwegian kings of Man ; and Lochlin, the Gaelic name
for ancient Scandinavia, or at least for Denmark, is still
spoken of by the Highlanders as the native country of
the Guns, the Macleods, and the Gillanders. The im-
mediate ancestor of the Guns is said to have been the
son of Olave, fifth Norwegian king of Man, who had
three sons by his third wife, Christina, daughter of Far-
quhar, Earl of Ross. These were, Gun or Guin, the
founder of the clan Gun ; Leoid, Loyd, or Leod, from
whom sprang the Macleods ; and Leaundris, the first of
the clan Landers, or Gillanders, of Ross-shire, many of
whom afterwards assumed the name of Ross. It appears
that these several heads of clans were dependent on their
grandfather the Earl of Ross, who possessed great power
and influence in different parts of the country, and espe-
cially in Caithness. In that county. Gun was originally
settled ; and his first stronghold was the castle of Hal-
bury, at Easter Clythe, usually called Crowner Gun's
Castle, and which was situated on a precipitous rock
nearly surrounded by, and overhanging, the sea. The
clan of Gun continued to extend their possessions in
Caithness till about the middle of the fifteenth century,
when, in consequence of their rancorous feuds with the
Keiths and others, they thought it expedient to establish
their chief, and a strong detachment of the clan, in the
adjoining county of Sutherland, where, by the protection
of the Earls of Sutherland, they obtained, among other
places, lands in the parish of Kildonan, which they held
for a considerable period.
The PARISH is twenty-eight miles in extreme length,
and varies in breadth from five to seventeen miles. It
is bounded on the north by the parishes of Reay and
Farr, on the south by Clyue and Loth, on the east by the
county of Caithness, and on the west by Farr and Clyne.
This is altogether an inland parish. Its northern divi-
sion is lofty, and marked by several high and massive
mountains. The southern part consists of two parallel
ranges of mountains, separated by the beautiful valley of
Helmsdale, through which runs the winding river of the
same name, passing many verdant holms and haughs,
and some ornamental clumps of birch, and falling into
the North Sea at the village of Helmsdale, in the parish
of Loth. Ben-Griam-more is a mountain nearly 2000
feet high, and, with the other lofty elevations, charac-
terized by wide chasms, rent or worn by powerful tor-
rents, gives to the scenery a wild and magnificent ap-
pearance. The upper district is remarkable for the
number and size of its lakes, of which Loch-na-Cuen,
one of the largest, is adorned with two or three small
islands and several winding bays. The waters abound
with char and trout, and some of them are famed for
angling.
The SOIL of the haughs near the river is formed of de-
posits of mossy earth, with sand and decomposed rock :
much of the upland consists of tracts of moss, lying con-
tiguous to the pastures. The entire parish is the pro-
Iicrty of the Duke of Sutherland, and has been from time
immemorial part of the ancient earldom of Sutherland.
Almost the whole of it is occui)ied with sheep-farms,
which are in the hands of six tenants ; and the number
of sheep grazed, all of the Cheviot breed, is estimated at
18,000. Previously to the year 1811, the land was let
in small |)orlions, and much attention was paid to the
rearing of Highland cattle ; but between that period and
KILD
K ILF
1821 the cattle gradually yielded to the introductinn of
Cheviot sheep. In consequence of this change, and the
consolidation of the small farms, the population was
diminished in numbers from 1574 to 565 ; and it is now
not half the latter number. There are two or three good
roads in the parish, chiefly for local convenience. The
principal communication of the people is with Helmsdale.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Dornoch, synod of Sutherland and Caith-
ness ; patron, the Duke of Sutherland. The stipend is
£158, of which £70 are received from the exchequer;
and there is a good manse, with a glebe of fourteen acres,
in addition to which the minister has the privilege of
grazing sixty sheep. Kildonan church is a plain build-
ing, erected about 1740, and rebuilt in 1786. There is a
parochial school, the master of which has the maximum
salary, and about £3 fees, with a school-house. The re-
mains of several circular or Pictish towers may still be
seen in the parish, as well as numerous barrows or
tumuli ; it also contains some mineral springs, supposed
to have been anciently used for medicinal purposes.
KILDRUMMY, a parish, in the district of Alford,
county of Aberdeen, 6 miles (W. by N.) from Alford ;
containing 627 inhabitants. This place, the name of
which is of Gaelic origin, and signifies " the little burial
mount ", was distinguished for its castle, anciently the
property of David, Earl of Huntingdon, and a seat of
King Robert Bruce. The castle now presents a venerable
ruin, situated on an eminence overlooking a rivulet that
falls into the Don ; but was originally an extensive and
strongly-fortified pile, consisting, according to tradition,
of one stately circular tower of five stories, known as
the Snow tower, in the western corner of the fabric, and
of six other towers of different dimensions. It was
besieged by Edward I. in ] 306, when the wife of Bruce,
his daughter, his two sisters, and the Countess of
Buchan, had fled to it for refuge ; and it is supposed
that they made their escape by means of a subterraneous
passage, of which there are still traces. It was after-
wards partly destroyed by fire, but, having been repaired,
became the principal residence of the Earls of Mar,
until the rebellion of the earl in 1715, after which the
whole building was suffered to fall to decay. Among
the ruins are the remains of a chapel, which was used as
a magazine for forage during the siege of 1306.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by that of Auch-
indoir and Kearn, on the east by the parishes of Forbes
and Alford, and on the west and south by the parishes
of Leochel-Cushnie and Towie. It chiefly comprises a
valley from two to three miles square, and is divided
into two unequal parts by the river Don, upwards of
twenty miles from its source. The soil is a rich loam,
and very fertile ; the Kildrummy oats are well known
as a light thin grain, having plenty of straw, and ripen-
ing earlier than most ordinary kinds. The general sur-
face of the parish is undulated ; and a sandstone bed
runs through it from north to south. A considerable
extent of natural birchwood covers a bank overhanging
the rivulet near the castle ; and there are plantations
at Clova, Brux, and other places in the vale. Cattle-
markets are held on the first Tuesdays in February and
May, O. S. On the edge of a romantic ravine, stands a
mansion in the Elizabethan style ; and at Clova is
another, in a more modern style of architecture. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £2282.
31
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Alford, synod of Aberdeen, and the patron-
age is vested in the Crown. The stipend of the minister
varies from £150 to £160, of which about a third is re-
ceived from the exchequer ; and there is a manse, with
a glebe of six acres, valued at £10 per annum. Kil-
drummy church is a plain edifice, erected in 1805. The
parochial school affords instruction in the usual branches :
the master has a salary of £25. 13. 4., with a school and
dwelling-house, built in 1822, and about £11 fees ; also
a portion of the Dick bequest. Lord Elphinstone, who
was slain at the battle of Flodden, and the Earl of Mar,
attainted in 1715, were buried in the churchyard of the
parish.
KILFINAN, a parish, in the district of Cowal,
county of Argyll, 30 miles (S. S. W.) from Inverary ;
containing 1816 inhabitants. The name of this place,
signifying the " church or burial-place of Finan ", is
derived from a saint of the seventh century, a disciple of
St. Columba, to whom the church was dedicated. The
parish is situated in the south-eastern part of the
county, and is girt by water in every direction except
on the north. The west and north-west sides are
bounded by Loch Fine ; the east by Loch Riddon and
part of the Kyles of Bute ; and the southern point by
the sea, which, by a channel three or four leagues across,
separates it from the Isle of Arran. It extends longi-
tudinally about seventeen miles from north to south,
and varies in breadth from three to nearly six miles,
comprising an area of about 50,000 acres, of which 4000
are arable, 2500 under natural wood, and plantations,
and the remainder mostly hilly ground, fit only for the
pasturage of sheep and cattle. The coast, which is of
course of great extent, is frequently varied and relieved
by pleasant slopes, or level tracts of arable land ; and
contains numerous headlands and bays. Among the
headlands, that of Airdlamont is the most prominent,
situated at the southern extremity of the parish. The
chief bays are, Kilfinan bay, below the church ; Achalick
bay, two or three miles more southward ; and Kilbride
bay, still nearer Airdlamont. In the north is a sand-
bank, of beautiful appearance at ebb tide, and measuring,
it is said, above a mile from its margin to its termination
at low-water mark.
The surface of the parish, though in general hilly,
rises in no part to any remarkable height. The greatest
eminences are those of a ridge, of moderate elevation,
forming the boundary between Kilfinan and the parish
of Kilmodan ; commanding attractive views of the Kyles
of Bute and part of Loch Fine, as well as of some of
the Hebrides ; and displaying on their bosom an agree-
able variety of pleasant valleys containing good arable
lands. There are four burns, of inconsiderable size,
but increased by numerous tributaries which, in rainy
weather, rush down from the mountains with great
rapidity and violence. The fresh-water lochs are two :
they extend about half a mile in length and between
300 and 500 yards in breadth, and though not of large
dimensions, contribute to improve the scenery, and sup-
ply abundance of the common yellow trout. The soil
differs to a great extent, according to the situation : that
near the sea, on the more level ground, is a light fertile
earth, somewhat sharp, resting on a fine gravelly subsoil,
and when well cultivated producing good crops of grain
and potatoes, and excellent grass. At some distance
KI L F
K I L F
inland, upon the higher grounds, there is a mixture of
moss covering extensive tracts, much of which is in til-
lage ; and the whole of this description of soil is thought
capable of being brought under profitable cultivation by
good management.
During the last fifteen years, great improvement has
taken place in farming operations : there are now many
well-cultivated farms, and both grain and potatoes are
exported to a very considerable extent. In general, how-
ever, agriculture is still in rather a low condition. Many
obstacles are presented by a variable, rainy, and stormy
climate, and, in most places, a comparatively sterile soil;
and all the crops, with the exception of the potatoes,
show the necessity for the introduction of still further
improvements in the system of tillage. Much de-
pendence is placed on cattle and sheep. The sheep are
generally of the black-faced breed, and of small size in
consequence of the inferior character of the pasture,
though latterly, by the construction of drains, and in
other ways, attempts have been made to improve both
the sheep and the cattle. In summer the maintenance
of the poorer tenants is derived principally from the
herring-fishing, in which most of them are engaged.
The leases usually run only nine years, a circumstance
unfavourable to the investment of capital for the im-
provement of the land. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £5.546. The rocks consist chiefly
of mica-slate, mixed with white quartz ; whinstone is
found in small quantities, and limestone of good quality
both for building and for agricultural purposes is plen-
tiful in the north. Plantations are scattered in various
directions, comprising oak, ash, fir, and the other kinds
common to the country ; and there are several oak-cop-
pices, which are cut for sale every twenty years. Birch,
ash, and hazel are also found growing in coppices ; but
they are entirely neglected.
In this parish are some well-built mansions, namely,
Airdlamont House, a plain structure, situated not far
from the point of the same name, and ornamented with
good plantations ; Ardmarnock House, near Loch Fine ;
Balliraore House, a neat and elegant residence, also near
Loch Fine; and Otter House, on the bay of Kilfinan.
All of these, except Otter House, have been built within
the last few years. The only hamlets are the small
clusters of tenements here and there, occupied by the
farmers and cottars, and containing twelve or fifteen
families each. A gunpowder manufactory was esta-
blished at Kames, near the Kyles of Bute, in 1839,
which has since been improved and considerably en-
larged, and now produces from 8000 to 9000 barrels
annually : more than thirty jjcrsons are employed in
the different departments of the factory ; and they receive
considerably higher wages than any other class of work-
men iu the parish. The herring-fishing on Loch Fine is
prosecuted with activity ; upwards of 100 boats belong
tr) the parish, and each of these requires three men, and
produces from £.50 to £60 per annum, a sum, however,
far inferior to that formerly obtained, and found barely
sufficient to meet the heavy expenses. Salmon-fishing
is also carried on, in the Kyles of Bute. A post-ofiice
was established at Kilfinan aljout the year 1H40, and
iH subordinate to that at Cairndow, thirty miles distant,
with which it coinniiinicatcs three times a week. The
roads are generally in bad order. There is a small pier
at Otter Ferry, which was an important point of transit
3'i
for the people of this district of Argyllshire, in travelling
to the low country : but since the use of steam-boats, it
has been almost entirely neglected. Markets for cattle
are held in May and October, near the ferry.
Kilfinan is in the presbytery of Dunoon, synod of
Argyll, and in the patronage of Archibald James Lament,
Esq. The minister's stipend is about £200, with a
manse, a glebe of four arable acres valued at £8 per
annum, and the privilege of grazing on an adjoining
farm. The church is situated at a short distance from
the head of Kilfinan bay, and, among other objects,
commands a good view of Loch Fine, which in this
part is five or six miles broad. It is supposed to have
been built about the beginning of the seventeenth cen-
tury ; was thoroughly repaired in 1759, and also under-
went considerable repairs in IS45. An additional church,
situated at the south end of the parish, eight miles
distant from the parish church, was built, and opened in
May 1S39, by subscriptions from the district and various
other quarters, aided by a grant of £174. 10. from the
General Assembly's extension committee. The incum-
bent officiates alternately at Kilfinan and in the addi-
tional church. The parochial school affords instruction
in the ordinary branches, and in Gaelic ; the master has
a salary of £34, with the legal accommodations, but £6
of the salary are deducted, and divided between two
branch schools. He also receives about £26 fees, and
the interest of £95. 10., part of which was bequeathed
about a century since by a member of the Lamont family,
and another part by John Lamont, Esq., in 1814. In
addition to this school and its branches, in the upper
district, there are three in the lower division, but all un-
endowed, with the exception of a grant of land to one
of them by Mr. Lamont. On the border of one of the
inland lakes stand the ruins of an ancient castle, a former
residence of the Lamont family, which was destroyed by
order of the Marquess of Argyll, in the reign of Charles
II. The parish also contains several duns, consisting of
rows of circular stones, generally on eminences ; and
there are remains of numerous cairns.
KILFINICHEN and KILVICEUEN, a parish, in
the district of Mull, county of Argyll ; containing
4113 inhabitants, of whom 250 are in the village of
Bonessan. It takes its name from the churches of the
two ancient parishes whereof it consists, one church in
the district of Airdmeanach, and the other in that of
Ross, by which latter appellation the whole parish is
frequently designated. The parish comprises the south-
west portion of the isle of Mull, and includes the isles of
lona, Inniskenneth or Inch- Kenneth, and Eorsa, with
several small islets. It is bounded on the north and
north-east by a ridge of mountains separating it from
the parish of Torosay ; on the south it is bounded by
an arm of the Atlantic, and on the west by the Atlantic
Ocean itself. Exclusive of the isles, it is about twenty-
four miles in length and thirteen in extreme breadth,
comprising an area of nearly 180 .'■quare miles. Of the
four districts of lona, Ross, Brolas, and Airdmeanach,
into which the ])arish is divided, lona is separated from
Ross l)y the sound of lona, and is three miles in length
and almost one mile in breadth, lioss and Ihohis are
divided from Airdmeanach by Loch Scridain, and arc
each about twelve miles in length and from three and
a half to seven miles in breadth ; while Ainbtu-iiniich,
which joins Brolas at the u]ipcr extremity of Loch
K I L F
KILL
Scridain, is thirteen miles in length, and varies from
three to six in breadth. The surface is hilly, and the
lands generally are better adapted tor pasturage than for
the plough : in some portions the grounds are low and
flat, consisting of heath, pasture, and arable land. Of
the mountains that separate the parish from Torosay, the
most conspicuous is Benmore, which has an elevation of
3097 feet above the level of the sea, commanding from
its summit an unbounded view of the numerous islands
in this part of the Atlantic, the whole of the circumja-
cent country, and Ireland in the distance. The promon-
tory of BHrg',also,at the western extremity ofAirdmeanach,
is especially worthy of notice, rising precipitously from
the sea in an irregular series of basaltic columns.
The island of lona is described in a separate article.
Inmskenneth, which takes its name from Kenneth, a dis-
ciple and companion of St. Columba, who lived here in
seclusion, is separated from the northern shore of Aird-
meanach by a sound nearly half a mile wide ; it is a mile
in length and about half a mile in breadth. The isle
belonged to the monastery of lona, to which it was a cell ;
the remains of the ancient chapel are in tolerable pre-
servation, and in the cemetery, which is still used as a
place of sepulture, are numerous monuments. The re-
mains of the cottage of Sir Allan Maclean, in which he
hospitably entertained Dr. Johnson when on a visit to
the Hebrides, are also preserved here. This island is
now the property of Col. Robert Macdonald, who has
built a handsome mansion, in which he resides. Eorsa,
to the north-east of Inniskenneth, is about a mile in
length, and the property of the Duke of Argyll ; it is very
fertile, formerly producing crops of grain, aud at present
pasturage for sheep, but it is uninhabited.
The sea-coast, including its numerous indentations, is
not less than 100 miles in circuit; and the shores are
bold and rocky throughout the whole of its extent. On
the south side of Ross is the creek of Pnrtuisgeii, aifording
safe anchorage in favourable weather for vessels not ex-
ceeding thirty tons ; and in the sound of lona are the
creeks of Barachan and Poltairve, in which vessels of
large burthen may ride : there is, however, a sand-bank
nearly in the middle of the sound, to pass which, with
safety, vessels must keep within one-third channel of the
island of lona. To the east of the sound of lona is Loch
Lahaich, which extends for about two miles into the dis-
trict of Ross, and has good anchorage for ships of consi-
derable burthen. The whole of Loch Scridain forms a
roadstead ; and at Kilfinichen, vessels of the largest size
may find excellent anchorage, and secure shelter from all
storms. The headland of Burgh, and the entire north
coast of Airdraeanach, are exceedingly dangerous, ab-
ruptly rocky, and without any harbour. There are nu-
merous rivers, some of which in their descent from the
rocks, precipitously steep and cragged, form strikingly
romantic cascades ; but none of the rivers are of suffi-
cient importance to require particular description.
The SOIL of the arable land is chiefly clay, alternated
with sand, and, though in some parts fertile, is in others
thin and light, and better adapted for spade husbandry
than for the plough. The principal crops are oats, bear
(sold to the distillers of Oban and Tobermory), potatoes,
turnips, and other green crops. The cattle, of which
great numbers are pastured ou the hills, are of a hardy
breed ; and on the larger farms are kept a few cows of
the Ayrshire : the sheep, formerly of the small Highland
Vol. II.— 33
breed, are now the Cheviots and others, numbers of which
are pastured. There are plantations at Kilfinichen, but
not of any considerable extent ; and in the district of
Airdmeanach is some natural wood, consisting of oak,
ash, and beech : none of the trees have attained any great
growth. The rocks are mostly of the trap and oohte
formations, and many of the clilfs are of basalt and grey-
wacke. The substrata of Inniskenneth are red sandstone,
and limestone ; and on the south side of Ross, granite
and micaceous schistus. Limestone is found at Carsaig,
where, also, are some good quarries of freestone. Seve-
ral indications of coal occur on the lands near the coast,
and in the bed of a rivulet on the side of the mountain ;
there are also favourable appearances at Brolas and Gri-
bund, and the proprietor of Carsaig is now boring for
coal with every prospect of success. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £4.569.
The principal mansions are Kilfinichen House, Penny-
cross House, and the house of Inniskenneth, the seat of
Col. Macdonald, previously noticed. The only village
is Bonessan, containing several shops well stocked with
various kinds of merchandise for the supply of the adja-
cent district : a post-office, subordinate to that of Aros,
has been established here ; and fairs for black-cattle are
held on the Friday before the Mull markets in May and
October. Facility of communication is afforded by nu-
merous steam-boats, which, during the summerespecially,
convey visiters to the islands of lona and Staffa. Eccle-
siastically the parish is within the bounds of the presby-
tery of Mull, synod of Argyll. The minister's stipend
is £180. 10., with an allowance of £4'2 in lieu of manse,
and a glebe valued at £15 per annum ; patron, the Duke
of Argyll. There are two churches, one at Bonessan, in
the district of Ross, and the other at Kilfinichen, in
Airdmeanach, both built in 1804, and repaired in 1828,
the former containing 350 sittings, and the latter 300.
Divine service is performed for two Sundays at Bones-
san, and on the third at Kilfinichen ; and a church has
been erected in the island of lona, forming a separate
charge for that island and another district of the parish.
There are two parochial schools, the masters of which
have respectively salaries of £30 and £'21. 6. 3., with
fees averaging £8 for each master, and a house and gar-
den. A school is supported by the General Assembly,
who pay the master a salary of £22 ; and two Gaelic
schools are maintained in the parish, the teachers receiv-
ing £20 and £15 respectively, and having a house and
garden each. The schools together are attended by about
800 children. — See Iona.
KILLALLAN, in the county of Renfrew. — See
Houston and Killallan.
KILLARROW, county Argyll. — See Kilarrow.
KILLEAN and KILCHENZIE, a parish, in the dis-
trict of Cantyre, county of Argyll, 18 miles (N. N. W.)
from Campbelltown ; containing 2402 inhabitants. The
name of the first of these two ancient parishes, now
united, is of doubtful origin, but is supposed to be de-
rived either from Killian, a saint of the seventh century,
or from a Gaelic term signifying a " river churchyard ",
in allusion to a rivulet forming the northern boundary,
and, in union with a tributary stream, surrounding the
site, of the church and burying-ground. Another saint,
called St. Kenneth, is considered to have given name to
Kilchenzie, and to have been the tutelar saint of that
district. The parish is situated on the western coast
F
KILL
KILL
of the peninsula of Cantyre, and is eighteen miles in
length and about four and a half in breadth, comprising
51,840 acres, of which between 5000 and 6000 are arable,
several portions pasture, and the remainder, to a great
extent, barren moors and wild mountains altogether in-
capable of cultivation. The coast is much varied. In
many parts it is low and sandy, especially in the direction
of the islands of Gigha, Cara, Jura, and Islay, which
afford great protection against the fury of the waves.
Farther south, it is more rocky and elevated ; and though
neither harbour nor secure anchorage is to be found, for
want of those arms of the sea which penetrate many
Highland districts, yet the shores are marked by nume-
rous headlands, small bays, caves, and piles of rocks,
serving to vary the uniformity of outline, and to form
interesting scenery. The principal headland towards the
north is Runahaorine point, consisting of a narrow neck
of mossy land, stretching about a mile into the sea, op-
posite to the north end of the island of Gigha, and, with
a promontory in the parish of Kiiberry, forming the
entrance into West Loch Tarbert from the Atlantic
Ocean. Bealochintie bay, more southward, comprehends
a circuit of nearly two miles, and has in its vicinity a
projecting mass of rocks and stones of vast dimensions,
overhanging the water. The sea is thought to have
receded to a considerable extent. Traces of its ancient
limits are evident in many places ; and among these
especially is a strip of alluvial land, extending near the
shore, throughout the whole line of coast, and bearing
marks of its former subjection to the element. The in-
habitants are, indeed, of opinion that this recession is
still gradually going on. The sound between the main
land and the islands of Gigha and Cara is rendered peril-
ous by numerous sunken rocks ; and vessels approaching
the coast, having no harbour here, are often obliged, upon
a change of wind, to retreat suddenly to Gigha, and wait
for a favourable opportunity of returning.
The surface of the interior is also considerably varied,
the land gradually rising from the shore to the height of
700 or 800 feet, and exhibiting several glens, and eleva-
tions of some magnitude. The scenery, however, is in
general uninteresting, and is almost entirely destitute of
natural wood. Tlie hills range in a direction from north
to south : the most conspicuous on account of its height
is Beinn-an-tuirc, or " wild boar mountain ", at the head
of Glen-Barr, which rises ^1*0 feet above the level of the
sea. The slopes of tlic iiills towards the shore, for about
half a mile, are well cultivated, and afford crops of grain,
peas, and beans ; but beyond, the ground is dreary, bleak,
and barren, consisting of lofty moors abounding in small
lochs, and tracts covered with heath, coarse grass, and
rushes. The son, varies very much in different parts,
comprising clay, moss, loam, sand, and gravel ; but that
which most prevails is a light gravelly loam. Near the
sea the soil is very sharp and sandy. In most parts it
ha.<i from time immemorial been plentifully manured with
sea-weed. The crops comprise peas, beans, oats, and
bear, especially the last, which is cultivated in large
quantities. Potatoes likewise form an important article ;
they have been in great demand for seed since the open-
ing of a communication with the English and Irish mar-
kets, and are the staple on which the tenants chiefly rely
for the payment of their rents. The rotation system is
in operation ; but the successful prosecution of this me-
thod of husbandry is much retarded by the want of sub-
34
divisions in the land, and the scarcity of good inclosures ;
and with respect to farming generally no little difficulty
arises from the distance of the market, the farmers being
compelled to cart their produce to Campbelltown. The
cattle are of the Highland breed; they are small in size, and
altogether inferior : the sheep are of the ordinary black-
faced kind. Great efforts have been made for many
years past to improve the breed of horses, and those used
for agricultural and other purposes are now of a superior
description. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £9532.
The rocks consist principally of mica, quartz, limestone,
and whinstone, which, in some parts near the shore, are
varied with different admixtures. The district is bare of
natural wood, the very small portion to be seen being only
brushwood, and in detached spots ; but within the last
forty or fifty years, plantations of larch and other forest-
trees have been formed to some extent, and are kept in
good order. Great discouragements, however, operate
against planting, for though the soil is particularly suited
to the growth of trees, the severity of the climate, the
fury of the winds, and the sea air unite together to neu-
tralize, in a considerable degree, the efforts of the planter.
The chief seats are Largie and Glenbarr, the former an
ancient family mansion, and the latter a modern residence
built in the style of a priory. There are only two small
hamlets, and the great bulk of the population are cottars
or day labourers, dwelling in very humble tenements, and
but scantily provided with the necessaries of life. A few
persons are employed in taking lobsters, which they send
by steamer to the Irish and Liverpool markets ; but the
fine fish of the usual kinds abounding on the western
coast, and the shoals of herrings that might be taken,
are almost entirely neglected. Turf and peat are the
ordinary fuel, obtained from a considerable distance,
and with great labour. The public road from Inverary
to Campbelltown passes through the district. An an-
nual fair is held for the hiring of harvest servants.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Can-
tyre, synod of Argyll, and in the patronage of the Duke
of Argyll : the minister has a stipend of £178, with a
manse, and a glebe of nearly eight acres, valued at £10
per annum. There are two churches, one erected in 1787,
and the other in 1826, containing respectively 650 and
750 sittings. Two parochial schools afford instruction
in the ordinary branches : the master of the first school
has a salary of £31. 6., and a house and garden, and the
master of the second, a salary of £20 ; the fees of both
are about £15. A school is supported by the Society
for Propagating Christian Knowledge, the master having
a salary of £22, with a house, and two acres and a half
of land purchased by a bequest ; and another school is
maintained by the General Assembly's Committee, the
master of which has £25 per annum, with a house and a
portion of land. The poor enjoy the interest of a bequest
of £1000 by Colonel Norman Macalister, late governor
of Prince of Wales' Island. Near the middle of the pa-
rish is tiic ruin of an old castle, said to have belonged to
the Macdonalds, lords of the Isles ; and in several places
are tumuli, and circles of stones, usually called Druidical
circles.
KILLEARN, a parish, in the county of Stirling ;
containing 1224 inhabitants, of whom 390 are in the
village of Killcarn, 4 miles (li. S. K.) from Urymcn. The
name of this place is supposed to have been derived
KILL
KILL
from the compound Celtic term Kill-mr-rliiii, signifying
" the church of west point ", which is descriptive of the
situation of the church near the western extremity of a
mountainous ridge about twenty miles in length, extend-
ing from Killearn to Kilsyth, and called Campsie Fells.
The parish lies in the western part of the county. It is
twelve miles in length, varies in breadth from two and a
quarter to four miles, and comprises about 17,000 acres,
of which 7000 are under tillaL;--, 1 140 in plantations, and
the remainder pasture and waste. The river Endrick
runs along the northern boundary, separating the parish
from Drymen and Balfron ; and from this stream the
surface gradually rises towards the south, where the
mountainous ridge already referred to has an elevation
of 1'200 feet above the level of the sea. The intermediate
lands comprehend, in succession from the river, first, a
rich though narrow tract of alluvial soil on its banks ;
secondly, an arable portion from one to two miles broad,
on which are situated the village and church, and which
from its commanding height, in some parts, of 500 or
600 feet above the sea, affords extensive and beautiful
prospects ; and, thirdly, a belt of pasture land about a
mile broad, which is followed by the lofty ridge of trap
rock, at the southern boundary. In the western extre-
mity of the ridge of trap rock are several semicircular
excavations, known by the name of Corries. Some of
these measure a mde in diameter, and have a highly in-
teresting aspect, from the variety of stone of which the
rocks consist j and in the same part of Killearn, where
it joins Kilpatrick, is an artificial lake of 150 acres,
affording a supply of water in summer to the Partick
mills, situated on the Kelvin, near Glasgow. The En-
drick is a turbid impetuous stream, which is joined by
the river Blane in the lower part of the parish, and flows
in a western direction, for several miles, till it falls into
Loch Lomond. There are also numerous rivulets and
mountain streams, forming strikingly picturesque cas-
cades in their precipitous courses through rocky fis-
sures : the most romantic of these cascades is in the
glen of Dualt, where there is a fall of sixty feet.
The SOIL is various, but in general mossy ; in some
places it is rich and fertile : it produces barley, abun-
dance of oats, a little wheat, and good crops of potatoes,
hay, turnips, and beans. The annual value of the milch-
cows, fat-cattle. Highland and English sheep, and other
live stock, kept or reared in the parish, is about £6000.
A large portion of the waste land is capable of being
brought under the plough ; but little attention is paid
to this circumstance, the extensive and effectual draining
of the parts already under cultivation being found to
make a better return for the employment of capital.
The estate of Killearn, especially, has received the ad-
vantage of this kind of improvement ; and in 1837 the
proprietor built a kiln, in which about 500,000 tiles for
draining are annually made. This parish is not so for-
ward as many others in scientific husbandry ; but much
has been effected within the last thirty or forty years,
and the amount of produce has been doubled. The
annual value of real property in Killearn amounts to
£6850. The prevailing substratum is red sandstone ;
in several places are limestone and freestone, and of the
latter some quarries are in operation, the material being
used for building, and occasionally formed into mill-
stones, which, however, are in little repute for durability.
The higher parts of the mountains are trap rock, which
35
is supposed, from the numerous fissures, to have been
thrown up through the sandstone, in a state of fusion.
Coal is said to exist, but the numerous attempts to find
it have all failed. In this parish the wood consists
chiefly of young oak, which has been cultivated for the
sake of the bark: on account, however, of the deterio-
rated value of this article, the firs are beginning to receive
more attention. The original plantations, comprising
larch-fir and a variety of other trees, were formed about
the beginning of the last century by one of the Graham
family, whose ancestors had possessed almost the whole
parish ; and the late Mr. Dunmore, who many years
afterwards projected turnpike-roads, and introduced
the cotton manufacture and various rural improvements,
encouraged also the planting of waste lands. In the
vicinity of his residence at Ballikinraiu are some fine
yew-trees, of large bulk, and in a very flourishing con-
dition ; and near the old mansion-house of Killearn are
beautiful specimens of oak and silver-fir, of great height.
On the last-named estate, an elegant seat has lately been
erected, on the margin of the river Blane ; and there is
a mansion in the castellated style at Carbeth, which, as
well as several other neat residences of proprietors, is
richly ornamented with wood.
The village of Killearn, which is traversed by the turn-
pike-road to Glasgow, is built in an irregular straggling
form. It is principally inhabited by families occupying
small plots of ground, let on long leases by Sir James
Montgomery about 17*0 with the privilege of building,
a circumstance which operated to produce a gradual
increase of the population, previously to that year re-
duced by the consolidation of several small farms. There
is a woollen-factory, in which the raw material, amounting
to about 400 cwt. annually, passes through the various
processes till made into cloth. A post-office has been
established under Glasgow. For ecclesiastical purposes
the parish is in the presbytery of Dumbarton, synod of
Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the Duke of
Montrose. The minister's stipend is £152, with a manse,
built in 1825, and a glebe of eight acres, valued at £13
per annum. Killearn church was rebuilt in the year 1826,
and contains 500 sittings. The parochial schoolmaster
receives a salary of £31, with £8 in lieu of house and
garden, and about £10 fees. There is a mineral spring
in the parish, one of the ingredients of which is lime,
and which petrifies the moss growing near it. At a
place called Blaressen Spout-head, marked by several
erect stones, tradition asserts that a battle was fought
between the Romans and the Scots. George Buchanan,
the celebrated historian, was born in 1506, at Moss, to
the south of the church, in a farm-house occupied by
his father, part of which remained till IS12, when a
modern edifice was erected on its site. An obelisk 103
feet high, after the model of that erected on the Boyne
in Ireland in honour of the victory gained there, was
raised in the village in 1788, by several gentlemen, in
memory of this distinguished Scotsman. Napier of
Merchiston, also, the inventor of logarithms, held pro-
perty in Killearn.
KILLEARNAN, or Killiernan, a parish, in the
county of Ross and Cromarty, 4 miles (N. E. by E.)
from Beauly ; containing 1643 inhabitants. It is said
to have derived its name from the circumstance of its
having been the burial-place of Irenan, a Danish prince,
the prefix Kill signifying a chapel, church, or cemetery.
F2
KILL
KILL
On the northern boundary of the parish is a sepulchral
monument called Cairn-Irenan ; and it is probable that
the Danes had a settlement here, or were often engaged
in conflicts with the original inhabitants. Tradition
states that two religious houses formerly existed in Kil-
learnan, and though nothing certain is known about
them, the names of two hamlets, Chapel-town and Spital,
give some authority to the assertion. More recently,
the family of Mackenzie, so well known in Scottish
history, resided at Redcastle and Kilcoy. The three
parishes of Killearnan, Kilmuir Wester, and Suddy were
formed into two in the year 1756, and the ecclesiastical
stipends equally apportioned. The parish of Killearnan
is between five and si.x miles long, and between two and
three broad. It is bounded on the north by the parish
of Urquhart, on the south by the Firth of Beauly, on
the east by the parish of Kilmuir Wester and Suddy,
and on the west by the parish of Urray. The ground
rises gently from the southern boundary to the top of
Mulbuy, where it has its greatest elevation. Along the
shore it is smooth and level, and unbroken by bays or
headlands. The water of the Firth is of a dark hue,
from the large quantities of moss and mud brought into
it by the river of Beauly.
The soil varies considerably ; and very frequently, on
the same farm, light loam, red and blue clay, and gravel
succeed each other. Deep clay is common on the
shore ; it is used as compost, and often for mortar
in buildings. Many of the lands are covered with small
stones, which require clearing every year ; and through-
out the larger part of the parish, broom grows spon-
taneously, and, if left to itself, would shortly overspread
the fields. The whole parish is the property of two
families, whose estates are called Redcastle, and Kilcoy
and Drumnamarg : the former comprises 3*96 acres, of
which 1566 are arable, 5*7 pasture, and 1653 wood;
the latter contains 3041 acres, of which 977 are arable,
882 wood, and H8'2 pasture. The crops consist of
wheat, barley, oats, rye, clover, turnips, and potatoes ;
and the annual value of real property in the parish
amounts to £4'275. Many agricultural improvements
have been made within the last twenty or thirty years,
and the lands have assumed an entirely different ap-
pearance. The native heath and broom are gradually
yielding to valuable crops of grain ; and the gratuity of
£5 allowed for the improvement of every Scottish acre,
and the permission to enjoy it rent-free during the re-
mainder of the current lease, have given an impulse to
the energies of the cultivator, the effects of which are
conspicuous in every direction. Tiie union of several
small farms, and the building of good houses and offices,
with the formation of niclosures, especially on the Red-
castle property, have introduced superior tenants, and,
with them, better means of cultivation ; and the encou-
ragement afforded by the spirited proprietors in the
pari.-ih bids fair to raise it, in a few years, to a level with
the best cultivated districts in the country. In general
the farmers breed only the cattle necessary for ploughing,
&c., on their own ground ; but at the close of harvest,
they purchase young cattle in considerable quantities to
consume their straw, and others for the purpose of fat-
tening them upon turnips with the sheep in winter, by
which lliey make a considerable profit at the markets in
the summer time. The substratum of the |)arish is one
continued bed of red freestone, which is easily prepared,
j6
and well suited to buildings of every description. A quarry
of this stone has been wrought for some centuries, from
which Inverness has been freely supplied, and from which
the stones used in the locks of the Caledonian canal
were taken.
Formerly each of the estates had a castle in which
the proprietor resided. That on the Kilcoy estate is
now in ruins ; but the mansion on the property of Red-
castle, so named from the colour of the stone of which
the building is constructed, is in good and habitable con-
dition. It is a large pile, and is surrounded with beautiful
plantations, which occupy many hundreds of acres, and
consist of oak, ash, birch, Scotch fir, and larch. In
other parts, also, the same trees are to be seen. There
are two villages : that of Miltown, a name common to
other villages in this district, is chiefly remarkable for
its delightful situation, and its miniature likeness to a
town; Quarry consists of a line of neat cottages, extend-
ing along the base of a sandstone rock, which rises to
the height of a hundred feet above the village, giving it a
very singular appearance, and conferring upon it its name.
There is a corn-mill on each of the two estates, for the
use of the parish. Two fairs are held which are the
staple horse- markets of the country, one in February,
and the other in July. Facility of communication is
afforded by a good road from the ferry at Kessock to
Dingwall, Invergordon, and Fortrose, the repairs of
which are defrayed by a regular toll ; and there are two
small vessels belonging to the parish, employed in car-
rying timber and coal between Killearnan and Newcastle
in England. Ships, also, touch here, and land their car-
goes on the shore at the eastern extremity of the parish,
as there is no harbour.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Chanonry, synod of Ross; and the patron-
age is vested in the Marchioness of Stafford. The sti-
pend of the minister is £'200, with a manse, built about
a century ago, and repaired and enlarged some years
since. The glebe consists of about six acres of arable
land ; and one-half, also, of the glebe of Kilmuir Wes-
ter has belonged to Killearnan since 1*56. The church,
which is built in the form of a cross, is very ancient,
and of considerable size. It was thatched with heather
until about fifty years ago, when it was roofed with slate,
and also supplied with fresh seats ; it has lately been
again repaired, and is now a very comfortable building.
The members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
There is a parochial school, in which Greek and Latin,
English grammar, geography, and practical mathematics
are taught : the salary of the master is £30, with a
house, an allowance in lieu of garden, and about £8 fees.
Another school is endowed by the Society for Propaga-
ting Christian Knowledge ; English, Gaelic, writing, and
arithmetic are taught, and the master has £15 per an-
num, and a small house. There is also a female school
supported l)y the society. The chief relics of antiquity
are, the ruins of Kilcoy Castle ; the cairn already referred
to, supposed to have been raised to commemorate the
murder of a Danish prince ; and, in the vicinity of the
cairn, the remains of a Druidieal temple.
KILLELLAN, in the county of Renfrew. — See
Houston and Kii.lallan.
KILLKillAY, an island, in the parish of Harris,
district of Lewis, county of Inverness; containing
7 inhabitants. This is one of numerous isles in the
KILL
KILL
sound of Harris, and lies a short distance south of En-
say, and four miles and a half east of Bernera ; its length
is about two miles, and its breadth one. The south end
is a deep moss ; but the isle is verdant all over, and has
in general a good soil, latterly well cultivated. In the
northern part, particularly, the ground is managed with
care, and the crops are early. Here, however, as in the
neighbouring isles, the inhabitants live chiefly by fishing
and the manufacture of kelp. A temple to the goddess
Annat, of Saxon mythology, who presided over young
maidens, anciently existed on the island.
KILLIN, a parish, in the county of Perth ; con-
taining, with part of the former quoad sacra district of
Strathfillan, 1/02 inhabitants, of whom 426 are in the
village of Killin, 8 miles (N. by W.) from Lochearnhead.
This parish, which is situated in the Highland district
of Breadalbane, extends from Loch Tay on the east to
Loch Lomond on the west, and is about twenty-four
miles in length, varying from five to nine miles in
breadth, and comprising an area of 90,000 acres, of
which a.'iOO are arable, 1000 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder mountain pasture. Its surface is
strikingly diversified with ranges of lofty mountains in-
terspersed with deep and richly-wooded glens and fertile
valleys, and is enlivened with numerous streams descend-
ing from the heights, and, after a devious course through
the lower lands, forming tributaries to the rivers that
intersect the parish. The highest of the mountains is
Benvwre, which has an elevation of 3900 feet above the
level of the sea ; it rises from the plains of Glendochart
in a conical form, and the whole of the range that
reaches to the head of Loch Lomond displays a charac-
ter of romantic grandeur not surpassed in any part of
the Highlands. The range of Craig Chailleach, ascend-
ing abruptly from the lands of Finlarig, near the western
extremity of Loch Tay, and richly wooded from its base
nearly half way to its summit, extends westward to the
vale of Lochay or Glenlochay, forming, from the inter-
vals between its several points of elevation, an apparent
succession of forts. The hills, also, though of very in-
ferior elevation, still rise to a considerable height, and,
clothed with verdure to their summits, afford excellent
pasturage for sheep and cattle.
Among the principal valleys is Glendochart, spreading
westward for nearly ten miles, and watered by the river
Dochart, which, issuing from a lake of that name within
the glen, passes through a tract of romantic beauty into
Loch Tay. The valley of Strathfillan extends for almost
eight miles, in a similar direction, to the borders of the
parish of Glenorchay, and is enlivened by the river here
called the Fillan, which flows into the lake in Glendo-
chart, and, issuing thence, is for the remainder of its
course designated the Dochart. The valley of Glenfal-
loch, branching off to the south from that of Strathfillan,
reaches to the confines of Dumbartonshire, and is watered
by the river Falloch, which runs into Loch Lomond.
The Braes of Glenlochay, in which the river Lochay has
its source, extend for about fourteen miles from the vil-
lage of Killin, towards the west, in a direction nearly
parallel with Glendochart, from which they are sepa-
rated by a chain of hills called the Mid hills ; they are
partly in the parishes of Kenmore and Weem, and form
a rich and fertile district, abounding with romantic
beauty. The scenery of the parish, indeed, almost in
every point, is marked with features of interesting cha-
37
racter. The streams which issue from the heights make
pleasing and picturesque cascades in their descent ; and
the rivers that flow through the lower lands, in various
places obstructed in their course, fall from considerable
heights with great effect. The cataracts on the Dochart
near the village, and those of the Lochay about three
miles distant from it, are strikingly romantic ; and the
latter falls have been considered equal in beauty to the
falls of the Clyde.
The SOIL, though generally light and dry, resting on
a substratum of limestone, is in some places wet and
marshy, particularly in the valleys of Glendochart and
"Strathfillan, rendered so by the occasional inundation of
the rivers. Crops are raised of oats, barley, potatoes,
and turnips ; but the principal resource of the farmers
is the pastures, which in many parts are luxuriantly
rich. The sheep, of which more than 30,000 are fed,
are chiefly of the black-faced breed, with a few of the
Leicestershire and South-Down kept on the lands of the
proprietors. The cattle, of which 1200 are pastured,
are of the West Highland breed, with some of the Ayr-
shire on the dairy-farms. Considerable improvements
are gradually taking place in the system of husbandry :
draining has been extensively practised, under the as-
sistance and encouragement of the proprietors ; and the
farm houses and offices, though usually of an inferior
description, are giving way to others of more commo-
dious construction. It is in contemplation to deepen
and embank the rivers. The plantations are for the
greater part of recent formation, and are in a thriving
state. They consist chiefly of Scotch, silver, spruce,
and larch fir : and the natural woods, which were for-
merly much more extensive, especially in the higher
parts of Strathfillan, are oak, ash, mountain-ash, birch,
elder, hazel, and hawthorn. At Finlarig are some yew-
trees, and a plane supposed to be three hundred years
old. Holly and laburnum are also frequent, and the
district abounds in interesting botanic specimens. Lime-
stone of a greyish colour, and of crystalline formation,
is plentiful, and there are veins of trap and greenstone ;
lead-ore is also abundant, and some mines of it are at
present in operation at Tyndrum, where a large crush-
ing-mill has been erected. Cobalt, containing sixty
ounces of silver in one ton of ore, is found ; and in Craig-
Chailleach is a rich vein of sulphuret of iron. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is £18,137.
The principal seats are, Kinnell, for centuries the ba-
ronial residence of the Mc Nabs, and now the property
of the Marquess of Breadalbane, finely situated on the
river Dochart; Finlarig Castle, now in ruins, formerly
the seat of the Breadalbane family, an ancient structure
at the north-west extremity of Loch Tay, near which is
the family mausoleum, embosomed in woods of venera-
ble growth ; Auchlyne //ouse, occupied during the shoot-
ing season by the Duke of Buckingham ; Glenure, the
seat of T. H. Place, Esq., the only resident proprietor,
beautifully seated on the banks of the Lochure, near
Benmore ; Auchmore, a handsome mansion belonging to
the Breadalbane family ; and Borland, romantically situ-
ated in the woods of Glenlochay. The village of Killin
stands at the head of Loch Tay, near the confluence of
the rivers Dochart and Lochay ; and the environs abound
with some of the most romantic scenery in Britain. It
is irregularly built, and a few of the inhabitants are em-
ployed in the carding and spinning of wool, for which
KILL
Kl LM
there is a mill ; there are several shops for the sale of
various kinds of merchandise and wares, and an excel-
lent inn. A branch of the Central Banlv of Scotland,
and a savings' bank, have been established ; there is a
daily post to and from the south of Scotland, and a post
communicates three days in the week with Kenmore
and Aberfeldy. Fairs are held on the third Tuesday in
January, for general business ; the first Tuesday in May,
also for general business, and on the l'2th for cattle ; on
the 2rth of October, for cattle; and the first Tuesday
in November, O. S., for general business. Facility of
communication is maintained by good roads, and bridges
over the several rivers, all kept in excellent order ; one*
road communicates with Loch Lomond, where a steamer
phes daily during the summer.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Weem, synod of Perth and
Stirling. The minister's stipend is £'240. 19. 5., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £13 per annum; patron,
the Marquess of Breadalbane. Killin church, erected in
1774, and repaired in 1S32, is a neat structure conve-
niently situated, and containing 905 sittings. A church,
now in connexion with the Free Church, was erected
towards the close of the last century, on the lands of
Strathfillan ; and at Ardeonaig is a mission under the
Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, for which
a church was built by the late Marquess of Breadalbane,
at an expense of £600. The latter church contains 650
sittings, and the minister has a stipend of £60, of which
one-half is paid by the marquess, and the other by the
society ; he has also a mause, and a glebe of seventeen
acres and a half, valued at £1*2 per annum. The mem-
bers of the Free Church have a place of worship at
Killin ; and there are small congregations of Baptists
and Independents, who ussemble in a room, but have no
regular minister. The parochial school is attended by
about eighty children ; the master has a salary of £34,
with a house and garden, and the fees average £10 per
annum. Three schools are supported by the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge, the masters of which
have salaries varying from £15 to £18, with a house,
and land for a cow, in addition to the fees. Two schools,
also, are endowed by the Marchioness of Breadalbane,
in one of which, at Killin, ten boys and fifty girls are
instructed gratuitously by the master, who has a salary
of £20, with a house and garden ; the girls are also
taught sewing and knitting. In the village is likewise
a school for young children, to the mistress of which the
marchioness gives a house and garden rent-free. The
parochial libr. ry contains a collection of about 300 vo-
lumes, principally on religious subjects ; and the Breadal-
bane Philanthropic Association furnishes a supply of
Bibles and school-books to the poor at a very reduced
cost. The poor arc supported partly by the liliorality
of the Breadalbane family, who allow, almost to each, a
house and garden rent-free, with the liberty of cutting
peat, and di.-tribute annually among them meal to the
amount of £40, and a supply of clothing at Christmas.
In Loch Dochart arc some remains of one of the seven
towers built l)y Sir Duncan Campbell, whicli during a
froKt was taken by the Mc (jregors, who, ap|)roaciiing
on the ice, put the whole of its inhabitants to doatii.
In the possession of Mr. Sinclair, tenant of Invereha-
garnie, are the powder-horn, and a gold brooch, worn
by the celebrated Rob Roy Mc Gregor, who was a na-
38
five of Glendochart. The same gentleman has an old
rifle which belonged to the Mc Nabs ; it is four feet in
length, with an octagonal bore, and in the stock is a
recess for holding a supply of bullets. Sir Walter Scott
in his Lord of the Isles states, that Lord Bruce's party,
after their fierce struggle with the enemy at Dairy (or
King's Field), entered, in their retreat, a narrow pass be-
tween Loch Dochart and a precipice, where the king
had scarcely room to manage his steed. Here three of
his foes attacked him at once. One seized his bridle,
but was cut down with a blow that hewed his arm off.
The second grasped Bruce by the stirrup and leg, and
endeavoured to dismount him ; but the king putting
spurs to his horse, threw him down, the man still hold-
ing by the stirrup. The third assailant, taking advan-
tage of an acclivity, sprang up behind the king on the
horse : Bruce, however, whose personal strength is uni-
formly reported as exceeding that of most men, extricated
himself from his grasp, hurled him to the ground, and
cleft his scull with his sword. By similar exertion, he
wrested his stirrup from the grasp of the man he had
overthrown, and despatched him also with his sword, as
he lay under his horse's feet. The battle of Dairy, above
mentioned, was fought on a small plain in the parish, in
1306, between Robert Bruce, and the forces of the shire
of Argyll, under Macdougal, chieftain of Lorn ; the for-
mer suffering defeat. A spot near the village of Killin,
within what was the site of the ancient churchyard, is
pointed out as the grave of Fingal. The present trans-
lation of the Bible into the Gaelic language was com-
menced by the Rev. James Stewart, minister of this pa-
rish, who died in 1789, having at that time translated
the New Testament ; the remainder was performed by
his son. Dr. Stewart, of Luss, who was born here. Dr.
Dewar, principal of Marischal College, Aberdeen, and
eminent in literature and theology, is a native of the
parish.
KILLOCHYETT, a hamlet, in the parish of Stow,
county of Edinburgh, | a mile (N. N. W.) from Stow;
containing 42 inhabitants. It lies in the south-eastern
part of the parish, near the confluence of the Cockham
rivulet with the Gala water, and on the high road from
Stow to Middleton.
KILMADOCK, an important parish, in the county
of Perth, 9 miles (N. \V.) from Stirling; containing,
with the former quoad sacra parish of Deanston and
part of that of Norrieston, the town of Doune, and the
villages of Buchany and Drumvaich, 4055 inhabitants.
This place derives its name from the dedication of its
ancient church to St. Madocus or Madock, one of the
Culdees, who lived here in sequestered solitude. It is
sometimes called the parish of Doune, from the removal
of the parochial church to the town of that name. The
parish, which is situated in the western part of the
county between the Ochil and the Grampian hills, in-
cludes a portion of the old stewartry of Monteith, and
is about twelve miles in length and nearly of equal
breadth, comprising an area of 51,200 acres, of which a
considerable i)art is waste. Its surface is varied with
hills, of which the most conspicuous is Uamvar or
Uaiglimor, referred to in the I.ailii of I lie l.dke as " the
wild heights of Uamvar", and commanding an extensive
and richly-diversified ])rosi)ect over the adjacent country :
the lands are intersected, also, with numerous small
vales. The ground rises fnnn the river Forth, which
KI L M
KILM
bounds the parish on the south, by a regular and gradual
ascent, to a great elevation : and on the acclivity of
Uamvar is a large cavern, said to have been, till the year
1750, the retreat of bands of robbers. The river Teith
rises in two streams, one of which flows through Lochs
Katrine, Achray, and Vennachar, and the other passes
by the braes of Balquhidder, and runs through Lochs
Voil and Lubnaig : above Callander they form one
stream, which intersects the parish, and falls into the
Forth about two miles above Stirling. The river Ardoch
issues from Loch Maghaig, and uniting with the burn
of Garvald, joins the Teith below the castle of Doune.
The river Kelty bounds the parish on the west, and
flows into the Teith at Cambusmore ; and the Annat, or
Cambus, which makes some picturesque cascades near
the site of the old mansion of Annat, and has formed a
deep glen in the solid rock, called the Caldron Linn,
runs into the Teith at the ancient church of Kilmadock.
There are two considerable lakes in the parish. Loch
Watston on the lands of Gartincaber, and Loch Maghaig
in the braes of Doune, each of circular form, and about
a mile in diameter. Numerous springs flow from the
sides of the Grampians, and from the acclivities of
Uamvar. Near the burn of Garvald is one issuing out
of the solid rock, in the form of a spout ; the water is
supposed to possess mineral qualities, but has not been
fully analysed.
In this parish the soil is exceedingly various ; near
the Forth, a fine carse clay ; on the rising grounds to
the north, rich garden mould ; upon the south bank of
the Teith, a tilly loam, but on the north bank less pro-
ductive, being alternated with sand. The soil around
Doune, being enriched with the manure of the town, is
luxuriantly fertile. The crops are wheat, barley, oats,
beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips, with rye-grass, flax,
and clover. Of late years, the system of agriculture has
been much improved ; and considerable tracts of waste
land have been rendered fertile, and brought into pro-
fitable cultivation, by the adoption of the Deanston plan
of thorough-draining and subsoil ploughing, introduced
by Mr. Smith. The farm-buildings have also been much
improved, and are in general substantial and commo-
dious. The cattle are principally of the Highland breed,
for which the pastures are better adapted than for feeding
sheep : a few sheep, however, are kept, chiefly on the
braes of Doune, and on the moors of Lanrick and Cam-
busmore. There is little wood of native growth ; but
plantations have been formed on the lands of the Earl of
Moray, to whom one-third of the parish belongs, and on
the pleasure-grounds of Cambusmore and Newton, which
are celebrated in his Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter
Scott, who visited here in his youth. The mansions are
Doune Lodge, Gartincaber, Lanrick Castle, Cambusmore,
Newton, and Argaty. Doune is a post-town, and the
cotton manufacture is carried on extensively at Deanston,
besides which there are several villages in the parish,
noticed under their respective heads. Facihty of com-
munication is afforded by statute-labour roads ; and a
suspension-bridge has been thrown over the river Teith,
at Lanrick, under the superintendence of Mr. Smith of
Deanston. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £18,200.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dunblane, synod of Perth
and Stirling. The minister's stipend is about £260, with
39
a manse, and a glebe valued at £7 per annum ; patroness.
Lady Willoughby de Eresby. The ancient church of
Kilmadock, with the exception of the eastern gable, was
taken down in 17-14, and a church was erected at Doune,
which is now the parish church ; it is a handsome struc-
ture in the later English style, and is seated for 1121
persons, but capable of holding a congregation of 1400.
A service of communion-plate, consisting of silver cups,
&c., was presented by William Mitchell, Esq., of Jamaica,
a native of the town of Doune. In the town are two
places of worship for members of the Free Church, a
meeting-house for Wesleyans, and a congregation of In-
dependents ; and at Bridge of Teith a place of worship
in connexion with the United Presbyterian Synod. The
parochial schoolmaster has the maximum salary and the
legal accommodation, and the school, though not suffi-
ciently commodious, with the other schools in the parish,
two of which are partially endowed, may afford instruc-
tion to about 600 children.
KILMAHOG, a village, in the parish of Callander,
county of Perth, 1 mile (N. W. by W.) from Callander ;
containing 116 inhabitants. It is situated in the south-
eastern part of the parish, and on the road from Doune
to Lochearnhead, the principal road to the Western High-
lands. On the west and south flows a stream issuing
from Loch Lubnaig, and which, uniting with a rivulet
from Loch Vennachar, forms the Teith. The village, the
only one besides Callander in the parish, is beautifully
seated on a plain ; and in its vicinity is Leney House,
the property of the Buchanan family.
KILMALCOLM, a parish, in the Lower ward of the
county of Renfrew, 4 miles (S. E. by S.) from Port-
Glasgow ; containing I6l6 inhabitants, of whom 377 ^re
in the village. This parish is situated on the Firth of
Clyde, and is about six miles in length and nearly of
equal breadth. It comprises 25,000 acres, whereof 8000
are arable land in a state of profitable cultivation, to
which 1000 might be added; about 250 natural wood,
and plantations ; 6000 moorland in undivided common ;
and 10,000 pasture and waste. The surface is gently
undulated, rising from the bank of the Clyde, and in
various parts relieved by tracts of ornamental planting,
that add much to the beauty and variety of the scenery.
The village has an elevation of nearly 400 feet above the
level of the sea, and commands an extensive and inte-
resting view of the surrounding country, embracing the
Firth, which skirts the parish for nearly four miles. The
rivers Gryfe and Duchal have their source in the western
confines, and after intersecting the parish unite their
streams, and flow into the river Cart, which falls into
the Clyde at Inchinnan. These streams abound with
trout, and, towards the close of the year, with salmon,
which come up from the Clyde to spawn.
In general the soil is light and unproductive, and con-
sequently a very small proportion is under cultivation :
the system of husbandry is, notwithstanding, considerably
improved ; and with due encouragement, a great part ot
the waste lands might be reclaimed. The farm-buildings
are also improving in their st}'le ; and the crops of grain
are favourable, and equal in quality those of any neigh-
bouring parish. Great numbers of sheep and cattle are
fed on Duchal moor, which comprises nearly 6000 acres
of undivided common ; the cattle are generally of the
Ayrshire breed. Some improvement has taken place in
draining and inclosing the lands ; but the fences are
KILM
K I LM
badly made, and indifferently kept. The rocks with
which the parish abounds are of granite, and frequently
extend to a great depth ; but few minerals of any value
have been found. The annual value of real property in
Kilmalcolm is £9025. There are four modern mansions
in the parish, namely, the houses of Finlayston, Duchal,
Carruth, and Broadfield : that of Finlayston commands
a beautiful and e.vtensive view of the Clyde. Three
mills are employed for grinding oats and barley. The
parish is intersected by various roads, and by the line of
the Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock railway. Ecclesiasti-
cally it is within the presbytery of Greenock, synod of
Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of Dr. Anderson ;
the minister's stipend is £246, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £16 per annum. Kilmalcolm church, which
is situated in the village, and has been rebuilt within the
last few years, is adapted for a congregation of 1000
persons. There are places of worship for Baptists and
Reformed Presbyterians. The parochial school, also si-
tuated in the village, is well attended ; the master has a
salary of £34, with £10 fees, and a house and garden.
A circulating library has been formed. John Knox, the
celebrated Reformer, dispensed the sacrament at Fin-
layston House, since rebuilt, then occupied by the Earls
of Glencairn. On this occasion the wine was put into
the hollow of the lower parts of two silver candlesticks,
which, while the family remained at Finlayston, were
regularly used in the church ; but upon the removal of
the family from the parish, they were exchanged for four
cups of gilt copper, by the last Countess of Glencairn,
who is said to have taken the candlesticks away with
her. The Lords Lyle, as well as the Earls of Glencairn,
had property anciently in the parish ; and several mem-
bers of the two families are interred in the cemetery of
the church.
KILMALIE, a Highland parish, partly in the dis-
trict and county of Argyll, and partly in the county of
Inverness; containing, with the village of Fort-Wil-
liam, and the quoad sacra district of Ballichulish and
Corran-of-Ardgour, 5397 inhabitants, of whom 2741 are
in the county of Inverness. The wide district compre-
hending the present parishes of Kilmalie and Kilmoni-
vaig at one time formed one parish, under the appella-
tion of Lochaber ; but the parish was divided into two
distinct parishes about the middle of the seventeenth
century. Kilmalie is supposed to have derived its name
from the dedication of its church to the Virgin Mary.
It derives much historical interest from its being the
headquarters of the clan Cameron. In the seventeenth
century, when General Monk found great difficulty in
subduing Sir Ewan Cameron of Locheil, he planted a
garrison at the place now called Fort-William, in order
to keep that chief and his dependents in awe. A severe
conflict soon afterwards occurred between the Camerons
and a considerable party of the English, on the shore of
Loch Va\, in which the former were victorious ; and the
bold and resolute chief continue<l in various ways to
harass the new garrison in his neighbourhood, till at
last, finding his country impoverished, and the people
almost ruined, he submitted on terms of his own dic-
tating, and Monk immediately wrote him a letter of
thanks, dated at Dalkeith, the 5th of June, 1665. Du-
ring the rebellion of 1745-46, the district suffered in
some degree from the devastations of the royal forces,
who, after their victory at Culloden, encamped at Fort-
40
Augustus, whence they sent detachments to Lochaber ;
and a party of troops was finally stationed at the head
of Loch Arkaig, to check the movements of the clan
Cameron, whose chief, Locheil, had joined the Young
Pretender. The parish is about sixty miles in length
and thirty miles in extreme breadth. Its scenery is
most magnificent, scarcely equalled in the Highlands.
The surface is mountainous and wild, and is deeply in-
dented with lochs, and diversified with ravines which,
when they intervene between the higher mountains, are
narrow and precipitous, and when between those of in-
ferior elevation, assume more the appearance of valleys.
Ben-Nevis, to the east of Fort- William, the loftie.st
mountain but one in the whole country, has an elevation
of 4370 feet above the level of the sea, commanding from
its summit, which is difficult of ascent, a most unbounded
prospect. The summits of most of the higher mountains
are perfectly sterile, and have a dreary aspect ; and in
the clefts on the north-east, snow in a frozen state is to
be found at all times.
The principal inlets from the sea, connected with the
parish, are. Loch Linnhe, in the south-west, reaching
along the shores of Ardgour to the entrance of Loch
Eil ; Loch Leven, about ten miles to the south of Fort-
William, branching from Loch Linnhe towards the east,
for almost twelve miles, between the mountains of Glen-
coe and Lochaber ; and Loch Eil, stretching in a north-
eastern direction to Fort- William and the Caledonian
canal, and then taking a north-western direction for
nearly ten miles towards Arisaig. The only inland lake
wholly within the parish is Loch Arkaig, situated among
the mountains, and skirted by the military road from
Fort- William by Corpach ferry. This lake is about six-
teen miles in length and a mile broad ; and near one
extremity is a densely-wooded island, which has been
for ages the buryiug-place of the family of Locheil and
its chieftains. Loch Lochy, part of the line of the Cale-
donian canal, and about a mile and a half to the east of
Loch Arkaig, is chiefly in the parish of Kilmonivaig, but
extends for nine miles into this parish. The valley be-
tween these two lakes abounds with romantic scenery.
The river Lochy, issuing from the lake of that name,
forms a confluence with the Spean at Mucomre Bridge,
and for about eight miles constitutes a boundary between
the parishes of Kilmalie and Kilmonivaig : it flows into
the sea at Fort-William, where it is met by the river
Nevis, which descends from Ben-Nevis in an impetuous
torrent forming a magnificent cascade. The Lochy
abounds with salmon, which are taken in great quantities,
and sent to the London market ; and herrings of small
size but of excellent quality, salmon, cod, whitings, had-
docks, and flounders, with other kinds of fish, are found
in the salt-water lochs. A considerable quantity of
salmon is packed in tin boxes, hermetically sealed, at
Corpach Ferry, and forwarded to India. There are com-
modious bays at Corran-Ardgour, where is likewise a
ferry ; at Eilan-na-gaul ; and at Camus-na-gaul, near
the south entrance of the Caledonian ranal, opposite to
Fort-William. There is also a ferry on the Lochy, where
are good ([uays on both banks of the river, and where,
from the great intercourse with Fort-William, about two
miles distant, a substantial bridge would afford very de-
sirable accommodation.
The quantity of arable land in this extensive parish is
very inconsiderable. Some attempts to reclaim portions
K I L M
K I LM
of waste, and bring them under cultivation, have recently
been made, and the result has been such as to encourage
further efforts ; but the people at present are chiefly de-
pendent on the rearing of sheep and cattle, and on the
fisheries. The soil on the coast, and ah)ng the shores of
the rivers, is tolerably fertile, but in other parts sandy
and shallow ; the chief crops are oats and potatoes, of
which latter great quantities are raised. The sheep-
farms are well managed, and considerable attention is
paid to the rearing of cattle, for which the hills afford
good pasture ; both the sheep and cattle are sent to the
Falkirk trysts, where they find a ready sale. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is £8079. In
some respects the geology of the parish is very remark-
able. The rocks are mostly gneiss and mica-slate, and
there are extensive beds of quartz and hornblende. At
North Ballichulish is a quarry of slate, which has not
yet been much wrought ; and at Fassfern is a quarry of
good building-stone, from which materials were raised
for the construction of the Caledonian canal, and the
quay at Fort-William. In the mountain of Ben-Nevis
are found large detached masses of grey granite, weigh-
ing from ten to forty tons. The ancient woods, which
were very extensive, have been partly cut down ; but
there are still remaining great numbers of venerable oaks,
and firs of luxuriant growth. Extensive plantations,
also, have been formed on the lands of the principal pro-
prietors, and are in a thriving state. Achnacarry , the
seat of Cameron of Locheil, is an elegant modern struc-
ture, built of materials found near the spot. Ardgour,
the seat of Colonel Mc Lean, is a handsome mansion of
more ancient style, but recently repaired and enlarged ;
it is pleasantly situated near Corran Ferry, in grounds
tastefully laid out, and enriched with plantations. Cal-
lart, the seat of Sir Duncan Cameron of Fassfern, Bart.,
is beautifully situated on the banks of Loch Leven. The
villages in the parish are. North Ballichulish and Fort-
H'ilUam, both of which are described under their respec-
tive heads ; and Corpach, near the southern extremity
of the Caledonian canal, where the parish church is
situated, and where a post-office has been established.
Facility of communication is afforded by steamers twice
a week during summer, and once a week during winter,
between Inverness and Glasgow.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Abertarff, synod of Glenelg.
The minister's stipend is £287. 15. 8., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £60 per annum ; patron, Cameron of
Locheil. Kilmalie church is a neat plain structure,
erected in 1783, at a cost of £440, and contains 1000
sittings. A church has been erected at Fort-William,
where are also an episcopal and a Roman Catholic chapel ;
and there are two churches in the quoad sacra district
of Ballichulish and Corran-of-Ardgour. The members of
the Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial
school, situated at Fort-William, is well conducted ; the
master has a salary of £34, with a house and garden,
and the fees average £45. Three schools are supported
by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge,
who allow the masters a salary of £17 each, with a house
and garden ; and there is also a female school, at Fort-
William, of which they give the teacher £8. A school
is supported by the Gaelic School Society, who allow £20
per annum for the gratuitous instruction of fifty children ;
and there is a school on the grounds of Achnacarry,
Vol. II.— 41
near the mansion, the teacher of whiih receives £10 per
annum from Mrs. Cameron. Of the other schools in
the parish, one, at Ballichulish, is maintained by govern-
ment. At the western extremity of the parish is a
monument, erected on the spot where Prince Charles
Edward first unfurled his standard for the gathering of
the clans, in the rebellion of 1745. In the churchyard
is a monument to the memory of Colonel John Cameron
of Fassfern, of the 9'2nd regiment of Scottish High-
landers, who was killed at the battle of Waterloo. Evan
Me Lachlane, of the grammar school of Aberdeen, an
eminent scholar, who translated part of Homer's Iliad
into Gaelic verse, was a native of this parish.
KILMANY, a parish, in the district of Cupar,
county of Fife ; containing, with the village of Rathil-
let, 659 inhabitants, of whom 58 are in the village of
Kilmany, 5 miles (N. by E.) from Cupar. This parish,
the name of which is supposed by some writers to sig-
nify " the church of the monks ", and by others " the
church of the valley ", is situated in the north of the
county, and forms part of a rich and fertile vale. It is
about five miles in length, and one in average breadth,
and comprises 4477 acres, whereof 200 are woodland
and plantations, and the remainder all arable. The sur-
face is diversified with hills, the highest of which have
an elevation of about 400 feet above the level of the sea.
The scenery is generally pleasing, being partially enriched
with plantations, and in some parts picturesque. An
aperture in the hill of Kilmany forms a romantic glen,
called Goales Den, which has been finely planted. Several
of the hills, also, have been covered with thriving planta-
tions ; and on those that separate the parish from the
Tay are some rich woods through which walks have been
cut, affording beautiful views of the river, the Carse of
Gowrie, and the hills of Angus. The plantations are of
larch, fir, beech, and ash, interspersed with a few oaks ;
the old wood is chiefly in the grounds of Mountquhanie,
Lochmalonie, and Rathillet. The valley is watered by the
river Motray, which has its source in the height of Nor-
man Law, from opposite sides of which descend two small
streams : these unite their waters on the confines of the
parish to make the Motray, and, flowing near the base of
the eminence whereon the church is built, it runs into
the river Eden. The Motray, though an inconsiderable
stream, frequently in winter overflows its banks. A
small rivulet called the Cluthie, which rises within the
parish, after a course of about a mile falls into the Motray
below the church ; and there are also two small burns
which, flowing through the pasture lands, add to their
fertihty. The climate is temperate, the air salubrious ;
and the inhabitants generally are of robu.st health.
The soil is good, and the system of agriculture
improved ; draining has been practised with success ;
lime has been long used with advantage, and within the
last few years bone-manure has been introduced. The
crops are wheat, barley, oats, peas, potatoes, and turnips.
The sheep are principally of the Leicester, Cheviot, and
Highland breeds, of which 1000 are annually fed for the
butcher upon turnips ; the cattle are of the Old Fife breed,
with an occasional mixture of the Teeswater, and on an
average about 200 head are annually reared in the parish.
No horses are reared, except for agricultural purposes.
The lands are but very imperfectly inclosed ; and there
is still great room for improvement in the fences and
plantations, which are comparatively on a limited scale.
G
KILM
K 1 LM
The substratum of the hills is mostly trap rock or whin-
stone ; in some places of a dark- blue colour, and ex-
tremely brittle ; in others of a reddish white, and not
easily worked. This stone is occasionally quarried for
building, but generally for the roads, and for the con-
struction of drains and dykes. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £7937- Mountquhanie, Kilmany
Cottage, Lochmalonie House, Hill-Cairnie, and Rathillet
House are handsome mansions, pleasantly situated.
The village consists of a few cottages, the residence of
such as are not employed in agriculture, and who carry
on the pursuit of weaving, at their own homes, for the
manufacturers of Dundee and Cupar ; many of the
females are also employed in weaving during the winter.
There are three corn-mills and a saw-mill, the last em-
ployed in converting inferior timber into staves for
barrels, great numbers of which are sent to Leith and
other places connected with the herring-fishery. All
the farms in the parish have threshing-mills ; they are
seventeen in number, eleven of them driven by horses,
three with water, two with water and horses, and one
with steam. The roads are good ; and there are toler-
able facilities of intercourse with the neighbouring mar-
ket-towns, of which Cupar is the nearest. Ecclesiasti-
cally the parish is in the presbytery of Cupar, synod of
Fife, and in the patronage of the United College of St.
Andrew's : the stipend is about £220, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £30 per annum. Kilmany church,
situated on rising ground overlooking the river Motray,
is a plain edifice erected in 1768, in good repair, and
adapted for a congregation of about 350 persons. There
is a place of worship for the United Presbyterian Church.
The parochial school is at Rathillet, nearly in the centre
of the parish ; the master has a salary of £34, with from
£15 to £20 fees, and a house and garden. Two other
schools, for younger children and for girls, are supported
by Mrs. Gillespie of Kirkton and Mrs. Thomson of
Charleton ; the teachers have each an allowance of £10
per annum, with a house and garden, and the fees. The
late Rev. Dr. John Cook, professor of divinity in the
university of St. Andrew's, and the late distinguished
Dr. Chalmers, were ministers of this parish.
KILMARNOCK, a burgh
of barony and a parish, in the
district of Cunninghame,
county of Ayr ; containing
19,956 inhabitants, of whom
17,846 are in the burgh, 12
miles (N. N. E.) from Ayr,
and 22 (s. w. by S.) from
Glasgow. This place, which
is of great antiquity, derives
its name from the foundation
of a church by St. Marnoch,
an eminent apostle of Chris-
tianity, who flourished in the fourth century, and to
whose memory many churches in various parts of the
country have been dedicated. The lands, at an early
period, were part of the possessions of the ancient
family of Boyd, descendants of Simond, brother of
Walter the first high steward of Scotland, an<l of whom
William, the ninth Lord Hoyd, was created I'.arl of Kil-
marnock in 1661. Dean Castle, the baronial residonce of
the Karls of Kilmarnock, was destroyed by an accidental
fire in 1735. In 1746 William, the fourth carl, having
42
Burgh Seal.
joined in the rebellion, was taken prisoner at the battle
of Culloden, and sent to London, where he was beheaded ;
and the title and estates became forfeited to the crown.
This place, originally a small hamlet depending solely
on the baronial castle, which now forms an interesting
ruin, gradually acquired importance from the introduc-
tion of various manufactures, for which the abundance
of coal in the vicinity, and the facilities of water-carriage,
rendered it peculiarly appropriate ; and in 1592, it had
so far increased in population and extent as to obtain
from James VI. a charter erecting it into a burgh of
barony. In the year ISOO, an accidental fire, originating
in some thatched buildings in the lower part of the town,
spread with amazing rapidity to the houses on both sides
of the street, which was nearly destroyed.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated in the south-western
part of the parish, on a stream called the Kilmarnock
water, about half a mile above its influx into the river
Irvine ; and over the stream are five substantial bridges,
affording facility of communication. In the older por-
tion of the town the streets are narrow and irregularly
formed, but in the central portion of it spacious and
well built, consisting of handsome houses of freestone,
many of which are of elegant aspect ; and towards the
south and east, in which directions the buildings have
been greatly extended, are numerous pleasant villas
that add much to its appearance. Considerable im-
provements have recently taken place : the streets are
well paved, and lighted with gas from works erected by
a company of £10 shareholders, established in 1S23 ;
and the inhabitants are amply supplied with water,
under an act of parliament passed in 1846. A public
library, having an extensive collection of volumes on
general history and literature, is supported by subscrip-
tion ; and there is a good library attached to a mechanics'
institution. A handsome structure called the Exchange
buildings, containing a commodious reading and news
room, was erected in 1814, and is under the manage-
ment of a committee of directors ; there is also a news-
room for tradesmen, well supplied with daily journals
and periodical publications. Two weekly newspapers are
published in the town ; the Kilmarnock Journal, which
has been established for many years, and has an exten-
sive circulation ; and the Ayrshire Examiner, which is of
more recent date.
The first manufacture carried on here was that of
the broad flat bonnets originally worn by the peasantry,
and of the red and blue caps called Kilmarnock cowls,
which was the chief trade till about the middle of the
eighteenth century. The manufacture of carpets, how-
ever, was subsequently introduced, and soon became the
staple trade of the place, which is still celebrated for
this manufacture, the weaving of carpets of every variety
of pattern and texture being carried on to a great ex-
tent, and affording employment to 1200 persons. The
principal kinds arc Brussels, Venetian, Turkey, and
Scotch carpets, for the finest specimens of which pre-
miums were in 1831 awarded by the commissioners to
the manufacturers of Kilmarnock, to the amount of £210.
The value of the carpets made annually in the town is
estimated at £150,000. About the same number of
persons arc engaged in the manufacture of worsted and
printed shawls, of which more than 1,250,000 arc sold
every year, estimated at £230,000 : this trade, which
was introduced in 1824, also allords employment to
K I L M
KILM
200 printers. The number of bonnets annually made,
the manufacture being still carried on, is about ^0,000 ;
and 2400 pairs of boots are made weekly, of which
three-fourths are exported. There are also extensive
tanneries and establishments for the dressing of leather,
in which nearly 150,000 sheep and lamb skins are
annually prepared. Considerable improvements in ma-
chinery have been effected by Mr. Thomas Morton, of
this town, which have been adopted in the carpet
factories with great advantage ; and the same ingenious
mechanist has built an observatory, and furnished it
with telescopes of a very superior description, the high
character of which has enabled him to establish a manu-
facture of telescopes. A piece of massive plate was pre-
sented to Mr. Morton by the inhabitants of the town, in
1826, in acknowledgment of his having so eminently
contributed to the prosperity of their manufactures.
There are also manufactories for machinery of all kinds,
tobacco, candles, hats, hosiery, and saddlery, in all of
which au extensive trade is carried on ; and numerous
handsome shops in the town are amply stored with
various kinds of merchandise. Several branch banks
have been opened. The market days are Tuesday and
Friday, on both of which business is transacted to a very
great extent. Fairs are held on the second Tuesday in
May, for cattle ; the last Thursday in July, for horses,
black-cattle, and wool ; and the last Thursday in October,
for horses. The post-office has a good delivery ; and
facility of communication is maintained by excellent
roads, of which the turnpike-road from Glasgow to
Portpatrick passes through the town. In addition to
the bridges across the Kilmarnock water, there are two
over the river Irvine, which bounds the parish on the
south, communicating respectively with the town. The
Kilmarnock and Troon railway, the first public railway
formed in Scotland, was commenced under an act passed
in 1808, with a view to connect the port of Troon, on
the coast near Ayr, and the collieries in the neighbour-
hood, with the town of Kilmarnock and the north-eastern
part of Ayrshire. It is upwards of nine miles in length,
and was opened in 1812, at a cost of £50,000. Ori-
ginally the line was worked by horses; but in 1846 an
act was obtained authorizing the company to let it on
lease to the Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr railway com-
pany, who were empowered to change it from a tramroad
into a locomotive railway. The Glasgow, Kilmarnock,
and Ayr railway separates near Dairy, into two branches,
one of which runs direct to Kilmarnock ; this branch is
about eleven miles in length, and was opened ou the 4th
of April, 1843. At Kilmarnock commences the Dumfries
and Carlisle railway ; and an act has been passed for the
construction of a railway from the Neilston terminus of
the Glasgow and Neilston railway, to Kilmarnock, and to
the Ardrossan line.
The government of the burgh, under the charter of
James VI., confirmed by charter of Charles II. in I672,
is vested in a provost, four bailies, a treasurer, dean of
guild, and eleven councillors, chosen under the provisions
of the Municipal Reform act, and assisted by a town-
clerk, who is appointed by the Duke of Portland, superior
of the burgh. There are five incorporated trades, viz.,
the skinners, tailors, weavers, bonnet-makers, and shoe-
makers, the fees for admission into which vary, for sons
of burgesses from 10s. to £2. 2., and for strangers from
£1. 11. 6. to £7. Persons holding leases under the
43
Duke of Portland arc jirivileged to carry on trade in the
burgh. The magistrates exercise the usual civil and cri-
minal jurisdiction. Bailie-courts are held for the deter-
mination of civil actions to any amount, in which the
town-clerk acts as assessor ; there is also a convener's
court, in which debts not exceeding 6s. fid. are recover-
able, and the jurisdiction of the dean of guild is exercised
by the bailie-court. The criminal jurisdiction is almost
confined to cases of assault and police matters, weighty
offences being transferred to the sheriff of the county.
In 1847 an act of parliament was passed for amending
the acts relating to the police and improvement of the
burgh. Kilmarnock is associated with Dumbarton,
Port-Glasgow, Renfrew, and Rutherglen, in returning a
member to the imperial parliament. The town-hall, a
handsome building two stories high, crowned with a cam-
panile turret, was erected in 1805, and contains the seve-
ral courts, and apartments for the transaction of the pub-
lic business.
The PARISH is about nine miles in extreme length and
four in breadth, comprising an area of nearly 9000 acres,
of which by far the greater part are arable. Its surface
slopes gently to the river Irvine, and is pleasingly diver-
sified with wood : the Kilmarnock water, which rises in
the upper part of the parish of Fenwiek, intersects the
parish, and flows into the Irvine. In this district the
soil is generally fertile, and the lands are under good
cultivation, producing excellent crops of oats, wheat,
barley, beans, potatoes, and turnips : the system of hus-
bandry is in a highly-improved state ; the lands have
been well drained, and inclosed with hedges of thorn ;
and the farm-buildings are substantial and well arranged.
The pastures are rich, and great attention is paid to the
management of the dairy-farms, on which about 800
cows of the Ayrshire breed are kept ; about 12,000
stone of cheese are annually produced, and abundant
supplies of milk for the use of the town. The sheep bred
on the pastures are of the black-faced and Cheviot breeds.
Coal is found in abundance, and ironstone in sufficient
quantity to remunerate the establishment of works.
Freestone occurs in several places, in seams ten feet
thick ; and near Dean Castle is a bed forty feet thick,
the stone of a fine white colour, and well adapted for
buildings of the higher class. Coal-mines are in operation
on the lands of the Duke of Portland, affording employ-
ment to about 300 men, and producing annually 90,000
tons of coal, of which 30,000 are consumed in the parish,
and the remainder sent by the Kilmarnock and Troon
railway for exportation. Fire-bricks, for which clay of
good quality is abundant, are made in great quantities
on the lands near Dean Castle. The principal mansion
in the parish is Crawfurdland Castle, an ancient structure
in the early English style of architecture, of which the
central portion was erected by the present proprietor ;
it is beautifully situated to the north-east of the town,
and the older part of the building is remarkable for its
strength and solidity. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £37,5/0.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Irvine, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The Laigh or parish church is collegiate, being
under the care of two ministers, whose stipends are £ 150
each, with a manse and glebe ; the glebe of the minister
of the first charge is valued at £30, and that of the se-
cond at £12 per annum : patrons of each charge, the
G2
KILM
K I L M
Duke of Portland and the Marquess of Titehfield. The
church, with the exception of the tower and spire, was
taken down in consequence of an alarm excited by the
falling of some plaster from the ceiling in ISOl, which,
creating a panic in the minds of the congregation, pro-
duced a simultaneous rush to escape, when many lives
were lost. It was rebuilt in 1802, and repaired in 1831
at an expense of £1'200, and contains 145" sittings. The
High church, to which a district of the parish, contain-
ing 3'237 persons, was for a time annexed, was erected
in 173'2, by subscription, at a cost of £1000; it is a
handsome structure in the Grecian style, with a tower
eighty feet high, and has sittings for 902 persons. The
minister's stipend is £150, with £50 in lieu of manse and
glebe : patrons. Eight Directors. St. Andrew's, another
incumbency in Kilmarnock, is in the patronage of the
Communicants. There are places of worship for mem-
bers of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church,
the Synod of United Original Seceders, Reformed Pres-
byterians, Independents, and 'Wesleyans. The Academy,
a spacious building, erected in 1807, at the joint expense
of the heritors and the burgh, is under the superintend-
ence of a committee of fifteen directors, of whom five are
nominated by the town council. There are a classical
master, who has a salary of £34, with a house and gar-
den, and an English master and commercial master,
each of whom has £15, without either house or garden;
in addition to the fees, which are fixed by the directors.
The academy is attended by more than 300 pupils.
There are branch schools at Rowallan and in the barony
of Grongar, the masters of which liave houses and gardens
in addition to the fees, and numerous other schools
throughout the parish, in which, collectively, above 'aOOO
children receive instruction. A dispensary was esta-
blished in 1827, and is supported by subscription ; it is
gratuitously attended by most of the medical practi-
tioners, and administers extensive relief to the sick poor.
There are also numerous benefit and friendly societies,
and a savings' bank in which are many depositors. The
late Mrs. Mary Cunuinghame bequeathed £200, and
John MacNider, Esq., £40, in trust to the minister of
the High church, to be lent out in small sums, and the
interest given to the poor.
Rowallan Castle, about three miles north-westward of
the town, for many generations the seat of the barons of
Rowallan, is a very ancient structure, and is supposed to
have been the birthplace of Elizabeth More, first wife of
Robert, high steward, and afterwards king of Scotland as
Robert II. : the more modern jjortion of it was built
about the year 1560. It is beautifully situated, and sur-
rounded with plantations ; but the whole is passing
rapidly info decay. The former Soules Cross, a rude
stone pillar aljout nine feet high, surmounted with a
gilt cross, was erected to the memory of Lord Soules, an
English nobleman, who was killed on the spot by an ar-
row from one of the Boyds of Kilmarnock, in 1444. A
handsome fluted column, supporting a vase, was placed
in a niche in the wall surrounding the churchyard, in
1825, in lieu of the old cross : on the pedestal is an ap-
propriate insfription referring to Lord Soules' death.
The Ivirl of Krrol bears the title of Baron Kilmarnock.
KILMARONOCK, a parish, in the county of Dum-
iiAUTON, 1 mile (W. by S.) from Drymcn ; containing
9M itihubitantN. The name of this place signifies "the
cell, chapel, or burial-place of St. Marnoch '. The parish
44
is beautifully situated on the southern bank of the river
Endrick, and on Loch Lomond, and is about five miles
in length and three in mean breadth. In some places
the surface rises to an elevation of 500, and in others to
1000, feet above the level of the sea : the highest parts
are, the range of hills on the west, commonly called
Mount Misery ; Duncruin, in the centre ; and the eleva-
tion towards Dumbarton moor, on the south. The lands
are, however, mostly in tillage, the quantity of hill or
moorland being very inconsiderable. Plantations, hedge-
rows, and natural wood enrich the scenery ; and the pa-
rish is watered by several springs and rivulets, and by
the river Endrick, along which commodities are conveyed
in flat-bottomed craft, as far as from Drymen bridge to
Loch Lomond, a distance of nearly eight miles. The
river contains pike, perch, eels, trout, and other fish.
The best land in the parish lies along the banks of the
river, the soil being deep and rich, and producing excel-
lent crops, though exposed in rainy seasons to injury
from sudden and violent floods. In the higher parts the
soil is damp and tilly, and at length degenerates into a
sterile moss. Several impediments peculiar to the locality
have retarded the advance of the improved system of
husbandry, which has been some time introduced. In
spite, however, of every obstacle, a spirit of industry and
enterprise prevails, which is leading to many consider-
able changes. Above 660 acres are occupied by wood.
On the moorland grounds about 500 sheep are reared, of
the black-faced or Highland breed ; and a few Cheviots
and Leicesters are kept on the lower grounds. The cat-
tle are of the Argyllshire and the Ayrshire breeds, to the
improvement of which considerable attention is paid.
In general the fences are thorn hedges or stone dykes,
which in many parts are in very bad condition. The
rocks in the parish principally consist of red or grey
sandstone ; and limestone of good quality is also found.
The annual value of real property in Kilmaronock is
£7444.
The chief seat is Baturrich Castle, which is built on
part of the ruin of the ancient castle of the same name,
upon rising ground about half a mile from Loch Lomond ;
it commands a very fine view of the lake, studded with
its numerous wooded islands, and also of the whole vale
of Leven to the river Clyde. Ross Priory, which is situ-
ated on the south-east bank of Loch Lomond, is about
two miles from Baturrich ; it is beautified with some very
handsome trees. Catter House is an old mansion, seated
on an eminence near Drymen bridge, on the river En-
drick, and occu|)ied by the factor of the Duke of Mont-
rose, who is the principal heritor in the parish. There
are two annual fairs, one for horses, at Craftammie, on
the second Tuesday in February ; and the other chiefly
for milch-cows, at the farm of Ardoch, on the last Thurs-
day in April. The roads from Dumbarton and from
Glasgow, to Drymen, pass through the parish. There is
a bridge across the Endrick, an old structure of four
arches, situated at the boundary of the parish, on the
road to Drymen. Ecclesiastically Kilmaronock is
within the bounds of the presbytery of Dumbarton,
synod of Glasgow and Ayr ; patron, the Duke of Mont-
rose. The stipend of the minister amounts on an average
to nearly £200, with a manse, and a glebe of seven acres,
valued at £11 per annum. The church was built in
lH13,atRl is in good repair; it contains 400 sittings, l)ut
on account of its situation near the northern extremity
KI L M
KILM
of the parish, it is found inconvenient for a great part
of the population. There is a meeting-house in con-
nexion with the United Presbyterian Church. The pa-
rochial schoolmaster has a salary of £31 per annum,
with a house, and about £26 fees. A parochial library
was instituted in 1838, and is under the management of
the Kirk Session.
KILMARTIN, a parish, in the district and county of
Argyll, 75 miles (N. N. W.) from Lochgilphead; con-
taining 1233 inhabitants. This place, which is supposed,
like so many others, to have derived its name from the
dedication of its ancient church, formed part of the pos-
sessions of the Campbell family, of whose baronial resi-
dence of Duntroon Castle there are still considerable
remains. The parish is bounded on the north-east by
Loch Awe, on the north-west by Loch Craignish, and on
the south-west by Loch Crinan. It is about twelve miles
in length and three and a half in breadth, comprising
24,530 acres, of which 3456 are arable, 400 meadow,
1200 woodland and plantations, and the remainder rough
pasture and waste. The surface, towards the north-east,
for some miles along the shore of Loch Awe, rises ab-
ruptly from the margin of the lake to an elevation of
1000 feet, whence it descends precipitously in the direc-
tion of Loch Craignish, forming a continuous ridge of
hills, the highest of which, Benvan, adjoining the hill of
Kilmartin, is 1200 feet above the level of the sea. The
beautiful valley of Kilmartin extends from within a mile
of Loch Awe, for nearly three miles, towards the west,
between lofty hills ascending perpendicularly from their
base. Not far from its termination at the village, it ex-
pands into a level plain almost 6000 acres in extent.
Throughout the windings of the vale may be traced the
channel of a large river, by which the waters of Loch
Awe anciently discharged themselves into the bay of
Crinan ; and in several parts are terraces at a height of
fifty or sixty feet above the level of the valley, supposed
to have been formed by the river in its course.
In general the soil is a light friable mould, alternated
in some parts with tracts of greater depth and fertility ;
the chief crops are oats, bear, and barley, with turnips
and potatoes, for which last the soil is more especially
adapted. The system of husbandry is in an advancing
state; draining is extensively practised, and tiles for that
purpose are made in the vale of Kilmartin, where good
clay is found. Great quantities of waste land have
been reclaimed and brought into cultivation on the
Poltalloch estate. The cattle are of the West Highland
breed, with a few of the Ayrshire, Galloway, and Dur-
ham breeds, to the improvement of which much atten-
tion is paid : about 2000 head of all kinds are pastured
in the parish. The sheep, of which 9000 are kept on
the several farms, are of the black-faced native breed,
with some of the Cheviot, Leicestershire, and South-
Down breeds recently introduced. In this parish the
plantations are ash, oak, birch, alder, hazel, larch,
poplar, beech, plane, lime, holly, elm, and Scotch and
silver firs, all of which are in a very thriving state. The
substrata are chiefly mica and chlorite slate, with veins
of crystalline limestone and hornblende : copper-ore
has also been found, and was formerly worked, but with
what success is uncertain. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £5852. Kilmartin House is a
handsome mansion, pleasantly situated about half a
mile from the village ; and the remains of the ancient
45
castle of Duntroon have been repaired, and formed into
a comfortable residence. The village has been entirely
rebuilt within the last few years, and consists of substan-
tial and neat cottages roofed with slate, to each of which
is attached a garden and shrubbery, inclosed with railings.
Large markets for the sale of horses and the hiring of
servants are held in the village, on the first Thursday in
March and the fourth Thursday in November ; and at
the Ford, near Loch Awe, are markets on the first
Thursdays in August and September, at which consider-
able sales of lambs, sheep, and wool take place. A pri-
vate runner brings letters daily from the post-office at
Lochgilphead ; and facility of communication is afforded
by good roads, and by steamers from Lochgilphead to
Glasgow and the intermediate ports, daily in winter, and
twice a day during the summer. There is an excellent
harbour at Crinan, which is much frequented by vessels
taking shelter in stormy weather. In Her Majesty's visit
to Scotland in 1S47, the royal party proceeded by Crinan
both on their way to and their return from Ardverikie
Lodge, in the parish of Laggan.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Inverary, synod of Argyll. The minister's
stipend is £189, vvith a manse, and a glebe valued at
£15 per annum; patron, the Duke of Argyll. Kilmartin
church, erected in 1835, is a handsome structure in the
early English style of architecture, with a square em-
battled tower, and contains 520 sittings : divine service
is performed both in the English and Gaelic languages.
The parochial school is well attended ; the master has a
salary of £34, with a house and garden, in addition to
the fees. There are two other schools at the extremities
of the parish, for younger children, who, from its dis-
tance, are unable to attend the parochial school : Mr.
Malcolm gives a salary to the masters. A school of
industry for girls has been established within a mile of
Kilmartin, for the tenants on the Poltalloch estate, and
Mr. Malcolm has built a handsome house for it at a cost
of£1000: in addition to the usual routine of instruction,
the children are taught all the most useful branches of
needle-work, knitting, and laundry-work. In the val-
ley of Kilmartin are several large circular cairns, in
which have been found stone coffins about four feet in
length, containing ashes and human bones ; and in one
of them were some silver coins of Ethelred, and in
others implements of war. Near the cairns are nume-
rous upright stones. Not far from Duntroon is an
ancient circular building of great thickness, inclosing a
large area, into which is only one narrow entrance, and
which is supposed to have been a place of safety for
cattle and other property in times of danger. On an
eminence northward of the village are the ruins of the
old castle of Kilmartin ; and at the head of the valley
are the remains of the castle of Carnassary, the resi-
dence of Bishop Carswell, who was appointed to the see
of Argyll soon after the Reformation, and whose name
is intimately associated with the controversy carried on
in the last century respecting the authenticity of Os-
sian's poems. — See Knapdale, South.
KILMAURS, a burgh of barony and a parish, in
the district of Cunninghame, county of Ayr; con-
taining, with the villages of Crosshouse, Gatehead,
Kirkton, Knockentiber, and Milton, 261" inhabitants, of
whom 1035 are in the burgh, 2 miles (N. N. W.) from
Kilmarnock. This place, the name of which is obviously
KILM
KI L M
derived from the dedication of its cliurch to St. Maura,
was granted in the twelfth century to the ancestor of
the Glencairn family, who came from England in the
reign of Malcolm IV., and assumed the surname of Cun-
ninghame from the manor. The family obtained addi-
tional lands from Robert Bruce ; and Sir William Cun-
ninghame having enlarged his possessions by marriage
about the beginning of the fifteenth century, his de-
scendant Alexander was created Earl of Glencairn by
James II. in 144S. William, the ninth earl, for his
zealous attachment to the royal cause during the usur-
pation of Cromwell, was made chancellor of Scotland ;
he died in 1664. Upon the death of John, the twenty-
fifth earl, without issue, in 1796, the title became ex-
tinct ; and the lands are now divided among several
proprietors.
The TOWN of Kilmaurs is pleasantly situated on the
north bank of the river Carmel, and consists of two
streets which run transversely. It is inhabited chiefly
by persons engaged in making shoes, or weaving. At a
distant period, the place was celebrated for the manu-
facture of cutlery ; and the clasp knives, or whittles,
made here were in great repute : " as sharp as a Kil-
maurs whittle" is to this day a common saying in the
•west of Scotland. The weekly market has fallen into
disuse ; but fairs, chiefly for cattle, are held in June and
at Martinmas. A branch office, under the post-office at
Kilmarnock, has been established ; and facility of com-
munication is maintained by the turnpike- road from
Stewarton to Kilmarnock, and by good statute roads
which intersect the parish. The branch of the Glasgow
and Ayrshire railway that leads to Kilmarnock, &c.,
also passes through the parish, in which terminates the
Busby branch, leading from Irvine, on the main line of
the Glasgow and Ayrshire railway, to the Kilmarnock
branch. Kilmaurs was erected into a burgh of barony
by charter of James V., granted to the Earl of Glencairn
in J 527 ; and the government is vested in two bailies,
and a council of burgesses, who derive their qualification
from the tenure of certain lands leased to them in free
burgage by charter of Cuthbert, Earl of Glencairn, and
his son. Lord Kilmaurs. The magistrates have all the
jurisdiction of royal burghs, both in civil and criminal
cases, but hold no regular courts, the number of causes
not exceeding two or three in a year. There are no ex-
clusive privileges enjoyed by the burgesses ; and the only
patronage is that of a vote in the appointment of the
parochial schoolma.ster, which they have merely as being
joint-trustees on a half-tenement of land left for the en-
dowment of the teacher. The town-hall, standing in the
centre of the main street, is a small structure with a
steeple ; it contains the necessary arrangements for
transacting the public business of the burgh.
The I'AHiSH, which is situated on the confines of the
district of Kyle, is partly bounded on the south by the
river Irvine, which separates it from the parish of Dun-
donahl, and on the west l)y the (jarrier l)urn, which
divides it from the parish of Drcghorn. It is nearly
six miles in lengtli, and two miles and tlirec-quarters in
extreme breadth, comprising an area of almost 6000
acres, of whi( h the whole, except three acres, is arable
and pasture in about equal portions. The surface is
generally undulated, rising in some places into hills of
moderate elevation, whose summits are richly wooded,
and command interesting views over the surrounding
46
country, which is in a high state of cultivation. The
river Carmel, which has its source in the adjoining pa-
rish of Fenwick, divides this parish into two nearly
equal parts ; it then receives the waters of the Garrier
burn, and flows westward into the Irvine. The soil is
exuberantly fertile, producing abundant crops of wheat,
beans, barley, oats, and potatoes ; and the system of
husbandry has been brought to great perfection. The
lands have been drained and inclosed ; the farm-build-
ings are substantial and commodious, and all the more
recent improvements in agricultural implements have
been extensively adopted. The pastures are luxuriantly
rich ; the cattle reared in the parish are chiefly of the
Ayrshire breed, and the dairies, whether for extent or
management, are not surpassed by any in the county.
Large quantities of butter and cheese of excellent quality
are produced, the latter of the Dunlop kind ; and both
obtain a ready sale in the markets. The annual value
of real property in the parish is returned at £12,970.
Though not extensive, the plantations are in a very flou-
rishing state, and, from their situation generally upon the
hills and rising grounds, add much to the beauty of the
scenery. The main substratum is coal, of which there are
several mines in operation in the parish and the immedi-
ate vicinity ; the principal of these is at Gatehead, where
a considerable number of persons are regularly employed.
The chief seats in the parish are, Kilmaurs House, an
ancient mansion, formerly the seat of the Cunninghame
family ; and Thornton House, Carmel- Bank, Craig, and
Tour, all modern mansions beautifully situated.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Irvine, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The minister's stipend amounts to about
£'260, with a manse, and a glebe of three and a half
arable acres j patroness. Lady Mary Montgomerie. Kil-
maurs church, a very ancient structure, was originally
founded in 1403, by Sir William Cunninghame, who en-
dowed it with lands for the support of a provost, seven
prebendaries, and two choristers, which establishment
was dissolved at the Reformation. The structure was
repaired in 1804, and contains 550 sittings. In the
aisle, which was the sepulchral chapel of the Glencairn
family, is a monument to the memory of William, the
ninth earl, chancellor of Scotland. There are places of
worship for members of the Free Church and the United
Presbyterian Church. The parochial school is well
attended ; the master has a salary of £'25. 13., with a
house and garden, and the fees. John Norrie in 1699
left a half-tenement of land for the benefit of the school-
master, and in I7O8 Sir Hugh Cunninghame of Craigend,
at one period lord provost of Edinburgh, left a tenement
of laud, the rental of which was to be applied in edu-
cating the children of the poor, the scholars on the fund
to be selected by the magistrates and minister of the
parish. Among the monuments of antiquity are the
remains of some tumuli, one of which, near Carmel-
Bank, whose fosse may still be traced, is supposed to
have been a place for administering justice. In the year
1845, in excavating a hillock on the farm of Water-park,
several stone-chests were discovered, measuring two feet
and a half by a foot and a half, and containing calcined
human bones ; the relics, no doubt, of some battle that
was fought in the locality. The ruins of Busby Castle,
an ancient scat of the Barclay family, are now the pro-
perty of the Duke of rortland.
KI LM
KI LM
KILMELFORD, in the county of Argyll.— See
KiLNINVER.
KILMENY, a large quoad sacra parish, in the parish
of KiLARROW and Kilmeny, district of Islay, county of
Argyll ; containing 1756 inhabitants : the church is
4 miles (S. W. by S.) from Portaskaig. This district lies
in the north-eastern part of Islay, and is between eleven
and twelve miles in its greatest length, and from eight
to nine miles in its greatest breadth, forming an area of
sixty-six square miles. The description of the surface
and of the soil is comprehended in the account given of
Kilarrow and Kilmeny, which see. There are lead-mines,
but they have not been worked to any extent for a
number of years ; and limestone and mica-slate abound.
The road from Bowmore to Portaskaig passes through ;
and the latter village, which is within Kilmeny, is the
place of communication from Islay with the isle of Jura.
A horse-market is held two or three times annually.
Kilmeny was formed into a quoad sacra parish a few
years ago. It is in the presbytery of Islay and synod
of Argyll, and the patronage is vested in the Crown :
the stipend of the minister is £120, received from the
exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £8 per
annum. The church, built about seventy years ago, and
repaired in 1826, is a plain structure. Kilmeny paro-
chial school has been lately erected, by government ; the
salary of the master is £35. There are some remains
of encampments ; and in Portanellan lake are the ruins of
a chapel and dwelling-house, the latter said to have been
inhabited by the Mac Donalds of the Isles.
KILMICHAEL-GLASSARY, a parish, in the district
and county of Argyll, 18 miles (S. W.) from Inverary;
containing, with part of the quoad sacra parish of Loch-
gilphead, 4700 inhabitants. This place, the early history
of which is almost unknown, is supposed to have de-
rived its name of Glassary from the general appearance
of its surface, as being more adapted for pasture than
for tillage. It is said to have formed part of the posses-
sions of the Mac Donalds, of whose baronial castle, situ-
ated on the northern bank of Loch Awe, and which ac-
cording to tradition was destroyed by fire, there are still
considerable remains. From the eleventh to the thir-
teenth century, the place appears to have been exposed
to frequent incursions of the Danes, who held nearly the
whole of the western coast ; and there are several watch-
towers yet existing, which were erected to give notice of
their approach. The parish is bounded on the south
and south-east by Loch Fine, and on the north-east by
Loch Awe, and varies from twelve to sixteen miles in
length, and from eight to ten miles in breadth, com-
prising an area of nearly 150 square miles. Its surface,
which rises gradually from both sides towards the centre,
is diversified with hills of no great elevation ; and on
the west is an extensive valley, varying in height from
200 to 600 feet above the level of the sea. The acclivi-
ties of the valley are partially wooded, and in the centre
is the small lake of Lochan Leamhan. There are other
lakes in the parish, the principal of which is Loch Eder-
lin, about a mile to the west of Loch Awe, beautifully
embosomed in hills crowned with thriving plantations ;
and Loch Glaissean and Loch Shineach, from which
latter issues the river Ad, are situated in the moorlands.
The chief river is the Ad, which flows through the valley
of Glassary : this stream, which is subject to great inun-
dations from heavy rains, abounds with trout and sal-
47
mon, and a fishery for the latter is conducted under the
superintendence of the proprietor.
Along the banks of Loch Fine, towards the south-east,
the SOIL is gravel intermixed with peat ; and towards
the south-west, a deep rich loam of great fertility.
Considerable portions of land have been improved by
furrow-draining ; but much yet remains in an unprofit-
able state. The system of husbandry, also, has made
some progress under the auspices of the agricultural
society established here, which includes also the neigh-
bouring parishes of Craignish, Kilmartin, and North and
South Knapdale ; but the lands are but very partially
inclosed, and the farm-buildings are still of an inferior
description. The cattle reared in the pastures are ge-
nerally of the Argyllshire or West Highland breed, and
the sheep principally the black-faced, with some of the
South-Down breed on the lands of Kilmory, which thrive
well. There are considerable remains of natural wood,
consisting chiefly of oak, birch, and hazel, of which fine
specimens are to be seen on the shores of Loch Awe ;
and extensive plantations of oak, Scotch and silver firs,
larch, ash, and other trees, have been formed in several
parts, all of which, with the exception of the ash, are in
a thriving state. The principal substrata are mica-slate,
greenstone, and limestone. Copper-ore has been found,
and a mine was opened by the Duke of Argyll ; but
though the ore was of good quality, it did not occur in
sufficient quantity to remunerate the expense of working
it, and the mine was abandoned. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £11,343. Kilmory House
is the seat of Sir John P. Orde, Bart., by whom it has
been enlarged and greatly improved : the present struc-
ture, which is of blue ashler stone, is spacious, and sur-
mounted at the south-west angle by a lofty octagonal
tower, containing a dining-room twenty-nine feet in
diameter, and other stately apartments. Over the en-
trance hall is what is called a Chinese drawing-room,
fifty-seven feet long, and twenty-seven feet wide, fitted
up in appropriate style, and furnished with hangings
and drapery made for the purpose in China. From the
summit of the tower is obtained an extensive prospect,
embracing the mountain of Ben-Ghoil in Arran, the
Mull, and the hills of Cowal. The village of Kilmichael
is small, and not distinguished by any important fea-
tures : that of Lochgilphead is separately noticed. Fairs
for cattle are held at Kilmichael in May and October,
and on the following days at Lochgilphead ; and they
are so regulated, that the stock remaining unsold may
be driven to the Inverary markets.
For ecclesiastical purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Inverary, synod of Argyll.
The minister's stipend is £266, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £28 per annum ; patron, Campbell of
Auchinellan. Kilmichael church, erected in 1827, is a
spacious structure containing 1500 sittings. A govern-
ment church was erected at the village of Lochgilphead
in 1828; and in 1841 a church was built by the com-
mittee of the General Assembly at Camlodden, for the
benefit of that portion of the parish and an adjacent
district of Inverary. There are preaching stations at
Lochfineside and Lochaweside, where a missionary
preaches alternately ; also places of worship in the pa-
rish for Independents and members of the Free Church.
The parochial schoolmaster has a salary of £25, with a
house and garden, and the fees average £35. There is
K IL M
KILM
a female school in the village of Lochgilphead, main-
tained by the heritors ; and a school in the Camlodden
district is supported by the General Assembly, who pay
£25 per annum to the master, for whom a house and
garden are provided rent-free by Sir Archibald Camp-
bell, Bart. Remains of ancient churches exist in various
parts of the parish, of which the most prominent are
those of Kilbride, on the west ; Killevin, on the shore of
Loch Fine ; Kilmory, near Lochgilphead ; and Kilneuair,
on the bank of Loch Awe. The remains of Kilneuair
display much beauty of style ; the cemetery of Kilmory
is still used as a place of sepulture.
KILMODAN, a parish, in the district of Cowal,
county of Argyll, 16 miles (N. W. by N.) from Rothe-
say ; containing 567 inhabitants. It derives its name
from the dedication of its church to St. Modan soon
after the introduction of Christianity into Britain. The
parish is separated from Loch Fine, with the exception
of about three miles of coast, by the intervening parish
of Kilfinan ; it is twelve miles in length, and the arable
lands principally lie in the bottom of a deep glen scarcely
half a mile in breadth. The surface is boldly diversified
with hills of mountainous elevation, chiefly covered with
heath, and affording tolerable pasture for sheep and
cattle. Along the glen flows the river Ruail, which after
a course of a few miles falls into Loch Ridon, and forms
a small bay, affording shelter for a few vessels of from
twelve to thirty tons' burthen, employed in the herring-
fishery. The Ruail once abounded with salmon and
trout ; but within the last few years, the number has
greatly diminished. The sea-shore of the parish, three
miles in extent, is flat and sandy ; and off the coast are
found cod, ling, haddocks, mackerel, and other white-
fish. Of the lands, about 1500 acres are arable, 1000
woodland and plantations, and nearly 20,000 chiefly
moorland pasture and waste. The soil of the arable
ground is deep and fertile, and the system of agriculture
has lately been much improved ; the lands have been
drained, and a due rotation of crops is regularly ob-
served. Large quantities of potatoes are shipped from
the bay of Ruail to the several ports on the Clyde, in
smacks which return laden with manure. The sheep
pastures have been greatly benefited by surface-drain-
ing ; and much attention is paid to the management of
the stock, under the inducements held out by a pastoral
association in the district. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £3439.
There is a considerable tract of natural wood, mostly
copse ; and very extensive plantations have been formed
at Dunans, Glendaruel, and Ormidale, consisting chiefly
of the various kinds of fir, all of which are in a thriving
state. The principal substrata are limestone and pipe-
clay ; but the scarcity of fuel renders the former inap-
plicable to the purpose of the farmer. The mansion-
houses in the parish are Dunans, Glendaruel, and Ormi-
dale, which last estate has been greatly improved and
embellished with plantations. Ecclesiastically the parish
is within the bounds of the presbytery of Dunoon, synod
of Argyll. The minister's stipend is £150, of which sum
£6. 8. are paid from the exchequer j with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £20 per annum : patron, the Duke of
Argyll. Kilinodan church, which is conveniently situ-
ated, was built in 1*83. There is a place of worship for
members of the Free Church. The parochial school-
master has a salary of £27. JO., with a house and garden,
48
and the fees average £10 per annum. In the parish are
several cairns ; and some stone coffins have been found,
supposed to have contained the ashes of chieftains slain
in battle with the Danes. Colin Maclaurin, professor
of mathematics in the university of Edinburgh, and the
Rev. John Maclaurin, an eminent divine, were born in
this parish, of which their father, the Rev. John Mac-
laurin, was minister in 1698.
KILMONIVAIG, or Kilmanivaig, a parish, in the
county of Inverness, 10 miles (N. N. E.) from Fort-
William ; containing 2*91 inhabitants. It is situated
towards the western extremity of the county, in the dis-
trict of Lochaber, and was the territory of Bancho,
thane of Lochaber, and ancestor of the royal house of
Stuart. That chief, as well as other thanes of Lochaber,
is supposed to have occupied either the castle of Inver-
lochy, now in ruins, or a more ancient structure stand-
ing on the site ; and their fortress was the most conspi-
cuous feature in the once thriving burgh of Inverlochy,
which some of the old historians call " the emporium of
the west of Scotland". The castle is traditionally re-
ported to have been originally a royal residence ; and it
is said that the celebrated league between Charlemagne,
and Achaius, King of the Scots, was signed here about
the end of the eighth century. Near this spot, a fierce
encounter took place in 1431 between Donald Ballael,
cousin of Alexander, Lord of the Isles, then a state pri-
soner in Tantallan Castle, and the Earls of Caithness
and Mar, the king's lieutenants : in this battle the royal
forces were defeated, the Earl of Caithness was slain,
and the Earl of Mar escaped with difficulty with his life.
Again, in 1645, an encounter took place in the same
vicinity between Montrose and Argyll, in which, after a
severe contest, the latter was entirely routed. In a field
named Dail-ruairi, at the east end of Loch Lochy, a
battle was fought on the 3rd of July, 1544, between the
Macdonalds and the Erasers : the slaughter was great
on both sides ; Lord Lovat, with 300 of his name, fell,
and his eldest son was mortally wounded. Near Kep-
poch, also in the parish, is a place called Mulroy, the
scene of the last feudal battle which was fought by clans
in Scotland, when, after a sanguinary engagement be-
tween the Macintoshes and the Mc Ronalds, the former
were completely routed, and their chief taken prisoner.
Kilmonivaig, and part of the adjacent country, have been
denominated " the cradle of the rebellion" of 1*45. The
Young Pretender, in that year, erected his standard in
this dreary and mountainous district, and was joined by
the famous Cameron of Locheil ; and the first act of re-
bellion was an attack on the ro}'al troops by the Mac-
donalds of Keppoch. After the suppression of the rebel-
lion, Prince Charles Edward availed himself of the se-
cluded glens of this district as a convenient refuge.
The PARISH is divided into the two districts of
Lochaber and Glengarry. At one time it was united to
Kilmalie, the two together being called the parish of
Lochaber ; but it was separated by the authority of the
Church courts, about the beginning of the eighteenth
century. It is said to be the most wild and mountainous
district in the kingdom, measuring about sixty miles in
length from north to south, and twenty-five miles at its
greatest i)rea(lth,and comprising 300,000 acres, of which
a small portion is under natural wood and in plantations,
a much smaller ])art under tillage, and the remainder
natural pasture. Glenspean, forming the chief part of
K I L M
K I L M
the parish, is bounded on the south by Ben-Nevis, and
its subordinate range, which stretches towards the east;
and on the north by a series of elevations which, though
lofty, reach a far less altitude than those on the opposite
boundary. It commences near Ben-Nevis, and contracts
in width gradually towards the middle until, a little
above Keppoch, its whole breadth is occupied by the
rapid stream of the Spean, a river issuing from Loch
Laggan, and augmented by the Treig from the south-
west, and several other tributaries. After this, the glen
expands again, and extends to the west end of Loch
Laggan. It is joined near the centre by Glenroy ; and
in the parish is also a part of the great Caledonian glen,
extending from the west end of Locli Lochy to the east
end of Loch Oich, a distance of nearly fifteen miles :
between these two lakes a portion of the Caledonian
canal is cut. The Spean empties itself into the river
Lochy, which runs into Loch Eil, a branch of the Atlan-
tic, at Fort- William.
The SOIL in some places is excellent, especially in
Glenspean ; but very little has been done in the way of
husbandry, the hills and glens affording superior pasture,
and being ;ippropriated to sheep and black-cattle, which
engross the chief attention. Upwards of 100,000 sheep
are reared in the parish every year. Two of the sheep-
farms exceed 100 square miles in extent; and the stock
reared supplies large quantities of valuable wool, pur-
chased by staplers from England, and from Glasgow and
Aberdeen. Very few agricultural improvements have
been attempted ; but the large number of acres of supe-
rior land in Glenspean alone, capable of the highest cul-
tivation, offers a temptation to wealthy proprietors, and
might make an ample return for an outlay of capital.
The annual value of real property in the parish is
£12,745. The substrata consist chiefly of gneiss and
mica-slate, and occasionally enormous masses are to
be seen of protruding granite and of compact felspar
rocks. There is a plumbago-mine in Glengarry, but it
is not in operation. The only mansion of importance
is Glengarry House, the seat of Lord Ward, beautifully
situated on the margin of Loch Oich, erected shortly
after the demolition of the ancient castle of the same
name by order of the Duke of Cumberland. The roads
to Inverness and Edinburgh pass through the parish ;
and at High-Bridge is a fine bridge of three arches over
the Spean, built by General Wade. The chief traffic
consists in sheep, black-cattle, and wool, mostly disposed
of at the southern markets and in England ; and there
are salmon-fishings on the Garry, on Loch Oich, and on
the Lochy river. There are five annual fairs for the sale
of black-cattle and sheep, or for general business, respec-
tively held in June, July, September, October, and No-
vember.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Abertarff, synod of Glenelg, and in the patronage of John
Walker, Esq., of Lochtrieg : the minister's stipend is
£289, with an allowance of £70 per annum in lieu of
manse and glebe. Kilmonivaig church is a very plain
edifice, built about the year 1814. There are two mis-
sionaries in connexion with the Establishment, supported
by the Royal Bounty ; one officiates in the district of
Brae Lochaber, and in a district of the parish of Kilmalie,
alternately, and the other at three preaching stations in
the district of Glengarry. There is a chapel at Brae
Lochaber for Roman Catholics, who make about half of
Vol. II.— 49
the population of the parish. The parochial school
affords instruction in the usual branches ; the master
has a salary of £34, with £20 fees. There is also an
Assembly's school at Bunroy, another in Glengarry, and
a Society's school at Invergarry. The antiquities com-
prise the ruin of Inverlochy Castle, and a vitrified fort.
The parallel roads of Glenroy are highly celebrated, and
have exercised the ingenuity of antiquaries in the attempt
to account for their formation. They are situated in
Glenroy, a tract eleven miles in length and one mile in
breadth, skirted with tolerably steep banks, on which
are the terraces or roads, three in number on each side
of the glen, and composed of gravel and clay. The
roads are quite level, and exactly parallel with each
other, varying from sixty to seventy feet in breadth, and
accommodating themselves, throughout the whole extent
of the glen, to the curvatures and windings of the moun-
tains on each side. Imperfect terraces of a similar kind
have been traced in some of the neighbouring glens.
The prevailing opinion with regard to the origin of the
Glenroy roads is, that they are deposits from the adjacent
heights, brought down at three different periods, when
the valley was a lake. It is thought that the loose ma-
terials carried down by floods met with a check when
they reached the waters, and thus formed the highest
road ; that the lake afterwards was partially drained,
which allowed of the formation of the second road ; and
that the third was subsequently made, in a similar man-
ner. Ian Lom, the Jacobite Gaelic poet, well known in
the era of the rebellion, resided in the parish.
KILMORACK, a parish, in the county of Inver-
ness, 11 miles (W.) from Inverness; containing, with
the village of Beauly, 2694 inhabitants. The church of
Kilmorack, a Gaelic term meaning literally " the church
of Mary ", was dedicated, like so many other churches,
to the Blessed Virgin. The parish is of great extent, and
chiefly a sylvan and pastoral district. It is partly
situated on the northern bank of the Beauly river, by
which it is separated from the parish of Kiltarlity ; while
in the opposite direction it reaches to the southern con-
fines of the county of Ross. The surface is richly diver-
sified, and the scenery in several places exquisitely beau-
tiful, consisting of hill and mountain covered with pas-
ture and wood, and rural valleys, well-cultivated tracts,
and rivers and lochs. The western portion of the parish
is exceedingly wild and mountainous, and indebted for
its imposingcharacter principally to the three great glens
of Strath-Glass, Glen-Farrar, and Glen-Cannich, which
are named from the several streams that run through
them and contribute to form the principal river, the
Beauly. This river, in its course through that part of the
eastern division of Kilmorack called Dhruim, which ex-
tends two or three miles west of the church, passes be-
tween ranges of lofty mountains covered with birch and
fir ; its banks are fringed with oak, alder, and weeping-
birch, and it here presents numerous cascades, falling over
broken sandstone rocks, especially at the farm of Tea-
nassie. Its finest display, however, is about two miles
west of the village, where a splendid cataract called the
Falls of Kilmorack is formed by the stream dashing over
a succession of precipitous rocks. The river joins Loch
Beauly at the eastern extremity of the parish, having
gently glided along the southern boundary of Kilmorack,
through a large open plain. The parish contains a num-
ber of inland lakes ; the chief are Loch Monar and Loch
H
K ILM
K ILM
Moyley, situated among the remains of an extensive
pine-forest, and seldom surpassed in striking scenery.
The mountain of Maum-Soule, on the south side of Loch
Moyley, is distinguished for its summit of perpetual
snow, which, even in the hottest summer weather, yields
but very slightly to the rays of the sun. In one part of
Glen-Farrar is Loch Muilie, containing an island where,
it is said. Lord Lovat found a retreat after the defeat at
Culloden, and on which the present proprietor has
erected a shooting-box, the neighbouring hills and
mountains abounding with grouse, partridges, and almost
every kind of game. Four or five miles westward is the
mountain of Scour-na-lapich, almost as high as Ben-
Nevis, and about two miles north of which is Loch
Monar, where there is an excellent fishing-station, which
is frequently resorted to by those fond of the sport. In
general the lochs are well stocked with various kinds of
trout and pike, the latter of which are sometimes found
also in the Beauly : this river is distinguished for its
salmon, grilse, and trout, the fishery of which is rented
at £1600 per annum.
The parish belongs to Lord Lovat and The Chisholm
of Chisholm ; but from its great size, and the different
situations of the farms, pastures, and woods, no correct
estimate of the extent has been made. Many thousands
of acres are under natural wood and in plantations, which
are managed with great care, and annually thinned ; the
firs are usually sold for railway sleepers, and the birch
made into staves for barrels. The upper part of the
parish is more particularly pastoral, and the little atten-
tion paid to tillage is merely for the supply of domestic
wants. The Lovat property is supposed to contain about
2000 arable acres, and the Chisholm 900 ; and the farms,
some of which have been united within the last few years,
to the exclusion of a considerable part of the population,
many of whom have emigrated, are now remarkably well
cultivated : they are subject to the five-shift rotation,
producing wheat, barley, oats, and the usual green crops.
Numerous improvements have been introduced, com-
prising the use of lime, and bone-dust for manure ; and
draining, also, is making progress ; this is much re-
quired in some parts, as the soil, though it consists to a
great extent of rich loamy, sandy, clayey, and gravelly
earth, is frequently heavy and wet. There are few in-
closures ; and the farm-t)uildings are in general in-
different, the want of capital on the part of the tenant
being an obstacle to more extensive advancement. The
sheep, which traverse the pastures in very large flocks,
are of many different breeds ; but those most common
are the Cheviot and the black-faced. The rocks in the
district comprehend gneiss ; inferior red sandstone, which
is quarried ; and conglomerate. A lead-mine was opened
some years since on the Lovat projjcrty ; but the ope-
rations having been found dillicuit, and the material of
inferior quality, it is no longer worked. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £9y:il.
The only village is that of Beauly (which see), plea-
santly situated at the eastern extremity of the parish.
Its buildings are of some extent, and iir the principal
street, the houses of which are slated, are some good
shops, a post-office for the surrounding district, and a
branch bank of the North of Scotland Hanking Ci)in|)any,
lately established. Here is a small harbour formed by
the river licauly, which expands at the village into the
basin called Loch Beauly, communicating with the Moray
50
Firth. Two small vessels belong to the place ; and it is
visited by many others, chiefly from Inverness, Leith,
Glasgow, and Liverpool : coal, lime, and various other
articles are imported, and the vessels take in return,
among other produce, cargoes of timber, many thousands
of trees being annually cut down in the woods around.
A parliamentary road runs through the whole of the pa-
rish. A handsome bridge of five arches was some time
since erected over the Farrar ; and one was built across
the Beauly in 1810, at a cost of nearly £10,000. The
largest cattle-fairs in the north of Scotland are held on
the Muir of Ord, and attended by dealers from every
part of Scotland, particularly the south, on the third
Wednesday in April, the second Wednesdays in May
and June, the third Thursday in July, the third Tues-
days in August, September, and October, and second
Wednesday in November. There are also four annual
fairs in the village of Beauly, in May, August, October,
and November, the two last for the sale of country pro-
duce, and that in August for engaging shearers ; but
these fairs are ill attended.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Dingwall, synod of Ross, and in the patronage of Pro-
fessor Scott, of King's College, Aberdeen, to whom the
presentation has been transferred by Lord Lovat. The
minister's stipend is £244, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £8 per annum. Kilmorack church is conve-
niently situated a few miles from the eastern boundary j
it was enlarged in 1"S6, and lately new-seated, and now
contains 506 sittings. A missionary, supported by the
Royal Bounty, divides his services between this and the
adjoining parish of Kiltarlity ; and some of the inhabit-
ants attend a church in the latter parish, built a few
years since by the late Chisholm on his own property,
and which accommodates 300 persons. For the conve-
nience of the two parishes there are also two Roman
Catholic chapels, one situated at Wester Eskadale, and
the other not far from the house of Fasnacoil, together
accommodating about .500 persons. Kilmorack paro-
chial school affords instruction in English and Gaelic
reading, the classics, algebra, and mathematics, in addi-
tion to other branches ; the master has a salary of
£25. 13., with a house and garden, and £24 fees. A
school, also, is supported by The Chisholm ; and the in-
habitants enjoy the advantages of two schools belonging
to the adjoining parish. There are remains of several
Druidical temples, and a chain of walled structures along
the course of the Beauly and the other streams ; but the
principal antiquity is the ruin of the priory of Beauly.
This establishment was founded in 1230 by James Bisset,
of Lovat, for mcmks of the order of Valliscaulium, a
reformed branch of the Cistercians, and followers of the
discipline of St. Bennet, who were brought into Scotland
by Malvoison, Bishoj) of St. Andrew's, early in the
thirteenth century. There are no traces, however, of
turrets, or any kind of ornament ; and the inclosed area
is merely covered with tombstones, many of them with-
out letters, and the earliest inscription dated 300 years
after the foundation of the priory. The north aisle is
the property of the Mackenzies of Gairloch ; and Sir
Kenneth Mackenzie, eighth laird of Kintuil, who died in
149.J, is represented t)y the elligy, in a recumbent pos-
ture, of a knight in full armour, under an arched canopy.
The other portions consist of the burying-grounds of the
chief branches of the clan Fraser, of the Chisholnis, ond
K 1 L M
K I LM
others. Farquharson, a collector of Gaelic poetry, and
conspicuous iu the controversy concerning the poems of
Ossian, resided for upwards of thirty years in the Strath-
Glass district, in the capacity of Jesuit missionary.
KILMORE, county Argyll. — See Kilninian.
KILMORE and KILBRIDE, a parish, in the district
of Lorn, county of Argyll, 3i miles (S. by E.) from
Oban ; containing, with the island of Kerera, and the
former quoad sacra district of Oban, 2773 inhabitants.
These two ancient parishes, which appear to have been
united soon after the Reformation, are supposed to have
derived their names, of Gaelic origin, from the dedication
of their churches respectively to the Virgin Mary and
St. Bridget. The early history of the place is involved
in great obscurity, referring to a period of remote an-
tiquity, of which few authentic records have been pre-
served. DuNSTAFFNAGE CASTLE, of which neither the
name of its founder nor the date of its erection is known,
seems to have been either the seat of government, or the
occasional residence, of the Pictish kings, till their sub-
jugation by Kenneth Mc Alpine, who about the year 834
finally established the Scottish monarchy. In this castle,
which Kenneth for a time made his chief seat, was pre-
served the celebrated stone whereon the kings of Scot-
land were crowned, till its removal to the abbey of Scone
by Mc Alpine, who in 843 transferred the place of govern-
ment to Forteviot, in the county of Perth, where he died.
Alexander II., King of Scotland, having assembled a fleet
in the bay of Oban, in order to exact from Angus, Lord
of Argyll, that homage for his territories which the lords
of Argyll had previously paid to the kings of Norway,
was seized with a fever, of which he died in the island of
Kerera in July 1249. In 1305, Robert Bruce, having
defeated the Mc Dougals at the pass of Loch Awe, laid
waste the lands of Argyll, and besieged the castle of
Dunstaffnage, which he reduced, and garrisoned with his
own forces. In 1436, the castle, and the lands belonging
to it, were granted by James II. to Dugald, son of Colin,
Knight of Lochawe, in whose descendants, as " Captains
of Dunstaffnage ", they have remained till the present
time. The castle was maintained as the principal strong-
hold of the Campbells, and, in the rebellions of 1715 and
1745, was garrisoned by the royal troops. The remains
of this ancient palace are situated on a rock washed on
the west by the Atlantic, and on the north skirted by
Loch Etive. They consist chiefly of the walls, inclosing
a quadrangle defended at three sides of the angles with
circular towers. On three sides, the building is little more
than a ruin ; on the fourth, it is in tolerable preserva-
tion. A commodious tenement has been erected as a
residence for the steward of the Duke of Argyll, who is
hereditary keeper ; and near it are the remains of a
small roofless chapel of elegant design, in which many
of the kings of Scotland are interred, and of which the
cemetery is still used as a burying-place by the inhabit-
ants of Oban. Some remains also exist of Gylen Castle,
one of the strongholds of the Mc Dougals, romantically
situated on a rocky promontory in Kerera : in 1647 the
castle was besieged and taken by the forces under Ge-
neral Leslie.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by Loch Etive,
on the south by Loch Feochan, and on the west by the
sound of Mull. It is twelve miles in length and nearly
nine in breadth, but the number of acres has not been
ascertained. The surface is diversified with hills of
51
moderate elevation, and with valleys which are fertile
and in good cultivation. There are several lakes in the
parish, exclusively of the salt-water lochs that form
its boundaries : the largest lake is Loch Nell, abounding
with trout ; and in the river issuing from it are found
salmon. The coast is indented with numerous bays, of
which those of Oban and Dunstaffnage are excellent
harbours ; and in the north of the sound of Kerera is
the Horse-shoe bay, which also forms a good harbour.
The island of Kerera, inclosing the bay of Oban on the
west, is about three miles in length and nearly two in
breadth. The soil of the parish is in general light and
sandy, and there are some extensive tracts of moss, of
which considerable portions might be reclaimed ; the
chief crops are barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips. The
system of agriculture has been much improved ; and
great attention is paid to the rearing of live stock, for
which the hills afford good pasture. The cattle are of
the West Highland breed, with the exception of some
Ayrshire cows kept in a few places ; the sheep are the
black-faced, with some South -Downs on one of the
farms. Freestone of superior quality, and slate, are
found in abundance ; and on the lands of Gallanach are
quarries in operation. There are several fishing-stations,
chiefly for salmon and trout; and herrings are frequently
taken in Loch Etive and Loch Feochan : shell-fish are
found on the shores, and various kinds of white-fish off
the coast. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish is £8744.
Dunolly Castle, the ancient seat of the lords of Lorn,
became forfeited together with the lands on the rebellion
of 1715 ; but the property was subsequently restored by
the crown to Alexander, grandfather of the existing pro-
prietor, Capt. John Mc Dougal, R. N. The present family
mansion is situated beneath the romantic ruins of the
old castle, on the border of Loch Etive, about a mile from
Oban : the principal remains of the castle are the keep and
some portions of other buildings, overgrown with ivy. In
the grounds is an upright pillar called the Dog's Pillar,
said to have been used by Fingal for fastening his dog
Bran. Many ancient relics are preserved in the house,
among which is the brooch of Robert Bruce, taken by
Allaster Mc Dougal from the owner, whom he had de-
feated at the battle of Dalree, near Tyndrum, and which,
after passing through various hands, was purchased by
General Duncan Campbell of Lochnell, who in 1826
restored it to the proprietor of Dunolly. Fairs are held
four times a year in Kilmore, but they are not well at-
tended. Facility of communication is afforded by good
roads, and by ferries at Oban, Dunstaffnage, Kerera,
and other places, and by a ferry to the island of Mull.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Lorn and synod of Argyll.
The minister's stipend is £249. 8., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £40 per annum : patron, the Duke of
Argyll. Kilmore church was erected about 1490, and
contains 350 sittings; the church of Kilbride, of a later
date, contains 300 sittings. Divine service is performed
in each on alternate Sundays. A church has also been
erected at Oban, where are likewise places of worship
for dissenters. There are two parochial schools, one at
Kilmore, and the other in the island of Kerera ; the
master of the former has a salary of £25, with fees
averaging £10, and the master of the latter a salary of
£21, with £6 fees : both have houses and gardens.
H2
KIL M
K I L M
KILMORIE, a parish, in the isle of Arran, county
of Bute, 24 miles (S. W. by W.) from Saltcoats; con-
taining 3455 inhabitants. This place, which occupies
the western portion of Arran, and derives its name from
the dedication of its ancient church to the Virgin Mary,
is in all its historical details identified with the parish
of Kilbride, which occupies the eastern portion of the
island. Kilmorie is bounded on the south by the Firth
of Clyde, and on the west by the sound of Kilbrandon,
which separates it from Cantyre, and is from six to ten
miles wide. It extends from Largybeg Point, in the south-
east, to Loch Ranza in the north-west, and is thirty miles
in length and six miles in breadth, comprising an area of
nearly 93,000 acres, of which 8300 are arable, and the
remainder hill pasture and waste. The surface is gene-
rally mountainous, and diversified with hills interspersed
with deep and narrow glens ; the lands are watered by
numerous rivulets descending from the heights, and
some of the rivulets are of great rapidity, forming in
their course a variety of beautiful cascades, of which the
falls of Essmore and Esscumhan are the most promi-
nent. The highest of the mountains is Beinn-Bharf-
hionn, or " the white-topped mountain", so called from
its summit being usually covered with snow, and which
has an elevation of more than 3000 feet above the level
of the sea. There are several lakes in the parish, the
principal of which are Loch Tanna, about two miles,
and Loch lorsa, about one mile, in length ; they are
both very narrow ; the former abounds with trout, and
the latter with salmon. Trout are also found in the
rivulets, all of which afford good sport to the angler.
The SEA-COAST, more than thirty miles in extent, is
generally bold and rocky. The chief headlands are
Dippen Point, Benan Head, Brown Head, and Drumi-
doon i and the bays are Pladda Sound, Drumidoon,
Machray, and Loch Ranza, the last-named situated at
the north-western extremity of the parish, and affording
safe anchorage for vessels. Opposite to Kildonan, in
the sound, is the island of Pladda, on which a light-
house was erected in 1800, and another, of greater ele-
vation, in 18'26, both exhibiting fi.ved lights, visible at a
distance of five leagues. Fish of various kinds are taken
off' the coast ; the chief are liaddock, whiting, mackerel,
and cod. Ling and turbot are found towards the south ;
lobsters and crabs are caught in abundance near Kildo-
nan, for the Glasgow market ; and off the northern
coast, the herring-fishery is carried on with considerable
profit by the inhabitants. The rocks arc indented with
numerous caverns, one of which, at Drumidoon, called
the King's Cave, was for some time the retreat of Robert
Bruce, during his reverse of fortune, when contending
for the throne. This cavern is 114 feet long, forty-four
feet broad, and forty-seven and a half in height ; and at
the upper end is a hunting-scene rudely sketched in the
rock, said to have been done by that monarch while in
concealment.
The SOIL varies in different parts of the parish : near
the shore, it is sandy and gravelly; towards the interior,
clayey; and in the vicinity of the hills, mostly moss ;
while the valleys, along the banks of the rivers, are
generally a loam. The arable lands in the vale o*' Shis-
ken and near the sea-coast are usindly fertile, and in
good cultivation; the crops are wheat, oats, barley,
potatoes, and the various grasses. Within the last few
years the system of husbandry has been greatly bettered ;
52
the lands have been drained, and inclosed with hedges
of thorn ; and the farm buildings and offices are now sub-
stantial and well arranged. The cattle, formerly a mix-
ture of the Galloway, Ayrshire, and Argyllshire breeds,
are gradually improving under a more careful manage-
ment ; and the native breed of sheep, supposed to have
been originally Norwegian, has been exchanged for the
black-faced and for Cheviots. The moors abound with
black game, and grouse are found in profusion ; but
since the destruction of the ancient forests, the roe, the
wild-boar, and other animals of the chase have disap-
peared, with the exception of a few red deer in Glen
lorsa. There are still some small remains of old wood ;
and plantations have been formed upon a moderate
scale, which are in a thriving state. The rocks present
a great variety, and afford a deeply-interesting field for
the geological student : there are granite, mica and clay
slate, conglomerate, trap, sandstone, &c., and a number
of minerals. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £6S06. There is a shooting-lodge at Dugh-
aridh, about a mile below Loch lorsa. The only village
is Shisken, and this is but inconsiderable ; at Shedog is
a grain-mill, and there is a mill for lint and wool at
Burican. About ninety boats are engaged in the her-
ring-fishery, which are of the burthen of four tons and
a half on an average, each having a crew of three men.
Fairs are held at Shedog in November and December,
and a fair, chiefly for horses, at Lag about the third
week in November. The nearest post-offices are at
Brodick and Lamlash, in the parish of Kilbride. Fa-
cility of communication is maintained by the turnpike-
roads to Brodick and Lamlash, and by packet-boats
from Southend to Ayr, and from Blackwater to Camp-
belltown.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Cantyre and synod of
Argyll. The minister's stipend is £237, with a manse
and glebe valued together at £28 per annum ; patron,
the Duke of Hamilton. Kilmorie parish church, rebuilt
on the original site in 1*85, and enlarged in 1824, is a
neat structure containing 832 sittings. A church at
Shisken was rebuilt in 1805, at a cost of £"00, raised by
subscription, and contains 640 sittings : divine service
is performed every third Sunday by the minister of the
parish. The church at Loch Ranza, noticed in the
account of Kilbride, is open to the inhabitants of both
parishes. The members of the Free Church have a
place of worship at the southern extremity of the parish.
There are three parochial schools, situated respectively
at Kilmorie, Shisken, and Imachar ; the masters of the
two first have salaries of £17. 10. and £15 respectively,
with a house and garden and some land, and the master
at Imachar has a salary of £5. 16.: the fees in the
aggregate do not average above £10. There is also a
school at Loch Ranza, common to both parishes. The
principal relics of antiquity are, the ruins of Danish
forts, Druidical monuments, obelisks of unhewn stone,
cairns, and tumuli, which last are scattered in jjrofusion
over the whole island. On the lands of Drumidoon are
the remains of a large fortress called the Doon, in front
of which the cliffs rise perpendicularly from the sea to a
height of 300 feet. Around the summit of the hill,
which has a steep declivity towards the land, is a wall
of dry sUnics, inclosing a k-vcl area of several acres, in
which are the ruins of various rude buildings ; the walls
KI LM
KILM
have been partly removed for the sake of the materials,
but the gateway is still plainly to be seen. The largest
of the cairns in the parish is Black water- Foot, originally
200 feet in diameter at the base, but of which a great
part has been used for building. To the north of it is
a tumulus where Fingal is said to have held his courts
of justice. There are also vestiges of numerous ancient
chapels; and in the burying-ground at Shisken is the
grave of St. Molios, who removed from the isle of Lam-
lash, and ended his days here. The Rev. William Shaw,
author of the first Gaelic grammar and dictionary ever
published, was a native of the parish ; he was favoured
in his diflicult undertaking by the patronage and advice
of Dr. Johnson and the then Earl of Eglinton.
KILMUIR, a parish, in the Isle of Skye, county
of Inverness, 18 miles (N. by W.) from Portree; con-
taining, with nearly all of the quoad sacra parish of
SteinschoU, 362.5 inhabitants. This place, which forms
the northern e.xtremity of the Isle of Skye, derived its
name from the dedication of its church to the Virgin
Mary. Its early history is involved in great obscurity ;
but it is generally supposed to have been inhabited, in
common with the adjacent districts, by the ancient
Caledonians, or the Picts, and subsequently by a colony
of Norwegians, whom the tyranny of Harold Harfager,
their king, induced to quit their native country and to
settle here. From this and the surrounding islands the
settlers made frequent piratical incursions upon the
coast of Norway. For the suppression of these, the
king, in concert with his allies, assembled a powerful
fleet, which he sent against his revolted subjects ; and
he ultimately succeeded in annexing the islands to the
crown of Norway. After the defeat of the Norwegians
in the battle of Largs, by Alexander III., the Western
Isles were ceded to the kingdom of Scotland, but were
still under the government of the lords of the Isles, who
exercised a kind of sovereignty independent of the crown.
Of these chieftains the most important were the Mac-
donalds, descendants of Somerled, Lord of Argyll, be-
tween whom and the Macleods of Dunvegan, and other
clans, feuds prevailed to such an extent as to induce
James v., in 1540, to arm a fleet to reduce them to sub-
jection. The king in person visited the different islands
of the Hebrides, and in the parish of Kilmuir was met by
a number of chiefs who claimed relationship with the lords
of the Isles. In 1 " 1 5, Sir Donald Macdonald sent a strong
body of his vassals from this and neighbouring parishes
to the battle of Sheriffrauir ; but neither he nor Mac-
leod of Dunvegan could be prevailed upon to join the
forces of the Young Pretender at the battle of CuUoden.
Of this family was the heroic Flora Macdonald, who, in
the disguise of a servant, conducted Prince Charles from
Long Island to Monkstadt, in this parish, and was sent
as a prisoner to the Tower of London, from which, how-
ever, she was released at the intercession of Frederick,
Prince of Wales. Her remains were interred in the
burying-ground of Kilmuir.
The PARISH is bounded on the north, east, and west
by the sea, and on the south by the parish of Snizort.
It is about sixteen miles in length, varying from six to
ten miles in breadth, and comprising about 30,000 acres,
of which 5000 are arable, nearly the same quantity mea-
dow and pasture, and the remainder chiefly moorland,
hill pasture, and waste. The surface is intersected by
a range of hills, the highest of which has an elevation
53
of 1200 feet above the level of the sea; and there are
several smaller hills, covered with verdure, and of pic-
turesque appearance. Within the bosom of a moun-
tainous height, of precipitous acclivity on the west, and
on the north-east inaccessible on account of rugged
rocks and masses of columnar basalt, is a fertile plain
of singular beauty, designated Quiraing, of sufficient
extent to afford standing-room to 4000 head of cattle,
and which was formerly resorted to as a place of safety
in times of danger. The coast is indented with nu-
merous bays, the principal of which are Cammusmore,
Duntulm, Kilmaluag, and Altivaig ; but Duntulm alone
affords safe anchorage. The chief islands off the coa.st
are lasgair or Yesker, Fladdachuain, Tulm, Trodda, Al-
tivaig, and Fladda : of these, Fladdachuain, about three-
quarters of a mile in length and 300 yards in breadth,
was the site of a Druidical temple. The isles are unin-
habited, affording only pasture for cattle. There are
some small lakes, in which black and yellow trout are
found : one lake has been lately drained, and converted
into good arable ground.
The land in cultivation is principally a tract about
two miles in breadth, along the shores; and the soil in
that part is tolerably fertile : the system of husbandry,
however, is still in a very imperfect state. The chief crops
produced are oats and potatoes. In general the sheep
reared in the pastures are of the black-faced, Cheviot,
and small Highland breeds ; the cattle are of the High-
land breed, with the exception of a few milch-cows
of the Ayrshire. There is no village of any importance:
a post-office, under that of Portree, has been established,
from which letters are conveyed to the Kilmaluag and
SteinschoU districts by a private runner. A road along
the south-east boundary of the parish was opened about
the year 1830, and is kept in repair by statute labour.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Skye, synod of Glenelg. The minister's
stipend is £158. 6. 8., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £10 per annum ; patron, the Crown. Kilmuir church
was built in 1810, and contains 700 sittings. The pa-
rochial school is well attended ; the master has a salary
of £30, with a house and garden, and the fees average
£3 per annum. There is also a school, the master of
which has a salary of £15, with a house and a portion
of land, supported by the Society for Propagating Chris-
tian Knowledge ; and another school is maintained by
the Gaelic School Society. In the parish are some in-
teresting remains of the once magnificent castle of Dun-
tulm, the ancient residence of the Macdonalds, situated
on a lofty rock overlooking the bay of that name. There
are also vestiges of Culdee cells, and numerous remains
of ancient forts supposed to be chiefly Danish.
KILMUIR EASTER, a parish, in the county of
Ross and Cromarty, 6 miles (S. S. W.) from Tain ;
containing, with the villages of Barbaraville, Milntown,
and Portlich, 1486 inhabitants, of whom 1023 are in the
rural districts of the parish. This place, which is situ-
ated on the shore of the Firth of Cromarty, derives its
name from the dedication of its ancient church to the
Virgin Mary ; and the adjunct by which it is distin-
guished, from its relative position with reference to the
parish of Kilmuir in the district of Wester Ross. The
lands formed part of the ample possessions of the Earls
of Cromarty, of whom George, first earl, obtained the
privilege of erecting bis estates in this parish, and in
K I L M
KILN
the adjacent parts of Ross, into a separate county, called
after bim Cromarty. These estates became forfeited to
the crown on the attainder of George, third earl, for his
participation in the rebellion of 1/45; and the baronial
mansion, Tarbat House, which had been the family re-
sidence, was suffered to fall into a state of neglect and
dilapidation. The forfeited estates were, however, re-
stored, in 17S4, to the late Lord Macleod, son of the
last earl, who erected the present house of Tarbat, and
extended and improved the ancient demesne, which was
one of the most splendid and magnificent in the country;
and the lands of Kilmuir are now the property of his
descendant, the Marchioness of Stafford, the principal
landed proprietor.
The PARISH is bounded on the south by the Firth,
and is about ten miles in extreme length and four miles
in breadth, comprising 21, .500 acres, of which 3500 are
arable, 5600 woodland and plantations, and the re-
mainder meadow, pasture, and moorland. Near the
shore the surface is generally level ; in other parts, di-
versified with rising grounds ; and towards the north,
skirted by a range of hills of moderate elevation, culti-
vated nearly to their summits. The Balnagown, a small
stream, after bounding the parish on the north-east,
flows into the Firth of Cromarty ; it contains trout, and
salmon of small size are sometimes found in its waters.
From the higher grounds are obtained e.\tensive views of
the Moray Firth and country adjacent, which are seen
with beautiful effect in the opening between the rocks
called the Souters, at the entrance of the bay of Cro-
marty, in wliich the ships passing and repassing form
an interesting feature in the landscape. The scenery of
the parish is enriched with wood, and enhvened with
the highly-ornamented grounds of Tarbat House and
other handsome mansions ; it is generally pleasing, and
in some parts strikingly picturesque. The coast, how-
ever, is flat and sandy ; and at low water, the bay, which
is here from three to four miles in breadth, is almost
dry, and is fordable to the opposite coast of Nigg, but
full of quicksands. The sands on the sea-shore abound
with cockles and muscles of fine quality ; and there are
some oyster-beds, which arc tolerably productive.
In this parish the soil is various ; in most of the low
lands, of a light gravelly quality, which has been greatly
improved by careful management; in the higher lands,
principally moor ; and iu others, alternated with tracts
of moss. The crops raised are oats, wheat, barley, po-
tatoes, turnips, peas, and beans. The system of hus-
bandry has been steadily improving ; the lands have
been partly drained and inclosed, and the farm-buildings
generally are substantial and commodious. The sheep,
of which more than 2000 are pastured, are of the black-
faced, Cheviot, and Leicestershire breeds ; the cattle, of
which about 1000 are fed in the parish, are likewise of
different kinds. A considerable number of swine are
also reared. Butter and cheese are made. There are
still some very interesting remains of natural wood,
though, during the continuance of the forfeiture, vast
quantities of timber were cut down in the grounds of
Tarbat House. On that demesne is a fine grove of
venerable and stately trees ; and on the estate of Balna-
gown is a 8|)lendid avenue of oak, elm, birch, and chcs-
nut,all of ancient and majestic growth. The ijlantutlons
con.sist chiefly of larch and Scotch fir. The sulistratu
in the parish are principally red and white sandstone.
54
White freestone of fine texture, resembling the Craig-
leith stone, and susceptible of a high polish, is quarried
at Kenrive, on the lands of Kindace ; and there are also
several quarries of red sandstone, but of inferior quality.
The annual value of real property in Kilmuir is returned
at £3391.
Tarbat House, on the shore of the Firth, the property
of the Marchioness of Stafford, is a commodious struc-
ture, beautifully situated in an extensive and richly-em-
bellished demesne, and greatly improved since the date
of its erection. Within the grounds are some remains
of the old castle, the seat of the Earls of Cromarty.
The plantations have been extended, and the place is
rapidly recovering its ancient magnificence. Balnagown
Castle, the seat of Sir Charles W. A. Ross, Bart., is an
old structure, originally the residence of the Earls of
Ross, and much improved by the present proprietor,
who has erected some additions in a very elegant style ;
it is seated in a demesne adorned with stately timber,
and commanding an extensive view over the surrounding
country. Milnmount House, near the village of Miln-
town, was pulled down in the year 1845. Kindace
House, in the upper part of the parish, and Rhives, are
both handsome mansions. The villages of Barbaraville,
Milntown, and Portlich are separately described. At
Parkhill, in the village of Milntown, is a post-office,
which has a daily delivery ; and facility of communi-
cation is maintained by the high road from Tain to In-
verness, and other good roads that intersect the parish.
At Balintraid, on the shore of the Firth, is a small har-
bour affording accommodation for vessels from Leith
and Aberdeen, and others, which bring supplies of coal
and various kinds of goods ; and considerable quantities
of grain from Easter Ross, and fir timber for the use of
the collieries, are shipped from the pier. Ecclesiastically
the parish is within the limits of the presbytery of Tain
and synod of Ross. The minister's stipend is about
£180, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £12 per an-
num ; patron, the Marchioness of Stafford. Kilmuir
church, erected in 1798, is a substantial structure contain-
ing 900 sittings ; at the east end is a round tower, used
as a belfry, on which is the date I6l6. The members
of the Free Church have a place of worship about a
mile from the parish church. The parochial school
affords instruction to more than sixty children ; the
master has a salary of £32, with a house, and £2 in lieu
of garden, and the fees average about £12 per annum.
On a small hill covered with wood, on the lands of Kin-
dace, were the remains of a Druidical circle, of which
the stones were removed some years since by the farmer,
to afford materials for building a dyke. The hill of
Kenrive, on the same property, is supposed to have been
so called from a king who was killed iu a battle near
the spot, and over whose remains was reared the large
cairn that crowns the eminence.
KILMUIR WESTER, Ross-shire.— See Knock-
bain.
KILMUN, county of Argyll. — See Dunoon.
KILNINIAN and KILMORE, a parish, in the dis-
trict of Mull, county of Argyll ; comprising the quoad
sacra districts of Tobermory and Ulva, and part of Sa-
len ; and containing 43,'55 inhabitants. These two an-
cient parishes, now united, and the names of which
rcs[)cctively express to whom the churches were dedi-
cated, chiefly occupy the north-western part of the island
KILN
KILN
of Mull. To speak more particularly, the parish consists
partly of a peninsula, separated from the southern por-
tion of the island by an isthmus formed by the sound of
Mull on the east, and by the estuary called Loch-nan-
gaul, a large bay of the Atlantic Ocean, on the west ;
and partly of two groups of islands. Of these groups,
one comprehends Ulva, Goraetray, Little Colonsay, and
Staffa, situated in the entrance of Loch-nan-gaul ; while
the other group, called theTreshinish Isles, comprehends
Fladda, Lunga, Bachd or the Dutchman's Cap, and the
two Cairnburghs, and lies a little further to the west.
Exclusive of the islands, the parish is supposed to cover
about 150 or l60 square miles ; and the whole number
of acres, including the islands, is computed at 90,000 or
100,000, of which 15,000 are capable of tillage, 14,000
are under pasture, 1000 in plantation, and the remainder
hilly ground producing only coarse grass or moss. Loch
Sunart, a large arm of the Atlantic, washes the parish
on the north, separating Mull from the district of Ard-
namurchan, the headland of which is the western extre-
mity of the main land of Scotland, and is distinctly seen
from this locality, with the isles of Canna, Rum, Eigg,
and Muck, farther north. The Sound of Mull separates
the parish on the east from that of Morvern, and the
Atlantic washes it on the west, the most violent gales
here known proceeding from this and the south-west
points. The coast is much varied in its outline, but
without exhibiting any remarkable indentations, except
on the north-west, where a long narrow inlet forms a
partial division of the Kilmore district of the united pa-
rish. On the eastern shore, where there is a flexure of
the sound of Mull, is the Bay of Aros, once protected by
an ancient castle of the same name, now in ruins, said
to have been built and inhabited by Mc Donald, Lord
of the Isles. There are also in ditferent parts of the
coast several small creeks, especially on the north side ;
comprising those of Laorin, Lochmingary, Pollach, and
Calgarry, the last of which opens towards Tiree. The
principal harbour, however, is the bay of Tobermory,
a bustling sea-port in the north-east.
Ulva, the largest of the islands, contains an area of
eighteen square miles, and is separated from Mull by
the sound of Ulva, which is about 100 yards wide, and
offers safe and convenient anchorage, as does also the
bay of ArdnacaUich, situated here. On the north of
Ulva, the bay of Soribi, and on the south, that of Cra-
kaig, afford good anchorage, especially the former, which
is sufficiently capacious for shipping of any tonnage.
The shores of Ulva are marked by many headlands, islets,
and rocks, several of them agreeably clothed with ver-
dure, and depastured by sheep and cattle. On the east
is the promontory of ArdnacaUich, or " Old Wife's point",
so named from the summit, which, as seen from a certain
point in sailing out of the sound of Ulva towards Inch-
kenneth or Gribon, resembles the head and face of a
woman, with the features distinctly pourtrayed. To-
wards the southern side of the island, near a cluster of
columns called the Castles, is an extensive and remark-
able cave, occupying an area of nearly 3500 square feet,
and displaying at its arched entrance and in the interior
a singular combination of natural beauties, many of the
portions assuming the character of a finished artificial
striicture. Not far distant, on the Ormaig shores, is
Chirsty's Rock, also called Sceair Caristina, from a tragical
event of ancient times. The basalt and wacken strata,
55
beautifully varied in many instances by mixtures of
zeolite, and sometimes phrenite and chalcedony, give a
peculiar interest to the geological character of the island ;
but its fine assemblage of basaltic columns attracts com-
paratively but little notice, being eclipsed by the sur-
passing compositions of the celebrated Staffa. Gometray,
situated on the west of Ulva, and separated only by a
very narrow channel, is of much smaller extent and im-
portance : attached to it, however, are two harbours,
one on the north, and the other on the south. The islet
of Colonsay, on the south of Ulva, is of still smaller size,
and contains but a few inhabitants.
Staffa, lying at some distance to the south-west, is
about a mile long and a quarter of a mile broad, and
totally uninhabited. This rocky spot, diminutive in
size, is, however, the centre of attraction to the tourist,
and in the grand assemblage and composition of its ba-
saltic columns and caves exhibits one of the most strik-
ing geological phenomena in the world. The name is
of Scandinavian origin, and signifies " the island of
columns". At its loftiest part the isle has an elevation
of 144 feet above the sea ; but in some places, especially
in the north, it is nearly level with the water, and to-
wards the west the cliffs are much depressed, and com-
paratively destitute of interest. What is called the great
face is at its highest point 112 feet above high-water
mark, but sinks towards the west, the extreme elevation
near Mackinnon's cave being only eighty-four feet. At
the Clamshell cave, also, the same appearance is exhibited,
the vertical cliffs being here displaced by an irregular
columnar declivity, beneath which the landing-place is
seen, in the midst of columns stretching in almost every
direction, and of various forms. The Boat cave, which
can be approached only by sea, is sixteen feet high,
twelve broad, and 150 feet long ; and Mackinnon s cave,
or the Cormorant, approached by a gravelly beach, is
fifty feet high at the entrance, forty-eight feet wide, and
224 feet long. There is also a celebrated rock called
Buachaille, or " the Herdsman", a columnar pile about
thirty feet high. But the chief point of interest is Fin-
gal's cave, which is forty-two feet wide at the entrance,
227 feet long, and measures, from the top of the arch
to the surface of the water at low tide, sixty-six feet.
The whole of this part of the island is supported by
ranges of basaltic colonnades, much diversified in appear-
ance. The columns along the sides of the cave are per-
pendicular, from two to four feet in diameter, and gene-
rally hexagonal and pentagonal in form, though often
varying from these geometrical figures. The shores of
all the islands attached to the parish, as well as those of
the Mull portion, afford a large supply of excellent fish,
especially about Ulva ; comprising skate, flounders, soles,
and turbot, with lobsters, crabs, and other shell-fish.
An almost incredible number of sea-fowl, also, and va-
rious migratory birds, frequent the district.
The surface of the Mull portion of the parish is hilly,
though no where assuming a mountainous appearance.
The eminences are mostly covered with heath ; but the
inland parts of the more level ground consist of good
pasture, interspersed with moss and heath, and along
the sea-shore is a considerable quantity of arable land.
The scenery is much improved by the lakes, which are
five in number, and supply good trout and pike, the for-
mer also and salmon being found in the rivers. The
soil is principally a light reddish earth, frequently mixed
KILN
KILN
with moss, and occasionally marshy, and lying under
water. That in Ulva, though sharp, is very fertile, and
produces good crops of oats aud bear. Wheat and peas
were tried in the island a few years since, and have suc-
ceeded far beyond expectation ; potatoes and turnips,
also, attain a great size. The grass-land in the parish
forms good nutritious pasture. Lime-shell sand, found
in abundance round the shores, and sea-weed, furnish
excellent manure; and from the sea-weed, about 100
tons of the best kelp are annually manufactured in Ulva.
The farms are small, and well fenced with stone dykes ;
every tenant in Ulva is the owner of at least one boat,
and has the privilege of feeding his horses and cattle,
which are numerous, on the hilly grounds. Leases have
recently been introduced ; and an allowance is now made
by the landowner of Ulva for the cultivation of every
acre of waste ground, in consequence of which many
improvements have taken place. A very great impedi-
ment, however, is found in the had condition of the
roads of the parish. The annual value of real property
in Kilninian and Kilmore, including the isles, is £7900.
The strictures of Dr. Johnson show that, when he visited
Ulva in his tour through the Hebrides, it was entirely
destitute of wood ; but plantations have since sprung up
in different parts, to the advantage of the scenery, and
others are in progress. These plantations, with the
other improvements already noticed, the recent intro-
duction of turnips and clover, and the encouragement of
the Cheviot breed of sheep, have produced a great
change in the aspect and the agricultural character of
the parish.
The most commanding mansion is a modern building
in the island of Ulva, situated in the midst of a large
park, and about 400 yards distant from the old mansion
of the Macquaries, the former owners of the property.
The picturesque beauties of the grounds, and the plan-
tations in the vicinity, greatly enrich the district; and
a fine view is obtained of the mountains of Mull, the
verdant islands in the sound of Ulva, and the striking
cataract of Esse-forse on Laggan Ulva. Other resi-
dences in the parish are, CoU House, near Tobermory,
an elegant modern structure ; Quinish Lodge, towards
the west ; the Retreat Cottage ; Morinish Castle, a small
neat modern building ; Achadashenag House ; and Tor-
loisk, surrounded by beautiful plantations, and com-
manding a fine view of the Treshinish islands. The chief
traffic is carried on at Tobermory, whence fine black-
cattle are exported in considerable numbers, as also
sheep, horses, pigs, potatoes, bear, and eggs, with a por-
tion of kelp ; and besides a variety of other merchandise,
oatmeal, seeds, corn, leather, and salt are imported, with
coal for the use of part of the population. There are
two quays ; and the town contains the post-office for
the surrounding district, a branch of the Western Bank,
and the court of the sheriff-substitute. It is also the
polling-place, at county elections, for the electors residing
in Mull, Ulva, lona, Tiree, Coll, and Morvern.
The parish is kcci.esiasticali.y in the presbytery of
Mull, synod of Argyll, and in the patronage of the Duke
of Argyll. The minister's stipend is £231, with an
allowance in lieu of a manse and glebe. There are two
churches, about seven miles distant from each other, one
situated in Kilninian, and containing ,300 sittings, and
the other in Kilmore, having 350 ; they were both erected
in 1754, and thoroughly repaired in 1842. In the year
56
1S27 two quoad sacra parishes were formed by the par-
liamentary commissioners, with a church and manse to
each ; and a part of the parish is comprised in the quoad
sacra parish of Salen. One of the two parishes, called
Ulva, consists of the islands of Ulva, Gometray, Little
Colonsay, Staffa, and a part of Mull ; covering about
sixty square miles. The other parish, named Tober-
mory, extends about six miles in length and nearly two
in breadth, comprehending about twelve square miles.
The parochial school is situated in the district that is
under the superintendence of the parish minister ; the
salary of the master is £25, with a house and garden,
and about £3 fees. There is also a school supported by
the General Assembly ; and others are maintained by
the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and
other societies. The Ulva district contains three schools ;
two are branches of the parochial school, and the other
is supported by the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge. One of these is on the main land of Mull,
and the remaining two in the island of Ulva. In the
Tobermory district is a school supported by government ;
and a female school of industry was maintained chiefly
by the Queen Dowager. Ruins of religious edifices are
to be seen in different places ; and on the height above
Kilmore is a Druidical circle, consisting of five large
stones. Cairnburgh, one of the Treshinish isles, a lofty
rock, was taken by Cromwell's troops in the time of the
Commonwealth, and was garrisoned by the Mc Leans in
1715. This, and the adjacent rock, called Little Cairn-
burgh, are said to have been the boundary between the
Nodorees and Sodorees, or Northern and Southern isles,
which formed two distinct governments when the He-
brides were subject to Denmark. — See Staffa, Tober-
mory, Ulva, &c.
KILNINVER and KILMELFORD, a parish, in the
district of Lorn, county of Argyll, 8 miles (S. by W.)
from Oban ; containing 896 inhabitants. The name of
the first of these two ancient parishes is formed from the
Gaelic words, kil, a " cell, chapel, or burying-place," and
inver, " the foot of the river or water," which are de-
scriptive of the situation of the ancient chapel or place
of sepulture. Kilmclforcl, corrupted from Kilnamaol-
phort, or Kilnameallphort, or perhaps Kilnameallard, is
also formed from two Gaelic words, signifying, as is
generally supposed, " the burial-ground of the smooth
or round bays", though some think the name means
" the promontory's bay". Each derivation of the name
is strictly applicable to a rocky point of land projecting
into the head of Loch Melford, and forming on cither
side two round bays. The parish, which covers about
twelve square miles, is situated on the sea, embracing a
line of shore fourteen miles in extent, marked bynumerous
inlets and bays affording convenient and safe anchorage.
Kilninver is washed on the north by Loch Feuchan, and .
Kilmelford on the south by Loch Melford, both of them
branches of the Atlantic Ocean, which also forms chan-
nels or sounds that bound the parish on the west side.
Loih FeuchiiH, separating Kilninver from the parish of
Kilbride (usually called Mid Lorn), is a Ixnmdary of the
parish for three miles ; it is about a mile broad, and the
depth is fifteen fathoms. Loch Melford is nearly four
miles long, about half as wide, and thirty-five fathoms
deep : the line of its northern shore, from the numerous
indentations and curvatures, forming many excellent
inlets and bays, measures not less than six miles.
KILN
KILN
On the western coast of the parish, for about five
miles, from the estuary of the Euchar to the sound of
Clachaii-Seil, is a spacious and beautiful bay, formed by
two lofty rocky promontories ; it has a clayey bottom,
and a fine smooth sandy beach. After this, and as far
northward as the sound of Clachan, the rugged nature
of the coast exposes shipping to great danger. The sound
of Clachan, which is a part of the western boundary of
Kilninver, is two miles long, and eighty feet broad, ex-
hibiting, on account of its smooth and straight course,
the appearance of a fine canal. It may be crossed in
some places at low water, and at all times by the ferry ;
but for greater convenience, a bridge has been thrown
over, consisting of one arch, seventy-two feet in spaa
and twenty-seven feet above the highest water-mark.
Under this bridge vessels of twenty tons' burthen can
pass with ease, and obtain good anchorage either at the
northern or southern end of the sound. The whole of
the coast supplies abundance of salmon, mackerel, tur-
bot, herrings, ling, haddock, skate, and a variety of other
fish ; and on the shores of the two lochs are found
oysters, lobsters, crabs, muscles, cockles, and welks.
The general surface of the parish is much diversified,
comprising high mountains, and hills and dales : it is in-
tersected by rivers, and ornamented with lakes, amidst a
great profusion of beautiful and interesting scenery : there
are also some tracts of level ground. The most lofty
eminence is Ben-Chapull, or "Mares' mountain", rising
about 1500 feet above the level of the sea, and command-
ing extensive and magnificent views to the west and north.
The other hills are comprehended in four different ranges,
which extend to the sea-coast. Glen-Euchar, taking its
name from the river that runs along it, and stretching
for about six miles through the Kilninver district from
east to west, confers much pleasing variety on the
scenery ; its elevations in rainy seasons afford fine pas-
ture, and the lower parts of the vale yield good crops of
corn and potatoes. Another strath, called the Braes of
Lorn, in the south, and parallel with Glen-Euchar,
though not so extensive or well cultivated, yet surpasses
it in the richness of its pasture, and is remarkable
also for its plentiful supply of limestone and of peat,
the latter forming the principal fuel. A tract in the
west of the parish, called Nether Lorn, extending about
three miles, and having in general a clayey soil, but
being in some parts loamy, on a sandy and slaty bottom,
is exceedingly rich and fertile, yielding potatoes, grain,
turnips, and fancy grasses.
The Euchar, the largest stream, which flows from
Loch Scamadale, after running westward for about two
miles, takes for the same distance a northern course,
and falls into the sea at Kilninver. It is swelled by
numerous tributary streams, and passes for the most
part between finely-wooded banks. About a mile from
the sea-shore, it flows through a deep rocky ravine, and
forms a waterfall, distinguished both for its strikingly
romantic scenery and as the resort of fine salmon : near
this spot, on the southern bank, stood the mansion of
the Mc Dougalls of Raray. The river Oude, which rises
in Loch Trallaig, and is nearly five miles in length, in
its course from north-east to south-west runs for two
miles through the braes of Lorn, in the parish of Kil-
ninver. About a mile from its junction with the sea at
the expansive bay north of the head of Loch Melford,
it traverses a locality crowded with grand and romantic
Vol. II.— 57
scenery, and crossed by the great road between Loch-
gilphead and Oban : the rocks in many places overhang
the road, and rise on each side several hundred feet high.
Of the various inland lakes, about twenty in number,
the largest is Locli Scamadale, measuring two miles in
length and half a mile in breadth. The water is twenty
fathoms deep ; and the beautiful scenery in the vicinity
is enlivened by tributary streams and mountain torrents,
which, in time of flood, pour with impetuosity and
deafening roar through the deep and narrow ravines
around. Loch Trallaig, more than a mile long and half
a mile broad, is situated in the braes of Lorn : near it,
at the base of a very lofty rock, is the school-house of
the district ; and on its northern side, a range of hills,
SOO feet high, forms a conspicuous and striking feature
in the scenery. Of the other lakes, that called Parson's
lake is distinguished for the wildness of the scenery in
its vicinity, for its beautifully-wooded island, and the
ruins of a castle or monastery containing twelve apart-
ments. All the lakes, as well as the rivers, contain fine
trout and perch, especially Line, or String, lake, in the
eastern quarter, in which the trout are said to surpass
all other trout in the county for size and flavour.
Near the rivers is a quantity of alluvial deposit on
clay or sand, and in other parts the soil exhibits se-
veral varieties : there are tracts of loamy, clayey, and
sandy earth. The husbandry approximates, as nearly as
is ijracticable, to that in the southern districts of the
country ; and the tenants of the Marquess of Breadal-
bane, who holds two-thirds of Kilninver, as well as the
proprietors who farm their own estates, are emulous to
promote every agricultural improvement. Cattle-shows
and ploughing-matches are annually held. The cattle
are chiefly of the native Highland breed, of which about
1200 are kept ; and there are 15,000 sheep. The rocks
on the coast are principally sandstone and slate, with
mixtures of whinstone ; and limestone abounds in the
hills that skirt the parish on the east and south-east.
The native trees comprise oak, ash, elm, alder, birch,
mountain-ash, and hazel ; the plantations consist of
Scotch fir, larch, spruce, plane, poplar, lime, beech, and
chesnut, and cover altogether a considerable portion of
ground. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £488<2. Melford and Glenmore are the only seats of
importance. The inhabitants, who have diminished in
number about 100 since the year 1831, are engaged in
agriculture, with the exception of those employed at a
large distillery, and in the salmon and herring fisheries.
There are two salmon-fisheries, one at the confluence of
the Euchar with Loch Feuchan, and the other at the
mouth of the Oude, producing together about £70 per
annum : the herring-fishery is carried on in Loch Mel-
ford, and supplies a large stock of fish for the parish and
surrounding district. About fourteen miles of public
road pass through the parish ; and important facilities
for exporting agricultural produce are afforded by the ex-
tent of sea-coast. A fair or market is held in May, and
another in November, for the hiring of servants.
The parish is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of
Lorn, synod of Argyll, and in the alternate presenta-
tion of the Duke of Argyll and the Marquess of Bread-
albane, the former as possessing the old patronage of Kil-
melford, and the latter that of Kilninver. The minister's
stipend is £166, with an allowance of £50 in lieu of a
manse ; the glebe, situated chiefly at Kilmelford, is valued
K I LP
KILP
at £20. 1 0. per annum. There is a church in each district,
kept in excellent order, and sharing alternately the minis-
try of the incumbent. That at Kilninver, built about 1793,
accommodates 450 persons ; and the edifice at Kilmel-
ford, distant from the former eight miles, seats 250.
The parochial school at Kilninver affords instruction in
the usual branches ; the master has a salary of £34,
with an allowance of £6. 8. in lieu of house and garden.
In the school at Kilmelford the same kind of instruction
is given ; the master receives a salary of £25, and the sum
of £4 in lieu of house and garden. The fees respectively
amount to £20 and £15. There is also an Assembly's
school, the master of which has £25 per annum, with
an allowance for house and garden. The antiquities
comprise tumuli, cairns, and perpendicular stones, with
the ancient ruin called Dun-Mhie Raonaill, or " Ronald-
son's tower", formerly used as a watch and signal station.
A tower or stronghold in Line lake served a desperate
band of adventurers, for upwards of a century, as a se-
cure retreat, whence they made predatory incursions
throughout the neighbouring country. There is also a
place called the "Bones' barn", where the well-known
Alexander Mc Donald, usually called in the Highlands
Alastair Mac Cholla, burnt to death a large number of
women and children who had fled thither to escape from
his violence.
KILPATRICK, NEW, or EAST, a parish, partly in
the county of Dumbarton, and partly in the county of
Stirling, 6 miles (N. W. by K.) from Glasgow ; contain-
ing, with the village of Milngavie in the latter county,
and in the former the villages of Blue- Row, Cannesburn,
Craigton-Field, Dalsholm, New Kilpatrick, Knights-
wood, and Netherton-Quarry, 345" inhabitants, of whom
174S are in the county of Dumbarton, and 1*09 in that
of Stirling. This place occupies the eastern portion of
the ancient parish of Kilpatrick, from which it was
separated in 1649, and erected into an independent parish
by the civil and ecclesiastical authorities. It is about
seven miles and a half in extreme length, and more than
three miles in average breadth, comprising 13,500 acres,
of which about 7000 are arable, 800 woodland and planta-
tions, and the remainder meadow, pasture, and waste.
The surface is diversified with pleasing undulations,
which increase in boldness as they recede from the
banks of the rivers, and with numerous large knolls,
which are partly arable and partly wooded. The Kirk-
patrick range of hills, some of which have an elevation of
nearly 1200 feet, skirt the |)arish from east to west.
The principal river is the Kelvin, which has its source
in the hills of Kilsyth ; and though for the greater part
of its course an inconsiderable stream, it expands into a
broad and rapid current as it approaches Garscube
House, in this parish, and, flowing between richly-wooded
banks along the south-cairtern boundary of the parish,
falls into the Clyde below (jlasgow. A small stream
called the Allander, issuing from a reservoir in the parish
of West Kilpatrick, after skirting the northern boundary
of this parish for more than a mile, takes a south-eastern
course, and, supplying the bleachfields of Clober, and
turning the mills of Milngavie, joins the Kelvin. The
Fortli and Clyde canal passes through the soutliern i)or-
tion of the jjarish, and is carried over the river Kelvin
by a noble aqueduct, ;J50 feet in length, fifty-seven feet
in width, fifty-seven feet in height from the surface of the
river to the top of the parapet, and supported on four
58
arches of fifty feet span. There are several lakes in the
parish, the largest of which, in the pleasure-grounds of
Dugalston. is nearly thirty acres in extent. Another, in
the grounds of Kilmardinny, of about ten acres, beauti-
fully encompassed with shrubberies and plantations,
abounds with perch, eels, and pike ; and the still smaller
lake of St. Germanus is enriched with many rare aquatic
plants.
In general the soil is a retentive clay, of no great
depth, resting upon a substratum of till ; and along the
banks of the rivers, a deep rich loam : several of the
knolls are of a light dry quality, and on the higher
grounds are extensive tracts of moorland and peat-moss.
The crops are wheat, oats, barley, beans, potatoes, and
turnips ; the system of husbandry is in a very im-
proved state, and a due rotation of crops is regularly
observed. The lands have been drained, and inclosed
partly with hedges of thorn, and partly with stone
dykes. In this parish the farms vary from forty to 400
acres in extent ; and the buildings, several of which are
of recent erection, are usually substantial and commodi-
ous. Great attention is paid to the management of the
dairies, and considerable quantities of butter are sent to
the Glasgow market. The cattle fed on the pastures
are of the West Highland breed, and on the dairy-farms,
of the Ayrshire ; they are mostly bought in at the neigh-
bouring fairs, few being reared in the parish. The sheep
are chiefly of the common black-faced breed. The
plantations consist of ash, elm, beech, sycamore, and
other forest-trees, with Scotch, silver, and spruce firs, of
all of which, on several of the lands, are some remark-
ably fine specimens. Inmost of the more recent planta-
tions, the oak has been introduced with every prospect
of success. The substrata are principally coal, forming
part of the spacious basin surrounding the city of Glas-
gow, sandstone, whinstone, trap, and basalt ; the coal is
wrought at Garscube, Law Muir, and Castle-Hill, where
it occurs at depths varying from eighteen to fifty fathoms
from the surface. Limestone is worked at Culloch ; and
various strata of clay ironstone are found, one of which,
at Garscube, was wrought some years since ; but the
ore was neither in sufficient quantity, nor of the requisite
quality, for smelting. There are some quarries of excel-
lent freestone of a fine cream colour in operation at
Netherton, affording employment to about seventy per-
sons : the stone, though comparatively soft when first
taken from the quarry, becomes hard when exposed to
the air ; and formerly, large quantities of it were ex-
ported to Ireland and the AVest Indies. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £28,038, including
£4145 for the Dumbarton portion. Garscube House,
the seat of Sir Archibald Campbell, Bart., is a spacious
and elegant mansion, erected in 1827, and pleasantly situ-
ated on the banks of the Kelvin, in a demesne tastefully
laid out, and embellished with stately timber. Clober
House ; Killcrmont House, partly ancient and partly
modern ; Garscadden ; and Kilmardinny, are also hand-
some mansions finely situated ; and the seat of Dugal-
ston, which has been some time deserted, is beautifully
seated in extensive and well-ornamented grounds.
Various tiranchcs of manufacture are carried on in
different parts of the i)arish, the princi|);d of which are
the |)rintiiig of calico, the spinning of cotton, the bleach-
ing of cotton and linen, for which there are extensive
works at Clober, and the manufacture of paper, snuff,
KI LP
KILP
and other articles, which are minutely detailed in the
separate notices of the several villages where they are
carried on. The village of East Kilpatrick, in which
the church is situated, contains thirty-five inhabitants,
and consists of a few neat cottages : a fair, chiefly for
milch-cows, is held on the 1st of May, O. S., and is
still tolerably attended. There are post-oflSces in the
villages of East Kilpatrick and Milngavie ; and facility of
communication is maintained by the turnpike-roads from
Glasgow to Dumbarton, &c., by the Forth and Clyde canal,
and by good bridges over the Kelvin and the Allander.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Dumbarton, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The minister's stipend is £'270, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £11. 13. 4. per annum ; patron,
the Duke of Montrose. The church, erected in 1808,
is a neat plain structure centrally situated, and con-
taining 704 sittings. There is a place of worship in the
village of Milngavie for members of the United Presby-
terian Church. The parochial school is well conducted ;
the master has a salary of £34, with an allowance of
£10 in lieu of a house and garden, and the fees average
about £10 per annum. There are still considerable
vestiges of the wall of Antoninus, which intersected the
parish from east to west, and some remains of two
ancient forts, from the ruins of which were dug two
votive tablets, now preserved in the Hunterian museum
of the university of Glasgow. On the lands of Dalsholm,
near Garscube House, in a tumulus lately opened, was
discovered a flight of steps, leading to a slab on which
were ashes and cinders ; and underneath it, was found
a chamber inclosed with flag-stones, in which were
fragments of ancient armour, military weapons, and
various utensils. At Drumry, near Garscadden, are the
remains of a chapel, whose tower, overhanging a steep
acclivity, bears much resemblance to a fortress. There
was also a chapel at Lurg, of which little more than the
site can now be traced ; the tombstones in the cemetery
have for many years been removed, and the land is
under tillage.
KILPATRICK, OLD, or WEST, a parish, in the
county of Dumbarton ; containing, with the former
quoad sacra parish of Diintocher, and the villages of
Dalmuir, Dalmuir- Shore, Bowling-Bay, Little-Mill, and
Milton, 70^20 inhabitants, of whom 957 are in the village
of Old Kilpatrick, 5 miles (E. by S.) from Dumbarton,
and 10 miles (N. W. by W.) from Glasgow. The name is
derived from the dedication of the ancient church to
St. Patrick, the tutelar saint of Ireland, by whom it is
conjectured to have been originally founded, and who,
though various places dispute the honour of his birth, is
generally said to have been a native of this parish. That
the place had attained some degree of importance at a
very early period, appears evident from the numerous
vestiges of Roman occupation that may still be traced.
The wall of Antoninus between the Forth and the Clyde
terminated at Chapel-Hill, in the parish ; and though
all remains of that structure have long been obliterated
by the plough, the fosse by which it was defended is yet
discernible. At Duntocher was a Roman fort, whose
site is obscurely pointed out ; and an ancient bridge at
the same place, which was repaired in 1772 by Lord
Blantyre, is said to have been built in the time of the
Emperor Adrian, though some antiquaries regard its
sole claim to Roman origin as arising from its having
59
been constructed with materials supplied from the ruins
of the fort. Votive altars also, and various stones with
Roman inscriptions, have been found at Chapel-IIill and
at Duntocher. Near the former place, a subterranean
recess, containing Roman vases and coins, was discovered
in 1790 by the workmen employed in digging the canal ;
and at the latter, the remains of a Roman sudatorium
were found in 1775.
The PARISH is bounded on the south by the river
Clyde, along which it extends for nearly eight miles,
and is four miles and a half in extreme breadth, com-
prising 1 1,500 acres, whereof 6000 are arable, 600
woodland and plantations, and the remainder meadow
and pasture. Its surface rises by a gentle acclivity
from the river towards the north, and is diversified with
hills, the most conspicuous of which are those of Dal-
notter, Chapel-Hill, and Dumbuck, commanding from
their summits extensive views of the Clyde, the county
of Renfrew, and part of Lanarkshire. The Kilpatrick
hills terminate in Dumbuck hill, near the western extre-
mity of the parish ; they are a prominent and lofty
range, and some of them attain an elevation of upvi'ards
of 1^00 feet above the level of the sea. As seen from the
Clyde, the parish constitutes one of the richest features
in the picturesque and beautiful scenery for which that
river is so celebrated. A nameless stream is supplied
from two small lakes behind the range of the Kilpa-
trick hills, and, flowing southward, by Faifley and Dun-
tocher, falls into the Clyde at Dalmuir. Along the
banks of the Clyde the soil is a fine deep loam, resting
on a bed of clay ; and in the higher grounds, light and
gravelly. The crops are oats, wheat, barley, potatoes,
and turnips ; the system of husbandry is improved, and
the arable lands are in a high state of cultivation. Great
attention is paid to the management of the dairy-farms,
and large quantities of butter are sent to the Glasgow
market, where they find a ready sale. The cattle are
generally of the Highland breed, and on the dairy-farms
the cows are of the Ayrshire breed : both kinds are
chiefly purchased at the neighbouring fairs, few being
reared in the parish. The sheep, of which considerable
numbers are reared in the moorland pastures, are all of
the black-faced breed. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £23,524.
The plantations, which are well managed and in a
thriving state, consist of oak, ash, elm, beech, plane,
lime, and the various kinds of fir, for all of which the
soil appears to be well adapted ; and both in the low-
lands and the higher grounds are many fine spec imens,
of stately growth. The substrata of the parish are prin-
cipally of the coal formation ; and the rocks comprise
greenstone, amygdaloid, trap, greywacke, and basalt.
Limestone and ironstone are also found. The coal,
which is wrought in the lands near Duntocher, occurs
at depths varying from 120 to 200 feet, in seams about
five feet in thickness, and of good quality. The lime-
stone, which is also of good quality, is wrought for
burning into lime for the use of the farmers ; and there
are some quarries of freestone and whinstone in opera-
tion. In this parish the principal seats are Cochno,
Edinbarnet, Milton House, Auchintoshan, Mount-Blow,
Glenarbuck, Auchintorlie, Barnhill, and Dumbuck, most
of which are handsome mansions, finely situated in
richly-planted demesnes. Kilpatrick was formerly a
burgh of barony, and, by charter under the great seal,
12
K I L P
K I L R
dated 16*9, was made head of the barony, and invested
with power to create burgesses, and appoint bailies for
its government. These privileges have lung been extinct,
though it is not recorded by what means they became
obsolete ; and the old gaol, with the iron bars on the
■windows, is now a private house. A post office is es-
tablished under the office at Glasgow ; and facility of
communication is afforded by the turnpike-road from
Dumbarton to Glasgosv, which intersects the parish for
nearly eight miles ; by other good roads ; by the Forth
and Clyde and the Monkland canals ; by the Erskine
ferry near Kilpatrick ; and by numerous steamers that
frequent the Clyde.
Various branches of manufacture are carried on, to
a verj- great extent, in the several villages within the
limits of the parish. The principal works are the cotton-
mills at Duntocher, Milton, Hardgate, and Faifley, in
which 74,04.") spindles and 530 power-looms are em-
ployed, producing as many as 875,0001b. of yarn and
2,000,000 yards of cloth annually, and affording occupa-
tion to nearly 1500 persons. At Dalmuir are paper-
mills, producing paper of all kinds to the amount of
£30,000 a year, and giving employment to 176 persons,
of whom one-half are women and children. There are
soda-works at Dalmuir-Shore, in which thirty tons of
sulphuric acid are produced weekly, and used in the
making of bleaching-powder, chloride of lime, and soda :
about 100 persons are engaged here. At jMilton are an
extensive bleachfield and some calico-printing works, in
which from 400 to 500 people are employed. At Bowling-
Bay is a ship-building yard, where about twenty persons
are employed in building sloops of I7O tons' burthen,
and vessels for canal navigation ; and there is an iron-
forge at Faifley, for the manufacture of spades and sho-
vels, in which tiiirty persons are employed. At Little-
Mill and Auchintoshan are distilleries, in the former of
which about 50,000, and in the latter about 16,000, gal-
lons of whisky are ainiually made. Several handloom-
weavers throughout the parish are employed by Glasgow
and Paisley houses ; and a considerable number of fe-
males are engaged in embroidering muslin.
For KCCi.Esi.vsTiCAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dumbarton, synod of Glas-
gow and Ayr. The minister's stipend is about £225,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £40 per annum ;
patron. Lord Blaiityre. Kilpatrick parish church, erected
in 181'2, is an elegant structure in the later English
style of architecture, with a S(|uare embattled tower, and
contains 750 sittings. A cliurch has been erected at
Duntocher, in connexion with the Establishment ; and
there are places of worship at Old Kilpatrick for mem-
bers of the Free Chtirch and the United Presbyterian
Church ; at Duntocher, for the United Presbyterian
Church, Iloman Catholics, and the Free Church; and
at Faifley, for the United Presbyterian Church. The
jiarothial schoolmaster has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and the fees average £15 per annum.
There are other schools in several of the villages. On a
promontory near the margin of the Clyde are tiie ruins
of tiie ancient castle of Dunglass, the baronial seat of
the Colquhouns, who were lords of the whole lands be-
tween it anil Dumbarton, which lands constituted the
barony of Coirpihoun. A little to the west of it, is the
lofty basaltic ruck called Dumbuck, resembling the rock
of Dumbarton. In the churchyard is an erect stone,
60
sculptured with the effigy of an armed knight ; and in
the gardens at Mount- Blow is a monumental cross, the
figures on which, from its having been formerly used as
a bridge, are much obliterated. There are also numerous
vestises of hill fortresses on the heights, and several
tumuh of artificial formation. At Dunglass is a monu-
ment erected to perpetuate the memory of Mr. Henry
Bell, who launched on the Clyde the first steam-vessel
ever brought into actual use : he resided at Helensburgh,
on the Clyde, and his decease occurred in 1830.
KILKENNY, a royal
burgh and a parish, in the
district of St. Andrew's,
county of Fife, 3 miles (S.W.
by W.) from Crail, and 10
miles (S. S. E.) from St. An-
drew's ; including the village
of Nether Kilrenny, or Cel-
lardykes, and that of Upper
Kilrenny ; and containing
2039 inhabitants, of whom
1652 are in the burgh. This
parish, which is situated on
the north of the Firth of Forth, at the south-eastern
extremity of the county, is supposed to have derived its
name from the dedication of its church to St. Ireneus.
Nether Kilrenny, which is on the coast, is separated
from Anstruther Easter only by a small rivulet : it ob-
tained the name of Cellardykes from the numerous store-
houses ranged along the shore for the use of the fisheries,
which were formerly carried on to a very great extent,
and are still steadily increasing. About forty large
boats, with crews of seven or eight men each, go regu-
larly to the deep-sea fishery, during the whole course of
the year, except the time occupied in autumn and Janu-
ary by the herring-fishings. A pretty large number of
yawls also, with crews of three or four each, principally
boys and old men, go to sea, but not to so great a dis-
tance. The hardy and enterprising fishermen of this
place are often in imminent danger from the e.vposed
situation of the coast, the heavy sea that beats upon it,
and the great distance to the fishing-ground ; but their
boats, which are all open, being in first-rate order, and
well managed, accidents seldom occur. Within the last
few years, a salmon-fishery has been established on the
coast of the burgh, and a number of fine fish have been
taken. The fish principally caught here are cod, ling,
haddocks, halibut, and turbot, of vvhicli large quantities
are sent to London, Liverpool, Edinburgh, and other
markets. Not less than seventy boats, with crews of
six men each, belonging to the place, are employed in
the herring fishery. Cellardykes has a population of
14h6, and consists chiefly of one main street irregularly
built, and extending along the shore; a pier was erected
in 1831, for the accommodation of vessels engaged in
the fishery, and there is a favourable site for the con-
struction of a connnodious harbour. Upper Kilrenny
contains 233 persons, and is about a mile to the north-
east of Cellardykes, with which it is coiniected by the
road from Anstruther to Crail; it consists only of the
church and manse, the houses of Innergclly and Renny-
Ilill, an iini, and some rural cottages. The post-town
is Anstruther ; and facility of communication is afforded
witli St. Andrew's and other towns by good roads that
pass through the parish.
KI LS
KILS
The BURGH of Kilrenny, which includes both the vil-
lages already described, though said to have been erected
into a royal burgh by James VI., does not appear to
have received any regular charter of incorporation. Its
magistrates, appointed by Bethune of Balfour, the supe-
rior of the burgh, returned a member to the Scottish
parliament without any legitimate authority ; and at
the time of the Union, though it had been expunged
from the list of royal burghs at the request of the ma-
gistrates, it was inadvertently classed with the royal
burghs of the district. Until I8'29 the government was
vested in a provost, two bailies, and twelve councillors,
duly chosen ; but in that year, the burgh was disfran-
chised owing to an irregularity iu the annual election of
the officers, and its affairs were placed under the direc-
tion of managers by the court of session. Even before
this, there were no incorporated guilds possessing exclu-
sive privileges, nor was any fee exacted for admission as
a burgess. The town-house is a small inferior building.
Kilrenny is associated with St. Andrew's, Anstruther
Easter, Anstruther Wester, Crail, Cupar, and Pitten-
weem, in returning a member to the imperial parliament :
the number of qualified voters is about fifty. The pa-
rish is of triangular form, its base extending along the
sea-shore for nearly three miles. The surface rises gra-
dually from the coast towards the north, and is diversi-
fied with a few hills of inconsiderable height : there are
no rivers in the parish, except the small burn that di-
vides it from Anstruther, and another rivulet that falls
into the sea at the eastern boundary of the burgh. The
coast is bold and rocky, and indented with some small
bays ; on the east of Cellardykes are some rocks called the
Cardinal's Steps, and others are perforated with caves,
one of which is of considerable extent. The soil is
generally very fertile ; and the lands, chiefly arable,
produce favourable crops of grain of every kind : the
system of husbandry is improved, and sea-weed, of
which abundance is thrown upon the coast, is used as
manure. About £3 an acre is the average rent of land.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of St. Andrew's and synod of Fife. The
minister's stipend is £'2.51. 17- H-, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £27. 10. per annum; patron. Sir W. C.
Anstruther, Bart. Kilrenny church is a neat plain struc-
ture in good repair. The parochial school is well con-
ducted ; the master has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and the fees average from £30 to £40 per
annum.
KILSPINDIE, a parish, in the county of Perth ;
containing, with the villages of Pitrodie and Rait, 709
inhabitants, of whom 56 are in the village of Kilspindie,
2 miles (N. W.) from Errol. This place includes the
ancient parish of Rait, which, after the dilapidation of
its church, was united to the parish of Kilspindie, prior
to the year 1634. The parish is situated partly in the
Carse of Gowrie, and partly among the Stormont hills,
and is about five miles in length and three and a half in
breadth, comprising 6500 acres, of which 3500 are arable,
200 woodland and plantations, 200 undivided common,
and the remainder permanent pasture and heath. The
surface, towards the south, is flat for nearly a quarter of
a mile, and thence rises gradually towards the north for
almost two miles, till it attains an elevation of more than
600 feet above the level of the sea. It is diversified with
several hills, of which that of Evelick, the highest of the
61
range, and nearly in the centre of the parish, has an ele-
vation of 832 feet. This hill, which is of a conical form,
and covered with verdure, commands one of the most
interesting prospects in this part of the country, em-
bracing a portion of Strathmore, with the Grampians
immediately behind, and the lofty mountains of Benglo,
Schihallion, and Benviorlich in the distance ; the Carse
of Gowrie on the south-east and south-west ; and, beyond
the Tay, the coasts of Fife, with the Lomond hills, and
the hills near Stirling. Between the hills, which are
generally of barren aspect, are several narrow glens of
great fertility and pleasing appearance ; the slopes of the
hills towards the carse are well cultivated, and the sce-
nery is enriched with wood, and enlivened with the wind-
ings of the burns of Kilspindie, Rait, and Pitrodie.
The SOIL of the lower grounds is extremely rich, pro-
ducing fine crops of grain of all kinds ; the slopes of the
hills are of lighter quality, yielding a great abundance of
turnips and potatoes. The system of agriculture is in a
highly-improved state ; the lands are well drained and
inclosed ; the buildings are substantial, and on most of
the farms are threshing-mills. In the hilly districts is
good pasture for sheep and cattle. The plantations,
which are well managed, and in a thriving condition,
consist chiefly of Scotch fir and ash. The substrata are
mostly amygdaloid, trap, and whinstone, of which the
hills are mainly composed ; and beautiful specimens of
agate are frequently found, which are made into brooches
and other ornaments. Sandstone of coarse grain, and
of a grey colour, is also met with ; and whinstone is
quarried at Pitrodie. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £5822. Fingask Castle, the seat of Sir
Patrick Murray Threipland, Bart., is beautifully situated
on the braes of the carse, and commands a fine view of
the vale below, through which the river Tay pursues the
latter part of its course till it falls into the German Ocean,
a few miles below Dundee. The castle, which is built
on the brow of a deep glen thickly wooded, is a very
ancient structure, bearing in one part the date 1194, but
has been greatly enlarged and modernised by the addi-
tion of recent buildings, though still retaining its castel-
lated form. The old castle was besieged by Cromwell in
1642; and in 1716, the Chevalier de St. George slept
here on his route from Glammis to Scone, on the 7th of
January. In 1746, the castle was completely dismantled,
and a great part of the building levelled with the ground,
by the English troops, in consequence of the attachment
of the Threipland family to the house of Stuart. There
are three villages. A few families are employed in the
weaving of linen for the manufacturers of Dundee, but
the population of the parish is principally agricultural.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Perth, synod of Perth and
Stirling ; patrons, the family of Robertson. The minis-
ter's stipend is about £200, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £20 per annum. Kilspindie church, a plain
structure erected in 1796, is pleasantly situated on an
eminence in the village, near the confluence of two small
rivulets; it contains 350 sittings, and is in good repair.
The parochial school is attended by about sixty children ;
the master has a salary of £34, with a house and garden,
and the fees average £10 per annum. Attached to the
school is a small library. A private school in the village
of Rait, which is attended by about the same number, is
supported partly by the fees, and partly by subscription.
KILS
KILS
On the sumTnit of Evelick hill are the remains of a cir-
cular encampment, inclosing an area twenty yards in
diameter, of which the vallum and fosse are still plainly
discernible. Upon the high grounds at no great distance,
are the ruins of Evelick Castle, the ancient seat of the
Lindsays, and the birthplace of Helen Lindsay, wife of
John Campbell, Esq., of Glenlyon, whose daughter, Helen,
according to the session records, was married on the 2'2nd
of September, 1663, to the far-famed Rob Roy. There
are still some portions of Rait church remaining.
KILSYTH, a burgh of barony and a parish, in the
county of Stirling ; containing, with the former quoad
sacra parish of Banton, and the village of Auchinmully,
5613 inhabitants, of whom 4106 are in the burgh, \2^
miles (N. E.) from Glasgow. The parish was anciently
called " Monaebrugh ", from the name of the barony
which now forms the eastern portion of the parish, and
of which alone it for many years consisted till the an-
ne.Kation of the barony of Kilsyth in 1649. Since that
period, the whole parish has assumed the appellation of
Kilsyth, from the name of that barony, which previously
■was a portion of the parish of Campsie, and of which the
etymology, hke that of Monaebrugh, is involved in doubt
and obscurity. A large extent of property here belonged
to the Livingstone family, of whom Sir James Living-
stone, in acknowledgment of his services in defending
the castle of Kilsyth against Cromwell, was elevated to
the peerage by Charles H., in 1661, by the titles of Lord
Campsie and Viscount Kilsyth. The estates continued
•with his descendants till the year 1715, when they be-
came forfeited to the crown on the attainder of William,
third "Viscount Kilsyth, for his participation in the re-
beUion ; and the lands were purchased in 17S4 by Sir
Archibald Edmonstone of Duntreath, Bart., whose grand-
son. Sir Archibald Edmonstone, is now the chief pro-
prietor of the parish. The principal event of historical
importance connected with the place is the memorable
battle of Kilsyth, in 1645, between the army of the Cove-
nanters, consisting of 6000 infantry and 1000 cavalry,
commanded by General Baillie, and the forces of the
Marquess of Montrose, consisting of 4400 infantry and
500 cavalry. This sanguinary battle, which occurred
near the site now occupied by the reservoir of the Forth
and Clyde canal, terminated in the entire defeat of the
Covenanters, with the slaughter of nearly the whole of
their infantry ; while of the forces of the marquess, a
very inconsiderable number were slain.
The TOWN is situated on the north road from Glasgow
to Edinburgh, and consists of several streets irregularly
formed. It is lighted with gas, and the inhabitants arc
amply supplied with water, conveyed from a spring in
the neighbourhood into public cisterns by earthen pipes.
The principal trade is the weaving of cotton by hand-
looms, in which more than 1300 persons arc engaged for
the Glasgow merchants ; and there are two factories
lately established, in which lappets, doth for umbrellas,
and checked ginghams are made, aifording occupation
to about l.'iO persons. The manufacture of white and
brown paper is also carried on, to a moderate extent,
employing from forty to fifty persons ; and many of the
inliabitants are engaged in mines of ironstone and coal,
and in the (piarries in the parish. There is no regular
market-day, but the town is amply supplied with pro-
visions of every kind : fairs are held on the second
Friday in April and the third Friday in November, but
6',!
they are not much frequented. Facility of communica-
tion is afforded by the road from Glasgow to Edinburgh,
and by the great canal within a mile to the south of the
town. Kilsyth was erected into a burgh of barony by
charter of George IV., in 18'26; and the government is
vested in a bailie, dean of guild, and four councillors,
elected under the provisions of the act of the 3rd of
William IV. There are no incorporated trades possess-
ing exclusive privileges ; and the occupation of a tene-
ment of the annual value of £5, on lease, is sufficient to
qualify as a burgess, upon paying a fine of five shillings
on admission. The magistrates exercise jurisdiction in
petty offences, but no regular courts appear to be held
by them.
The PARISH, which is bounded on the north by the
river Carron, and on the south by the river Kelvin, is
about seven miles in length and three and a half in
average breadth, and comprises 15,000 acres, of which
nearly 4000 are arable, "000 meadow and pasture, and
the remainder, with the exception of a few acres of plan-
tations, moorland and waste. Its surface is boldly
diversified with hill and dale, and is generally of bleak
and barren aspect. The Kilsyth hills, which intersect
the parish from east to west, and a portion of the Campsie
fells, which skirt it on the north-west, are among the
most lofty elevations ; and some of them attain a height
of more than 1200 feet above the level of the sea. From
the summit of these hills is an unbounded view, extend-
ing from the Atlantic to the German Ocean, and com-
manding nearly the whole country at a glance. The
Meikleben, which unites the Kilsyth range with the
Campsie fells, has an elevation of 1500 feet; and the
Garrel and Laird's hills, also in the parish, rise to a
height of 1300 feet. The chief river is the Carron, which
has its source in the adjacent parish of Fintry, flowing
eastward into the Forth at Grangemouth ; it abounds
with trout, and forms in its sinuous progress numerous
romantic cataracts. The Kelvin has its source within
the parish, and, though for some distance from its rise
but a small rivulet, has been diverted by Sir Archibald
Edmonstone into a wider and deeper channel, and, after
flowing under the aqueduct of the Forth and Clyde
canal, increases in importance as it advances towards
Glasgow. Of the smaller streams that intersect the pa-
rish, the principal is the Garrel, vihich descends from the
Garrel hill, and, in its course, within a mile and a half,
has a total fall of 1000 feet. Its waters, as it approaches
the ancient village of Kilsyth, have been partly diverted
into the reservoir at Townhead, for the supply of the
Forth and Clyde canal ; but after receiving some small
tributaries, it flows southward into the Kelvin. The
reservoir is of oval form, about seventy-five acres in ex-
tent, and occupies a natural hollow of considerable depth,
by filling up the entrance to which, to the heiglit of
twenty-five feet, the inelosure was formed at a very in-
considerable expense.
In the lower parts of the parish the soil is a rich and
deep loam ; in the higher parts light and sandy, but of
great fertility; in other parts gravel alternated with clay,
and there arc also some large tracts of peat-moss. The
cro|)s are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips.
The odtivation of potatoes in the open fields in this
country is said to have been first practised in Kilsyth
parisli by Mr. Graham, of Tamrawer, who in a certain
year, from one peck planted in April, obtained a ])roduce
K 1 L S
KILT
of 264 pecks in the October following. In this part of
the county, the system of husbandry has been greatly
improved under the encouragement held out by the
Farmers' Association for Kilsyth and other parishes ad-
jacent, which meets at the principal inn annually, in
June, when a cattle-show takes place, and prizes are
awarded to the successful competitors. The farm-build-
ings in the parish have been rendered commodious, and
the lands inclosed with fences of thorn, kept in excellent
order ; tile-draining has been extensively practised, and
all the more recent improvements in the construction of
agricultural implements have been adopted. The hill-
pastures are well adapted for the feeding of sheep, and
the meadows in the vale of Kilsyth are among the most
luxuriant in the country. Great attention is paid to the
dairy-farms, on which all the cows are of the Ayrshire
breed ; the chief produce is butter and milk, and large
quantities of those articles are sold for the supply of the
neighbourhood. Formerly the plantations were on a
very limited scale, chiefly confined to the demesnes of
the principal landholders ; but they have lately been ex-
tended. They consist of ash, birch, mountain-ash, elm,
alder, oak, and sycamore, for which the soil seems well
adapted. The substratum is mostly of the coal forma-
tion, and ironstone and limestone are found in abundance:
the coal, which is of good quality, is wrought for the
supply of the adjacent district, and the ironstone by the
Carron Company. There are also quarries of limestone,
and of freestone of a fine colour, and of good quality for
building. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish is £9'288.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Glasgow, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The minister's stipend is £271. 6. 7-, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per annum ; patron,
the Crown. Kilsyth parish church, erected in 1816, at
the western extremity of the town, is an elegant structure
in the later English style of architecture, containing 860
sittings. There are places of worship for members of
the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church, and
Wesleyans. Parochial schools are maintained in the
burgh, at Chapel-Green, and at Banton ; the master of
the first has a salary of £30, with a house and garden,
and the fees, averaging £60. The master of the Banton
school has a salary of £12. 6., with fees amounting to
£23 ; and the master of Chapel-Green, a salary of £9,
to which are added £22 the proceeds of a bequest by
Mr. John Patrick, and fees averaging £30 per annum.
At Conney Park and Balcastle are remains of Pictish
forts, the latter of which is the most entire of all the
works of the kind in the kingdom. There are also some
ruins of Colzium Castle, and of a smaller mansion of
the Livingstone family which was burnt by Oliver
Cromwell on his route to Stirling. Small remains still
exist of the ancient castle of Kilsyth, on an eminence
overlooking the town ; and in the town is the old man-
sion of Kilsyth, now inhabited by poor families, but in
which are yet preserved the apartments where Prince
Charles Edward spent a night. Under the old church
was the burying-place of the Livingstone family, of whom
William, the third viscount, after his attainder retired to
Holland, where Lady Kilsyth and her infant son were
killed by the accidental falling in of the roof of the
house in which they lived. Their bodies were em-
balmed, and being inclosed in a leaden coffin, were
63
sent to Scotland, and interred in the family vault, now
in the open churchyard. On examining the coffin in
1796, the remains of both were found in so perfect a
state, and even the complexion so fresh, as to present
every appearance of natural sleep.
KILTARLITY, a parish, in the county of Inver-
ness, 4 miles (S. W. by W.) from Beauly ; containing
2869 inhabitants. This place, the origin of the name
of which is altogether uncertain, comprehends the old
parish of Convinth, and is situated in one of the most
beautiful and romantic districts in the Highlands. The
parish is separated from part of that of Kilmorack by
the Beauly river, which, a few miles to the north-east,
forms the loch of the same name, the latter communi-
cating with the Moray Firth. It is one of the largest
parishes in the country, measuring in length, from the
north-eastern to the south-western extremity, about
forty-five miles : the average breadth, however, does not
exceed six miles. The surface is characterized by hills
and mountains, and thickly-wooded glens and ravines ;
it is interspersed with numerous lochs, some verdant
pastures, and well-cultivated tracts, and is rendered
more strikingly picturesque in many parts by the course
of rapid streams with various cascades. Among the lochs,
which are very numerous and of great diversity of appear-
ance, and which abound in pike, trout, char, and other
fish, the largest, and those most famed for their scenery,
are Loch Affaric, Loch Naluire, and Loch Beinnemhian.
Each of these is about a mile broad, and they vary
in length from three to seven miles ; they are very deep,
and are embosomed in hills and mountains, shrouded
with birch, mountain-ash, and stately firs, the remains
of the old Caledonian forest. The three lakes are united
by the river Glass, which, rising in Loch Affaric, and
proceeding north-eastward through the other two lakes,
is skirted on each side by lofty hills, and joined at
Fasnacoil by the rapid stream of the Deaothack. The
Deaothack is celebrated for its waterfalls, especially that
of Plodda, and for the splendid firs on its banks, inter-
mixed with birch and oak. At Invercannich, about four
miles from Fasnacoil, the Glass is joined by the river
Cannich, a large stream ; and again, at the distance of
a few miles, by the Farrer, after which it takes the name
of Beauly. The distance from the last junction to the
Beauly Firth or Loch is about nine miles ; and though
the river is only navigable for a mile and a half from
the firth, up to the village of Beauly, it is found of great
service for transporting timber for exportation. In its
romantic progress it forms some fine cascades. The
fishery of the Beauly belongs to Lord Lovat, producing
a rent of nearly £2000 per annum.
On the north-eastern side of the parish is a tract of
about nine square miles, which is flat and low ; but with
this exception, the surface is hilly and rocky throughout,
and intersected with glens and valleys, the principal of
which are Gleu-Convinth and Strath-Glass. The latter
of these was formerly covered with wood, which supplied
Cromwell with a large portion of the timber used in the
fortifications at Inverness, but of which none now re-
mains, except the forest of Cugie, where firs of immense
bulk and stature are to be seen. In the south-western
part of the parish the rocks are so lofty, rugged, and
inaccessible, that they are not only the resort of eagles,
falcons, and numerous birds of prey, but furnish lurking-
places for large herds of goats, so wild as to bid defiance
KILT
KILT
to capture otherwise than by shooting them. The highest
hill is supposed to be that of Aonach-Sassan, " English
Hill, " estimated at about 2000 feet above the level of
the sea. In general the soil is thin and light, of a
reddish hue, and very hard. It is found intractable for
successful husbandry, except on the lower grounds in
the north-eastern district, which are much more fertile
than the higher portion, where, on account of the mossy
character of the soil, the crops are stunted and sickly,
especially in seasons of drought. Agriculture has, how-
ever, made considerable progress within the last twenty
or thirty years. The most approved rotation of crop-
ping has been introduced ; and where trenching, liming,
and draining have been adopted to a sufficient extent to
counteract the natural impediments of the land, the
produce is of good quality. Sheep-farming is largely
and successfully carried on in Strath- Glass. The rocks
in the parish consist chiefly of gneiss, intersected with
veins of granite ; and sandstone, with asbestos, rock-
crystal, and other varieties, is found in the hills. There
are several interesting caves, one of which, called Corrie-
dow, is said to have been a retreat for some days of
Prince Charles Edward Stuart. Wood was once the
only article exported from this locality ; and indepen-
dently of the old Scotch firs, and other noble trees, the
memorials of former ages, there are extensive planta-
tions that have been recently augmented. These com-
prise ash, elm, beech, plane, and especially larch, which
attain a fine growth, and prove a source of considerable
emolument to the proprietors. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £6160.
The gentlemen's seats are in general so well situated
as to command views of the most interesting combina-
tions of scenery. Beaufort Castle, the property and
constant residence of Lord Lovat, is a spacious but plain
building, standing on the site of the old fortress of
Beaufort or Downie, which in the time of Alexander I.
was besieged by the royal troops. Cromwell, also,
seized a castle here, and demolished the citadel ; and
immediately after the battle of Culloden, the then for-
tress was burnt to the ground by the Duke of Cumber-
land's army. Indeed, the present is said to be the
twelfth edifice erected on the same site : it is thought to
have been built as a residence for the government factor
while the estate lay under forfeiture. The n)ansion
commands extensive and beautiful views, comprehending
the Beauly Firth ; the large parks attached are orna-
mented with fine specimens of ancient trees, and there
are well laid out pleasure-grounds and gardens. The
present proprietor, a Roman Catholic, and the principal
heritor in the parisli, was raised to the peerage in
183", the forfeited title of Baron Lovat being then re-
stored. Errhless Castle, the seat of The Chisholm, situ-
ated near the confluence of the Farrer and Glass rivers,
is a lofty turreted building, erected in the fifteenth cen-
tury, and still in very good preservation. Attached to
it is a noble park, studded with venerable trees, among
which are some remains of tlie old Caledonian forest ;
there arc extensive plantations in the neiglibourhood of
Erchless, andThe Chisholni's projierty in tlie parisii also
includes about ".'JO acres of arable land kept in regular
cultivation : the hill-ground of the property lias never
been measured. Jlcllu<lnim is a modern mansion, splen-
didly fitted up, and almost shrouded with the fohage of
plantations. Connected with it is a very superior farm-
64
steading. This estate, comprising 2600 acres of hill
pasture, a large number of acres in wood, and 700 acres
under tillage, formerly belonged to James Fraser, Esq.,
but has passed by purchase to John Stewart, Esq., of
Carnousie, for the sura of £80,000. Stn/y, the seat of
a branch of the clan Fraser, is situated on the border of
the Farrer, a mile from its junction with the Glass, each
of which streams, at about the same distance from their
confluence, is crossed by an excellent bridge. On the
bank of the Beauly is the beautiful mansion of Eskadale ;
and not far off, the house of Aigas, the property of The
Chisholm. At a short distance north of Aigas, the river
divides and again unites, forming the romantic island of
Aigas, beautifully wooded with oaks and weeping-birches,
and on which Lord Lovat has built a mansion of elegant
design, the residence of Messrs. Hay Allan Stuart, who
are said to be the only descendants of the unfortunate
Prince Charles Edward. Other mansions are those of
Ballinduwn and Guisachan. The parliamentary road to
Inverness traverses the parish, from north-east to south-
west ; and the produce is sent for sale to that town,
twelve miles distant : the nearest post-office is at the
village of Beauly, two miles from the boundary. The
only " manufacture" is that of timber, large quantities of
which are cut down every year, and prepared for sale at
three saw-mills, as well as by numerous handsaws.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of In-
verness, synod of Moray, and in the patronage of Pro-
fessor Scott, of King's College, Aberdeen, to whom Lord
Lovat has transferred his right of presentation. The
minister's stipend is £239, with a manse, and a glebe of
nearly fifty acres, of the annual value of £20. Kiltarlity
church, built in 1829, is finely situated in the midst of
a cluster of lofty trees, and contains about 800 sittings.
A church, also, in connexion with the Establishment,
was erected by the late Chisholm, at Erchless, containing
400 sittings : the salary of the minister is paid by The
Chisholm. There is a mission at Strath-Glass, com-
prehending the upper part of this parish and of that of
Kiimorack: the salary is £80 per annum, £60 of which
are from the Royal Bounty, and the remainder raised by
subscription. The members of the Free Church have a
place of worship. A chapel was erected a few years
since, by Lord Lovat, on an eminence near the small
rural hamlet of Wester Eskadale, about four miles from
Erchless, for the accommodation of the Roman Catholic
population, which is considerable. There are three pa-
rochial schools, which afford instruction in the usual
elementary branches : the master of the principal one
has a salary of £25. 16., with a house, and about £20
fees ; and the salary in each of the other schools, which
are of recent establishment, is £12. 18., increased by
The Chisholm to £25. The mistress of a female school
has £15 per annum from the Lovat family, with a neat
school-house and accommodations.
KILTliARN, a parish, in the county of Ross and
Cromarty, 54- miles (N. K. by N.) from the town of Ding-
wall (reckoning to Kiltearn church) ; containing, with
the villages of Drummond and Evanton, 1436iidi'bitants.
This place derives its name from two (iaelic words, Kiell
Tigliciirii, signifying "the burying-place of the laird",
but the particular circumstance which gave rise to the
appellation is unknown. Tliere is a tradition, however,
among the peo|)le, that the chtirchyard at one time con-
tained the burying-ground of the Lords of the Isles ;
KILT
KILT
and if this tradition be true, the origin of the name is
easily accounted for. In the neighbourhood of the church
is the residence of one of the heritors, called Balcony, a
name compounded of two Gaelic words, bcil, "a. town,"
and cony, or comhnuidh, "residence," which when united
mean "the town of residence". It is said that the spot
received this name from its being the occasional abode of
the Lord of the Isles. The family of Munro of Fowlis,
which, even from ancient times, has been the most con-
spicuous in the parish, is said to have been founded by
Donald Munro, who, with many others, received gifts of
land from Malcolm II., for important services rendered in
assisting the king in the expulsion of the Danes. When
this desirable end was accomplished, Malcolm feued out the
country to his friends ; and that part between the burgh
of Dingwall and the wafer of Alness was assigned to
Donald Munro, from which circumstance it received the
name of Ferindonuil, or "Donald's land". A portion of
the lands was afterwards erected into a barony, called
Fowlis ; and the present Sir Charles Munro, Bart., who
is proprietor of about two-thirds of the parish, and
lineally descended from the above Donald Munro, is the
thirtieth baron. Fowlis Castle is a fine building.
The PARISH is situated in about the middle of the
county, and extends six miles along the north shore of
the Firth of Cromarty, whence it stretches inward twenty-
two miles. It is bounded on the north by Contin and
Lochbroom parishes, on the east by Alness, and on the
west by Dingwall and Fodderty. The whole, except a
small tract on the shore, consists of one mass of hills,
overspread with heath, or, in some places, planted with
firs. The hill of Wyvis rises 3720 feet above the level
of the sea, and is never without snow, even in the hottest
summer : the forest of Wyvis is held of the king, on the
singular condition of paying a snow-ball any day in the
year, if required. The valleys between the hills are
covered, to a great extent, with coarse grass : in some
of them, small lakes have been formed by the mountain
streams, diversifying the scenery, and affording good
sport to the angler. The principal lake is Locli Glass,
near the south end of which is a small island, where the
lairds of Fowlis had at one time a summer-house. Its
waters are discharged into the sea by the Aultgraad, a
stream which flows along a remarkably deep and narrow
channel, formed in the solid rock by the action of the
waters. The channel of this river, named from its ap-
pearance the "Black Rock", is unquestionably the most
remarkable natural object in this district of country,
and of late years has very much attracted the attention
of all strangers and tourists. Its peculiarities are, its
great depth, its extreme narrowness, and its terror-
striking and appalling effect on the greater part of those
who visit it. Continuously, for three miles or upwards,
the water has scooped for itself out of the solid rock a
strange passage, so uniform, or nearly uniform, in its
appearance and character, that to see it at one point is
almost to see it at all. Its depth is at least a hundred
feet, probably much more ; whilst its width, which varies
little from the top to the bottom, is only three or four
feet. On first looking down into the chasm, nothing
but a pitchy darkness presents itself ; by and by the
black rocks on either side begin to appear, and as the
gaze is prolonged, the eye at length catches, as from
afar, the reflection, from the dark stream, of a few
straggling sunbeams. The sides of the channel are so
Vol. II.— 65
precipitous, its breadth so small, and the approach to it
so dangerous, that it would not be possible to obtain a
view of it, were it not for a wooden bridge that has been
lately thrown over it. The centre of this bridge is the
point where spectators take up their position. So un-
comfortable, however, is the im])ression which it makes
on their minds, that they are seldom found to repeat
their visit. The natives of the country regard this wild
gorge with feelings of instinctive horror, and it is consi-
dered by the neighbouring farmers as a most dangerous
enemy to their flocks and herds ; it is nearly overgrown
in many places with heather, and black-cattle and sheep,
not seeing it, frequently fall into the channel, whence
recovery is hopeless. The only river is the Skiack, which
is supplied by mountain streams, and falls into the sea
near the church. Several varieties of trout are found
in the lochs and streams ; and shell-fish, of the smaller
kinds, are obtained on the shore.
The SOIL on the high grounds is moss, and near the
Firth chiefly alluvial; it varies in other parts, exhibiting
many of the ordinary combinations. About nine square
miles are cultivated, or occasionally in tillage ; the rest
is natural pasture. There are a considerable number of
plantations, comprising all the trees suited to the climate :
many tracts were planted about the middle of the last
century. All the usual white and green crops are raised ;
and as the improved system of agriculture has been for
some time followed, and much attention is paid to the
cultivation of the soil, the produce is equal in quality to
any in the country. The sheep are chiefly the native
black-faced, but on the low grounds are a number of
Cheviots : the cattle are of the Ross-shire and the Ar-
gyllshire breeds, the latter of which is much preferred.
The principal rock in the parish is sandstone : coal has
been discovered, but not in sufficient quantity to defray
the expense of working ; and a small amount of lead-ore
has also been met with. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Kiltearn is £5106.
The village of Evanton, built within the present cen-
tury, upon a piece of waste land, is remarkable for the
regular and neat appearance of the houses : a fair is held
here on the first Tuesday in June, and another on the
first Tuesday in December. The hamlet of Drummond
is seated on the Skiack. There are several extensive
tracts of moss in the heights of the parish, where the
inhabitants cut peat in summer to serve for winter fuel.
The great parliamentary road runs along the shore, and
communicates with the northern parts by means of ex-
cellent county roads ; it passes over two good bridges,
one at the east, and the other at the west, end of the
village of Evanton. For ecclesiastical purposes the
parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Dingwall,
synod of Ross ; patron, the Crown. The stipend of the
minister is £"249, with a commodious manse, and a glebe
of nine arable acres, valued at £1'2 per annum. The
church, situated on the coast, was built in 1791, and is
a neat edifice, accommodating nearly 700 persons. There
is a place of worship in the village of Evanton connected
with the United Presbyterian Church. A parochial
school is maintained, in which Latin and Greek, with the
usual branches, are taught ; the master has a salary of
£30, a house and garden, and about £'20 in fees. The
family of Munro is distinguished for the eminent indivi-
duals who have belonged to it. Sir Robert Munro,
grandfather of the late baronet, when a very young man,
K
KI L W
K I L VV
served for several years in Flanders, under the Duke of
Marlborough, aud there formed an intimacy with the
celebrated Col. Gardiner, whose history and character
have become so well known through the memoir written
by Dr. Doddridge.
KILTERSAN, a hamlet, in the parish of Kirkowen,
county of Wigtown, 3 miles (W. N. W.) from the village
of Kirkowen ; containing 31 inhabitants.
KILVICKEON, in the county of Argyll. — See
KiLFINICHEN.
KILWINNING, a manufacturing town and parish,
in the district of Cunninghame, county of Ayr ; con-
taining, with the villages of Dalgarvan, Doura, and Fer-
gushill, 5'25I inhabitants, of whom 5971 are in the town,
3 miles (N. N. W.) from Irvine, and 3 (N. E. by E.) from
Saltcoats. This place, which is of great antiquity, de-
rives its name from the dedication of its original church
to St. Winnin, who came from Ireland in 715, to convert
the inhabitants of this part of the country to Christianity.
In 1140, a MONASTERY was founded in honour of this
saint by Hugh de Moreville, lord high constable of
Scotland, for monks of the Tyronensian order, whom he
introduced into it from the abbey of Kelso. This mo-
nastery, which was amply endowed by the founder, and
enriched with large grants of land from several of the
Scottish monarchs, continued to flourish till the Disso-
lution, when its revenues, notwithstanding previous
alienations, amounted to £880.3.4., exclusive of nume-
rous payments in kind. In 1296, the abbot of Kilwin-
ning swore fealty to Edward I. of England ; in 1513, the
abbot of the monastery accompanied James IV. to the
battle of Flodden Field, where he was killed fighting by
the side of his sovereign. Of the other abbots none are
distinguished in history, with the exception of Gavin
Hamilton, the last, a zealous adherent of Mary, Queen
of Scots, whom he attended at the battle of Langside, and
for whom he afterwards appeared at York, as one of her
commissioners to treat with Elizabeth of England. The
site of the monastery, and the lands appertaining to it,
were, after the Reformation, granted by the crown to
Alexander Cunningham, son of the Earl of Glencairn,
who was appointed eommendator, and, during his tenure,
alienated a portion of the lands. In 159-, the remainder
of the lands belonging to the monastery were erected into
a temporal lordship, in favour of William Melville, who
subsequently transferred the lordship to Hugh, fifth Earl
of Eglinton, whose descendants are the present propri-
etors. Of the once stately and venerable structure,
which was almost demolished at the Reformation, the
gable of the south transept, portions of the walls, with a
few of the finely-pointed arches, and an early-Gothic
gateway, are the only remains. A part of the abbey
church, a spacious cruciform structure, was repaired, and
appropriated as the parochial church till the year 1775,
when it was taken down, and the present church erected
on its site. The tower of the abbey church, a square
massive structure 103 feet high, and which was repaired
by the Earl of Eglinton in 1789, remained till the year
1814, when it fell from natural decay; and in the year
following, a similar tower, of nearly equal dimensions,
was erected in its place.
The introduction of freemasonry info Scotland ap-
pears to have originated in the building of the monastery
of Kilwinning, for which purpose several of those masons
and artificers of Rome whom the pope had incorporated
66
for the promotion of ecclesiastical architecture, and in-
vested with peculiar privileges, were brought over from
the continent. The architect who superintended the
erection of the monastery, the masons who accompanied
him, and such of the workmen of the neighbourhood as
were qualified to assist them, were formed into a society,
of which the architect was elected master-mason. Simi-
lar societies were gradually instituted in various parts of
the country, subordinate to that of Kilwinning, which, as
the oldest of the kind, retained an acknowledged pre-
eminence, and of which the master-mason was chosen as
grand master over all the others. After his return from
England, James I. of Scotland patronized the lodge of
Kilwinning, and presided as grand master of the order
for some time ; subsequently delegating the election of a
grand master, generally a man of high rank, to the bre-
thren of the various lodges. James II., however, con-
ferred the office of grand master on William Sinclair,
Earl of Orkney and Baron of Roslin, and made the office
hereditary in his family ; and his successors. Barons of
Roslin, held their courts or grand lodges at this place.
In 1736, Lord Roslin assembled thirty-two of these
lodges at Edinburgh, to whom he resigned all his here-
ditary rights as grand master ; and the grand lodge of
Scotland, consisting of representatives from all the other
lodges of the kingdom, has since that period been esta-
blished there.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated on an acclivity, rising
gently from the west bank of the river Garnock. It
consists of one narrow street, nearly a mile in length,
from which diverge some lanes ; and of some ranges of
detached houses. The houses are indifferently built, and
of antique appearance, with the exception of a few of
modern erection ; but the environs abound with a variety
of beautiful scenery, in which the pleasure-grounds of
Eglinton Castle form a conspicuous and interesting fea-
ture. A society for the practice of archery, that has
existed in the town since the year 1488, holds annual
meetings in July, which are numerously attended by
persons from all parts of the country : the chief prize is a
silver arrow, which is awarded by the society to the suc-
cessful competitor, who becomes captain for the following
year, and presides as master of the ceremonies at a ball
given on the occasion. Among the branches of trade
is the weaving of silk, w'oollen, and cotton goods, in which
about 400 looms are employed : there are three factories
for carding and spinning cotton-wool ; and an extensive
tannery has been established for more than half a cen-
tury. Many of the inhabitants, also, are engaged in the
mines and collieries in the immediate vicinity ; and in
the town are several sho])S well supplied with various
articles of merchandise. A sub-branch of the Commer-
cial Bank of Scotland has been opened ; and fairs for
horses and cattle are held in the town on the 1st of Fe-
bruary and the first Wednesday in November. Facility
of communication is maintained l)y excellent roads, which
intersect the parish in diflVrent directions, and of which
eleven miles are turnpike. The (ilasgow and Ayr railway
passes the western extremity of the town, where it has a
station, and where it meets the line from Ardrossan. The
Kilmarnock branch of the (ilasgow and Ayr railway also
passes through llu' parish, and a railroad from the col-
lieries of Doura and Fcrgushill was some time since laid
down, which joins tlie Ardrossan railway about two miles
from Ardrossan harbour.
(/
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The PAKiSH is of very irregular form, about seven miles
in length and five in extreme breadth, and comprises
nearly 1 '2,000 acres, of which from 3000 to 4000 are
arable, and the remainder woodland, pasture, and moor,
whose proportions cannot be well ascertained. Its sur-
face rises in graceful undulations from the south-east to
the north-west, without attaining any great degree of
elevation ; and is intersected by the beautiful valleys of
the Garnock and the Lugton, the former of which is
richly cultivated, and the latter thickly wooded. The
high lands command an extensive and beautifully-diver-
sified prospect, embracing the vale of Garnock, the woods
of Mountgreeiian and Eglinton, the towns of Saltcoats,
Stevenston, and Irvine, with the bay of Ayr, the rock of
Ailsa, the Mull of Cantyre, and the mountains of Arran.
Of the streams, the river Garnock, which has its source
among the hills of Kilbirnie, flows in a copious current
southward through the parish, and after passing the town,
pursues a remarkably sinuous course, and falls into the
sea near the mouth of the Irvine. The Lugton issues from
Loch Libo, in Renfrewshire, and taking a south-western
course, runs through the demesne of Mountgreenan and
the pleasure-grounds of Eglinton into the river Garnock,
about two miles from its influx into the sea. The Caaf,
a small tributary of the Garnock, after forming for a
short distance a boundary between this parish and that
of Dairy, flows along a narrow wooded dell at Craigh-
Head mill, where it forms a beautifully-picturesque cas-
cade. Ashgrove, the only lake, is about a mile and a half
north-west of the town, and partly in the parish of Ste-
venston ; it contains pike and perch, but is neither of
great extent nor distinguished by any peculiar features.
Salmon and salmon-trout are still found in the Garnock,
and the fisheries on this stream were formerly lucrative,
yielding a considerable rent ; but from stake-fishing at
the mouth of the river, and other causes, they have been
for many years comparatively unproductive.
On the higher grounds, and in the central parts of the
parish, the soil is generally a clay of no great depth ;
on the lands sloping towards the rivers, a richer loam ;
and in other parts, light and sandy, but of great fertility.
The chief crops are oats and potatoes, with a moderate
proportion of wheat, and the usual grasses ; the system
of husbandry has been gradually improving, and a due
rotation of crops is invariably observed. Much progress
has been made in surface-draining ; the lands have been
inclosed with hedges of thorn, which are kept in good
order ; and the farm-buildings, though of inferior erection,
are generally adapted to the size of the farms, which vary
from fifty to eighty acres. Great attention is paid to the
improvement of live stock : the sheep are mostly of the
black-faced breed, with some few of the Leicestershire
and South-Down kinds ; the cattle are usually the Ayr-
shire, and the horses of the Clydesdale breed. There
are very considerable remains of ancient wood, particu-
larly in Eglinton Park, where many fine specimens of
stately timber are to be found : among these are nume-
rous beeches of venerable growth, of which kind of tree
the planting has some years been discontinued. The
plantations, which are very extensive, and in a thriving
state, consist of ash, elm, oak, larch, and Scotch fir, and
contribute greatly to enrich the scenery. In this parish
the substrata are principally of the coal formation, with
bands of ironstone, limestone, and sandstone ; and clay
for making bricks and draining-tiles is also found. The
67
K ILW
coal, which occurs in several varieties, and of good qua-
lity, is wrought at Doura, Fergushill, Redstone, and
Eglinton. The mines afford employment to about 250
men ; and of the produce, exclusively of what is sold for
the supply of the neighbourhood, 50,000 tons are aimually
sent by the railroad to the harbour of Ardrossan, whence
they are shipped for Ireland and the Mediterranean.
There are also in constant operation two quarries of lime-
stone, and a quarry of excellent freestone, which toge-
ther employ a considerable number of men. Extensive
iron-works, called the Eglinton Iron-works, were erected
in the year 1845, by Messrs. Baird, of Gartsherrie ; they
give employment to many persons, and have added to
the wealth of the surrounding district. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £15,261.
Eglinton Castle, the seat of the Earls of Eglinton,
descendants of Roger de Montgnmerie, a near relative
of William the Conqueror, whom he accompanied to
England, is a splendid castellated mansion, erected
about the year 1798 by Hugh, the twelfth earl, and
beautifully situated in an extensive park, about a mile
south-eastward of the town. The castle occupies a spa-
cious quadrangular area, defended at the angles with
circular turrets, and comprehending the ancient keep,
a round tower of great strength and lofty dimensions.
It contains numerous stately apartments superbly em-
bellished, to which an entrance is afforded from a mag-
nificent circular saloon, thirty-six feet in diameter,
rising to the roof, and lighted from an elegant dome.
The park, which comprises above 1200 acres, and is
well stocked with deer, is tastefully laid out in lawns,
parterres, and pleasure-grounds, through which the
river Lugton takes its winding course to the Garnock,
adding greatly to the beauty of the scenery of the
demesne, which is also embellished with more than 400
acres of thriving plantations, diversified with ancient
timber of majestic growth. A tournament was cele-
brated within the grounds, on a truly magnificent scale,
by the present earl, in August 1839, and attracted a
large concourse of nobility and gentry from all parts of
the United Kingdom and from the continent. The lists
were formed in the gently-sloping grounds near the
castle, and inclosed an area 650 feet in length and 250
feet in breadth ; and a splendid pavilion was erected
immediately behind the mansion, 375 feet long and
forty-five feet wide, for the accommodation of 2000
persons, who were courteously entertained on the occa-
sion. The Earl of Eglinton presided as lord of the
tournament ; Lord Saltoun officiated as judge of the
lists ; the Marquess of Londonderry as king of the
tournament ; and Lady Seymour, attended by a nume-
rous train of ladies of high rank, and followed by the
Irvine archers, appeared as the Queen of Beauty.
Among the knights that entered the lists were the
Marquess of Waterford, the Earl of Craven, Viscount
Alford, Lord Glenlyon, Lord Cranstoun, the Earl of
Cassilis, and Prince Louis Napoleon Buonaparte. The
tournament continued for two days ; and though more
than 80,000 spectators were assembled within the park,
which was thrown open indiscriminately to the public,
not the slightest damage of any kind occurred. Mount-
greenan House is an elegant modern mansion situated
in a well-planted demesne watered by the Lugton.
Monkcastle is a fine modern mansion in another part of
the parish, and Ashgrove is also a handsome residence.
K2
KING
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For ECCLESIASTICAL pufposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Irvine, synod of Glasgow and
Ayr. The minister's stipend is £"266. 12., with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £14. 10. per annum ; patron, the
Earl of Eglinton. Kilwinning church, situated in the
centre of the town, is a neat plain structure erected in
1771, and contains 1030 sittings. There are places of
worship for the United Presbyterian Church, the Free
Churcli, and Original Seceders. The parochial school
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
■with a house and garden, and the fees average about
£20 per annum. Near the village of Doura, a large
schoolroom, with a play-ground, and a dwelling-house
for a master, has been erected at the sole expense of
the Earl of Eglinton ; and there are schools in con-
nexion with the collieries. The parish also has some
friendly societies and a savings' bank
KINBETTOCK, county Aberdeen.— See Towie.^
KINBUCK, a village, in the parish of Dunblane,
county of Perth, 2^ miles (N. by E.) from Dunblane;
containing 131 inhabitants. It is seated in the centre
of the parish, on the road from Dunblane to Auch-
terarder ; and has a station of the Scottish Central rail-
way. The place is formed of East and West Kinbuck,
and the population are partly employed in the woollen
manufacture, for which there is a mill in the village.
KINCAIRNIE, a village, in the parish of Caputh,
county of Perth, 2 miles (N.) from Caputh ; containing
S3 inhabitants. It lies in the eastern part of the parish,
and south of the road from Cluny to Dunkeld. Kin-
cairnie House, in the vicinity of the village, is the seat
of the Murray family.
KINCAPLE, a village, in the parish and district of
St. Andrew's, county of Fife, 2^ miles (W. N. VV.) from
St. Andrew's; containing 1S6 inhabitants. It is situated
upon the eastern coast, near the mouth of the Eden, in
St. Andrew's bay ; and on the road from St. Andrew's
to Leuchars. The population is chietly agricultural.
In 1834 a minister was appointed to perform divine
service, once a month, in each of four villages in the
parish, of which this is one.
KINCARDINE, in the county of Inverness. — See
Abernethy.
KINCARDINE, a sea-port town and a burgh of
barony, in the parish of Tulliallan, county of Perth,
a miles (S. E.) from Alloa, and 12 miles (E. S. E.) from
Stirling ; containing 287.5 inhabitants. The name of
this now considerable place was formerly West Pans,
from its salt-pans, which in I7SO were fifteen in number,
though none exist at present. It is pleasantly seated
on the north-east bank of th"e river Forth ; and though
irregularly built, and having some narrow streets, it
contains several streets of good breadth, with a number
of substantial houses and neat villas, surrounded by
gardens. The harbour, which is one of the best for
trade on the Forth, is capable of admitting vessels of
between three and four hundred tons' burthen ; and as
many as a hundred of this size may have safe anchorage
within it. Shi|)-I)uilding, princi|ially of the class of
vessels adapted to coasting trallic, was largely carried
on here, but it is greatly on the decline : rope-making,
and the manufacture of sail-cloth, also employ part of
the i)0[)ulation. There arc about forty ship-owners in
tlie town, who form a local marine insurance association,
and have a considerable capital ; and ships belonging
68
to the port, whose aggregate burthen exceeds 9000 tons,
visit America, the West Indies, the shores of the Baltic,
and St. Petersburgh. Kincardine is a creek subordinate
to the port of Alloa. It has two good inns, a post-office,
a library consisting of more than 1000 volumes, and
two branch banks, these last affording great encourage-
ment to enterprise, and accommodation to the surround-
ing district. The coast-road from Stirling passes through
it ; the river is crossed by a ferry, upon which two
steam-boats are constantly plying, and the steamers
that ply between Stirling and Edinburgh take in pas-
sengers at the pier. The trustees of Lord Keith are
the superiors of the town, and they appoint baron-
bailies, who act as magistrates. A sheriff small-debt
court is held four times a year. There is an elegant
new church ; also a place of worship for the United
Presbyterian Church, and schools in which the ordinary
branches of education are taught. It was from this
barony that the ancient and illustrious family of Bruce
took the title of Earl, now conjoined with the earldom
of Elgin, the present, and sixth, Earl of Elgin being also
eleventh Earl of Kincardine.
KINCARDINE, a parish, in the county of Ross and
Cromarty, 14 miles (W. N. W.) from Tain; containing
2108 inhabitants, of whom 316 are in that part of the
parish which formed the quoad sacra parish of Croich.
This place is said to derive its name, of Celtic origin,
and which may signify " the termination of the heights",
from its position at the extremity of some ranges of lofty
hills. With greater probability, however, its name may
be interpreted to signify in the Celtic " the seat of the
chiefs or friends". It appears to have been at a very
early period the baronial residence of the chiefs of the
clan Ross, and to have been the scene of various hos-
tilities between them and rival clans, of M'hich the most
sanguinary instance was the battle of Tuiteam-Tarbhach,
about the year 1397. In 16.tO, the Marquess of Mon-
trose arrived at Orkney with a force of 1.500 men, and
crossing the Pentland Firth, landed at the northern
extremity of Caithness, and took possession of the castle
of Dunbeath, whence he advanced to Ross-shire. The
Earl of Sutherland, his opponent, at first retired before
him, but afterwards passed over into Sutherland, to
intercept his retreat to the north ; and Colonel Strachan
advancing to meet Montrose with a force of 230 cavalry
and 170 infantry, a battle ensued near the pass of Inver-
charron, on the borders of this parish, which terminated
in the defeat of the marquess, and the slaughter of
nearly the whole of his men. The spot where the battle
was fought has been since called " Craigachaoineadh",
or the Rock of Lamentation. Montrose, after the en-
gagement, throwing off his embroidered cloak, and
changing clothes with a Higliland soldier, swam across
the Kyle, a sheet of water dividing part of this parish
from Sutherland, and efl'ected his escape from the field
of slaughter. But after wandering for several days in
Strath-Oikell, and concealing himself in the woods of
Assynt, he was at length discovered by Neil Macleod,
the jmiprietor of Assynt, who had formerly been one of
his followers, and to whom, in the hope of finding pro-
tection, he made himself known. Macleod, however,
being cither afraid to conceal him, or tempted l)y the
large reward offered for his ai)prehensi()n, betrayed
Montrose to his ])ursuers, who sent him by order of
General Leslie to Skibo Castle, whence he was removed
KING
KING
to Braan Castle, and afterwards to Edinburgh, where,
after suffering the most barbarous indignities, he was
pubhcly executed, and his head placed on the Tolbooth.
At a short distance from the parish church towards the
shore, are still some vestiges of the ancient residence of the
family of Ross, whose territories were in the eleventh cen-
tury erected by Malcolm Canmore into an earldom, which
remained in that family till the death of William, the
last earl, without issue male, in 1371, after which the
dignity continued to be held by various claimants till
the year 1478, when it was finally annexed to the crown.
The present representative of the title, and of the chief-
tainship of the clan, is George Ross, Esq., of Pitcalnie,
a descendant from the brother of the Earl William, who
died in 1371. The chief proprietor of the lands in the
parish is Sir Charles W. A. Ross, of Balnagown, Bart.
The PARISH, which is bounded on the north-east
mainly by the Firth of Tain, is about thirty-five miles
in length, and varies from three to sixteen miles in
breadth, comprising an area of nearly 230 square miles,
of which but a very small portion is arable. Its sur-
face is strikingly diversified with hills of various eleva-
tion, and with open valleys and narrow glens ; and near
the western extremity is the ancient and extensive forest
of Balnagown, in which are deer of unusually large
size. The most lofty of the hills are, Cairnchuinaig, on
the lands of Dibbisdale, in which are found cairngorms
of great beauty ; and Sithain-a-Charra, in Balnagown
forest, in which, though it is at a very considerable dis-
tance from the sea, have been discovered shells of
different kinds. The principal river is the Oikell, which
has its source in the adjoining parish of Assynt, and
after a course of thirty miles, in part of which it forms
the northern boundary of the parish, falls into the Kyle
Firth : it is navigable for nearly twelve miles. The
river Carron intersects the parish from west to east,
and joins the Kyle at Bonar-Bridge. There are also
numerous lakes, some of them containing trout of excel-
lent quality, especially Loch-a-Chorry, in which are trout
weighing six pounds ; but none of these lakes are of
great extent, or distinguished by any interesting features.
Both the rivers Oikell and Carron abound with salmon ;
there is likewise a salmon-fishery at Bonar-Bridge, and
flounders are taken at ebb-tide. The fisheries are all in
the possession of the Duke of Sutherland.
The SOIL is exceedingly various. On the arable lands,
which are under good cultivation, producing favour-
able crops, it is tolerably fertile ; but the hills and other
parts are heathy and barren. The hills afford, however,
good pasture for sheep and cattle, of the former of which
great numbers are reared, and sent mainly to the Falkirk
trysts and to Edinburgh ; the cattle, which are generally
of the Highland breed, are also grazed in large herds,
and forwarded chiefly to Leith and to London, by the
northern steamers. There are considerable remains
of ancient wood ; and extensive plantations have been
formed on some of the lands, consisting chiefly of oak,
birch, and firs, all of which are in a very thriving state.
The prevailing rocks are of granite, and conglomerate,
alternated with gneiss and whinstone. In a few instances,
outcrops of mica-slate, greywacke, and old red sandstone
are to be seen ; and at Knockierny, on the confines of
the parish of Assynt, white and variegated marbles of
the purest quality are found. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £5172. Invercarron House,
69
on the north bank of the river Carron ; Gladefield House,
the property of the Duke of Sutherland ; Braelangwell
Lodge, belonging to Sir Charles W. A. Ross, beautifully
situated on the Carron, which forms a picturesque cas-
cade near the house ; and Amat Cottage, the occasional
residence of George Ross, Esq., of Pitcalnie, near the
confluence of some small rivulets with the Carron, are
all handsome residences. The parish is connected with
the coast of Sutherland by a substantial and elegant
bridge across the Firth of Tain at Bonar, erected in 1812,
to supersede the dangerous ferry, previously the only
means of communication. This important structure,
which cost £14,000, consists of three arches: one, on
the Sutherland side, of cast iron, is 150 feet in span;
and the others, which are of stone, are of fifty and sixty
feet respectively. There are no manufactures ; but some
trade is carried on here in the exportation of grain, wool,
oak-bark, and salmon, and in the importation of coal,
lime, salt, meal, and other articles for the supply of the
district. Many fishing-boats, also, visit the Firth during
the season. A good pier of stone was constructed at
Bonar some years since, by Mr. Ross, of the Balnagown
Arms inn, now of Lower Gladefield, at his own expense;
and the harbour affords safe shelter and accommodation
to vessels not exceeding sixty tons' burthen, which can
come up to the bridge. A post-office at Bonar has a
daily delivery ; the mail is conveyed from Tain by a
post gig, which carries also four passengers. An annual
fair is held, generally in the last week of November, but
sometimes in the first week of December. It continues
three days, and is numerously attended by dealers from
all parts of the adjacent districts. On the first day there
is a fine show of Highland cattle ; and on the two
others, large quantities of dairy and agricultural produce,
and various kinds of merchandise, with home-spun webs
in considerable abundance, are exposed for sale, and
general business to a great extent is transacted.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Tain, synod of Ross. The
minister's stipend is £278, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £15 per annum; patron, the Marchioness of
Stafford. Kincardine church is a neat substantial struc-
ture, erected in 1799, and containing 650 sittings : in
the steeple is a fine-toned bell which was found in a
French ship-of-war of seventy-four guns, captured in
1775 by Admiral Sir John Lockhart Ross of Balnagown.
A church was erected by parliamentary grant, in 1827.
at Croich, a remote pastoral district ; and another por-
tion of this extensive parish, from the boundary of Croich
westward, is under the care of a missionary connected
with the Established Church, whose charge also extends
over part of the parish of Creich, in the county of Suther-
land, where his station is, at Rosehall. The chapel for
the mission, erected by Dunning, Lord Ashburton, and
repaired in 1832, contains 300 sittings ; and the mis-
sionary, who is appointed by the Royal Bounty com-
mittee, receives a stipend of £60, to which £5 are
added by the Duke of Sutherland. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship in the parish. The
parochial school, situated near the church, is attended
by about 100 children; the master has a salary of £34,
with a house, and an allowance of £2. 2. in lieu of gar-
den, the fees averaging £20 per annum. A parochial
library, consisting chiefly of religious books, is supported
by subscription. There are numerous circular forts and
KING
KING
vitrifications in the parish, supposed to be of Pictish or
Danish origin ; but most of them are in a very imperfect
state, from the removal of the stones as materials tor
building. In the churchyard is a stone five feet in
length, and about two feet in breadth and thickness ;
it has been hollowed into two unequal cells, and is ela-
borately sculptured with various figures, among which
are a man on horseback in the act of darting a javelin,
an imperial crown, and what appears to be a camel.
This relic is supposed to be part of a sarcophagus in
which, according to tradition, the remains of a warrior
who died here of the wounds he received in battle, were
deposited. There are also some remains of Druidical
circles in different parts of the parish.
KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH, a parish, in the
county of Perth, 2 miles (S. by W.) from Doune ; con-
taining, with the villages of Thornhill and Norriestown,
2232 inhabitants. This parish, the name of which is of
very uncertain etymology, is pleasantly situated in the
vale of Monteith, and in the southern part of the county.
It is of triangular form, having the east angle washed by
the confluence of the rivers Forth and Teith, of which
the former bounds the parish on the south, and the
latter on the north-east. The parish extends from the
east point for nearly ten miles to the south-west, and for
about twelve miles to the north-w-est ; but is intersected
by a portion of the parish of Kilmadock, three miles in
breadth, which reaches from the Teith to the Forth. It
comprises by computation 7500 acres ; and of this num-
ber, 5000, on the shores of the Forth, are mostly rich
carse land, and the remainder, on the banks of the Teith,
dry-field. The surface towards the Forth is generally
level, but rises in gentle undulations, westward of Blair-
Drummond, into a ridge, which has an elevation of 300
feet above the level of the sea, and commands a fine view
of the Grampian mountains to the north and west ; of
the Ochils to the east, with the castle of Stirling, the
field of Bannockburn, and the hill of Craigforth ; and to
the south, of the hills of Lennox, extending from the
castle of Stirling to Dumbarton. The river Goodie,
which has its source in the loch of Monteith, in the
parish of Port, intersects this parish in its course to-
wards the Forth ; and there are numerous springs, and
several small burns in various parts. The carse land
includes the moss of Kincardine, which to a consider-
able extent has been cleared, and also part of Moss
Flanders.
The SOIL, where the moss has been removed, is gene-
rally a rich blue clay of great depth and fertility, pro-
ducing grain of all kinds and good green crops; the
dry-field is chiefly a light loam, yielding excellent crops
of oats, barley, potatoes, turnips, and the various grasses.
The farms are of moderate extent, and the system of
agriculture is in an improved state ; the farm-buildings
are substantial and commodious, and the lands partly
inclosed. Considerable attention is paid to live stock ;
the cattle were formerly all of the Iligliland breed, but
on the dairy-farms cows of the Ayrshire breed have been
lately introduced. Few sheep are pastured. The horses
used for agriculture on the dry-field lands are of a mode-
rate size ; but on the carse, which rcq\iires a stronger
kind, a breed between the hardier of the Perthshire, and
the Clydesdale, is preferred. The substratum of the
parish is chiefly of tlie old red sandstone formation ; in
some parts, of good quality for building, for which pur-
70
pose it is quarried ; but in other parts, of too soft a tex-
ture for that use. Veins of calcareous spar, and occa-
sionally barytes, are found in the quarries ; but no organic
remains, except a few vegetable impressions, have been
discovered. In this parish the woods and plantations
are of oak, ash, beech, elm, birch, and firs, for which the
soil appears well adapted ; and the plantations, which
have been recently much extended, are well managed
and in a thriving condition. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £12,500. Blair-Drummond,
the seat of Henry Home Drummond, Esq., M. P., the
principal landowner, is a spacious and handsome mansion,
erected about the year 1715, by his ancestor, George
Drummond, Esq., and to which a wing has been added
by the present proprietor. It is situated in a richly-
wooded park planted by Lord Kames, who, by marriage
with the grand-daughter of George Drummond, suc-
ceeded to the estate, which at that time included 1500
acres of Kincardine Moss. Of this moss a considerable
portion was recovered by his exertions ; and under those
of his son and grandson, nearly the whole of the remain-
der has been reclaimed. In the house is a collection of
portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller, among which are por-
traits of the Lord Chancellor Perth and his brother, the
Earl of Melfort, and, in the drawing-room, a portrait of
the late Lord Kames in his robes of office as a judge.
Ochtertyre, the seat of Sir David Dundas, Her Majesty's
judge advocate general, is beautifully situated on the
banks of the Teith. On the lands of Blair-Drummond,
and also on those of Ochtertyre, comfortable cottages
have been built by the proprietors, for the accommoda-
tion of the families employed on their estates ; and in
the district which formed part of the quoad sacra parish
of Norriestown are the villages of Thornhill and Norries-
town. These will be found described under their own
heads.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dunblane, synod of Perth
and Stirling. The minister's stipend is £255. 8., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £14 per annum; patroness,
Lady \Villoughby de Eresby. Kincardine church, which
was greatly dilapidated, was rebuilt in 1814, chiefly
through the exertions of Mr. Drummond, who, in ad-
dition to the payment of more than two-thirds of the
expense of a plainer building, contributed the whole ad-
ditional charge of the present elegant structure after a
design by the late Mr. Crichton, of Edinburgh. It is a
cruciform edifice in the later English style, with an em-
battled tower crowned by minarets, and contains 770
sittings. The parochial school is well conducted, and is
attended by about seventy children ; the master has a
salary of £34, with a good house and garden, and the
fees average £14 per aimum. There are several other
schools. Within the gardens of Blair-Drummond is a
tumulus, ninety-two yards in circumference and fifteen
feet in height; and in the pleasure-grounds is one of
larger dimensions. Near the cast lodge is another, in
which were fo\md fragments of urns and human bones ;
it is surrounded with a circular fosse, called Wallace's
Trench. In clearing the moss, several remains of anti-
quity were discovered, among which were a large brass
camp kettle, some spear heads, and part of a Roman
road, of which seventy yards were clearly defined,
crossing the moss of Kincardine from the Forth to the
Teith.
KING
KING
KINCARDINE O'NEIL, a parish and village, in the
district of Kincardine O'Neii., county of Aberdeen,
11 miles (S. by K.) from Alford ; containing 1857 inha-
bitants, of whom 288 are in the village. This place,
which is of some antiquity, derives its name from its
position near the termination of a range of hills ; and
its distinguishing adjunct, O'Neii, from the name of a
rivulet that flows round the village. A small hospital for
the support of eight aged men was built at an early pe-
riod, by one of the bishops of Aberdeen, and subsisted
till the time of the Reformation, when it was suppressed :
no vestiges of the building now remain. The parish is
bounded on the south by the river Dee, and is about
seven miles in extreme length and nearly five miles in
breadth, comprising 1.5,000 acres, of which almost 6000
are arable, 3500 woodland and plantations, and the re-
mainder (including 1500 acres capable of improvement)
moorland pasture and waste. Its surface is divided into
three wide valleys by ranges of hills of great extent and
various degrees of elevation ; and at the eastern boun-
dary is the hill of Fare, rising to a height of 1800 feet
above the level of the sea, and forming a well-known
landmark to vessels navigating the eastern coast. The
hill of Learney, which is a continuation of Fare, abounds
with peat, furnishing a plentiful supply of fuel for the
inhabitants ; and most of the other hills in the parish
are either cultivated, or clothed with wood, to their very
summits. The river Dee is here seventy yards in width,
and, about two miles below the village, is crossed by an
elegant bridge of granite, erected in 1812, at a cost of
£3500, of which one-half was paid by government, and
the other raised by subscription. Salmon are found in
the Dee, frequently in great abundance ; they are gene-
rally taken with the rod, and afford excellent sport to
the angler : there are very few trout in the stream, and
even the numbers of salmon have much diminished
within the last few years. The only other stream of any
importance in the parish is the burn of Belty, which rises
among the hills at its north-western boundary, and
flowing in a south-eastern direction through the central
valley, which it divides into two nearly equal portions,
falls into the Dee in the parish of Banchory-Ternan.
Though a very inconsiderable stream, it frequently, after
rain, swells into an impetuous torrent, and inundates the
level valley through which it passes, doing much injury
to the crops : in IS^Q it carried away two bridges, and
greatly damaged three others. Some trout of very small
size are found in this river.
Along the banks of the Dee the soil is light; in the
valley of the Belty, much deeper, and of richer quality,
resting on a subsoil of clay ; and in the higher parts of
the parish, heathy moorland, with large tracts of peat-
moss. The crops are oats, bear, barley, potatoes, and
turnips, with the usual grasses ; the system of husbandry
has for many years been steadily advancing, and is at
present in a highly improved state. Large portions of
the waste grounds have been reclaimed, and brought
under profitable cultivation, both by the proprietors and
the tenants. The lands have been inclosed with stone
fences ; substantial and commodious farm-buildings have
been erected, many of which are roofed with slate ; and
on almost every farm, threshing-mills of good construc-
tion are found. Great attention is paid to the improve-
ment of the breed of horses, black-cattle, and sheep, and
to the management of the dairy-farms ; and large quan-
71
titles of butter of excellent quality, with a moderate
proportion of cheese, and eggs and poultry, are forwarded
to Aberdeen ; whither, also, considerable numbers of fat-
cattle are sent, to be shipped for London by steamer.
The plantations, which are of great extent, consist chiefly
of larch and Scotch firs, for both of which, especially
for the former, the soil is well adapted ; oak and ash
have recently been tried with success, and birch seems
to be indigenous along the banks of the river Dee. In
this parish the principal substrata are whinstone and
sandstone ; and there is also abundance of granite of
very excellent quality, in large masses, from some of
which have been cut blocks seventeen feet in length.
There is neither slate nor limestone, nor are there quar-
ries of any kind in regular operation. The annual value
of real property in Kincardine O'Neii is £7018.
Craigmile, the seat of the principal heritor, is well
situated in a richly-planted demesne : the house of Lear-
ney, which was destroyed by an accidental fire some few
years since, has been rebuilt in an elegant modern style ;
and Campfield, Kincardine Lodge, and Stranduff are also
pleasant residences. The village, which is on the turn-
pike-road from Ballater to Aberdeen, is neatly built ; it
has a rural aspect, and is frequented during the summer
months by invalids for the benefit of their health. An
excellent inn has been erected ; and a circulating library,
containing a well-assorted collection, has been esta-
blished. There are no manufactures carried on here, but
many of the women are employed in knitting stockings
for the Aberdeen houses. The post-office has a daily
delivery, and the mail passes regularly through the
village. Fairs for black-cattle, sheep, and horses are
held in May and September, in the village ; and during
the winter months, markets for agricultural produce of
every kind are held monthly at Tomavern, in the north-
ern district of the parish. For ecclesiastical purposes
the parish is within the limits of the presbytery of
Kincardine O'Neii, synod of Aberdeen. The minister's
stipend is about £130, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at about £12 per annum ; patron, Sir John Forbes, Bart.
Kincardine church is an ancient structure, of which the
date is unknown. Its roof was destroyed by fire in
1733, and only the walls, which are built of small stones
embedded in lime, left standing : the edifice was, how-
ever, restored immediately, has since been more than
once repaired, and is now in good condition, affording
accommodation for a congregation of 640 persons. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
There are three parochial schools, in the three divisions
of the parish : the masters have salaries of £25 each,
with a house, and the original master has also a garden ;
they all partake of the Dick bequest, and the fees ave-
rage to each about £20 per annum.
KINCARDINESHIRE, or The Mearns, a mari-
time county, in the east of Scotland, bounded on the
north-west by the river Dee and part of Aberdeenshire,
on the east and south-east by the German Ocean, and
on the south-west by the county of Forfar. It lies
between 56° 46' and 57° 7' (N. Lat.), and 2° 1' and
2° 45' (W. Lon.), and is about thirty-two miles in
length, and twenty-four in extreme breadth ; comprising
an area of 380 square miles, or 243,444 acres ; 7620
houses, of which 7304 are inhabited; and containing a
population of 33,075, of whom 15,829 are males and
17,246 females. The county is supposed by some to
KING
KING
have derived the name Mearns (which is proper only to
a particular portion of it) from Mernia, brother of Ken-
neth II. ; but, with greater probability, others deduce it
from the J'ernicoues, by whom the district was inhabited
in the time of Ptolemy. Few events of historical im-
portance are recorded : it is conjectured that the battle
between the Caledonians under Galgacus and the Romans
under Agricola took place here. Prior to the abolition
of episcopacy, the county was included partly within the
archdiocese of St. Andrew's, and partly within the
dioceses of Aberdeen and Brechin ; it is at the present
time chiefly in the synod of Angus and Mearns, and com-
prises the presbytery of Fordoun, in that synod, and
part of the presbyteries of Kincardine O'Neil and Aber-
deen, in the synod of Aberdeen. With the counties of
Aberdeen and Banff, it constitutes the Eastern or Aber-
deen circuit for justiciary and civil purposes, and the
courts are held in the former county twice a year, in
spring and autumn. It contains Stonehaven, which is
the county town ; Bervie, or Inverbervie, which is a royal
burgh; and the villages of Gourdon, Laurencekirk,
Johnshaven, Auchinblae^ and Fettercairn. Under the
act of the 2nd of William IV., the county returns one
member to the imperial parliament; and the Kincardine-
shire burgh of Bervie is associated with Montrose, Forfar,
and Brechin, in the county of Forfar, these four burghs
forming the Montrose district, represented in parliament
by one member. The number of parishes in Kincardine-
shire is nineteen.
The SURFACE near the coast is tolerably level, though
varying in elevation. The Grampians occupy the cen-
tral, western, and northern parts of the county ; and
from their base the land subsides towards the south-east,
into what is called the Howe of the Mearns, forming a
continuation of the vale of Strathmore, and between
which and the sea there is a tract of swelling ground.
The Howe is abeautiful tract of champaign country, about
fifty square miles in extent, richly cultivated, embellished
with plantations, and sheltered on the north by the
(irampians, and on the east by the hills of Arbuthnott
and Garvock, which are from ,500 to upwards of 800 feet
higii. In this county the jirincipal mountains are, the
Strath Fenella, detached from the Grampian range by a
narrow vale from which it takes its name, and about 1500
feet in height ; Cairn-a-Mount, which is 2500 feet ; the
hill of Fare, 1800 feet; Clachnabane, which attains an
elevation of 2370 feet, and is crowned with a mass of
rock resembling an ancient fortress, rising abruptly from
eighty to 100 feet above the surface; and Mount Battoch,
the highest point of the Grampian range in the county,
and which has an elevation of ;5465 feet. The jjrincipal
riser is the Dee, which has its source in Aberdeenshire,
and after intersecting this county for about eight miles
in a course from west to east, forms its northern
boundary for fourteen miles, and falls into the sea at
Aberdeen. The other rivers arc, the North Esk, which
is formed at the top of the sequestered valley of Glcnesk
by tlie junction of several mountain streams from For-
larsliire, and, after forming the boundary between the
Mearn.s and that county for about twelve miles, falls into
the sea three miles to the north of Montrose ; the Bervie;
the Cowie ; and several smaller streams. The Loch of
Drum and Loch Leys, the former partly in Aberdeen-
Hhire, are the only lakes worthy of notice, being each
about three miles in circumference.
72
About one-third of the land is arable, and in good
cultivation; one-eighth capable of being cultivated with
advantage, and the remainder rough fell and mountain
pasture. Much of the cultivated land is highly fertile ;
the districts comprehending the Howe of the Mearns
and the southern portion of the coast are very pro-
ductive, and the system of agriculture in an advanced
state of improvement. Great attention has been directed
of late years to the mechanical improvement of the soil
by draining and subsoiling, to the experimental applica-
tion of manures, and to the rearing, and improvement
by crossing, of live stock ; for the promotion of which im-
portant objects, and for the extension of the knowledge
of chemistry as applied to agriculture, two societies exist
in Kincardineshire. The cattle are generally of the
Angusshire breed, which, however, is in many parts of
the county giving place to the cross or to the pure Tees-
water breed : the number of cattle is on an average
25,000, of which 5000 are milch-cows. The number of
sheep is about 24,000, of various breeds, but chiefly the
black -faced. There are no minerals of importance :
limestone is found, but it is very rarely quarried for any
purpose ; granite is the prevailing rock in the northern,
and red sandstone in the southern section of the county.
Various gems are found in the mountains and in the
rocks, the principal of which are the topaz or Cairngorm.
The seats are Arbuthnott House, Dunnottar, Fetteresso,
Fettercairn, Inglismaldie, Crathes, Blackball, Kirkton
Hill, Tilquhilly, Lauriston, Mount Cyrus, Inch Mario,
Thornton, Drumtochty Castle, Fasque, Durris, Ury,
Johnston, Glenbervie, Muchalls, and others. The manu-
factures are neither important nor extensive ; they are
chiefly of coarse linens and canvass, and some branches
of the cotton manufacture. At Laurencekirk, the highly-
esteemed snuff-boxes of wood are made. Facility of
communication is afforded by the Aberdeen railway :
there are good roads in various directions, some of which
are turnpike ; and a road over the Grampian hills has
been made, and is kept in good repair. The annual
value of the real property in the county is £134,341, in-
cluding £3858 for fisheries. There are vestiges of
Druidical monuments, Roman encampments, and royal
residences ; the most venerable ruin in the county is that
of Dunnottar Castle, the ancient scat of the Keiths, earls-
marischal of Scotland, romantically situated on the sum-
mit of a lofty rock boldly projecting into the sea.
KINCLAVEN, a parish, in the county of Perth,
5 miles (.S. by W.) from Blairgowrie ; containing 880
inhabitants. This place, the name of which, of Celtic
origin, is descriptive of the situation of its church, is
bounded on the north by the river Tay, which separates
it from Caputh ; and on the east and south by the
same river, which divides it from the parish of Cargill.
It is bounded on the west by the parishes of Avichter-
gaven and Little Dunkeld, and is about five miles in
length and two miles in average breadth, comprising an
area of ten square miles. The ancient castle, now in
ruins, is said to have been built by Malcolm Canmore,
and to have been for many centuries an occasional resi-
dence of the kings of Scotland, from which several of
their charters are dated. During the wars that arose,
from the contested succession to the throne, between
Bruce and Baliol, the castle was occupied by an English
garrison, wliicli, being at an unguarded moment sur-
prised by Sir William Wallace, was taken and dismantled
KING
KI N F
so far as to render it no longer tenable as a place of
strength. It is situated on a rising ground ojjposite to
the junction of the Tay and Isla, and is the property
of Baroness Keith, who pays annually a small sum to
the Duke of Atholl, its hereditary constable. The parish
comprises about 6400 acres, of which 3900 are aralile,
1500 woodland and plantations, SOO moorland pasture,
and the remainder moss, water, and waste. Its surface
is broken by an elevated ridge, extending across the
centre of the parish from north-east to south-west, and
from which the lands slope in a gentle declivity to the
Tay on the north and south. The scenery, enlivened by
the windings of the Tay, and enriched with woods and
plantations, has a very pleasing appearance. The river
Isla, descending from the lower Grampian range, flows
through the vale of Strathmore. and falls into the Tay at
the eastern extremity of the parish ; and there are several
lakes, in which pike, perch, and eels are found.
Though various, the soil is generally fertile, pro-
ducing good crops of wheat, barley, oats, turnips, and
potatoes, of which last great quantities are raised for
the London market. The state of agriculture is much
improved ; the rotation plan of husbandry is in use, and
carefully adapted to the different soils. The lands have
been well drained ; several tracts of moorland have
been brought into profitable cultivation, and the various
farm-buildings are substantial and commodious, and
some of them highly ornamental. Ayrshire cow s, and
bulls of the Teeswater breed, have been introduced ; and
the horses, previously of small size, are now improved
by the introduction of the Clydesdale breed. The planta-
tions are chiefly larch and common fir, the former not
in a very thriving state ; and there are numerous cop-
pices of oak, which are generally felled when they have
attained twenty-five years' growth. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £4.537. There were
formerly several small villages, the sites of which are
only to be distinguished by some of the ancient trees
yet standing : Arntully {which see), though much reduced
in extent and population, is still remaining. The roads
from the ferries at Caputh, Kinclaven, and others over
the Tay, afford facilities of communication, and the
railway from Perth to Forfar crosses the river about a
mile below the manse : the post-town is Perth, to which,
and also to Dunkeld, a sub-office has been established at
the neighbouring village of Stanley. For ecclesiastical
purposes the parish is within the limits of the presbytery
of Dunkeld, synod of Perth and Stirling. The minister's
stipend is £'276. 11. 5., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £18 per annum ; patrons, the family of Richardson.
Kinclaven church, inconveniently situated at the eastern
extremity of the parish, contains 320 sittings : at the
east end is a large monument to the memory of Alexander
Campbell, Bishop of Brechin, who is styled " Laird of
Kerco, in this parish," and who died in 1608. The
church is in a very indifferent state of repair ; and it is
expected that another will be soon built on a more con-
venient site. There is a place of worship for members
of the United Presbyterian Church. The parochial school
is attended by about sixty children ; the master has a
salary of £34, and a good house and garden, and the
school fees, with the other emoluments usually attached
to his office, average £24 per annum. There is also a
school in connexion with the dissenting congregation,
supported by subscription.
Vol. II.— 73
KINFAUNS, a parish, in the county of Perth, 1^
mile (E. by S.) from the city of Perth ; containing 720
inhabitants. This place, the name of which, in the Celtic
language, is descriptive of its situation at the head of a
narrow valley inclosed with hills, and o|)ening into the
Carse of Gowrie, was anciently the seat of the Charteris
family, of whom Thomas Charteris de Longueville, a
native of France, having killed a nobleman of the court
of Philip le Bel in a duel, was compelled to make his
escape, and for some time subsisted by piracy on the
open seas. Charteris, called the Red Reaver from the
colour of his flag, was encountered and taken prisoner
by Sir William Wallace, on that hero's route to France,
where, making intercession with the French monarch,
Sir William obtained for his captive a full pardon and
the honour of knighthood. Sir Thomas Charteris now
became the zealous friend and adherent of the brave
Wallace, whom he accompanied to Scotland ; and on Wal-
lace being betrayed into the hands of Edward, King of
England, he retired to Lochmaben till Bruce asserted
his claim to the crown. He was a companion of Bruce at
the taking of Perth in 1313, and, in reward of his ser-
vices, obtained a grant of the lands of Kinfauns, which
remained for many years in the possession of his de-
scendants. The lands passed afterwards to the Carne-
gies, of the Northesk family, and subsequently to the
family of Blair, whose sole heiress conveyed them by
marriage to John, Lord Gray, grandfather of the present
Lord Gray, of Kinfanns Castle.
The PARISH, which forms the western portion of the
Carse of Gowrie, is bounded on the south by the river
Tay. It is about five miles in length and one mile and a
half in average breadth, comprising an area of 4800 acres,
of which 2380 are arable, 240 meadow and pasture, and
the remainder woodland and plantations. The surface,
towards the river, is level, and thence rises, by a gra-
dual and easy ascent, to the base of a ridge of hills
that traverse the parish in a line from east to west.
Of these hills the highest is the hill of Kinnoull, which
is but partly in this parish, and has an elevation of 632
feet above the level of the Tay, presenting to the south
an abruptly precipitous mass of rock, covered for nearly
three-fourths of its height with trees, and thence bare
to its summit. On the east of this hill the ground has
a gentle declivity ; and upon a level spot here, at a con-
siderable height above the Tay, stands the castle of Kin-
fauns. Still further east, the ground again rises abruptly,
forming the western acclivity of the hill of Binn, or the
Tower Hill, so called from a tower on its summit, built
within the last forty or fifty years by the late Lord Gray,
for an observatory. Eastward of this hill the land slopes
gradually till it subsides into a deep ravine, on the oppo-
site side of which is another hill, and, yet further east, a
fourth, the latter commanding from its summit a va-
ried and extensive view of the whole Carse, the tower
of Dundee, Broughty Castle, and of the course of the
Tay from a mile below Perth to its influx into the Ger-
man Ocean : to the south is a fine view over the vale
of Strathearn. Beyond these hills, which are mostly
wooded to their summit, rise various others towards the
north, in gentle undulations, and gradually subsiding in
the vale of Strathmore, of which they form the southern
boundary. The Tay, which bounds Kinclaven for more
than three miles, is the only river of importance ; but
three small streamlets, rising among the hills, intersect
KINF
KING
the parish from north to south. The river abounds with
salmon and different kinds of trout ; pike are numerous,
and sturgeon are found occasionally.
In this parish the soil is various ; near the Tay, a rich
loamy clay producing excellent crops of wheat, barley,
oats, beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual
grasses ; and for a considerable height on the acclivities
of the hills, a light, but deep and fertile, black mould.
The system of agriculture is improved ; the farms vary
from 12.5 to 300 acres in extent ; the farm-buildings are
substantial and well arranged, and most of them of
modern erection. The lands have been well drained,
chiefly with tiles, for the making of which good clay is
found ; and on the estate of Kinfauns<an embankment
has been formed, connecting an island in the river with
the main land. The cattle are of a mixed breed, with
the exception of the cows for the dairy, which are gene-
rally the Ayrshire. Sheep are kept upon one farm ;
they are of the pure Leicestershire breed, and about 300
in number. The plantations in the parish are oak, ash,
elm, beech, Scotch fir, larch, and spruce fir; birch and
mountain-ash are scarce. In the grounds of the man-
sions, sycamore, lime, poplar, Spanish and horse chesnut,
and silver fir have attained a luxuriant growth. The
substratum is principally whinstone, of which the hills
are all composed ; and there are several quarries in ope-
ration, producing excellent materials for the roads. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £8882.
Kinfauns Castle, seated on an eminence overlooking
the Tay, is a modern edifice, begun in 1819 and finished
in 1826, after a design by Smirke. It contains a fine
library, a great variety of philosophical instruments, and
a large collection of statuary and ancient and modern
pictures : here, also, among other relics, is still preserved
the ponderous two-handed sword of Sir Thomas Char-
teris, said to have been presented to him on a certain
memorable occasion by Wallace. Not a vestige of the
ancient castle now remains. Seggieden House is finely
situated near the margin of the river. Glcndoick House
is a good mansion, built by Robert Craigie, lord presi-
dent of the court of session, and grandfather of the pre-
sent proprietor ; and Glencarse House is also a handsome
modern mansion. There are no villages, and the largest
hamlet contains only twelve families : the railway and
the turnpike-road from Perth to Dundee pass through
the [jarish. The Tay is navigable to Perth for vessels of
200 tons. The salmon-fisheries in the parish produce a
rental of £3366, of which about £2200 belong to Lord
Gray, £766 to the city of Perth, and £400 to Mr. Hay
of Seggieden ; the number of men employed is about
100. There is a branch post-office in the parish.
Steam-boats ply daily in the river Tay between Perth
and Dundee ; and there are piers at this place for the
landing of passengers and goods, at which, also, pota-
toes and grain are shipped, chiefly for London. Eccle-
siastically the parish is in the presbytery of Perth, synod
of Perth and Stirling. The minister's stipend is £242.
11. 6., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per an-
num ; patron, the Crown. Kinfauns church, which is
well situated, has been built at various times ; the nave
is very ancient, and the aisles of comparatively modern
date. It is in sul)stantial repair, and contains 410 sit-
ting.s. A parochial library was established in 1,S26, by
donations of books from the heritors, and is supported
by small quarterly subscriptions. The parochial school
74
is attended by about seventy children ; the master has
a salary of £34, with a house and garden, and the fees
average £13 per annum. There is another school in the
parish, attended principally by children from Kinnoull
and Kilspindie, supported chiefly by the fees. On the
side of the hill of Kinnoull is a cave caUed the Dragon
Hole, the hiding-place of Sir William Wallace ; and on the
lands of Glendoick is an old house which was the resi-
dence of Lord George Murray, general of the Highland
army, and in which Prince Charles Edward passed a
night after his defeat at CuUoden.
KINGARTH, a parish, in the county of Bute, 8
miles (S. by E.) from Rothesay ; containing, with the
villages of Kilchattan-Bay, Kerrycroy, and Piperhall,
931 inhabitants. This parish takes its name from the
promontory of Garroch Head, forming its extreme point
to the south, and called in Gaelic Ceann Garbh, which
signifies "stormy head". Very little is known con-
cerning the ancient history of the place ; but there are
traditions of its having been of considerable importance.
Christianity was early introduced here. The name of
Saint Catan, or Cathanus, has been transmitted in the
appellation of a bay called Kilchattau, " the cell or
burial-place of Catan". St. Blane, also, is said to have
been born here, and to have been the founder of the
original church of Kingarth, the ruins of which, still
remaining,are designated by his name, as is likewise a
hill ascending from Garroch Head. The parish was
anciently the scene of some military conflicts. On the
south-west shore is the fort of Dunagoil, " the fortified
hill of the Lowlanders," commanding nearly the best land-
ing-place on the whole coast, and having a complete view
of the passage from the western seas by Kilbrandon
sound, and of the entrance into the Firth of Clyde from the
south. Its origin is not known ; but it has frequently
been attributed to the Danes. The lands of the district
were formerly held by several proprietors called Barons,
who are at present represented by only four owners of
small portions of ground, the larger part of the parish
being the property of the Stuart family. Marquesses of
Bute.
Kingarth is six miles and a half in length from north
to south, and two and a half in mean breadth, containing
8325 acres. It is situated in the isle of Bute, and is
bounded on the north-west by the loch of Ascog, a part
of Loch Fad, and Quien loch, which separate it from
the parish of Rothesay ; and on the east, south, and
south-west by the Firth of Clyde. Its figure is irregular,
and the shore is indented by several small bays. There
is a gradual narrowing of the parish from its north-
western ijoundary till it becomes an isthmus a mile and
a half in breadth, beyond which is a peninsula two miles
in length, terminating in the promontory of Garroch
Head. On the east and south the coast is rocky and
precipitous ; on the south-west it rises more gently. It
is marked by the bays of Ascog, Scouhig, and Kilchat-
tau, to the east ; and of Scalpsie, Stravanan, and Duna-
goil, to the south-west. The firth is eight miles wide
between Scoulag bay and the nearest |)oint of Ayrshire
at Largs, and nine miles wide between Dunagoil bay and
the nearest part of the island of Arran ; it is ninety
fathoms deep between Garroch Head and Little Cum-
bray, where its dejith is greatest. In general the land
is considerably elevated above the level of the sea : the
principal hills arc Suidhe-Chatain, "the seat of Catan",
KING
KING
520 feet high, and Saint Blane's hill, 486 feet high. The
loch of Ascog, Uuieu loch, and Loch Fad cover respec-
tively seventy-five, sixty-nine, and 1/0 acres. Though
moist, the climate is mild and salubrious.
For the most part the soil is light and gravelly, but
in some places loam and clay are to be found. About
3936 acres are occasionally under tillage ; 30" 1 are
moor and pasture ; and 9-10 acres are occupied by wood,
natural and planted, the latter consisting of spruce, larch,
and Scotch firs, oak, and other hard-woods. All kinds
of grain, and the usual green crops, are grown. The
cattle are chiefly of the Ayrshire breed, to the rearing
of which great attention has been lately paid : the sheep,
also, are tolerably numerous. The modern system of
husbandry is followed, and improvements in every de-
partment have been rapidly advancing for the last fifteen
years : most of the farm-houses have been rebuilt, and
the grounds inclosed chiefly with thorn-hedges. In this
parish the prevailing rock is the old red sandstone, with
conglomerate, and numerous veins and beds of trap :
coal exists, but it is not wrought, and some lime-works
are in operation. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £3954. The mansion-house of Mount-
stuart, built by James, second Earl of Bute, in 1718, is
surrounded by beautiful and extensive plantations, and
is particularly famed for its choice flower-garden. On
the east coast stands Ascog House, with several orna-
mental villas lately erected. In the year 1703, the first
Earl of Bute obtained a charter from the crown for the
erection of a burgh of regality, to be named Mount-
stuart, with the privilege of holding a weekly market,
exercising handicraft trades, and having three annual
fairs. This charter, however, was never carried into
effect, the thriving burgh of Rothesay, with which the
parish chiefly communicates, superseding the necessity.
The roads are in good order, and the bridges sufficient
for general convenience. There is a wharf at Kilchattan-
Bay, and another at Scoulag bay, adapted for small craft.
The shipping belonging to the parish does not exceed
fifty tons ; but craft of considerable burthen from other
parts frequent the ports for the purposes of importation
and exportation. The fisheries are productive.
For ECCLESIASTICAL matters the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Dunoon and synod of Argyll ;
patrons, the Stuart family. Marquesses of Bute. The sti-
pend is £197, with a good manse and offices, and a glebe
of nearly eleven acres, worth about £12 per annum. Kin-
garth church was built in 1S26, and contains 600 sittings.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship at Ascog. The parochial school affords instruction
in Latin and Greek, with the usual branches ; the mas-
ter has the minimum salary, the legal accommodations,
and £24 fees. In this parish the antiquities consist of
two barrows or tumuli, a Druidical circle, the fort of
Dunagoil, and the ruin of the church of St. Blane, who
flourished about the close of the tenth century. The
last stands on an artificial elevation, which is inclosed
by a wall of massive stones piled one over another, 500
feet in circumference, the whole of the space having
mason-work underneath at a distance of two feet from
the surface. A considerable portion of the walls of the
church still remains, and displays architecture of great
antiquity. The parish confers the titles of Viscount
Kingarth and Baron Mountstuart upon the Marquess of
Bute.
75
KING-EDWARD, a parish, in the district of Tur-
riff, county of Aberdekn, 5 miles (S. S. E.) from
Banff; containing, with the village of Newbyth, 2492 in-
habitants. This place, originally called Kin-Edart, of
which the present name is an obvious corruption, is of
some antiquity, and appears to have formed part of the
possessions of the Cumyu family. Earls of Buchan.
There are still some remains of their baronial residence,
now called King-Edward Castle, situated on a rocky
eminence to the south-east of the church ; and also of
Eden Castle, and others ; but nothing which can throw
any light upon the early history of these fortresses has
been recorded. The parish is bounded on the west by
the river Doveron, is about eleven miles in length, and
varies from two to five miles in breadth, comprising
17,500 acres, of which nearly 9">00 are arable, 1800
woodland and plantations, and the remainder pasture
and meadow, with large portions of moss and waste.
Its surface is boldly undulated, rising in some parts into
considerable elevation, and in others subsiding into low
valleys ; but there are no hills, jjroperly so called, that
attain any remarkable height. The principal river is the
Doveron, which for some miles forms the boundary of
the parish, and which falls into the sea at Banff; it
abounds with salmon of excellent quality, and the fishe-
ries produce a good rental to their proprietor. A copious
stream, whose chief source is in the parish of Gamrie,
intersects this parish from east to west, and joins the
Doveron about a mile westward of the church.
The SOIL is very various. The higher grounds are in
general mossy, resting on a bed of clay or gravel. In
the low grounds, and especially along the banks of the
Doveron, the soil is principally alluvial, and very fer-
tile. In other parts is a black loam, resting on beds of
rock or gravel. The chief crops are oats, barley, pota-
toes, and turnips, with the usual grasses ; very little
wheat is raised. The system of husbandry has been
greatly improved ; and a due rotation of crops is observed,
according to the nature of the soil. Trench-ploughing
and surface-draining have been some years in practice,
by which the lands have been rendered much more pro-
ductive ; the fields have been inclosed ; and the fences,
partly of stone and partly of thorn, are kept in good or-
der. The farm-buildings, also, have been made more
comfortable and commodious ; and all the recent im-
provements in the construction of agricultural imple-
ments have been generally adopted. The cattle are of
the Aberdeenshire or Buchan Ijreed, with a few of the
Teeswater, and some of the short-horned breed from
Yorkshire, recently introduced ; the sheep are of the
Highland and Leicestershire breeds, and great attention
is paid to them. The plantations for the most part con-
sist of Scotch fir, spruce fir, larch, ash, beech, oak, plane,
and chesnut ; they are of considerable extent, and in a
thriving state. In this parish the principal substrata are
red sandstone, greywacke, and clayslate ; and iron-ore
is supposed to exist. The greywacke and the red sand-
stone are both quarried ; and the latter, which is found
in the eastern parts, is in extensive operation. The an-
nual value of real property in King-Edward is £6103.
The mansions are, Montcoffer House, the property of the
Earl of Fife, a handsome modern building, beautifully
situated near his lordship's park of Duff House, Banff,
which demesne is partly in this parish ; Eden House and
Byth House, also modern mansions, finely situated ; and
L 2
KING
KING
Craigston Castle, a venerable ancient structure, seated in
grounds tastefully embellished. The village of Newbyth,
which is separately described, is at the south-eastern ex-
tremity of the parish. Facility of communication is
maintained by excellent roads, of which the turnpike-road
from Aberdeen to Banff intersects the westei-u portion of
the parish ; and by bridges over the various streams,
kept in good repair.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Turritf, synod of Aberdeen.
The minister's stipend is about £215, with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £15 per annum ; patron, the Crown.
King-Edward church, a plain structure built in 16'21,
contains 550 sittings. A chapel of ease in connexion
with the Established Church has been erected in the vil-
lage of Newbyth ; it is a neat structure containing sit-
tings for 400 persons. There is a place of worship in the
parish for Independents. The parochial school is well
attended : the master has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and the fees average about £10 per annum ;
he has also a portion of the Dick bequest. With the
exception of the ruins of King-Edward Castle, there are
no relics of antiquity of any historical importance. In
a semicircular arch on the north wall of the church, is
a monument inscribed to the memory of his mother by
John Urquhart, tutor of Cromarty in 1599 ; and in the
Craigston aisle of the church are monuments to the same
John Urquhart and others of the Urquhart family.
The distinguished characters connected with King-
Edward have been. Dr. William Guild, minister of the
parish, and afterwards principal of King's College, Aber-
deen, and the founder of an hospital in that city for the
incorporated trades ; Sir Thomas Urquhart, author of the
Jewel, who, with Dr. Guild and another, presented a ser-
vice of communion plate to tlie church ; and Sir White-
law Ainslie, M.D., author of Materia Indica and other
works, who lies buried here.
KINGHORN, or, as it
was spelled till within the
last 150 years, Kingorne,
a royal burgh and a pa-
rish, in the district of Kirk-
caldy, and county of Fife ;
inntaining, with the village
I if West Bridge, and the
i-land of Inch-Keith, '2935
inhabitants, of whom 13S9
are in the burgh, 10^ miles
(N.) from Edinl)uri;h. King-
horn, at a very early period,
was one of the residences of the Scottish kings ; and
until of late years, there were to be traced the remains
of an ancient castle, situated on rising ground near the
town, and commaiKling a view of the wliole of the Firth
of Forth. This castle, of which the ])ortion lately exist-
ing was called Glamniis Tower, was probably selected as
a temporary residence for the diversion of hunting in the
extensive forest that lay adjacent, called the West wood
and the Woodfield ; and the town is faiwifully .said to
have derived its name from the frequent soundings of
till- horn during the royal sports of the chase ; the true
derivation biinj^ siqiposed to be from the (iaelic terms
Keaii or A'ih, a " chief, or headland," and f/'or/i, " green".
The date of the foundation of the town cannot be pre-
cisely ascertained, though, if not at an earlier period the
76
abode of fishermen and ferrymen, whom its advantageous
situation might have attracted to settle on the coast, it
would naturally have arisen from the proximity of the
castle. Whatever its origin, it appears to have attained
such a degree of importance in the reign of Alexander
III. as induced that monarch on 26th June, 1284, to
grant additional privileges to the burgh ; and the charter
then bestowed was afterwards, on 2nd July, 1364, con-
firmed by David II. The former king, on returning to
his castle of Kinghorn late in the evening, by a road
winding along some precipitous cliffs, was thrown with
his horse, about half a mile westward of the town, and
killed on the spot, on the l6thof March, 1285. Across
was erected at the place where the king fell, and remained
till the reign of James II. ; but no vestiges of it can now
be traced. The castle of Glammis, with the lordship of
Kinghorn, was granted by Robert II., as a marriage por-
tion with his daughter Janet, to Sir John Lyon, whose
successors were invested by James VI. with the title of
Earls of Kinghorn, which in the reign of Charles II. was
merged in that of the Earls of Strathmore.
The TOWN is situated on the shore of the Firth of
Forth, directly opposite to the port of Leith ; on the
great road from Edinburgh to Dundee, and on the Edin-
burgh, Perth, and Dundee railway. It is built upon the
slope of some gentlj' rising ground which, towards the
north-west, attains a considerable elevation. The prin-
cipal street has lately been much improved, and many of
the houses have been rebuilt in better style ; but the in-
ferior streets have a very indifferent appearance. There
are two public libraries, supported by subscription. The
chief trade carried on here is the spinning of flax, for
which there are three extensive mills ; the machinery is
partly impelled by steam, and partly by water-power, the
latter derived from the loch of Kinehorn, about half a
mile from the town. In these mills 4*0 persons are em-
ployed, of whom more than 300 are females. There is
also a bleachfield, in which about seventy persons are
generally engaged ; and a considerable number of the
inhabitants are occupied in hand-loom weaving. The
revenue of the town is £600 a year. A harbour which,
from its situation near the church, was called the Kirk
harbour, is now in a ruinous condition ; but it is in con-
templation to restore it, for which an estimate of the ex-
pense has been made, amounting to from £20,000 to
£30,000. At present, it gives accommodation only to a
few fishing-boats ; but a considerable traffic is maintained
at another harbour, at Pettycur, half a mile west of the
town. The quay at Pettycur afl'ords convenient oppor-
tunities of landing passengers, goods, and cattle, when
the state of the tide will permit vessels to approach.
The harbour and anchorage dues produce to the town a
revenue of about £180 per annum. From Pettycur and
the Kirk harbour a ferry to Leith was maintained even
in the earliest period of Scottish history, and this ferry
has been a constant subject of legislation in the Scottish
and British parliaments. The last act passed for its re-
gulation exjjired in the year 1845, and was not renewed,
as the new ferry between the low-water piers of Burntis-
land and (iranton sup])liesall the acc(unniodation neces-
sary for tlie trallic formerly carried on at this great ferry.
The I'".(linburp;h, IVrth.and Dundee railway, which passes
along the coast of the parish, and has a station in the
town, was comnuMiccd under an act obtaincil in 1845 j
and in 1846 the company were authorized to make a
KING
KING
branch of about 600 yards to the liarbour of Pettycur.
The Kinghorn station is two miles and a half distant
from that of Burntisland on the west, and three miles
and a half from that of Kirkcaldy on the north.
The BURGH was formerly
governed by a provost, two
bailies, a treasurer, and a
council comprising thirteen
merchants, sailors, and brew-
ers, and five deacons of the
*^.^ trades. The magistrates held
their various courts, and ex-
ercised, both in civil and cri-
minal cases, all the jurisdic-
tion of a royal burgh. The
,„,„,,„ ; incorporated trades consisted
Second Seal of Ike Bursa. <.,, ^ ,
J * of the hammermen, weavers,
shoemakers, tailors, and bakers, all possessing exclusive
privileges. This state of things continued, with little
alteration, till the year 1830, when most of the incorpo-
rated trades voluntarily abandoned their monopoly of the
respective occupations and other exclusive privileges, so
that tradesmen of all descriptions might thereafter settle
in the place without becoming free of any corporation.
In 1841 also, on the day fixed for the election of the cor-
poration officers, a quorum of the council could not be
mustered, and the burgh was consequently disfranchised.
Application, under these circumstances, was made to the
court of session for the appointment of three resident
managers to take charge of the patrimonial interests of
the burgh ; and three such officers were accordingly ap-
pointed, without judicial authority. The peace of the
town is now under the superintendence of the county
police. The town-hall, to which a gaol is attached, is a
handsome building in the Elizabethan style, in the centre
of the town, erected in 18*26, at an expense of about
£2400, under the direction of Mr. Hamilton of Edin-
burgh, who designed the new High School and other
edifices in that city. Kinghorn is associated with Kirk-
caldy, Dysart, and Burntisland, in returning a member
to the imperial parliament.
The PARISH is about four miles in length and three
and a half in extreme breadth, comprismg an area of
5440 acres, of which 4S00 are arable, 250 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder meadow, pasture, and
waste. Its surface is beautifully varied, rising in some
places gradually, and in others more abruptly, from the
firth. There is a number of narrow straths, watered
by small rivulets, and stretching from the shore to the
hill of Glassmount, which has an elevation of 601 feet
above the level of the sea. To the north-west of this
hill, the surface undulates gently, and with occasional
tracts of table-land. The coast is bold, and in some
parts precipitous. Near Burntisland, to the west, is the
projecting cliff memorable for the death of Alexander III.,
whence, towards the harbour of Pettycur, the shore is a
level sand, terminating in a rock of columnar basalt,
forming the headland of Kinghorn ness. From this ver-
dant headland the burgh is supposed to derive its name.
Thence the bay of Kinghorn curves towards the north,
terminating in the Kirkcraig, a mass of rock near the
church, projecting for a considerable way into the sea,
and constituting a natural breakwater to the Kirk har-
bour. The low lands are watered by numerous copious
springs, issuing from the declivities of the highergroundsj
and. to the west is the loch of Kinghorn, covering about
twenty acres, and affording an abundant supply of water
for the town, to which it is conveyed by pipes.
Along the shore, for a considerable distance, the soil
is a deep black loam of great fertility ; towards the hills,
of lighter quality ; and still further in the direction of
the north-west, more variable, and inclining to clay.
The crops are oats, barley, wheat, turnips, and potatoes.
The system of agriculture is in an advanced state ; the
lands have been well drained and inclosed ; the farm-
buildings are generally substantial and well arranged,
and the various recent improvements in agricultural im-
plements have been adopted. The cattle, few of which
are reared in the parish, arc of the Fifeshire and short-
horned breeds ; great numbers are annually bought, and
fattened for the markets, where they sell at from £20 to
£30 per head. A considerable number of sheep are also
pastured, chiefly of the half Cheviot breed. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £7410. The whole
parish lies within the coal basin of the Forth ; but the
coalfields are so disturbed by the trap rocks bursting
through them, and overlaying them, that, with the ex-
ception of a few acres on which the town stands, and
about a hundred acres near Auchtertool village, the sub-
stratum appears to be formed of trap. Indeed, the soil,
which is remarkable for fertility, seems as if entirely com-
posed of the decayed portions of this species of rock.
The bearing of the stratified rocks, where they are least
disarranged, is northward ; and the coal-bed is the lower-
most one of the coal-field which stretches from this pa-
rish eastward to Largo. Carboniferous or mountain
limestone is obtained at Invertiel ; it lies immediately
under the coal strata, and has been extensively quarried
for many years, both for building and agricultural pur-
poses. Coal was formerly wrought ; but the works have
been discontinued. There are two annual fairs, and a
weekly market is held on Thursdays, under King Alex-
ander's charter, &c. : the former are for cattle, horses,
&c., and the latter for butter, cheese, and other country
produce ; but both are very ill attended, and for the last
thirty or forty years have been falling into disuse. Abden,
the property of Robert Stocks, Esq., is an ancient man-
sion originally belonging to the Bishops of St. Andrew's j
and in the charters granting the lands to the predecessors
of the present proprietor, is a distinct reservation that
the king, as coming in place of the bishop, should, in
crossing the ferry to Kinghorn, have lodging and hospi-
tality at his own charges and expenses in the " mansion-
house of Abden". The building is a plain structure on
the north of the town, commanding a fine view over the
Firth. Balmuto, the seat of John Boswell, Esq., in whose
family it has been for more than four centuries, is an
ancient mansion consisting of a square tower to which
repeated modern additions have been made ; it is finely
situated in a demesne richly planted, and the gardens
and pleasure-grounds are laid out with exquisite taste.
Grangehill is also one of the chief mansions in the parish
of Kinghorn.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within
the limits of the presbytery of Kirkcaldy, synod of Fife.
The minister's stipend averages about £250, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £19 per annum; patron,
the Earl of Strathniore. Kinghorn parish church, which
is near the old harbour, was rebuilt in 17*4; it is a
very plain structure, and contains 700 sittings. A
KING
KING
church has been built on the eastern boundary of the
parish, bordering upon Abbotshall, to which a quoad
sacra district was for a time annexed, including portions
of each of the two parishes. There are places of wor-
ship for members of the Free Church and the United
Presbyterian Church. Until 1S30 there was no paro-
chial school. Iq that j'ear, Mr. Barclay, the town-clerk,
applied to the burgh and the heritors to found a parish
school ; and he built the houses and erections for it, on
an acre of waste ground, at his own risk, and at the ex-
pense of £800. They have since repaid him, by sub-
scriptions and donations, above £.500 of this expendi-
ture ; and they give the minimum salary to the master,
who also receives £50 a year from the fund of the late
Mr. Philp, for teaching fifty children, and £10 annually
for teaching a Sunday school. A wide range of instruc-
tion is provided, in the usual branches, together with
French, Latin, and Greek ; and an infant school and a
drawing school are maintained, by subscription, within
the building. There is also an apartment appropriated
to an extensive geological collection, and a small collec-
tion of other objects in natural history, and to a library
consisting of about 800 volumes on historical and scien-
tific subjects. In the grounds around the school-house
is a shrubbery, where are arranged and named in regular
order more than '250 plants ; and the portion allotted to
play-ground contains gymnastic apparatus. In the vil-
lage of Invertiel is a good school, where the elementary
branches are taught, the master of which has a house,
and the fees. The late Robert Philp, Esq., of Edens-
bead, left his property for the endowment of schools in
various places. One-eighth of the fund it produces is
apportioned for the instruction and clothing of fifty
children, now educated at the parochial school ; and the
residue of the eighth is given to the children, on leaving
school, in such portions as the managers of the fund
deem proper. The Rev. Henry James, late minister of
the parish, left £300 to aid in supporting a scholar for
four years in his philosophical studies at the United
College of St. Salvador and St. Leonard, in the univer-
sity of St. Andrew's ; it yields £15 per annum, and the
appointment is in the Kirk Session of Kinghorn, the
presbytery of Kirkcaldy, and the managers of the burgh
of Kinghorn. An old chapel called St. Leonard's, built
on the rising ground under the castle, and of exquisite
Saxon architecture, in which the courts were once held,
having been struck by lightning, and being likely to fall,
was removed by order of the Supreme Court, to make
way for the present town-hall. On the '2nd of Decem-
ber, 1478, King James III. confirmed a charter establish-
ing the hospital of St. James' chapel at Kingorne, in
which prayers were to be said daily for the souls of the
departed. At the time of the Reformation these oflices
ceased to be performed, and since then almost all traces
of the hospital have disappeared.
William Kirkaldy of Grange, whoflourished in the reign
of Mary ; and Patie Birnie, a famous comic character,
musician, and song-writer, immortalized by Allan Ram-
say in his poems, were natives of this parish. The
former was born in the baronial castle of Kirkaldy
Grange, which stood on a consideriible eminence in the
eastern part of the parish, and of which little now re-
mains to show what it was in former times, except a
strr)ng flanking tower or staircase, and a massive frag-
racDt of wall, whereon a modem bouse is engrafted.
78
KINGLASSIE, a parish, in the district of Kirk-
caldy, county of Fife ; containing 1 155 inhabitants,
of whom 4'21 are in the village of Kinglassie, 7 miles
(N. W.) from Kirkcaldy. The name of this place is
supposed to have been derived from a Gaelic term sig-
nifying marshy or grey land, from the ancient appear-
ance of the surface ; and near the village there is still
some portion of land which retains that character. The
parish is about five miles in length, and varies from one
mile to three miles and a half in breadth, comprising a
very irregular area of 7260 acres, of which 6250 are
arable and in good cultivation, 450 woodland and plan-
tations, and 300 pasture and waste. Its surface is un-
even, rising into several steep ridges, and in some places
forming gentle acclivities interspersed with hills. The
river Leven, which issues from the loch of that name,
waters the northern part of the parish ; and the river
Lochty flows through the village, and receives the stream-
let called the Sauchie in its immediate vicinity. The
Orr, which rises in the parish of Ballingry, touches the
southern portion of this parish, and, mingling with the
Lochty, falls into the Leven at a short distance from its
eastern extremity.
The SOIL is various, consisting of loam, clay, and
gravel, which in parts are found in combination ; the
greater portion is a stiff clay, and in some places are
tracts of moss and sand. In this parish the crops are
oats, barley, and wheat, potatoes, turnips, and the usual
green crops : flax, the cultivation of which was for some
years discontinued, is also raised in considerable quanti-
ties. The system of husbandry is very much advanced ;
iron ploughs are in general use, and the most recent
improvements in agricultural implements have been
adopted. Draining has been extensively practised ; and
much waste land has been reclaimed, and brought into
cultivation, under the auspices of an agricultural asso-
ciation consisting of practical farmers and the principal
landed proprietors, who hold an annual meeting in the
village in August. Attached to most of the farms are
threshing-mills ; three are put in motion by water, and
one by a steam-engine of seven-horse power. Great at-
tention is paid to the rearing of cattle, of the pure Fife-
shire breed ; the number of calves annually reared is
about 300. The plantations consist chiefly of larch, ash,
spruce, and Scotch fir ; and in one of them are some fine
specimens of oak and beech : they are generally well
managed. The substratum is mostly whinstone ; and
limestone, coal, and ironstone are found in several places.
Coal was formerly wrought, but for some years the
working of it has been discontinued ; limestone has also
been worked, and some quarries of freestone have been
opened, and are at present in operation. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £7457. Inch-
dairnie is an ancient mansion to which a handsome addi-
tion has been made of late years.
The village is inhabited chiefly by weavers, and persons
employed in the dilTcrent trades requisite for the supply
of the parish ; the number of looms is twenty-four.
There is a public ale and porter brewery, which is car-
ried on extensively ; and fairs, chiefly for cattle, horses,
and shoes, are helil on the third Wednesday in May, O. S.,
and the Thursday before Michadmas-day, O. S. Facility
of communication with Kirkcaldy and the neighbouring
towns is allorded by good roads, one of which, from
Kirkcaldy to Cupar, traverses the eastern portion of the
KING
KING
parish. Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery
of Kirkcaldy, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of Lord
Rothes: the minister's stipend is £223. 4. 4., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per annum. Kinglassie
church, an ancient edifice, was, with the exception of the
eastern gable and part of the side walls, rebuilt in 1773,
and within the last five-and-twenty years has been re-
paired, and adapted for a congregation of 346 persons.
The parochial school affords education to about 100
pupils : the master has a salary of £34, with £30 fees,
and a good house and garden ; also six bolls of oats an-
nually, the gift of an old proprietor. There is a female
school, in which knitting and sewing are taught on very
moderate terms ; and on the southern boundary of the
parish is a school erected by the Ferguson family of
Raith, who give the master a salary, with a house and
garden rent-free. A Sabbath-school is maintained in
the village ; and a parochial subscription library has
been established. The poor possess land situated in the
parish of Abernethy, in the county of Perth, and pro-
ducing a rental of £100 per annum, but subject to a con-
siderable drawback for the payment of improvements
previously made on the estate.
On the farm of Dogtown is a pillar of hewn stone,
sculptured with some allegorical devices, which are much
mutilated. It is by some supposed to have been erected
by the Danes, to commemorate the fall of some of their
chieftains in their hostile irruption into the county in
the reign of Constantine II., and by others to have been
raised by the Scots as a memorial of their having de-
feated and repulsed the Danes, who had encamped on
the shores of the river Leven. The height in this parish
called Goats Milk Hill is thought to have been one of
the chain of Danish forts which were thrown up be-
tween Fifeness and Stirling, and during the occupation
of which, a mill was built on the bank of the river Leven,
which is still called Mill-Danes. Some workmen lately
employed in deepening the bed of that river discovered
a Roman sword and battle-axe, and several heads of
spears ; and on re-opening a well on a farm in the parish,
which had been closed for centuries, an antique dagger,
with a handle of wood inlaid with brass, was found.
KINGOLDRUM, a parish, in the county of Forfar,
4 miles (\V. by N.) from Kirriemuir ; containing 440 in-
habitants. The name of this place is compounded of
three Gaelic words signifying " the head of the burn of
the drums, or low hills ". The lands were bestowed
upon the abbey of Aberbrothock by a charter of William
the Lion, which grant was confirmed by Alexander III.,
and afterwards by Robert Bruce ; and Alexander also
issued a proclamation prohibiting everyone from cutting
wood, destroying game, or hunting, without consent of
the abbots, in the forest of Kingoldrum. Of this de-
scription of land, however, no traces now remain. The
PARISH, which is of very irregular figure, stretches along
the base of the Grampian mountains, and is situated in
the district called the Braes of Angus. It is about seven
miles in length, and between two and three in breadth,
comprising 12,800 acres, of which nearly 4000 are under
tillage, 1500 in natural wood and in plantations, and
the remainder waste, consisting of moor, moss, bog, and
pasture. The surface is every where undulated, and
marked principally by three ranges of low hills, the in-
tervening spaces being occupied by considerable tracts of
level ground. Much of the scenery is interesting ; and
79
from the summit of Catlaw, the highest hill, elevated
2264 feet above the level of the sea, extensive and beau-
tiful prospects may be obtained. These embrace the
German Ocean from Montrose round to the Firth of
Forth, part of the coast of Fife, the Bell-rock lighthouse,
Berwick Law, some of the highest mountains in the
Western Highlands, and, on the north, the loftiest emi-
nences of the Grampians. The streams of Prosen,
Carrity, and Melgum, all abounding in trout, enliven the
lands in different directions ; and the last, in its course
through a deep, narrow, and winding cliannel, forms a
series of beautiful waterfalls, called the Loups of Kenny.
The burn of Crombie, after passing the village, falls into
the Melgum ; and in several places are copious springs,
some of them supplying abundance of excellent water.
The SOIL is to a great extent alluvial, rich and deep,
but in some parts very thin. It rests frequently on a
subsoil much intermixed with the debris of the red sand-
stone rocks. In some places it is sandy, and in others
moorish, loamy, or clayey. Husbandry has much im-
proved within these few years ; the farms are generally
cultivated under the six-shift course; considerable por-
tions of waste land have been reclaimed, and furrow-
draining has been practised with great advantage. From
1200 to 1500 sheep are kept, chiefly the black-faced;
and the cattle, which are excellent, are the Angusshire.
The geological features of the parish are highly interest-
ing, and afford a large field of observation to the scientific
inquirer. The rocks lie chiefly in parallel ridges, each
containing a distinct formation, and comprise conglome-
rate, sandstone, trap, and a dyke of serpentine, the last
being especially worthy the attention of the geologist.
A variety of other beds, and boulders of rocks, are to be
met with, embracing almost every species ; and quarries
of sandstone are in operation. Peat-mosses are common ;
and marl, procured from the loch of Kinnordy, partly in
this parish, has been used by the farmers with great
benefit. The plantations are principally larch and Scotch
fir, and are in a thriving condition, with the exception of
some of the larches, which, after a growth of twenty or
thirty years, rapidly decay. The mansion-house of Bal-
dovie, pleasantly situated in the midst of fertile lands,
derives considerable interest from its ornamental wood.
That of Pearsie, also, from some points breaking suddenly
on the view, has around it fine clusters of natural birch,
oak, and alder. The annual value of real property in
Kingoldrum is £3695.
The population of the parish, which is almost entirely
agricultural, has been gradually diminishing during the
present century, mainly through the abolition of small
farms and of the croft system. About fifty cottages, be-
sides several small hamlets, have wholly disappeared,
the only collection of houses now entitled to the appel-
lation of village being in the neighbourhood of the
church. Peat and wood at present constitute the chief
fuel ; but Scotch and English coal, obtained from the
railway depftts, about six miles distant, are coming much
into use. The public road from Kirriemuir to Glenisla
and Glenshee passes through the parish. The inhabit-
ants dispose of their produce partly at Kirriemuir, the
nearest market-town, and partly at Forfar, Dundee, and
some of the places in the vicinity : many cattle fattened
here are sent to London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Ec-
clesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Meigle,
synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage of
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the Crown. The minister's stipend is about £165, with
a manse, a glebe of tour acres of excellent land valued
at £9 per annum, and a grass glebe of twelve acres
and a half. Kingoldrum church is a small neat edifice,
erected in 1S40, and accommodating 240 persons with
sittings. The living was originally a parsonage belong-
ing to the abbey of Arbroath ; but after the erection
of the abbacy into a temporal lordship, the payment
of the minister devolved on the titular of the tithes ;
and by the " decreet of provisions " dated in the year
1635, a considerable part of the stipend was charged
upon abbey lands in the neighbourhood of Arbroath,
from which it continues to be payable. The parochial
school affords instruction in the usual branches ; the
master has a salary of £28, including the value of six
bolls and a half of oats, and receives £16 fees. There
is a circulating library of religious books. Upon the
top of the Catlaw hill is a large cairn of stones ; but the
chief relic of antiquity in the parish is the ruin of the
castle of Balfour, built by Cardinal Beaton, and which
has long been dismantled. On taking down the old
church, among numerous stones with curious devices,
two were found wrought into the building, marked with
finely-carved crosses and hieroglyphics.
klNGOODIE, a village, in the parish of Long-
FORGAN, county of Perth, I5 mile (E. by S.) from
Loogforgan ; containing 263 inhabitants. This village,
which is on the banks of the river Tay, is chiefly inhabited
by persons employed in the extensive quarries of freestone
situated here, and which have been in operation for five
or six centuries. The stone of these quarries is of a
bluish colour, and exceedingly compact and durable,
though consequently diflicult to work ; it is also suscep-
tible of a very high polish. The tower of Dundee, which
was built towards the close of the tvielfth century, and
at present exhibits no symptoms of decay, and Castle-
Hiuitly, built in the fifteenth century, were both erected
with stone from these quarries. Considerable quantities
of it are raised for various buildings in the vicinity, and
for exportation to Aberdeen, Perth, and Dundee, where
it has been used in the construction of docks, piers, and
other works. The rock in some parts is more than
seventy feet in depth ; and immensely large blocks are
obtained entire, some of them more than ten tons in
weight. The lessees of the quarries have constructed a
small harbour here for the boats employed, two of which
are of thirty and one of fifty tons' burthen, the former
almost confined to the navigation of the river, and the
latter occupied in the conveyance of the stone to more
distant ports. At this small port, lime and coal are
landed from Sunderland for the supply of the neighbour-
hood, and grain and potatoes are shipped for the London
market. Facility of intercourse is maintained with the
other parts of the parish by good roads, kept in repair
by statute labour ; and from the high road by the coast
to Aberdeen, a line branches off at Longforgan to the
quarries of this place.
KIN(iSBARNS, a parish and village, in the district
of St. Anhrkw's, county of Fifk; contiiining 968 inha-
bitants, of whom 529 are in the village, .'J miles (.\. N. W.)
from Crail, and 6 (s. K. by K.) from St. Andn'w's. This
place derived its name from its having been appropriated
as a granary by the kings of Scotland, to whom it be-
longed as part of their private estate, during their resi-
dence at Falkland; and near the village arc vestiges of
80
an ancient building, said to have been a castle, though
in all probability its strength and fortifications were in-
tended only for the protection and security of the grain
deposited there for the use of the royal household. The
remains of this building, situated on the beach, and
consisting only of the foundations, were removed by the
tenant a few years since, and from their small extent,
showed no indications of the edifice having ever been
occupied either as a royal or baronial residence. The
parish is situated on the coast, between the Firths of
Forth and Tay, and is nearly equal in length and breadth,
comprising about 3860 acres, of which 3650 are arable,
199 woodland and plantations, and the remainder rocky
land along the shore. Its surface, sloping gradually to
the sea, is tolerably even, attaining no considerable de-
gree of elevation ; the shore is low, and interspersed
with rocks, that form somewhat of a barrier against the
encroachment of the waves, which make considerable
inroads. In the lower portion of the parish, towards the
sea, the soil is rather light and sandy, and farther inland
a deep black loam, in some parts inclining to clay : both,
under proper management, are fertile and productive.
A good system of husbandry is prevalent, and the crops
are, wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, beans, turnips, &c.
The prevailing breed of cattle is the Fifeshire : the Tees-
water breed was introduced by the late Earl of Kellie,
but it has not been found so well adapted to the land,
or so profitable to the farmer. About 150 head of cattle
are on the average annually fattened for the market.
Sheep are kept only for home use. The woods are chiefly
forest-trees ; but the plantations, mostly around the
houses of the resident gentry, consist only of shrubberies
and evergreens. The farm houses and offices are sub-
stantially built, and conveniently arranged ; and con-
siderable improvements have been made in draining and
fencing the lands. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £7849.
The substratum is generally limestone and freestone,
interspersed in parts with boulders of granite. Coal
appears to have been worked formerly in some places ;
and at present, where it occasionally crops up, it is
quarried by the poorer classes ; but from the quantity
of water to be drained off, it would require a considerable
effort and an extensive capital to render the coal-beds
available to the supply of the parish. Lime is burnt on
the lands of Cambo, for the use of the tenants ; but no
regular quarries of limestone have been opened, though
both the quantity and quality of the stone would amply
remunerate the expense of working it on a larger scale.
Ironstone is found near the shore, and a few persons are
employed in procuring it by digging ; what is thus ob-
tained is usually shipped to Newcastle, and exchanged
for coal. The gentlemen's seats are Cambo and Pitmilly,
both of them ancient mansions of handsome appearance.
The village has been greatly improved within the last
few years ; the streets have been levelled, and many of
its old houses have been taken down, and replaced by
others of larger dimensions, with neat flower-gardens in
the front. Its appearance is lively and cheerful, and
the village has l)ecome a pleasant place of residence.
Some of the inhaliitants are engaged in weaving with
hand-looms at their own dwellings : the general articles
manufactured are, linens for domestic use, dowlas, and
Osnaburgs ; about twenty hxmis are employed, and on
un average 50,000 yards of the fabrics are produced an-
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nually. A subscription library has been for some time
established in the village ; and a savings' bank has also
been opened. There are fairs in July and October, but
little business is transacted except the sale of pedlery.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of St.
Andrew's, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Glasgow: the minister's stipend is £'251. 18.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per annum.
Kingsbarns church is a neat structure in the later Eng-
lish style, thoroughly repaired in 1811. The parochial
school affords a liberal course of instruction ; the master
has a salary of £34, with £30 fees, and a dwelling-house
and garden. There is also a Sabbath evening school.
In levelling the coast, several stone coffins containing
human bones were found ; and in one instance, some of
the bones had the appearance of having been burnt.
KINGSTON, for a time a quoad sacra parish, partly
in the parish of Govan, Upper ward of the county of
Renfrew, but chiefly in that part of the parish of Govan
which is ecclesiastically annexed to the parish of Gor-
BALS, in the suburbs of the city of Glasgow, county of
Lanark ; the whole containing 2882 inhabitants. This
place stands on the south bank of the river Clyde, and
to the west of Tradeston, to which it is an appendage.
It consists of several well-formed streets ; the houses
are handsomely budt, generally three or four stories in
height, and attached to them are spacious courts and
garden-grounds. The town is pleasantly situated, com-
manding a fine view of the Clyde, and of the port of
Broomielaw on the opposite bank of the river. Its
population are chiefly employed in the various manufac-
tures connected with the city of Glasgow and vicinity ;
and there are several shops for the supply of the inha-
bitants with various articles of merchandise. The Glas-
gow and Paisley canal, and the Glasgow, Greenock, and
Ayr railway, skirt the district on the north for nearly a
mile. The former quoad sacra parish was separated in
1839, under act of the General Assembly. Kingston
church was erected at an expense of £3000, raised by
subscription, chiefly by the friends of the Rev. James
Gibson, the first minister, as a public testimony of their
esteem ; it is a handsome structure in the later English
style, with a light and well-proportioned spire 120 feet
in height, and contains more than 1000 sittings. The in-
cumbency is in the gift of the Subscribers. There is also
a place of worship for members of the Free Church.
KINGSTON-PORT, a village, in the parish of Spey-
MOUTH, county of Elgin, 4^ miles (N. by W.) from
Fochabers ; containing 396 inhabitants. This village is
seated at the mouth of the Spey, and, with the exception
of a few houses, has been built within the last forty or
'fifty years. The original dwellings were mostly of wood,
and were erected for the accommodation of the workmen
of Messrs. Dodsworth and Osbourne, timber- merchants
and ship-builders, by whom the place was named Kings-
ton-Port, after Kingston-upon-Hull in the county of
York. These gentlemen, having purchased the forest of
Glenmore from the Duke of Gordon, about the year
1784, commenced building numerous vessels here, several
of them of the burthen of 500, 600, and 700 tons ; and
various other builders, following their example, have
since launched as many as 150 vessels at this place, of
from thirty to 200 tons' burthen each. The trade in
timber has latterly very much declined, the forest having
been exhausted about five-and-thirty years ago ; but the
Vol. II.— 81
commerce of the port is still considerable. In a recent
year 200 vessels sailed hence, of which one-fourth were
loaded with grain, chiefly wheat and oats, for the southern
parts of Scotland and for England ; and in the same
year were imported forty cargoes of Scotch coal, and
twenty of English coal from Sunderland. The harbour
suffered very severely from the memorable flood on the
4th of August, 1829; and as the channel is shifted by
the occasional heavy action of the sea, and the gravelly
nature of the soil renders it impracticable to obtain a
secure foundation for a pier, the improvement of the
port is difficult. The village of Garmouth closely adjoins
Kingston.
KINGUSSIE, a parish, in the county of Inverness,
5 a mile (E. by N.) from Pitmain ; containing, with part
of the former quoad sacra parish of Insh, the villages of
Kingussie and Newtonmore, and the hamlet of Ralia,
2047 inhabitants, of whom 460 are in the village of
Kingussie. This place is of remote antiquity, and de-
rives its name, in the Celtic language Ceannghiubhsakhe,
from the situation of its ancient church at the head of a
wood of firs, of which that term is significant. The
whole of the lordship of Badenoch, in the centre of
which this parish lies, originally belonged to the Cumyns,
Earls of Badenoch and Buchan, of whom John, the first
lord of Badenoch, laid claim to the throne of Scotland
on the death of Alexander III. in 1285. As superior
baron of the kingdom, he was summoned by Edward I.
of England to attend him in his wars in Gascony. Upon
his death, he was succeeded by his son, John, who, after
a continued struggle to maintain the independence of his
country, in which he obtained a victory over the English
at Roslin, was compelled, subsequently to the battle of
Stirling, to yield to the superior power of Edward. At
the succession of Bruce to the crown of Scotland in
1306, the lord of Badenoch became a victim to the re-
sentment of that king ; and the lordship was included
among the lands which Bruce erected into the earldom
of Moray in 1314, and bestowed upon his nephew, Ran-
dolph. The earldom continued in the possession of that
family till the year 13*1, about which time it became
the property of the Stuarts, of whom Robert, the first
Stuart who ascended the throne of Scotland, conferred
it on his son, Alexander, in whose favour he revived the
title of lord of Badenoch. Alexander, who, from the
ferocity of his character, was styled the Wolf of Bade-
noch, resided chiefly in the castle of Ruthven, in this
parish, the ancient seat of the Cumyns, a strong fortress
situated on the banks of the river Spey. Here, in per-
fect security, and presuming upon his connexion with
the crown, he exercised despotic tyranny over his vassals,
and spread terror and dismay throughout the adjacent
districts. Upon his death, about the year 1394, the
lordship descended to his son, who was the last of the
Stuarts connected with the earldom of Moray, which
subsequently passed to the first Earl of Huntly, upon
whom the lordship of Badenoch was conferred by James
II., in reward of his services at the battle of Brechin in
1452. The site of Ruthven Castle, the seat of the lords
of Badenoch, was occupied by barracks erected soon
after the rebellion in 1*15, to keep the inhabitants in
check; and in 1745, the garrison stationed here, with
the exception of a Serjeant and twelve privates who were
left for the protection of the buddings, accompanied Sir
John Cope on his march to the battle of Presfonpans.
M
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Duriug their absence the barracks were defended by this
small party against a body of 200 insurgents ; and in the
following year, they sustained a violent assault for three
days from 300 of the rebels, under Gordon of Glen-
bucket, to whom the force surrendered on terms of
honourable capitulation. The barracks were soon after-
wards burnt by the insurgents, and are now a heap of
ruins.
The PARISH, which is bounded on the south by the
Grampian hills, is about twenty-one miles in length
from east to west, and nearly eighteen miles in breadth ;
but, from the extreme irregularity of its form, and the
great inequality of the surface, it has been found im-
possible to ascertain its superficial extent with any
degree of accuracy. Its surface is strikingly varied,
and even the lowest grounds have an elevation of 850
feet above the level of the sea. In the northern portion,
the mountains of Monadhliadh stretch for a considerable
distance along the boundary ; and from their base the
lands gradually subside into an extensive vale, beyond
which they as gradually ascend towards the Grampians
on the south. The principal river is the Spey, which
has its source in a small lake of that name in the parish
of Laggan, and, winding in an eastern course through
the open and fertile valley previously noticed, for more
than seven miles, flows into Loch lush at the eastern
extremity of the parish, whence taking a more northern
direction, it falls into the Moray Firth at Garmouth.
The river Truiin forms part of the western boundary of
the parish ; it has its source in the forest of Drumuachter,
near the Grampians, and flowing northward, joins the
Spey. The Tromie, which separates this parish from the
district of Insh on the east, rises to the south of the pa-
rish, and running northward through the glen to which
it gives name, falls into the Spey near Old Milton. The
Calder, which has its source in the mountains to the
north, and the Gynag, which issues from a small lake
of that name, both take a southern course, and flow into
the Spey. There are also numerous lakes, but few of
them exceed a mile and a half in length and three-quar-
ters of a mile in width. In Loch Gynag is a small island,
on which may still be traced the vestiges of what is
supposed to have been a castle : nothing, however, of
its history is recorded. About six miles of Loch Ericht
are likewise within the boundaries of the parish ; but
the shores are altogether destitute of beauty or variety,
with the exception of a small portion near the southern
extremity of the parish, where the banks are rather
steep, aud in some parts fringed with trees. Salmon,
and char for some weeks in October, are found in the
Spey ; and trout and pike in the smaller rivers aud
lakes. The forest of Gaick, though almost destitute of
wood, contains numerous herds of deer, and is much
frequented by sportsmen.
In the meadows, and along the banks of the Spey and
its tributaries, the soil is deep and fertile. The valley
thro\igh which the Spey flows is especially rich, and in
good cultivation,' constituting almost the only arable
land in the ])arish, the hills and uplands being generally
heathy, ada|)ted merely for pasture, and portioned out in
sheep-walks. The crops are oats and barley, with other
kinds of produce ; but not more grain is raiseil than is
suflicient for supplying the parish. In general the system
of husbandry is improved, and a due rotation of crops
is regularly observed ; considerable portions of waste
land have been reclaimed by draining and embanking,
and the farm-buildings of the larger holders are sub-
stantial and commodious. The sheep reared are of the
black-faced breed, with a few of the Cheviot on the
lower lands ; the cattle are all of the common Highland
breed, with some of the Ayrshire kind for the dairy,
and the greatest attention is paid to their improvement.
Though formerly the face of the country was covered
with wood, and a very large forest of fir reached almost to
the village, there are but small remains of ancient tim-
ber. The plantations, chiefly of recent growth, consist of
fir and larch, interspersed with mountain-ash and oak,
for which the soil is well adapted. Alder, hazel, and
birch appear to be indigenous, especially the last, with
which the rising grounds on the south bank of the Spey
are extensively covered. The prevailing rocks through-
out the parish are quartz, felspar, and mica-slate : there
are neither mines nor quarries in operation. Specimens
of silver and lead ore have been found in the river
Gynag, but in very small quantity ; and some years
since, silver ore was discovered and for a time worked
at no great distance from the village. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £4626.
The village of Kingussie stands on the north bank of
the river Spey ; the inhabitants are chiefly employed in
the handicraft trades requisite for the supply of the
neighbourhood, and there ai-e several shops amply stored
with various kinds of merchandise. A public library is
supported by subscription, forming a collection of about
300 volumes on history and general literature. The
post-office has a daily delivery, both from the north and
south parts of the kingdom ; and facility of communi-
cation is maintained by good roads, of which the great
Highland road from Perth to Inverness passes for six-
teen miles through the parish ; and by bridges over the
ditferent rivers, kept in excellent repair. Fairs, chiefly
for cattle and for hiring servants, are held in the village
on the last Tuesday in May, the Friday in the week after
the Falkirk tryst in September, and the Friday before
the Falkirk tryst in October ; and markets for cattle
and for general business are held monthly, on Tuesday,
from April to November. A building was erected in the
village in 1806, which contains a neat court-room for
the meetings of the magistrates for the district, and a
small prison for the temporary confinement of offenders
till their commitment to the county gaol. Ecclesiasti-
cally the parish is within the limits of the presbytery of
Abernethy, synod of Moray. The minister's stipend is
£269. 18., with an allowance of £50 in lieu of a manse ;
aud the glebe, which has been greatly improved by the
incumbent, is valued at £50 per annum : patron, the
Duke of Richmond. Kingussie church, which is situ-
ated on a wooded eminence in the village, was fully
repaired a few years ago, and contains 900 sittings. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
The parochial school is well attended ; the master has a
salary of £34, with a good house, an allowance in lieu
of garden, and fees averaging about £20. There are
some slight remains of Druidical circles, and vestiges of
a Roman camp : in clearing the ground n(?ar the latter,
a Roman urn containing a.shes, and a tripod, were found
a few years since, and both are carefully preserved.
There are also vestiges of an ancient building said to
have been a priory, and a monastery once existed in the
parish ; but little of the history of either is known.
K I N L
K I N L
KINKELL, in the county of AnERDEEN. — See
Keith-Hall.
KINLOCH, a village, in the parish of Collessie,
district of Cupar, county of Fife, 5 miles (W.) from
Cupar ; containing 58 inhabitants. It is situated a
little to the south of the road from Cupar to Auchter-
muchty, and a short distance from the village of Col-
lessie. Not many years since, it was the largest village
in the parish, having nearly four times its present amount
of population ; a number of families, however, who re-
sided here, removed to Monkton. The houses form a
line, with an interval of twelve feet between every four.
The lands around the village have latterly been much
improved by draining.
KINLOCH, county of Perth. — See Lethendy.
KINLOCHBERVIE, in the county of Sutherland.
— See Keanlochbervie.
KINLOCH-LUICHART, a large quoad sacra parish,
in the county of Ross and Cromarty ; consisting of
parts of the parishes of Contin, Fodderty, and Urray ;
and containing, in 1841, 681 inhabitants. This district,
which was disjoined for ecclesiastical purposes from the
above-mentioned parishes, is wholly rural. Its greatest
length is twenty-two, and greatest breadth seventeen
miles. The population is all of the poor and working
classes, and is thinly dispersed over this large extent,
the land being chiefly let out as sheep-walks to tenants
who do not themselves reside in the district. Ecclesi-
astically Kinloch-Luichart is in the presbytery of Ding-
wall, synod of Ross, and the patronage is vested in the
Crown : the stipend of the minister is £120, paid from
the exchequer ; and he has a manse, and a glebe of the
annual value of £3. The church was built in 1825-6,
under the act for erecting additional churches in the
Highlands ; it is situated exactly nineteen miles west
from Dingwall, and contains 310 sittings. There is a
school in connexion with the Free Church, in which
English and Gaelic reading, and writing and arithmetic,
are taught.
KINLOCH-RANNOCH.— See Rannoch.
KINLOCHSPELVE, for a time a quoad sacra dis-
trict, in the parish of Torosay, district of Mull, county
of Argyll; containing 453 inhabitants. This district is
in the eastern part of the island of Mull, and comprises
between 30,000 and 40,000 acres, of which not more
than one-fortieth part is under tillage ; between forty
and fifty acres are under plantation ; a considerable ex-
tent is natural wood, and the rest mostly sheep-walks.
Two arms of the sea, called Loch Buy and Loch Spelve,
may be said to divide the district into two nearly equal
parts ; and, with very moderate exceptions, the whole
surface of the land is mountainous. In the northern
division the mountains attain an elevation of about 2000
feet, and in the southern part they are 1200 feet in
height : the prevailing rocks are trap and mica-slate,
but there is also sandstone. During the spring months,
cod and salmon, particularly the former, are taken in
considerable quantity ; Loch Buy abounds in fish of
various kinds, and oysters are very abundant in Loch
Spelve : the produce of the season is partly forwarded
to Glasgow, and much of it to Oban. The sheep and
black-cattle reared here are sent to the great markets
of the south, principally the Dumbarton and Falkirk
trysts. Lochbuy, the residence of the Maclaine family,
is a splendid structure at the head of the loch, with two
83
wings, and a handsome porch ; the central portion has
three stories. The mansion stands in a level plain of
several hundred acres, from which the mountains rise
to an immense height all around, except in front, where
the sea approaches. At a small distance is the ancient
tower of Lochbuy. The laird of Lochbuy has made ex-
tensive agricultural improvements ; a considerable por-
tion of land has been lately drained and ploughed, and
other changes effected for the better. Ecclesiastically
Kinlochspelve is in the presbytery of Mull, synod of
Argyll, and the patronage is vested in the Crown : the
stipend of the minister is £120, with a manse and glebe.
The church and manse are neat plain buildings, erected
in 1828, and beautifully situated at the end of Loch
Uisge, a romantic fresh-water lake between the two
arms of the sea above-mentioned. The sacred edifice is
seated for 360 persons. There is a parochial school, the
master of which has a salary of £15, with about £8 fees.
— See Torosay.
KINLOSS, a parish, in the county of Elgin ; con-
taining, with the village or town of Findhorn, 1202 in-
habitants, of whom 24 are in the hamlet of Kinloss, 2
miles (N. E.) from Forres. This place derives its name
from the Celtic words Ceann-loch, signifying "the head
of the bay," and descriptive of its situation on the border
of Burgh-Head bay in the Moray Firth, by which it is
washed on the north. A magnificent abbey was founded
here by David I., in the year 1 150, and its establishment
was confirmed in 11*4 by a papal bull ; the abbots were
mitred, and sat in parliament. It was richly endowed,
and became the scene of many splendid banquets : King
Edward I. resided here for the space of six weeks in the
year 1303, and a part of his army remained in the
neighbourhood for a still longer period. At the Re-
formation, Edward Bruce of Clackmannan was com-
mendator ; he was created Baron Kinloss in 1601, and
his son Thomas became Earl of Elgin and Baron Bruce
of Kinloss in 1633. By the latter the lands and feu-
duties were sold to Brodie of Lethen.
The parish was disjoined from Alves, Rafford, and
Forres, and erected into a separate parish in the year 1 657-
It is nearly four miles long, of about the same breadth,
and comprises 5065 acres, of which 2850 are cultivated,
1765 undivided common, 250 under plantations, and the
remainder waste. The coast extends about four miles,
and is flat, except in parts where sand-banks have been
formed by repeated drifts. On the west is Findhorn
loch, a capacious and secure natural harbour, formed by
the expansion of the river of the same name, and com-
municating by a narrow strait with the Firth : at the
mouth is a bar, a sandy ridge which shifts with heavy
floods and strong easterly winds, but the nature and
soundings of which are so well known to the pilots that
an accident is of very rare occurrence. In general the
site of the parish is low, being not more than ten or
twelve feet above the sea at high water. Near the
southern boundary, however, the surface rises consi-
derably, and affords an extensive view, embracing the
plantations of Grangehall, the ruins of the ancient
abbey, the church, and several fertile and well-cultivated
tracts interspersed with farm-houses, and in the dis-
tance, on the north, the town of Findhorn with its
shipping. The sea is supposed to have made great
encroachments on this coast, the bar at the entrance of
the harbour being partly formed of land once in tillage,
M2
K 1 N N
K I N N
and the present town being the third of the same name,
owing to inundations. The burn of Kinloss, which,
flowing from east to west, falls into the bay of Findhorn
a little below the church, divides the parish into two
nearly equal parts.
The SOIL e,\hibits several varieties ; but they are all
sandy, clayey, or gravelly modifications of the rich loamy
earth that generally prevails : the proportion of moss is
inconsiderable. The ordinary subsoil of the whole is
sand or gravel. All kinds of white and green crops are
raised, of good quality, amounting in annual value to
nearly £1'2,000 ; and the produce in dairy-cows and
fat-cattle, sheep, swine, and horses is also considerable.
The six-shift course of husbandry, with every improved
usage, is followed; and much attention is paid to the
breed of the various kinds of stock. Among the most
conspicuous advances are the reclaiming of large tracts
of waste ground ; draining and inclosing ; and the erec-
tion of neat and commodious farm houses and offices.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £3925.
Grangehall is a spacious and handsome modern residence
of quadrangular form ; it is ornamented with thriving
plantations of Scotch fir, larch, birch, and oak. The
mansion of Seapark is also a modern building ; it has
been of late greatly improved, and the grounds beautified
with many young trees. A considerable part of the
population are engaged in fisheries, and reside at the
burgh and sea-port town of Findhorn, in the northern
portion of the parish. There is a daily post ; and a
turnpike-road runs between Findhorn and Forres, which
at the 'bridge of Kinloss has a branch eastward to
Burgh-Head and Elgin. Grain, sheep, cattle, and swine
are sent for sale to Aberdeen, Glasgow, and London,
and salmon also to the last place ; herrings are exported
to Ireland, the continent, and the West Indies. Fairs
for sheep, cattle, and horses are held at Findhorn on
the second Wednesday, O. S., in the months of March,
July, and October.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Forres, synod of Moray, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Moray, and Mr. Brodie of Lethen, alternately :
the minister's stipend is £240, with a manse, and a glebe
of between four and five acres, valued at £5 per annum.
Kinloss church was built in 1765, and thoroughly re-
paired in 1830. The members of the Free Church have
a place of worship and a school in the parish. The pa-
rochial school affords instruction in the usual branches :
the master has a salary of £.'J4, with a small house, and
£10 fees; also an allowance from the Dick bequest.
There is a flourishing friendly society ; and a savings'
bank, in connexion with that in Forres, has been lately
established. The chief relic of antiquity is the ruin of
the abbey, which, till it became <lilapidated, was used as
the parish church. In the year 1652, the walls were
broken down, and the stones sold to Cromwell's .soldiers,
for the erection of the citadel of Inverness. Since that
period, depredations have been made upon the materials
at different times ; and all that now remains of this
once imposing structure is the east gable, for the pre-
servation of which a buttress of mason-work has been
raised by the liberality of a resident gentleman. — See
FiNDIIOKN.
KINNAIllI), a parish, in the county of Picutii ;
containing, with tlie hamlets of Craigdallic, Flawcraig,
Nethermains, and Pitmiddie, 458 inhabitants, of whom
84
90 are in the hamlet of Kinnaird, 4 miles (N. by W.)
from Errol. The name is derived from a compound
word of Celtic origin, signifying " high end or head",
and is descriptive either of the elevated site of the
village, or of the high ground at the end of the estate of
Kinnaird, on which stands an ancient castle. Very
little is known concerning the early history of the place ;
but it is recorded that it belonged originally to the noble
family of Kinnaird, whose present seat is Rossie, in the
neighbouring parish of Inchture. In the reign of King
William, in 1 170, Randolph Rufus obtained from that
prince the lands of Kinnaird, from which he took his
surname, and w'hich continued in his family till the
time of Charles I. The parish is nearly three miles
long and two broad, and contains above 3000 acres.
It is situated half way between Perth and Dundee, and
has a fine south-eastern exposure, looking down on the
Carse of Gowrie, part of which is contained within its
bounds. Kinnaird has the parish of CoUace on the north-
west, the parishes of Errol and Inchture on the south-
east, Abernyte on the north-east, and Kilspindie on the
south-west. Some of the higher grounds command ex-
tensive views, especially of the Highland mountains.
The land which is included in the Carse, though small
in extent, is the richest part of the parish, the soil being
a fertile black clayey earth. On the south side of the
braes skirting the Carse, the land, though good, is in-
ferior to the former, and chiefly a stringent binding
earth ; on the north side the soil is light and shallow,
and covered for the most part with bent and heath,
intermixed occasionally with natural pasture. About
1550 acres are under tillage; and 1500 are uncultivated,
consisting principally of moor ground, pastured with
Highland sheep in the winter, and at other times with
oxen. Green crops are cultivated ; but grain is the
chief produce of the arable land, most of which is capa-
ble of yielding wheat, in general of very good quality.
Live stock are but little attended to. The husbandry is
excellent ; and improvements, commenced here at an
early period, have been ever since gradually advancing.
The parish is entirely agricultural. Its annual value
of real property amounts to £3195. The chief commu-
nication of the people is with Perth and Dundee, the
great road between which places passes within half a
mile ; and there is a port on the Tay, about four miles
off, from which much grain is shipped, and at which
coal and lime are imported. The higher and lower
parts of the parish have been connected by a new road,
that forms a kind of thoroughfare between Strathmore
and the Carse of Gowrie. Ecclesiastically the parish is
within the bounds of the presbytery of Dundee, synod
of Angus and Mcarns ; patron, the Crown. The stipend
of the minister is £184, with a commodious and sub-
stantial manse, lately built, and a good glebe of ten
acres. Kinnaird church is large, built only a few years
ago, and fitted up in a comfortable manner. There is a
parochial school, the master of which has the maximum
salary, with about £24 fees. The only relic of antiquity
is the ruin of the ancient castle, erected in feudal times,
with massive walls, and strong stone arches under the
floors, and evidently intended as a place of defence as
well as residence.
KINNAIRD, avillagc, in the parishof Moulin, county
of PicnTii, 1 mile (K. N. K.) from the village of Moulin ;
containing "0 inhabitants. This small village, which is
KINN
KI N N
beautifully situated on the banks of a tributary to the
river Garry, has a pleasingly rural aspect, and is inha-
bited chiefly by persons engaged in agricultural pur-
suits. The surrounding scenery is richly diversified,
and abounds with features of interest ; and from the
hills in the immediate vicinity is obtained a fine view of
the valley of Glenbrierachan.
KINNAIRD, a village, in the parish of Larbert,
county of Stirling, 3^ miles (N. by \V.) from Falkirk ;
containing 304 inhabitants. This village, which is situ-
ated in the south of the parish, has arisen on the lands
of Sir Michael Bruce, Bart., whose seat is in the vicinity,
from the quantity of coal underneath that estate ; and
is chiefly inhabited by persons engaged in the collieries,
and in the works of the Carron Iron Company. The
making of nails affords employment to a few of the in-
habitants ; and many of the females are engaged in
tambouring muslin for the Glasgow manufacturers, at
their own dwellings.
KINNEFF, a parish, in the county of Kincardine,
3 miles (N. E. by N.) from Bervie; containing, with the
village of Catterline, 1029 inhabitants. This place is
supposed to have derived its name from its castle,
founded, according to tradition, by Kenneth, one of the
kings of Scotland, and of which there are still some
vestiges near the church. In 1341, King David Bruce,
returning from France with his queen and retinue, in
order to avoid the English fleet, by which he was closely
pursued, effected a landing on the shore of this parish.
In gratitude for his escape, he afterwards built a chapel
on the spot, of which, till within the last thirty or forty
years, there were considerable remains ; and in com-
memoration of the event, the cliff under which he landed
is still called Craig-David. During the siege of Dun-
nottar Castle by the forces of Cromwell under General
Lambert, the regalia, which had been for security de-
posited in that fortress, were, on the prospect of its
inability to hold out much longer against its assailants,
de-xterously removed from it by Mrs. Grainger, wife of
the minister of this parish, in conjunction with the lady
of the lieutenant-governor, and concealed under the
pulpit of the church here till the Restoration. In 1/09
the parish of Catterline, which had previously formed
part of this parish, was reannexed to Kinneff. The
parish is of nearly triangular form, and extends more
than five miles along the coast of the German Ocean.
It comprises an area of 6408 acres ; 4798 are arable,
about fifty in woods and plantations, and the remainder
meadow, pasture, and waste. The surface is intersected
by several ridges of elevated ground, and diversified
with hills, of which the hill of Bruxie, towards the
north-western boundary, has an elevation of 650 feet
above the level of the sea. The coast is precipitously
rocky along its entire extent, presenting a rampart of
cliffs rising abruptly to the height of 180 feet, and in
some parts indented with small bays, whose shores are
covered with verdure almost to the margin of the sea,
the whole forming a bold line of beautifully romantic
scenery.
Near the coast the soil is a rich deep loam, cele-
brated for its abundant produce of grain ; in the interior
it is of inferior quality, and in some parts, but for the
improvement it has received from persevering efforts, it
would be absolutely sterile. The crops are wheat, oats,
barley, potatoes, and turnips. The system of agriculture
85
is in an advanced state ; the lands have been partially
drained, and inclosed chiefly with fences of stone ; the
farm-houses are substantially built and well arranged.
Considerable portions of waste have been brought into
profitable cultivation. The moorlands afford good pas-
ture for the cattle, which are chiefly of the polled Angus
breed ; and on many of the farms much attention is
paid to the improvement of the stock. There are some
quarries of freestone, from which stone of good quality
is raised in cjuantities sufficient for the buildings within
the parish ; and along the coast, the rocks furnish ex-
cellent material for millstones. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £6l'^2. Fawside is a
handsome modern cottage, pleasantly situated : there
are also several ancient mansions, formerly the resi-
dences of proprietors, but now occupied merely as farm-
houses. The village of Catterline is situated on the
coast, and chiefly inhabited by fishermen, who employ
two boats ; the smaller village of Shieldhill employs only
one boat. The fish taken consist of cod, ling, skate,
haddock, and various kinds of shell-fish. A small har-
bour has been constructed at Catterline, which see.
There are also some salmon-fisheries in the parish, of
which, however, the aggregate rents do not exceed £15
per annum ; and several of the inhabitants are employed
in hand-loom weaving for the linen manufacturers in the
neighbourhood. Facility of communication is afforded
by good roads : the coast road from Edinburgh to
Aberdeen, and the great Strathmore road, pass here.
For ecclesiastical purposes the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Fordoun, synod of
Angus and Mearns. The minister's stipend is £232. 3. 6.,
with a manse ; and the glebes of Catterline and Kinneff
are valued together at £28 per annum : patron, the
Crown. Kinneff church, situated on the sea-shore, was
built in 1738, and repaired in 1831 ; it is a neat struc-
ture, containing 424 sittings. There are some remains of
the ancient church in which the regalia were preserved
during the interregnum. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship ; and there is a tempo-
rary place of worship at Catterline for Episcopalians.
The parochial school is well attended ; the master has
a salary of £34, with a good house and garden, and the
fees average about £25 per annum. A parochial library
was established in 1838, under the direction of the Kirk
Session. In 1841, Sir Joseph Straton bequeathed £100
for promoting education, and £100 for encouraging
industry among the poor. There are remains of a
house called the Temple, and at the base of St. John's
Hill is a farm named the Chapel of Barras ; from which
is inferred the probability of there having been an esta-
blishment of the Knights Templars here. Of the castle
of Kinneff, little more than the foundations are left. On
the summit of a peninsular rock, not far from it, are
the remains of an ancient work called the Castle of
Cadden ; on another rock are the remains of some
buildings styled the Castle of Whistleberry ; and at a
small distance are other remains, designated Adam's
Castle. In digging a grave in the church for Lady Ogil-
vie of Barras, an earthen pot was found, containing a
great number of small coins of silver, bearing inscrip-
tions of Edward of England and Alexander of Scotland,
and supposed to have been buried during the possession
of Kinneff Castle by an English garrison. 'Within a
tumulus on St. John's Hill, which was opened about
K INN
KI N N
five-and-thirty years since, was found a tomb of flat
stones, containing rich black earth, with a mixture of
half-burnt bones and charcoal, but no sepulchral urn.
In 1831, near the site of the castle, some workmen em-
ployed by the late Rev. A. Stewart found a vase contain-
ing a number of brass rings of various dimensions, two
of which were entire, and a spear-head of bronze ; the
vase was filled with strongly compacted black earth, in
which the rings were embedded. Dr. John Arbuthnott,
the intimate friend of Pope and Swift, and physician to
Queen Anue, lived for some time in this parish, at Kin-
gorny, the property of his father, who, on being deprived
of the living of Arbuthnott, of which he was minister
at the time of the Revolution, retired to this his patri-
monial estate.
KINNELL, a parish, in the county of Forfar, 5|
miles (E. by N.) from Letham ; containing 853 inhabit-
ants. This place, whose name, in the Gaelic language,
is descriptive of the situation of its church upon a gentle
eminence, is of unknown antiquity : the church appears
in the list of churches in the bishopric of St. Andrew's
in 1'24'2. The barony of Kinnell was granted by King
Robert Bruce to his steady adherent. Sir Simon Fraser,
in acknowledgment of his gallant conduct at the battle
of Bannockburn ; and Fraser, during the lifetime of his
uncle, was styled the Knight of Kinnell. The lands are
now divided into four portions, of which Bolshan is the
property of Sir James Carnegie, Bart., Wester Braky of
Lord Panmure, Easter Braky of the heirs of Colin Alison,
Esq., and Rinmure of the representatives of the late
John Laing, Esq. The parish comprises an area of
5000 acres, exclusive of a large portion of the ancient
forest of Monthrewniont, and part of Rossy moor, an
undivided common ; 4400 acres are arable, about sixty
woodland and plantations, and the remainder moorland
pasture and waste. Its surface is gently undulated, and
towards the east rises to a considerable elevation, form-
ing the hill of Bolshan, and beyond it, the Wuddy-law,
the highest point in the parish. The lower grounds are
enlivened with the windings of the river Lunan, which
flows for nearly two miles through the southern part of
the parish, dividing it into two very unequal portions.
The Gighty burn forms its eastern boundary, separating
it from the ])arish of Inverkeillor ; and afterwards runs
into the Lunan.
The SOIL, though various, is not unfertile, and has
been improved by judicious management ; the crops are
wheat, barley, oats, peas, turnips, and potatoes. The
rotation system of husbandry is prevalent, and all the
different improvements in agriculture have been adopted ;
considerable portions of moor have been brought under
cultivation, and the lands have been drained and par-
tially inclosed. The farm houses and offices, most of
which have been rebuilt, are substantial and well ar-
ranged ; and on the several farms are thirteen threshing-
mills, one of which is driven by a steam-engine of eight-
horse power. In this parish the timber is chiefly oak,
ash, elm, plane, and birch ; tlie jjlaiitations arc Scotch
firs, which seem to thrive best in the soil, with some
larch and spruce firs. The cattle are of a good breed, to
the iniprovoment of which much attention is paid ; and
considcraljle numbers of sheep and swiiie are reared.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £.'iH7S.
There are no villages properly so called ; but about
eighty houses, scattered over a considerable piece of
86
ground, are called the Muirside of Kinnell. The popu-
lation is chiefly agricultural ; but many persons are
employed in the weaving of linen-sheeting and Osna-
burghs, for which 116 looms are in operation. There
are also several mills for the spinning of flax, which are
usually driven by water, but have steam-engines for use
when the supply of water is deficient. Communication
with the neighbouring towns is afforded by the Aberdeen
railway, which intersects the parish from north or north-
east to south-west ; and also by good roads, of which
that from Montrose to Forfar passes for nearly four
miles through the northern part of the parish. Markets
are held at Glesterlaw, on the lands of Bolshan, on the
last Wednesday in April, the fourth Wednesday in June,
the third Wednesday in August, and the first Wednes-
day after the 12th of October; they are chiefly for the
sale of cattle, and are well attended. The Eastern For-
farshire Agricultural Association hold their meetings at
the same place, at Lammas, when there is a show of
cattle and horses, as well as an exhibition of improve-
ments in the construction of implements.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Arbroath, synod of Angus and Mearns.
The minister's stipend is £229. 10. 10., with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £14 per annum; patron, the
Crown. Kinnell church, almost entirely rebuilt in 1766,
and repaired in 1S36, is a plain and sombre structure,
containing about 400 sittings. The parochial school is
well attended; the master has a salary of £31, with a
house and garden, and the fees average £15 per annum.
There is also a school erected in the Muirside of Kinnell,
by Sir James Carnegie, for the instruction of girls in
reading, sewing, and knitting. A little to the south-
west of the hill of Bolshan was the well-known castle
of that name, long the residence of the Ogilvys, progeni-
tors of the Earls of Airlie ; and on the summit of the
Wuddy-law was a large cairn or tumulus, forty-five
yards in diameter, and four or five in height, in which,
when the stones were removed for the filling of drains,
small urns were found, containing a fat, blackish earth.
Besides this great cairn, others have been discovered in
the parish ; and frequently, also, earthen vessels con-
taining bones and other memorials of the dead, where
no cairns have been formed over them. In 1842, a large
earthen vessel was exposed to view by the plough, on
the top of a small hillock, in the North Muirside. Its
depth was about sixteen inches, and its diameter at the
mouth about twelve ; it was inverted, and the mouth
rested upon a slate, or flat stone. The contents of the
vessels were bones of a whitish colour, some of them five
inches long ; but they speedily crumbled into dust. A
considerable number of silver pennies was found some
time ago on the bank of the Lunan, between Ilatton and
Hatton-mill, together with a halfpenny of John Baliol ;
several of the coins were of the time of Edward I. of
England.
KINNELLAR, a parish, in the district and county
of AnKunioKN, 2 miles (S. K. by E.) from Kintore ; con-
taining 4H3 inhabitants. The remains of antiquity still
visible show the Druids and the Danes to have been
each connected with this parish. In the churchyard are
several ininicnse stones, some of them sunk in the earth,
and others remaining above grounil, pointing out the
site of a Druidieal tem])le ; and in the western direction,
on an extensive common covered with heath, are the
KI NN
K I N N
remains of numerous tumuli, the depositories of urns,
skulls, ashes, and bones calcined on beds of hot clay.
The coninion is supposed to have been the scene of some
sanguinary conflict between the Scots and Danes, proba-
bly on occasion of the latter, in one of their frequent
incursions, landing at the mouth of the river Don and
encountering the former. A stone coffin was found a
few years ago in Cairn-a-J'eil, measuring about si.K feet
long, constructed of six flags, and containing some black
dust. On the hill of Achronie is Cairn- SembUngs, seen
to a considerable distance on the west and north, and
near which is a large stone whereon Irvine, Laird of
Drum, sat in order to make his will, when on his route
to the battle of Harlaw, in which he fell.
The PARISH is rather more than four miles in length,
but its breadth no where much exceeds two. It con-
tains between 3000 and 4000 acres, and is bounded on
the north by the parish of Fintray, from which it is
separated by the river Don ; on the south by the parish
of Skene ; on the east by the parishes of Dyce and New-
hills ; and on the west by Skene and Kintore. The
surface throughout is a series of undulations, and the
climate is bleak, the parish being almost without shelter
from winds and storms. The soil is light and thin, and
frequently rests upon a rough stony subsoil, requiring
great labour and e.xpense to reduce it to agricultural
use : where, however, proper methods have been adopted,
good crops are obtained. Almost the whole of the parish
is arable, there being but a few acres occupied by wood,
and only a small district of rocky moor. Oats, barley,
and turnips are the crops chiefly raised, the last of which
are much promoted in growth by the prevailing use of
bone-dust manure. The rotation is usually the six-years'
shift; and every farmer has a threshing-mill on his pre-
mises. There are but few sheep ; the cattle are of the
usual breed. Considerable improvements have taken
place in husbandry within the last few years. Much
land which was poor, and covered with heath and stones,
has been v.'ith considerable expense brought into a state
of profitable cultivation, well inclosed, and made to pro-
duce good crops of grain and turnips. The farm-houses,
also, have been rendered comfortable and commodious.
A spirit of emulation, leading to important practical
results, has been excited by the institution about the
year 1S08 of prize-matches for ploughing, by a farmers'
club in the neighbourhood ; and much skill has been
acquired in this branch of husbandry. The annual va-
lue of real property in Kinnellar is £"2840.
A superior turnpike-road, from Aberdeen to Inverury,
intersects the parish, and is traversed by the mail and
three coaches every day to and from Aberdeen. The
parish roads, however, are in bad repair, with the ex-
ception of one connected with a farm ; and part of the
road most used, leading to the church, is said to have
been neglected for the last thirty years. The canal be-
tween Aberdeen and Inverury, constructed in 1797,
passes through the parish at its northern extremity ;
but though of great advantage to those who reside in
the upper districts, it is productive of little benefit to
the larger portion of the inhabitants, who, being at some
distance from the nearest station on the canal, find it
more advantageous to convey their produce to Aberdeen
by land-carriage. A passage-boat plies regularly ; and
several boats bring coal, lime, and manure from Aber-
deen, and take back grain, wood, slate, £uid other com-
87
modifies. Among the few mansions in the parish is
that of Glasgoego, not now in very good repair, its for-
mer proprietor having built a new residence in its vici-
nity. On the bank of the Don is a commodious house
belonging to William Tower, Esq., of Kinaldie ; and on
the property of Tartowie is a small but elegant house
with improved grounds around it. In the hamlet of
Blackburn are a post-office, an inn, and some houses
inhabited by tradesmen and others. Ecclesiastically the
parish is within the bounds of the presbytery and synod
of Aberdeen ; patron, the Earl of Kintore. The stipend
of the minister is £160, of which £62 are received from
the exchequer ; there is a manse, built in 177H, and the
glebe consists of five acres of land, valued at £13. 15.
per annum : the minister also has an allowance of £20
as grass-money, and a like sum as moss-money. Kin-
nellar church, a small building of plain style, erected in
1801, is in good repair, and contains 250 sittings : it
stands on the north side of the Don, about a mile from
the river. In the seventeenth century. Archbishop Sharp
gave the patronage to the dean of the university of St.
Andrew's, reserving to himself and his successors a
veto upon any appointment ; and the university held
this privilege till I76I. There is a parochial school,
where the usual branches of education are taught, with
Latin and geometry if required. The master has a sa-
lary of £'26, with a house and garden, and about £11
fees ; also an allowance from Dick's bequest to the school-
masters of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray.
KINNESSWOOD, a village, in the parish of Port-
MOAK, county of Kinross, 4 miles (E.) from Kinross;
containing 4/9 inhabitants. It is situated in the western
part of the parish, and on the east side of Loch Leven :
the road from Kinross to Leslie passes through. A
parchment manufactory, in which vellum is now made,
has been carried on here for a considerable period ; at
present it employs but a few hands. The population
chiefly consists of weavers. There is an annual fair in
May, latterly very ill attended. Michael Bruce, the
poet, remarkable for the beautiful effusions of his muse,
collected after his death, which was caused by consump-
tion, in his twenty-first year, was born in the village in
1746.
KINNETHMONT, a parish, in the district of Al-
roRD, county of Aberdeen, 2 miles (N.) from Clatt ;
containing 1107 inhabitants. This place is thought by
some to have taken its name, formerly Kennethmont,
from the supposed circumstance of one of the Kenneths,
kings of Scotland, having been interred in the church-
yard, which is an eminence similar to a mount. Others,
regarding the present orthography of Kinnethmont as
more correct, derive the name from two Gaelic words
signifying " head" and " moss", which express the proxi-
mity of the high ground of the church site to a mossy
tract in the vicinity. The parish consists of Kinneth-
mont properly so called, and of the old parish of Christ's-
Kirk, which has been annexed to it from time immemo-
rial. It is situated at the western extremity of the fer-
tile district of the Garioch. It is nearly oblong in figure ;
is six miles in length from east to west, and about three
in breadth ; and, with the exception of several hundreds
of acres in plantations, and a few other tracts, is under
tillage. The surface is pleasingly diversified with hills
and vales, and enlivened by the Bogie, a good trout-
stream, which runs along the western boundary, and
K I N N
K I N N
separates this parish from that of Rhynie. In some
parts the ground is mossy, supplying the inhabitants
with peat for fuel ; but the prevailing soil is a light
loamy earth, producing, when well cultivated, excellent
crops. AU kinds of crops are raised, under the opera-
tion of the rotation system : the farms in general vary
from eighty to 100 acres, but there are many of much
smaller extent. Houses built of stone and lime, and
roofed with slate, are gradually displacing tlie old turf
tenements ; the scythe has entirely superseded the sickle
in the cutting of corn, and on the larger estates threshing
operations are performed by machinery. Much land
has been trenched ; several hundred acres of marshy
ground have been drained, and moorland to a considera-
ble extent has been also brought under tillage : large
tracts formerly marshy now produce most luxuriant
crops. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £4578.
The mansion of Leith Hall is the seat of Sir Andrew
Leith Hay, who served in the Peninsular war, a narra-
tive of which he has published, with some smaller works.
There is also the residence of Ward House, situated
upon an estate greatly improved and beautified, during
a period of twenty years, by the late proprietor, Mr.
Gordon. A turnpike-road, finished a few years ago,
runs through the parish from east to west, affording
facilities of communication with Aberdeen, Huntly, In-
verness, and other parts. The agricultural produce is
sent to Inverury, eighteen miles distant, whence it is
conveyed by canal to Aberdeen for sale ; and on their
return from Inverury the carts bring lime and coal. An
annual cattle-fair is held in April, another in July, and
a third in October. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the
presbytery of Alford, synod of Aberdeen, and in the
patronage of Sir Andrew Leith Hay : the minister's
stipend is £195, with a manse, and a glebe of twelve
acres, valued at £15 per annum. Kinnethmont church,
a neat and commodious structure, was built in 1812,
and is capable of accommodating 600 persons. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
The parochial school affords instruction in the ordinary
branches ; the master receives a salary of £25. 13., with
a house, about £10 fees, and an allowance from the Dick
bequest. The remains of two Druidical temples are still
visible ; and a bag of silver coins has been found, with
" Alexander I. " engraved on one side of them. On the
hill of Mclshach is a chalybeate spring which has long
been in much repute.
KINNETTLES, a parish, in the county of Forfar,
3 miles (S. VV.) from Forfar ; containing, with the vil-
lage of Uouglaston, and hamlet of Kirkton of Kinnettles,
437 inhabitants. This place appears to have derived its
name, signifying in the Gaelic "the head of the bog",
from the situation of its church near the extremity of a
tract of marshy land, once the bed of a river. It is
unconnected with any event of historical importance,
though, from various relics which have at different times
been discovered, it appears to have been inhabited at a
remote period. The parish is about two miles in length
and the same in breadth, and comprises ,'J708 acres, of
which 2840 are arable and in good cultivation, about
120 woodland and plantations, and the remainder waste.
Its surface is bisected by a hilly ridge of elliptical shape,
which, by a very easy ascent, attains an elevation of about
.'150 feet above the level of the sea, dividing the parish
88
into two valleys of nearly equal extent. This ridge forms
a branch of the Sidlaw hills, and one portion is called the
Brigton and the other the Kinnettles hill, from its being
in the two estates into which the lands are principally
divided. It is mostly in a high state of cultivation, and
clothed near the top with rich plantations, forming a
very interesting feature in the scenery ; and from its
summit, which is flat, are extensive and varied prospects
over the surrounding country. The lands are watered
by a beautiful rivulet called the Kerbit, which has its
source in the parish of Carmylie, and winds through the
parish with a tranquil current, giving motion to several
mills, and falling into the river Dean ; it abounds with
trout of excellent quality, and is much frequented by
anglers. There are also numerous copious springs, afford-
ing an abundant supply of water.
In this parish the soil is extremely various, consist-
ing of rich dry loam in some parts, in others being of a
more damp clayey character, in others sandy and gravelly,
and in some places a rich improvable moss. The crops
are oats, barley, wheat, a few acres of rye and peas, with
turnips and potatoes. The system of agriculture is
advanced : the rotation plan of husbandry is in general
practice ; the lands have been drained, and partially in-
closed with stone dykes, &c. ; and the farm houses and
offices are substantially built and well arranged. On
most of the farms threshing-mills have been erected ;
and all the more recent improvements in the con-
struction of implements have been adopted. Dairy-
farming is well managed, and all due attention is paid
to the rearing of live stock. The milch-cows, about 100
in number, are the Ayrshire and the Angus : the cattle,
generally of the Angus breed, average 500 ; and the
sheep, which are of the Leicestershire and Cheviot breeds,
with a few of the Linton, South-Down, and Merino,
number 350. There are plantations of silver, spruce,
Scotch, and larch firs, intermixed with oak, ash, plane,
elm, beech, lime, birch, and other varieties. The sub-
strata are chiefly whinstone, sandstone, and slate. Of
these, the whinstone is of compact texture, varying in
colour from a dark blue to a pale grey, and is extensively
quarried both in the northern and southern districts of
the parish; it is, however, very difficult to work, and is
obtained only in blocks of small size, of very irregular
form, and used chiefly for drains, and for repairing the
roads. The sandstone is partly of a grey colour, and
partly tinged with a reddish hue ; it is quarried for
building, and is raised in blocks of massive size. The
slate, which is of a fine grey colour, is found chiefly on
the banks of the Kerbit rivulet, but not to any great ex-
tent ; it produces good slates for roofing, and flagstones
of large dimensions and of excellent quality. Copper-
ore, and also veins of lead, are embedded in the sand-
stone; manganese is found in the whinstone strata ; and
garnets, mica, quartz, and calc and lime-spar in the free-
stone rocks. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £4342.
The mansion-house of Kinnettles was built about half
a century ago. Hrigton is a spacious mansion, partly
ancient, but princijially of modern erection, having been
greatly imjjrovcd and enlarged by the late proprietor ;
and there are some other good houses in the parish, of
which those erected within the last fifty years are built
of stone, and roofed with slate. The village of Kirkton
is small, but neatly built, and is mostly inhabited by
K I NN
K I N N
persons employed in the several handicraft trades requi-
site for supplying the wants of the inhabitants of the
parish. The weaving of various kinds of cloth, chiefly
Osnaburghs and brown sheetings, is pursued in different
parts. Facility of communication with the neighbour-
ing towns is afforded by the railway from Forfar to
Perth, which intersects the northern part of the parish ;
the Strathmore turnpike-road passes for more than two
miles through nearly the centre of the parish, and the
road from Forfar to Dundee runs through the eastern
portion of it. There are bridges over the Kerbit, one of
which, at the village of Kirkton, is a suspension-bridge.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Forfar,
synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage of
the Crown : the minister's stipend is £158. 6. 8., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at about £19,. 15. per annum.
Kinnettles church, erected in 1812 at the expense of the
heritors, is a neat edifice, adapted for a congregation of
400 persons. The parochial school is well attended ;
the master has a salary of £34, with £40 fees, a house,
and two bolls of meal annually in lieu of a garden.
There is also a female school, the mistress of which has
a house and garden, in addition to the fees. The poor
receive the interest of a bequest of £50 by Mr. James
Ma.\well. The upper stone of a hand-mill for grinding
corn was discovered by the plough, in a field, in the
year 1833 ; it was rather more than two feet in dia-
meter, was an inch and a half in thickness, and composed
of mica schist, intermixed with portions of siliceous spar,
and studded with small garnets. A small conical hill
near the banks of the Kerbit, and which is still called
the Kirk Hill, is supposed to have been the site of some
religious foundation ; but nothing certain of its history
is known. There are several springs of chalybeate pro-
perties, and two springs strongly impregnated with cop-
per. Colonel William Patterson, F.R.S., many years
lieut. -governor of New South Wales, was born in this
parish in If^S.
KINNOULL, a parish, in the county of Perth ;
adjoining the town of Perth, from which it is separated
by the river Tay ; and containing, with the villages of
Bridgend, Balbeggie, and Inchyra, 2879 inhabitants, of
whom 920 are in the rural districts. This place, which
is supposed to have derived its name, of Gaelic origin,
from the extent and beauty of the prospects obtained
from the high grounds, was at an early period the pro-
perty of the family of Hay. Sir George Hay, lord
chancellor of Scotland, was created Earl of Kinnoull by
Charles I. in 1633 ; and his descendant, the present
earl, is still the chief proprietor in the parish. Of the
ancient castle of Kinnoull, the baronial residence of the
Hays, some slight vestiges were remaining till within
the last fifty years ; but the site is now occupied as a
garden belonging to one of the villas on the banks of
the river Tay. The parish, which is bounded on the
west by the Tay, is about twelve miles in extreme
length, and nearly four miles in breadth, comprising in
the rural districts an area of 3/00 acres, of which 580
are woodland and plantations, and the remainder, with
the exception of about twenty acres of undivided com-
mon, are arable, meadow, and pasture. Its surface is
diversified with wooded hills of pleasing aspect, of which
the hill of Kinnoull, rising from the bank of the Tay to the
height of 632 feet, is justly celebrated for the romantic
beauty of its scenery. The ascent on the south is pre-
VoL. n.— 89
cipitously steep and rocky ; but on the north, a spiral
road of gradual ascent has been formed to the summit,
which is clothed with thriving plantations, and com-
mands a most varied prospect embracing the city of
Perth and the adjacent country. Not far from the top,
which is divided into two points, is a hollow called the
Windy Gowle, near which is a remarkable echo of nine
distinct reverberations ; and in a steep part of the ac-
clivity is a cave, where Sir William Wallace is said to
have concealed himself from his pursuers. About two
miles distant from the hill of Kinnoull, and forming part
of the same range, is the hill of Murray's Hall, nearly
of equal elevation, and commanding also an extensive
prospect abounding with interesting features. Near the
church the Tay divides into two branches inclosing the
island of Moncrietf, of which one-half is within this pa-
rish, and the other in the parish of Perth. The river
abounds with salmon of excellent quality, and the fisheries
belonging to the parish produce a rental of £1200 per
annum.
The SOIL, comprehending every variety, is luxuriantly
rich ; and the lands are in the highest state of cultiva-
tion, under a system of husbandry combining all the
most recent improvements. A very extensive nursery
was formed on the east bank of the river Tay, by Mr.
Dickson, in 1767, and affords employment to nearly
eighty persons : from this establishment most of the
plantations in the parish, which are in a highly flourish-
ing condition, have been supplied. There is a smaller
nursery at the extremity of Bridgend. The principal
substrata are of the trap formation, with some veins of
sandstone of a reddish-grey colour and of good quality
for building, for which purpose it is extensively quarried.
Agates of great beauty are found in the hill of Kinnoull,
and many specimens of them are preserved in different
museums. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £8667. The mansion-houses are, Balthayock,
an ancient castle of the Blair family, of which the more
modern portion was built in 1578 ; Inchyra, of recent
date, in the Grecian style of architecture ; Murray's Hall,
a handsome building ; Barnhill, or Woodend, pleasantly
seated on the Kinnoull branch of the Tay ; and Bell-
wood, beautifully situated on the hill of Kinnoull, front-
ing thecity of Perth. The village of Inchyra stands on the
east bank of the Tay, in a detached portion of the parish,
about six miles from the church ; it has a convenient
harbour, accessible to vessels of 100 tons, with a yard
for building and repairing ships, from which two vessels
of sixty tons have been launched within the last few
years. Bridgend and Balbeggie are noticed under their
respective heads. Facility of communication is afforded
by the river ; by the railway from Perth to Dundee ; and
by good roads, one of which is the turnpike-road from
Perth to Dundee.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
hmits of the presbytery of Perth, synod of Perth and
Stirhng. The minister's stipend averages £250, with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per annum ; patron,
the Earlof Kinnoull. The present church, erected in 1826,
after a design by Mr. Burn, at an expense of £4000, is a
handsome structure in the later English style of archi-
tecture, containing more than 1000 sittings. In the aisle
of the old church, which still remains as the burial-place
of the Hay family, is preserved a monument to George,
first Earl of Kinnoull, lord chancellor, who died in 1634,
N
KINR
K I N R
and whose statue has the left hand resting on a table, on
which are placed the great seal of Scotland and a human
skull, but without any inscription. There is a place of
worship at Balbeggie for members of the United Presby-
terian Church. The parochial school is attended by about
140 children; the master has a salary of £34, with a
house and garden, and the fees average £40 per annum.
Murray's royal asylum for lunatics was founded by Mr.
James Murray, with funds which he inherited from his
mother, to whom they had been bequeathed by Mr.
Hope, her son by a previous marriage. Mr. Hope, with
his whole family, was lost in the wreck of the Duchess of
Gordon East Indiamau, on his return from Madras in
1809. The buildings were erected on the acclivity of
Kinnoull Hill, after a design by Mr. Burn, at a cost of
£40,000 ; and the institution was incorporated by royal
charter, and opened for the reception of patients, in 18^7,
being placed under the superintendence of twenty-five
directors, of whom nine are ex officio, four are chosen for
life, and twelve elected annually. The house is situated
in the centre of a park of twelve acres, laid out in gardens,
shrubberies, and walks, affording ample opportunities of
recreation and amusement ; and, under an excellent sys-
tem of management, affords reception and relief to 140
patients. At Balthayock are the remains of an ancient
castle, supposed to have belonged to the Knights Tem-
plars : the walls, which are about fifty feet in height, and
inclose an area fifty-two feet in length and thirty-seven
feet wide, are of massive thickness, and still entire. It
is situated on the brink of a deep ravine of very romantic
appearance.
KINROSS, a post-town and parish, in the county of
Kinross, of which it is the capital, 15 miles (S.) from
Perth, and 25 (N. N. W.) from Edinburgh ; containing
2822 inhabitants, of whom 2062 are in the town, and
760 in the rural districts of the parish. This place,
which derives its name, of Gaelic origin, from its situa-
tion at the head of a promontory extending into Loch
Leven, is of very great antiquity. It was selected as a
stronghold by the Pictish kings, of whom Congal, son
of Dongart, founded a castle on an island in the lake,
whicli subsequently became the occasional residence of
several of the kings of Scotland. In 1257, Alexander
III., after his return from Wark Castle, whither he had
gone to have an interview with his father-in-law, Henry
III. of England, resided at the Castle of Lochleven,
where he was surprised, and, together with his queen,
forcibly conveyed to Stirling. In the year 1301, and
also in 1335, the castle was besieged by the English ;
but on both occasions the assailants were compelled to
raise the siege, and to retire with considerable loss. In
142y, Archibald, Earl of Douglas, was confined here by
James I., for some expression of disloyalty towards his
sovereign ; and in 1477, Patrick Graham, Archbishop of
St. Andrew's, after having been for some time under re-
straint in a cell at Inchcolm, in pursuance of a sentence
of deijrivation pronounced by Pope Sextus and a college
of cardinals, was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle till his
death.
But this ancient fortress derives its chief celebrity
from the imprisonment in it of the unfortunate Mary,
Queen of Scots, who was placed within its dreary walls
in 1567. A captive in tlio hands of the confederate
nobles, she was sent from Edinburgh to I lie Castle of
Lochleven, then belonging to William Douglas, one who
90
had taken an active part against her ; and in her journey
thither she was treated with studied indignity, exposed
to the gaze of the mob, miserably clad and mounted, and
under the escort of men of the rudest bearing. The
queen was now completely a prisoner, and her confine-
ment was accompanied with circumstances of the greatest
rigour ; she was put under the charge of Lindsay and
Ruthven, tsvo noblemen familiar with blood, and of
coarse and fierce manners. The lady of the castle, Mar-
garet Erskine, daughter of Lord Erskine, had been mis-
tress to the queen's father, James V., and was mother
to the Ear! of Murray. She had been afterwards mar-
ried to Sir Robert Douglas; and their son, William, was,
as already stated, proprietor of the Castle of Lochleven
at this period. It was here that Mary made her cele-
brated resignation of the government in favour of her
son, the infant James, and of the Earl of Murray. Feel-
ing assured that her refusal to sign the necessary papers
would endanger her life ; listening to the insinuation of
Robert Melvil, that any deed executed in captivity, and
under fear of life, was invalid ; and terrified by the stern
demeanour of Lord Lindsay, she submitted to what she
had at first passionately resisted. Without reading their
contents, she, with a trembling hand, affixed her name
to three instruments prepared by the confederates. By
the first of these she w as made to resign the government
of the realm in favour of her son, and to give orders for
his immediate coronation. By the second, the queen, in
consequence of James' tender infancy, constituted Murray
regent of the kingdom ; and by the third she appointed
the Earls of Lennox, Argyll, Atholl, and Morton, with
others, regents until the return of Murray from France,
with power to continue in that high office if he refused it.
From the galling restraint thus imposed upon her in the
castle, however, Mary at length, on the evening of the
2nd of May, 1568, found means to escape. George
Douglas, younger brother of the proprietor of Lochleven,
had enthusiastically devoted himself to her interest ;
and though dismissed from the castle on that account,
he had contrived to secure the services of a page who
waited on his mother. Lady Douglas, and by his assist-
ance effectually achieved his purpose of releasing the
queen. On the evening in question, the page, in plac-
ing a plate before the castellan, dropped his napkin over
the keys of the castle, and carried them off unperceived :
he hastened to Mary, and hurrying down to the outer
gate, they threw themselves into a boat, first turning the
locks they had found it necessary to open, and casting
the keys into the lake, where, after the lapse of nearly
two centuries and a half, they were discovered in the
year I8O6. Some friends of the rescued queen were
lying in wait in the immediate vicinity, and with their
aid she fled in the direction of Lanarkshire. In 1569,
the Earl of Northumberland, who had incurred the dis-
pleasure of Elizabeth of England by the interest which
he took in the fate of Mary, was imprisoned for three
years in the castle, whence he was removed to England,
and publicly executed for treason.
The TOWN, though the chief town of Kinross-shire,
and the place where the sessions are held, and the busi-
ness of the comity transacted, is not distinguished by
any features of iin|)ortance. It is not even a royal burgh ;
and the market which was held here has been gradually
discontinued, and is now entirely transferred to Mil-
nathort, in the adjoining parish of Orwell. The streets
K I N R
KINK
are lighted with gas ; works for that purpose having
been erected on a site nearly equidistant from Kinross
and Milnathort, by a company of shareholders established
for the accommodation of both places. A public library
is supported by subscription, under the direction of a
committee ; and there is a reading and news room esta-
blished in an appropriate building in a central part of the
town ; also a library maintained by the tradesmen and
artisans, and three juvenile libraries in connexion with
Sabbath schools. The manufacture of cutlery, formerly
carried on here to a very considerable extent, has been
altogether discontinued. The chief manufactures at pre-
sent are those of ginghams, checks, and pullicates, for
the houses of Glasgow ; and also, and of still more re-
cent introduction, tartan shawls, plaids, and other arti-
cles of similar character, by some companies settled in
the town. There is likewise a manufactory for damasks.
The post-office has a daily delivery ; and a branch of the
British Linen Company has been established. Facility
of intercourse with the neighbouring places is afforded
by excellent roads, of which the great north road passes
through the town ; and there are not less than thirteen
bridges of stone over the various streams that intersect
the parish. Fairs are held on the last Wednesday in
March, the 1st of June, the last Wednesday in July,
and the 18th of October, all O. S. ; they are for cattle,
agricultural produce, and various articles of merchandise.
The government is vested in a president, treasurer, and
clerk, assisted by a committee of eight or ten persons ;
they are annually chosen by the inhabitants, at a general
meeting held for that purpose, and the police and all
other regulations are conducted by them, th^ expenses
being defrayed by subscription. The county-hall is a
handsome edifice, erected in 18'26, at a cost of £2000, of
which £750 were granted by government, and the re-
mainder raised by voluntary contribution, and assess-
ment of the heritors of the county. It contains a spacious
hall for the courts, and the apartments requisite for con-
ducting the public business. Attached to it is the gaol,
comprising three wards for debtors, two cells for crimi-
nals, and a guard-room.
The PARISH is about four miles in length from east to
west, is bounded on the east by Loch Leven, and com-
prises 706*2 acres, of which 6608 are arable, 2*1 wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder rough pasture
and waste. Its surface, though generally elevated, is
flat, in no part rising into hills. The chief river is the
Leven, which issues from the lake of that name, and has
been rendered more copious and powerful in its stream
by a contraction of the expanse of the lake. There are
numerous springs of excellent water ; and the scenery,
in many parts romantic, is enriched by thriving planta-
tions. Loch Leven, the principal object of attraction, as
well from its natural beauty as from the historical events
with which it is associated, was, previously to the con-
traction of its surface by draining, fifteen miles in cir-
cumference, and in its present state may be estimated at
about twelve miles. It is studded with islands, the chief
of which are, the island of St. Serf in the parish of Port-
moak, and the Castle island in this parish, the latter so
called from the erection of the ancient castle. The Castle
isle, situated near the north-western extremity of the
lake, is five acres in extent. Lochleven Castle, which is
defended by an outer rampart of stone, inclosing a spa-
cious quadrangular area, consists chiefly of a lofty square
91
tower at the north-west angle of the inclosure, and a
round tower of smaller dimensions at the south-east.
The building is without a roof, and at present is a mere
ruin ; some portions of what is supposed to have been
the chapel are still remaining, and under the square tower
is a dungeon. The whole area within the rampart is
about 600 feet in circumference. The island is planted
with trees, some of which are of great age ; and the sur-
face affords good pasturage. Loch Leven abounds with
trout and various kinds of fish, but not in such variety
as before its contraction ; the season commences in
January, and ends in September, and the fish chiefly
taken are trout, pike, perch, and eels, two boats and four
men being employed. The fishery is let at a rent of
£204 ; and the produce is sent to the markets of Edin-
burgh, Glasgow, and Manchester, at which last place it
is in great demand.
In general the soil is fertile and productive ; the crops
are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips. The sys-
tem of agriculture is improved ; the lands have been well
drained and inclosed ; the farm houses and offices are
substantial and commodious ; and on most of the farms
threshing-machines have been erected, one of which is
impelled by steam. Considerable attention is paid to
the rearing of live stock, and much improvement has
been made under the auspices of the various agricultural
societies established in the vicinity, several of which hold
their cattle-shows in the town. There arc about 3.50
cows, and a nearly equal number of calves, with 650 head
of young cattle ; the number of sheep is 400, and of
horses 300. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £11,102. The plantations are larch, Scotch
and spruce firs, intermixed in some parts with diflferent
kinds of forest-trees ; they are judiciously managed, and
in a thriving condition. In this parish the substrata are,
sandstone, which is found in two varieties, the old red
formation and the carboniferous ; whinstone ; and lime-
stone. The whinstone, which is very compact, is quar-
ried for the roads, being well adapted for that purpose.
Coal is supposed to exist, and it has been in contempla-
tion to explore it ; but an abundant supply of that
mineral is procured from works not more than five miles
distant, and at a very moderate cost. There are three
extensive mills in the parish, all of them formerly for
grain ; but two have been converted into mills for spin-
ning and carding, connected with the manufactories of
tartan plaids. Kinross House, the seat of Sir Graham
Montgomery, Bart., a spacious mansion erected by Sir
William Bruce, architect to Charles II., was originally
intended as a residence for James, Duke of York ; it is
finely situated, and was once surrounded by some very
ancient and stately timber.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Dun-
fermline, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of Sir Gra-
ham Montgomery : the minister's stipend is £184. 16. 8.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £35 per annum.
The present church, a handsome edifice in the later style
of English architecture, was erected in 1S32, at an ex-
pense of £1537, towards which the Rev. Geo. D. C.
Buchanan contributed about £300 : it is situated on an
eminence nearly in the centre of the parish. The tower
of the old church is still standing, by itself, in the town.
There are places of worship for members of the Free
Church and the United Presbyterian Church. The pa-
rochial school affords a liberal education, and is well
N2
K I N R
K I N R
attended ; the master has a salary of £34, with £55 fees,
and a house and garden. A savings' bank, established
in 1S37, contributes to diminish the number of applicants
for parochial relief; and there are four friendly societies,
and a ladies' society for the distribution of oatmeal to
necessitous females. The sum of £8. 6. 8. is annually
given to twelve poor persons, in lieu of the foundation
of an almshouse which was projected by Sir William
Bruce ; and the poor have also the interest of a bequest
of £100 by George Graham, Esq., of Kinross. About a
mile from the town is a small cairn ; and there were for-
merly others, in one of which, when removed, was found
a coffin, rudely formed of upright stones with a slab
resting on them, and inclosing several human bones, and
some ashes apparently of burnt wood. On the lands of
Coldon have been discovered about 400 silver coins,
chiefly of Edward I. and Edward II. of England, and a
few of the reigns of Alexander III. and John Baliol. At
West Green, in 1829, there was found, deeply embedded
in the earth, an ancient seal of pure gold, of singular
workmanship ; it has the arms of Scotland on the dexter
side of the shield, impaled with those of England on the
sinister, and is supposed to have been the private signet
of James IV. On the lands of Lathro several graves
have been discovered by the plough, containing some
human bodies and a skull : near the spot is an eminence
called the Gallows Know, which renders it probable that
these may have been the skeletons of malefactors, exe-
cuted here prior to the abolition of heritable jurisdic-
tions. Dr. John Thomson, professor of general patho-
logy in the university of Edinburgh, was a native of this
parish.
KINROSSIE, a village, in the parish of Collage,
county of Perth, 1^ mile (W.) from Collace ; contain-
ing l.">7 inhabitants. It stands in the western part of
the parish, on the road from Collace to Cargill, and is
built on an eminence not far distant from the church.
Formerly two considerable annual fairs were held here,
of which the ancient cross is now the only memorial,
the business in cattle and small wares having been
transferred to Burreltown and other places in the neigh-
bourhood. A part of the population is engaged in loom
manufactures, which have latterly much increased in the
parish.
KINROSS-SHIRE, an inland county, in the south-
east of Scotland, bounded on the north-west by the
Ochils, which separate it from Strathearn, in the county
of Perth ; and on the east by the Lomond hills, on the
south-east and south by the Henarty range, and on the
south by the Cleish hills, which divide it from the county
of Fife. It lies between 56° 9' and 56° 18' (N. Lat.), and
3° 14' and 3° 35' (W. Long.), and is about eleven miles
in length and nine miles in extreme breadth ; com-
prising an area of seventy sijuare miles, or 44,800 acres ;
19'2S houses, of which 18r2 are inhabited; and con-
taining a pojmlation of 8*63, of whom 4195 are males
and 4.")68 females. Prior to the year 1426, the greater
portion of the county was part of that of Fife ; and for a
consiilerablc time after its separation, it contained only
the parishes of Kinross, Orwell, and Portmoak ; but in
1685 were added the parishes of Cleish and 'rullicbole,
and some small portions of the county of Perth. It
remained, hfjwever, notwithstanding this accession of
territory, under the jurisdicticni of the sheriff of Fifeshire
till the year 1807, when, conjointly with Clackmannan,
9'i
it was erected into a sheriffdom. Before the abolition
of episcopacy the county was included within the arch-
diocese of St. Andrew's ; it is at present in the synod of
Fife, and presbyteries of Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, &c.
For civil purposes it is under the superintendence of a
sheriff-substitute, who resides at Kinross, the county-
town, where all the courts are held ; it contains the
populous village of Milnathort, and a few hamlets. The
shires of Kinross and Clackmannan unite in sending a
member to parliament.
The SURFACE, though hilly towards the boundaries,
is generally level in the interior, and is divided into
several extensive plains. Of these the chief are, Blair-
Adam, between the Benarty and Cleish hills, through
which the great north road passes ; a wide level opening
towards the Crook of Devon, on the road to Stirling ;
and another between the Ochil and Lomond hills, to the
north-east, leading towards Cupar of Fife. The prin-
cipal river is the Leven, which issues from Loch Leven,
and flows through a narrow valley into the Firth of
Forth at the Fifeshire town of Leven. Several rivulets
rise in various parts, and flow into Loch Leven, the only
lake in the county. This noble sheet of water, which
has an elevation of nearly 360 feet above the level of the
sea, is of oval form, and twelve miles in circumference,
covering about 4000 acres, and abounding in trout, pike,
perch, and eels. There are some small islands in it, one
of which, near the shore at Kinross, is five acres in ex-
tent, and contains the remains of the castle in which
Mary, Queen of Scots, was detained a prisoner, and
which is supposed to have been originally founded by
Congal, King of the Picts, in the fifth century, and sub-
sequently enlarged. Another island, called St. Serf's,
from the foundation of a priory dedicated to St. Serf, or
Servanus, at a very ancient period, is 100 acres in ex-
tent, and affords pasturage to a number of cattle and
sheep. An act of parliament was obtained within the
last few years, for partly draining this lake, which has
been carried into effect, at an expense of £40,000 ; and
about 1000 acres have been recovered from it ; but the
soil, contrary to expectation, is poor and sterile, and not
likely to afford any equivalent remuneration. Before
this diminution of its size, the lake was fifteen miles in
circumference.
About four-fifths of the land are in profitable culti-
vation, and divided into farms varying from 50 to 300
acres in extent ; the soil is partly light and dry, partly a
rich loamy clay, and partly moor. The system of agri-
culture is greatly improved ; the lands have been well
drained and inclosed ; and excellent crops of oats and
barley are produced, and, in the best soils, fine crops of
wheat. The pastures on the low lands are principally
for cattle ; and considerable numbers of sheep are fed
upon the Cleish and Ochil hills. Above 3000 acres are
in woodland and plantations, of which latter the most
important are those on the lands of Blair-Adam, 1300
acres in extent, consisting of oak, ash, lurch, elm, spruce,
and silver and Scotch firs ; all, except the Scotch firs, in
a thriving condition. The minerals are not extensive.
Coal is found in the south, but it is not wrought ; free-
stone of excellent quality is (juarried in the parish of
Cleish, and whinstone is every where abundant. Red
sandstone prevails in the district to the north of Kinross,
and limestone may be obtained in abundance on the
Lomond hills. The manufacture of cutlery, which was
KINT
KINT
formerly carried on to a great extent, has been discon-
tinued ; and the only branches now pursued are, the
weaving of cotton for the manufacturers of Glasgow,
and the manufacture of tartan shawls and plaids, for
which there are some large establishments at Kinross
and Milnathort. Facility of communication is afforded
by excellent roads in every direction. The annual value
of the real property in the county is £44,010, of which
£38,89'2 are for lands, £4375 for houses, £'210 for fish-
eries, £93 for mines, £'29 for quarries, and the remainder
for other descriptions of real property not comprised in
the foregoing items.
KINTAIL, a parish, in the county of Ross and Cro-
marty, 10 miles (E. S. E.) from Lochalsh ; containing,
with the village of Dornie and Bundalloch, 1168 inha-
bitants. This parish derives its name from a Gaelic
term, signifying " the head of two seas", and descriptive
of its situation on a point of land where two seas meet.
Nothing is known concerning its history earlier than the
period of Alexander III., who presented to Colin Fitz-
gerald, the founder of the noble family of Mackenzie, the
castle of Donan in the village of Dornie, now a ruin,
for his eminent services in the royal cause, both by sea
and land, at the battle of Largs. The family derive
their crest of a burning mount from the lofty and famous
mountain here, called TuUoch-ard, upon the top of which,
in ancient times, a barrel of burning tar was exhibited
as a signal for the rendezvous of the vassals of the
Mackenzies, on the commencement of hostilities. The
PARISH, which is situated on the west coast of Ross-
shire, is about eighteen or twenty miles long, and five or
six broad ; it is surrounded by hills in almost every di-
rection, and is altogether one of the most mountainous
and wild districts in the country. The northern division,
called Glenelchaig, is separated from the southern and
western parts by a lofty and almost inaccessible ridge ;
and a length of about ten miles only of the extent of
ground in the parish is inhabited : this portion is con-
tained between the north-east end of Loch Loiiig and the
south-east end of Lock Duich, two maritime lochs. On
all sides the approaches are majestic and commanding.
The mountains of Ben-Ulay, Glasbhein, Soccach, and
Maam-an- Tuirc, in the parish, abound with romantic
scenery ; and their vicinity is plentifully enriched with
every variety of valley, wood, and water. TuUoch-ard,
however, situated on the north side of Loch Duich, and
embracing an extensive view of the Western Isles, is the
most celebrated mountainous elevation, both for its tow-
ering appearance and for its history in legendary song.
The pass of Bealach, a few feet only in breadth, and in-
closed by lofty and precipitous rocks, the whole encom-
passed with lonely glens and wild mountain woods, is a
spot which has always interested the admirer of wild and
lonely scenery. There are many good springs, and a
few inland lakes, the chief of which are Loch-a-Iihealich
and Loch Glassletter, abounding with fine trout, and fa-
mous for angling. The waterfall of Glomach, situated
in a sequestered valley about seven miles from Sheal-
house, is highly celebrated. At this place a stream is
precipitated from an elevation of 350 feet, and, ob-
structed in its descent by the projection of a rugged
crag, throws forth a volume of beautiful spray, of un-
usual dimensions : the fall is surrounded on all sides
with mountainous and barren scenery. The chief rivers
are the Loing, which separates Kintail from Lochalsh ;
93
the Croe, which divides it from Glensheil ; and the
Elchuig : the Croe runs into Loch Duich, and the two
others into Loch Loing.
This parish is almost entirely pastoral. The larger
farms are held by the proprietors of the parish, two or
three in number ; and the most improved system of hus-
bandry is adopted on these lands. Great attention is
paid to the breeding of sheep ; and by crossing the old
stock with the Cheviots, it has of late years been much
improved, the sheep now fetching excellent prices at
the markets in the south, particularly that of Falkirk,
to which they are chiefly sent. There are several small
but thriving plantations, consisting of Scotch firs, spruce,
larch, oak, ash, birch, and elm. The rocky strata are
composed chiefly of gneiss, distinguished frequently by
a variety of veins ; there are also considerable beds of
granite and sienite. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £3017- Dornie and Bundalloch form
one village, situated on the north-east shore of Loch
Loing ; it is inhabited principally by fishermen, and is
very thickly peopled. The bays worth notice are those
of Dornie, Corfhouse, and Inverinate. A parliamentary
road from the western coast to Inverness runs through
the parish, and is in very excellent condition ; while more
distant communication is afforded with this neighbour-
hood by the Glasgow and Skye steam-boats, by which
all necessaries are obtained. There are fisheries for
salmon established on Loch Duich and the river Croe ;
they are let to strangers, who send the fish to the Lon-
don market. Ecclesiastically the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Lochcarron, synod of
Glenelg, and the patronage is in the Crown : the stipend
of the ministeris£177, with a good manse, built in 1831,
and a glebe of the annual value of £40. Kintail church,
which is inconveniently situated at a great distance from
the body of the parishioners, is capable of accommodating
about 300 persons : it was repaired about 1820, when
two small galleries were erected ; but is at present in a
dilapidated state, and too small for the population. The
Roman Catholics have a place of worship. There are
two catechists in the parish ; and a parochial school is
maintained, where the usual branches of education are
taught, the master having a salary of £27, with a house,
and an allowance in lieu of garden. Two other schools
are supported by the Gaelic Society. The chief relic of
antiquity is the ruin of Ellandonan Castle, near the vil-
lage of Dornie, surrounded by beautiful scenery ; it is
supposed to have been built about the time of Alex-
ander III.
KINTESSACK, a village, in the parish of Dyke,
county of Elgin, 3 miles (W. by N.) from Forres ; con-
taining 122 inhabitants. It is a small village, lying
a short distance from the shore of the Moray Firth.
Until within these few years there was a good school
here, but it was given up for want of sufficient support ;
there is, however, a small female school.
KINTORE, a royal burgh and a parish, in the dis-
trict of Garioch, and county of Aberdeen, 4 miles
(S. S. E.) from Inverury, and 12 (N. W. by W.) from
Aberdeen ; containing, with the village of Port-Elphin-
stone, 1299 inhabitants. The name of Kintore signifies
in Gaelic " the head of the forest". The place was for-
merly remarkable for its castle, said to have been built
by Robert Bruce for a hunting-seat, and which was
the occasional residence of several of the Scottish kings.
KINT
K I NT
who enjoyed the pleasures of the chase in the royal
forest adjacent. This castle, called the Castle of Hall
Forest, was granted, with surrounding lands which
are supposed to have extended from the west part of
the parish to Dyce church, a distance of five or six
miles, to Robert de Keith, great marischal of Scot-
land, by Bruce, after the battle of Inverury, or, as is
more generally supposed, after that of Bannockburn,
for eminent services rendered to the king. Upon this,
it became the seat of the family ; the son of Robert de
Keith was created Earl of Kintore, and it continued to
be inhabited so late as the seventeenth century by the
same family, who hold the property at the present time.
The castle appears to have been of considerable strength,
and its vicinity was the scene of various conflicts : here
Bruce is said to have completed the destruction of the
army of Edward I., after the defeat of Cumyn, Earl of
Buchan, near Inverury.
The town of Kintore, situated on the bank of the
river Don, was once of some consequence, being the
place of meeting of the great northern road by Aberdeen,
and the roads leading to some of the principal passes of
the Grampian mountains. It is, however, at present of
small dimensions, and the houses and buildings are not
of sufficient importance to merit particular notice ; the
village of Port-Elphinstone having become the main
point of interest and traffic, chiefly on account of its
situation at the head of the Aberdeenshire canal. The
burgh contains several good shops for necessary com-
modities ; but through the facilities of intercourse with
Aberdeen, many articles are procured from that place.
There are a subscription library and a savings' bank ;
and the post-office established in the town is the oldest
in the district of Garioch. A branch of the northern
road from Aberdeen to Inverness extends westward, and
at last joins the Alford turnpike-road ; and the royal
mail and several other coaches pass and repass daily :
there is likewise a depot at the town, on the Aberdeen-
shire canal. In 1846 an act of parliament was passed
authorizing the construction of a railway, nearly sixteen
miles in length, from Kintore to Alford. The northern
part of the parish, as well as Port-Elphinstune, has Inve-
rury as its post-town. Monthly markets are held, chiefly
for the sale of cattle.
Kintore was erected into a royal burgh by a charter
of King James IV., dated February 4th, 1506, and is
governed by a provost, two bailies, a dean of guild, a
treasurer, and nine councillors. The old council, with
the magistrates, choose the new magistrates ; then the
old council, with the new magistrates, choose the new
council : there is no restriction with respect to re-elec-
tion, and the present resident chief magistrate has con-
sequently been in office some time. The burgh has
neither property nor debt ; its only revenue consists of
feu-duty paid by the Earl of Kintore, amounting to
£9. 6. Scots, and of £1. 13. 4. sterling, paid annually by
the family of Craigievar to the poor of Kintore, as a fine
for the murder within the burgh of one of the family of
Gordon of Craigniile. 'l"he magistrates have no ])ower
of taxing the inhabitants ; the cess and bnrgli charges,
amounting to £.">. 2. per annum, arc paid by Lord Kintore.
Nor have they for many years been in the practice of
exercising jurisdiction, either civil or criminal, except in
confining a disorderly ))erson for the night. I'eace is
maintained by a town-scrjeant and cue or two special
94
constables, and Lord Kintore provides a gaol and town-
house. This burgh is classed with the Elgin district of
burghs in returning a member to parliament.
The PARISH, including the lands of Creechy and
Thainston, which were detached from the parish of
Kinkell, and annexed to it in 1760, is about six miles
and a half in length from the southern to the northern
extremity, and at its greatest breadth measures a little
more than three miles. It comprises 8430 acres, of which
3408 are under cultivation, '2478 waste or permanent
pasture, 652 waste, but capable of cultivation, and 1892
occupied by wood. The surface is uneven, and in many
places rugged; but there is no high land except the hill
of Thainston, which rises about 280 feet above the level
of the sea, and by its beautifull}'- wooded scenery, in con-
nexion with the smoothly-gliding stream of the Don, in-
vests the locality with a lively and interesting appearance.
The lands rising from the town, which is situated in the
vale of the Don, are alluvial and rich, occasionally inter-
spersed with hollows of mossy soil. The level and culti-
vated parts not immediately on the river side consist
of a light sandy earth, or drained moss. On the higher
grounds the soil is so thin in many places that the sub-
stratum is scarcely covered. Considerable portions of
peat-moss have been reclaimed, and the remainder sup-
plies fuel. Grain of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips are
raised ; and their aggregate annual value, with the revenue
from pasturage, hay, and the cuttings of woods and
plantations, amounts to above £10,000. The cattle are
chiefly of the Aberdeenshire breed, and much care is
taken in selecting those of good shape, and without
horns. Formerly large flocks of sheep, numbering up-
wards of 2000, were pastured on the moors ; but very
few are now kept, extensive plantations having been since
formed. The most improved system of husbandry is
followed ; large tracts of waste land have been reclaimed
and cultivated, and embankments have been raised
against the inundations of the river Don. Furrow-
draining has been successfully practised ; and during
the last thirty years more than 300 acres have been
trenched, drained, and inclosed by the tenants, under the
encouragement of the proprietor. The annual value of
real property in Kintore is £4525.
The rock in the parish, as in most of the neighbouring
parts, consists of granite, which exists in large masses
forming the substratum, and is also found in blocks upon
the surface, thus rendering the improvement of some of
the waste grounds a work of great labour. Part of the
wood is ancient ; but a large proportion is plantation,
chiefly of larch, Scotch, and spruce firs, about 250 acres
of which, for some years past, have been annually planted
by Lord Kintore. The mansion of Thainston is an ele-
gant modern structure, beautifully situated in a well-
wooded tract, and commanding fine and extensive views.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Garioch,
synod of Aberdeen, and in the |)atronage of the Earl of
Kintore : the minister's stipend is £184, with a manse,
and a ghbe of eight acres, valued at £23 per annum.
Kintore church, situated in the town, was built in 1819,
and contains accommodation for 700 persons. The
members of the Free Cliurch have a jjlace of worship.
The panicliial school alfords instruction in Latin, (ircek,
geograpliy, and the usual branches of education ; the
master has a salary of £30, with about £30 fees. A
legacy was lately left by Mr. John Buchan, of Aberdeen,
K I PP
KIPP
a native of Kintore, for the promotion of education, the
will directing £200 to be put to interest, to form an en-
dowment for a school to be founded in the western ex-
tremity of the parish. A charitable bequest of £9 per
annum, called Davidson's, is confined to the poor of the
burgh. The only relic of antiquity worthy of notice is
the ruin of the castle, situated about a mile westward of
the Aberdeen road ; it is a rectangular structure, con-
taining two lofty arched apartments, one over the other,
and forms an impressive object from several points of
observation. Arthur Johnston, the poet, celebrated for
his elegant Latinity, was a pupil in the parochial school
of Kintore ; and Sir Andrew Mitchell, ambassador to
Prussia in the reign of Frederick the Great, possessed
the estate of Thainston, where he often resided.
KINTULLOCH, a village, in the parish of DuNBARNY,
county of Perth, 3 miles (S. by E.) from Perth ; contain-
ing 119 inhabitants. This place takes its name from a
Gaelic term signifying "the top of a gentle rising ground
or green eminence," on account of its contiguity to a slope
near a brook. The lands were granted, under William the
Lion, to Hugh Say, an Englishman, whose estate, having
descended to Arabella his sister, passed in part from her
by gift, after the death of her husband Reginald de
Warrene, to the monks of Scone in 1249; and finally,
after frequently changing proprietors, came into the
possession of Mr. Grant of Kilgraston. The village is
situated half a mile south-west of the church, and is
chiefly inhabited by cottars, whose tenements are re-
markable for the cleanliness of the interior, and for the
tasteful manner in which the fronts are ornamented with
roses and evergreens. At one extremity of this pleasing
spot, is a splendid gateway leading to Kilgraston. There
is a school, the master of which has a free house and gar-
den, allowed by the Grant family.
KIPPEN, a parish, partly in the county of Perth,
but chiefly in the county of Stirling ; containing, with
the greater portion of the former quoad sacra parish of
Bucklyvie, the village of Kippen, and the hamlets of
Arnprior, Cauldhame, Kepp, and Shirgarton, ig^'Z in-
habitants, of whom 397 are in the village of Kippen, 10
miles (W.) from Stirling. This place derives its name,
in the Gaelic language signifying " a promontory ", from
the situation of the village at the extremity of an emi-
nence which terminates near Boquhan, in the eastern
portion of the parish. Few events of historical import-
ance are recorded in connexion with the place, though,
from the names of several localities, indicating ancient
fortresses, of which there are now scarcely any vestiges
remaining, it appears to have been the scene of frequent
hostihties between the different clans in the vicinity. In
the reign of James V., a dispute arose between the in-
habitants of the baronies of Arnprior and Glentirran,
respecting the course of the stream issuing from Loch
Leggan, which dispute terminated in a sanguinary battle
near the loch, when many persons on each side were
killed. Upon this occasion, the king, who at that time
resided in the castle of Stirling, ordered the stream to
be diverted into the channel it at present occupies, and,
depriving both parties of their claim, erected on its
banks a mill, which still retains the appellation of the
Royal Mill.
The parish is bounded on the north by the river
Forth, and is about eight miles in extreme length, vary-
ing from two to four miles ia breadth, and comprising
95
rather more than 10,000 acres, of which .5300 are arable,
600 woodland and plantations, and the remainder mea-
dow, pasture, and waste. The surface of the parish,
which contains two portions of the county of Perth,
stretching from north to south, and detaching nearly
one-third of Kippen from the county of Stirling, is-
pleasingly diversified with rising grounds of moderate
elevation. Along the shore of the Forth extends a level
tract of carse land in a state of the richest cultivation,
from which the ground rises towards the south by a
partly abrupt, but generally gradual, ascent for more
than a mile, beyond which it again subsides by a gentle
declivity. From the higher grounds is obtained an ex-
tensive and varied prospect over the surrounding country,
embracing the whole of the carse, Stirling Castle, the
rocks of Craigforth and the Abbey Craig, the braes of
Monteith, and the range of the Grampians from the
Ochil hills to Ben-Lomond. The river Forth is here of
inconsiderable width, and the stream greatly discoloured
by the floating moss, which has also injured the fishery,
previously very lucrative. Several rivulets flow through
the glens that intersect the parish, and most of them
abound with trout of good quality. The burn of Broich,
issuing from Loch Leggan, runs along the beautiful glen
of Broich, and afterwards, in its course to the Forth,
serves chiefly to float off the moss in the plain below.
The burn of Boquhan, which is the boundary line be-
tween this parish and Gargunnock, has its rise in the
rock of Ballochleam, and in its descent has made for
itself a channel through the substratum of red sandstone,
which it has excavated into caverns of singular form :
flowing along the richly-wooded glen of Boquhan, it falls
into the Forth at the bridge of Frew. Some smaller
rivulets, in their way through their respective glens, ex-
hibit picturesque cascades ; and on the moor of Kippen
is Locli Leggan, a fine sheet of water about a mile in
circumference, whose shores are well wooded, and which
is the only lake in the parish.
For some breadth from the shore of the Forth the
SOIL is light and fertile, and in the carse betvk'een it and
the higher grounds a deep rich clay ; on the acclivities,
a loam alternated with sand and gravel ; and towards
the summit, of lighter and less productive quality.
There are also considerable tracts of moss, with which,
indeed, the whole carse appears to have been formerly
overspread. The crops are wheat, oats, barley, beans,
potatoes, and turnips ; the system of husbandry is in a
highly-improved state. The lands have been drained,
and are generally well inclosed ; and much moss has
been reclaimed and brought into cultivation : the farm-
houses are substantial and commodious, and on most of
the farms are threshing-mills. Dairy-farming is well
managed ; the cows are usually of the Ayrshire breed.
Considerable attention is paid to live stock, and all the
more recent improvements in the construction of agri-
cultural implements have been adopted. There are
about sixty or seventy acres of ancient woods remaining.
The plantations, which are extensive, are chiefly larch
and Scotch fir on the higher lands, and on the lower
comprise oak, ash, and elm, which are all in a thriving
state. In the glens are also large tracts of coppice-wood,
and a great part of the moor has recently been planted.
The principal substrata are red sandstone, and limestone ;
and coal is supposed to exist, though some attempts to
explore it have not been attended with success. The
KIRK
KIRK
sandstone is extensively quarried on the moor ; it is soft
when taken from the quarry, but hardens on exposure
to the air, and is of excellent quality for building, for
which purpose large quantities are sent to a considerable
distance. The limestone is found chiefly in the southern
district of the parish, and is also of good quality ; but
from the want of coal, which is to be obtained only from
a great distance, it is but little wrought for burning into
lime. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £8*75. The seats are, Garden, a handsome modern
mansion, to which additions have been made ; and
Broich House, also a modern residence, beautifully situ-
ated. In the grounds of the latter is an extraordinary
yew-tree ; it is of great age and size, and does not ap-
pear to have been ever lopped or pollarded. An en-
graving of this fine tree is given in the Gentleman's Ma-
gazine for April 18.50.
The village of Kippen has a pleasingly-rural appear-
ance. A public library is supported by subscription,
and there is a library of religious books for gratuitous
circulation ; a post-office is established under that of
Stirling, and has a daily delivery. Fairs for cattle are
held on the first Wednesday in January, the second
Wednesday in April, the ^Gth of May, the 23 rd of Octo-
ber, and the first, second, and third Wednesdays in
December. Facility of communication is maintained by
the road from Stirling to Dumbarton, which passes for
seven miles through the parish ; by a turnpike-road
from the village to Glasgow, which intersects the parish
for three miles in a south-west direction; and by bridges
over the Forth, in excellent repair. For ecclesiastical
purposes the parish is within the limits of the presbytery
of Dunblane, synod of Perth and Stirling. The minis-
ter's stipend averages £260, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £12 per annum; patrons, the family of Gal-
braith of Blaekhouse. Kippen church, erected in 1825,
is a handsome structure in the later English style of
architecture, with a square embattled tower, and con-
tains about 800 sittings. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship. A church in connexion with
the Establishment was built in 1835 at Bucklyvie, where
is also a place of worship for the United Presbyterian
Church. There are two parochial schools, one at Kip-
pen, the master of which has a salary of £27. 15. 6.,
with a house and garden, and fees amounting on the
average to £20 ; and the other at Claymires, in Buck-
lyvie, the master of which, in addition to the fees, has a
salary of £5. 11., with a house and garden. The late
Rev. James Miller of Edinburgh, who was a native of
this parish, bequeathed, in trust to the Kirk Session of
Kippen, property for the foundation of a bursary of £24
in each of the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow,
for young men prosecuting their studies with a view to
the ministry in the Established Church of Scotland.
The Kirk Session of Kippen are the patrons, and the
election is directed to be made on Mr. Miller's father's
gravestone in Kippen churchyard. There are no re-
mains of the ancient castle of Arnfinlay, or of the Tower
of Garden, formerly in the parish ; and of several small
h'eights called Keirs, supposed to have been originally
Pictish or Celtic fortresses, and on which are still ves-
tiges of military works, nothing of the history is dis-
tinctly known.
KIRK, a hamlet, in the parish of Lundie and Fow-
Lis, county of Forfar, 7 miles (W. N. W.) from Dundee ;
96
containing 75 inhabitants. The population of this small
place is entirely agricultural.
KIRKALDY, county of Fife.— See Kirkcaldy.
KIRKANDREWS, a small village, in the parish of
BoRGUE, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 2 miles (W.)
from Borgue ; containing 47 inhabitants. It is seated
on the south-east shore of Wigtown bay, into which
opens a bay of its own name, about a mile north-
west of Boreness Point. This village was formerly of
greater extent and importance than it is at present, and
was noted for the periodical celebration of horse and
foot races, to which numbers were attracted from all
quarters. The ruins of its ancient church have a beau-
tifully-picturesque and romantic appearance.
KIRKBEAN, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirk-
cudbright, 12 miles (S.) from Dumfries; containing,
with the villages of Carsethorn, Preston-Mill, and Satur-
ness, 891 inhabitants, of whom 91 are in the village of
Kirkbean. This parish, the name of which, in the Gaelic
language, is descriptive of the situation of its church at
the foot of a mountain, is bounded on the east and south
by the Solway Firth, and is about six miles in length
and three in average breadth, comprising nearly 11,000
acres, of which 5000 are arable, and the remainder hiU
pasture, plantation, moorland, and waste. Its surface is
mountainous and rugged, especially towards the west,
where are lofty ridges of hills terminating to the north
in the height of CrifTel, which has an elevation of 1900
feet above the sea. From CrifFel the land slopes gradu-
ally towards the shore, is tolerably level, and in a high
state of cultivation. The hill commands from its sum-
mit very extensive and varied prospects, embracing
views of Annan, Carlisle, Dumfries, Castle-Douglas, and
the Isle of Man ; and in favourable weather the moun-
tains of North Wales, and the north coast of Ireland,
may be dimly seen. In general the coast is low and
sandy, but interspersed with rocky precipices of con-
siderable elevation, in one of which, near Arbigland
House, is a naturally-formed arch of romantic appear-
ance ; the principal bay is that of Carse, and the most
prominent headlands are Borron Point and Saturness.
The SOIL in some parts is light and sandy, in others
of greater depth and fertility ; and a considerable tract
of land, recovered from the sea by an embankment con-
structed by the Oswald family, has been brought into
profitable cultivation. The crops are oats, barley, wheat,
potatoes, and turnips ; the rotation system of husbandry
is practised, and bone-dust and guano have been intro-
duced as manure. Much improvement has been, and
continues to be, made by draining the lands, which are
also well inclosed ; many of the farms arc extensive, and
the farm houses and offices are substantial, and kept in
good repair. The hill pastures support a number of
sheep of the Cheviot breed, and attention is paid to the
rearing of live stock generally ; the cattle are of the
native breed, with the exception of the cows on the two
dairy-farms, which are Ayrshire. There is little ancient
wood, and the jjlantations are far from being extensive.
The substrata are chiefly white granite, of which most of
the rocks are composed, limestone, and sandstone of
a very coarse kind : the limestone, though of inferior
quality, is well adapted for building. Indications of coal
have been observed, but not holding out sufliciciit in-
ducement to operations. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £5758. Arbigland House, the
KIRK
KIRK
seat of Mr. Hamilton Craik, is a handsome mansion,
situated near the coast, in a tastefully-embellished de-
mesne : Cavens is also a handsome residence, belonging
to Mr. Oswald. The village of Kirkbean stands on the
estuary of the Nith, in a beautifully-rural valley, and
consists of pleasing cottages kept in the neatest order,
and surrounded by thriving plantations. At Saturness,
on the coast, are several small cottages, which, during
the season, are inhabited by respectable families for the
purpose of sea-bathing ; and at Preston Farm there was
formerly a burgh of regality, of which the ancient cross
is still remaining. At Carsethorn, also a bathing-village,
steam-packets touch twice a week, in their passage from
Dumfries to Whitehaven and Liverpool ; and vessels
anchor safely in its bay when they cannot proceed to
Dumfries. Preston-Mill contains a population of 76.
There is a mail-coach daily, except Sunday, to and from
Dumfries ; and facility of communication generally is
afforded by the turnpike- road that passes through the
parish to that town.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery and synod of Dumfries. The
minister's stipend averages about £190, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £18 per annum ; patron, the Duke
of Buccleuch and Queensberry. Kirkbean church is a
commodious and handsome structure, erected in the year
1776, with a tower crowned by a dome, erected by sub-
scription in 1835 ; it is beautifully situated in the vale,
and is adorned with clumps of plantation on little knolls
surrounding it. The members of the Free Church have
a place of worship on the south-western verge of the
parish. The parochial school affords instruction to about
seventy children ; and the master has a salary of two
chalders of meal, with a house and garden, and the in-
terest of a bequest of £608. 4., producing £24. 6. 6., for
which sum he teaches thirty poor children gratuitously :
the fees average £28 per annum. There is also a school
about three miles distant from the former ; the master
receives the interest of a bequest of £400 by Messrs.
Marshall, of Glasgow, to which £100 have been added
by the present minister, the Rev. Thomas Grierson.
The poor have the interest of various bequests amount-
ing in the aggregate to £350. At Wreaths, and also at
Cavens, are some remains of castellated buildings, of
which the latter was the property, and occasionally the
residence, of the Regent Morton ; and at Borron Point
are vestiges of an ancient moat and ditch called Mc Cul-
loch's Castle, the history of which is unknown. Among
the natives of the parish of Kirkbean have been. Admiral
John Campbell, who accompanied Commodore Anson
in his voyage of circumnavigation, born here in 1719,
while his father was minister of the parish ; and the
late Dr. Edward Milligan, distinguished as a lecturer on
medical science in Edinburgh, who died in 1833, at the
age of 47. Dr. Milligan was a striking example of what
can be achieved by a decided determination to literary
and scientific pursuits, in the face of much discourage-
ment and difficulty. For a considerable time he followed
the humble occupation of shoemaking ; but proceeding
to college, his abilities soon appeared, and as a lecturer
he guided the studies of others with the most complete
success, continuing his labours even during the blind-
ness that preceded his last illness. John Paul, better
known as the notorious Paul Jones, and whose father
was gardener at Arbigland, was also a native.
Vol. II.— 97
Bursh Seal.
KIRKCALDY, a royal
burgh, a sea-port, and a pa-
rish, in the district of Kirk-
caldy, county of Fife, 14
miles (E. by N.) from Dun-
fermline, and 14 (N. by E.)
from Edinburgh ; the parish
containing ,5275 inhabitants,
of whom 4785 are in the
burgh. This place derives
its name from an ancient
church founded here by the
Culdees, and annexed in the
reign of David I. to the monastery of Dunfermline, into
which that monarch had introduced an establishment of
Benedictine monks from Canterbury. The origin of the
town is very obscure, neither is there any authentic his-
tory of its early progress. It is supposed, however, that
its proximity to the sea, and the abundance of fuel in
the vicinity, induced numbers to settle here at a remote
period, for the cultivation of commerce and manufac-
tures. The first notice of the town occurs in a charter
of David II., erecting it into a burgh of regality in fa-
vour of the abbot of Dunfermline and his successors, in
whose possession it remained for more than a century.
In 1450, it was granted by the commendator and con-
vent to the bailies and community of the burgh, together
with the harbour, the burgage acres, and common pas-
tures, with the tolls, customs, and other privileges per-
taining to it, to be held by them for ever. This tenure,
however, was subsequently altered ; and instead of being
a burgh of the lordship of Dunfermline, the town was
constituted a royal burgh, and invested with all the im-
munities enjoyed by royal burghs in their fullest extent :
the original charter being lost, the date of this change
cannot be precisely ascertained. Under these rights the
town continued to flourish, and in 1622 it contributed
1030 merks towards the relief of the French Protestants.
It had, about this time, not less than 100 vessels belong-
ing to the port, and had attained a degree of importance
which placed it next in rank in the county after St. An-
drew's. The privileges of the burgh were confirmed and
extended by charter of Charles I., who created it de novo
a royal burgh and free port ; and the government, which
had been previously exercised by two bailies and a trea-
surer, was vested in a provost, who was also admiral of
the port, two bailies, a dean of guild, treasurer, and
council.
During the commotions in this reign the inhabitants
embraced the cause of the parliament, and zealously
subscribed the Covenant. Many of them joined the
army of the Covenanters ; and at the battle of Kilsyth,
in which that army was defeated with great slaughter
by the Marquess of Montrose, a very large number of
the men of Kirkcaldy are said to have been killed. In
the progress of events the town suffered repeated inju-
ries, and during the interregnum continued to languish
and decline. According to the burgh records, from the
commencement of the civil war to the restoration of
Charles II., as many as ninety-four vessels belonging to
the port were captured by the enemy or lost at sea ; and
in 1682 the town was reduced to such distress, that an
application was made to the convention of royal burghs
to take its poverty into consideration, and administer to
its relief. At the time of the Revolution, the inhabitants,
O
KIRK
KIRK
in the zeal of their attachment to the cause of William
III., apprehended the chancellor of Scotland, the Earl of
Perth, and, after detaining him for some time in custody
under a guard of 300 men, delivered him to the Earl of
Mar at Alloa. William, in return for their loyalty,
granted the inhabitants a diminution of their annual
assessment; and the town, with the trade of the port,
now began to revive, and continued to prosper till the
Union, when, in common with all the other sea-ports on
the coast of Fife, it fell into decay. It then and after-
wards suffered so much that its shipping, in 17 60, was
reduced to one coasting-sloop of si.xty tons' burthen, and
two ferry-boats of thirty tons each. From this time,
however, the trade began to increase ; and though it was
much impeded by the disputes with America, it conti-
nued to advance, and at the conclusion of the war there
were twelve vessels belonging to the place, which is now
one of the most flourishing sea-ports in Fifeshire.
The TOWN is situated on the north side of the Firth
of Forth, upon a narrow strip of level land at the base
of a ridge of rising ground, and extends for a mile and
a half along the shore, consisting principally of one
street formerly composed of old ill-built houses with out-
side stairs. A number of the old houses still remain,
but there are now hardly any outside stairs to be seen.
Towards the centre of the line, the street expands for
some distance into greater width, containing numerous
modern well-built houses of handsome appearance, and
a few good inns. Considerable improvements have been
for some time in progress ; and the town has been en-
larged by the formation of several streets diverging from
the main line towards the sands on the south, and others
built on the acclivities of the hills towards the north.
The streets arc well paved, and lighted with gas by a
company who have erected works for that purpose ; the
inhabitants are also amply supplied with water. Many
of the ancient houses have been taken down, and rebuilt
in a better style ; and the town generally is in a state
of progressive improvement. A subscription library is
well supported, and contains a collection of more than
4000 volumes ; a mechanics' library has also been esta-
blished, consisting of 1500 volumes ; and there are tw^o
circulating libraries, comprising together nearly 3000.
An institution has been formed within the last few years,
in which lectures on literary and scientific subjects are
regularly delivered during the winter mouths. Two
public reading and news rooms are supported by sub-
scription, which are well supplied with newspapers and
periodical publications; and a weekly journal is pub-
lished in the town. An agricultural association has also
been founded ; it holds meetings twice in the year, and
awards premiums for samples of seed, the finest speci-
mens of live stock, and the best crojis of every description
raised in the district.
The chief manufactures carried (m arc those of
the various kinds of coarse linen, consisting of checks,
striped hoiland, dowlas, ticking, sail cloths, and other
articles, in which great improvements were some time
since made by Mr. James Fergus, who adapted the
manufacture of ticking, which had previously been
made here for the manufacturers of Glasgow only, to
the use of the English markets, and introduced the
making of cheeks of cotton and linen mixed, drills, and
ducks. The gross value of the linens manufactured in
Kirkcaldy is now estimated at £80,000 per annum, and,
98
including the linen goods made in the several suburban
places in adjoining parishes, £'^00,000 per annum ;
affording occupation to a large number of weavers, ex-
clusively of hand-looms in private dwellings. Connected
with the factories are extensive bleaching-grounds and
dye-houses. There are several mills for the spinning
of flax, in which about 6000 spindles of yarn are pro-
duced daily, and from which quantities are exported to
France and other parts of the continent to the value of
£60,000 annually ; these mills are driven by steam-
engines of twenty-horse power, and give employment to
considerable numbers of females. The manufacture of
steam-engines and the various kinds of machinery for
the use of the mills, for which there are three establish-
ments in the town, engages about 200 men. The manu-
facture of salt, formerly very extensive, is still carried
on, upon a limited scale ; there are also two tanneries,
two breweries, a distillery, and several collieries in the
parish.
The trade of the port consists chiefly in the exporta-
tion of yarn and various manufactured goods, coal, and
agricultural produce ; and in the importation of flax,
timber, and other merchandise. The foreign trade is
with North and South America, the Mediterranean,
France, the Baltic, Norway, Denmark, Prussia, the
Hanse Towns, and Germany ; about ninety vessels from
foreign parts annually visiting the port. The coasting-
trade is also considerable. The number of vessels regis-
tered in 1842 as belonging to the port was ninety-one,
of the aggregate burthen ofS911 tons, and emphiying
about SOO seamen. Two vessels are engaged in the
whale-fishery, which was formerly much more extensive.
Smacks sail regularly from Kirkcaldy to London, and
trading-vessels to Leith and Glasgow. The jurisdiction
of the port extends over fifty-two miles of coast, from
Aberdour, in the Firth of Forth, to the upper part of
the bay of St. Andrew's ; including the sub-port of An-
struther and various other creeks. Kirkcaldy harbour,
which is under the direction of trustees appointed under
act of parliament in 1829, is situated at the eastern ex-
tremity of the town, and is inclosed by two stone piers
at the east and west ends. Though capacious, it is very
inadequate for the trade of the port, being accessible to
vessels of any considerable burthen only at spring tides.
An act was passed in 1849, for enlarging and improving
the harbour, for regulating the petty customs of the
burgh, and for other purposes. Attempts are con-
sequently now in progress for its improvement, by the
extension of the eastern pier under the superintendence
of Mr. Leslie, civil engineer, of Dundee ; the cost is esti-
mated at £10,000, and further improvements are in con-
templation, which, when carried into effect, will render
it safe and convenient, at an expense of £40,000. The
shore dues, from which the eor])oration derive their chief
revenue, amounted in 1842 to £171.5. The custom-house
establishment consists of a collector, comptroller, land-
surveyor, three laud-waiters, and fourteen tides-men ;
the amount of duties paid in 1842 was £4766.
There are branches of the Hank of Scotland, the
Conunercial IJank, the National Bank of Scotland, and
the Union Bank of Scotland, the buildings for which
add much to the appearance of the town. The post-
office has two deliveries daily ; and in addition to the
facilities of communication by roads, Kirkcaldy has a
station on the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway.
KIRK
KIRK
The market, which is on Saturday, is amply supplied
with corn, and is attended by dealers from all parts ;
the average quantity of grain sold is about 35,000
quarters, of which 10,000 only are disposed of by sample,
and the remainder in the stock market. Fairs for horses
and cattle are held on the third Friday in February, the
third Friday in July, and the first Friday in October.
The government of the burgh, since the passing of the
Municipal Reform act in the reign of William IV., has
been vested in a provost, two bailies, a dean of guild, a
treasurer, and a council of twenty-one members, in-
cluding the five magistrates. The council of twenty-one
are elected by the constituency at large, seven being
chosen every year ; and the provost, who is ex officio a
justice of the peace for the county, and the other magis-
trates, are elected by the councillors from among them-
selves. There are seven incorporated trades, the smiths,
Wrights and masons, weavers, shoemakers, tailors,
bakers, and fleshers, all of which, except the weavers,
possess exclusive privileges of trading. Courts are held
for the adjudication of civil causes to any amount ; in
criminal cases the magistrates' jurisdiction is limited to
misdemeanors. The town-hall and gaol form one build-
ing in the High-street, surmounted with a spire : the
hall, in which the courts are held and the public business
transacted, is spacious and handsomely fitted up, and
contains a portrait of Walter Fergus, Esq., of Strathore.
The gaol is under excellent regulations : proper attention
is paid to the health and comfort of the prisoners, who
are profitably employed, and the management is well
adapted for their reformation. The whole buildings,
which are in the Norman style of architecture, were
erected at a cost of £5000. Kirkcaldy is associated with
Dysart, Kinghorn, and Burntisland, in returning a mem-
ber to the house of commons : its parliamentary boundary
is much more extensive than the municipal, and embraces
a population of not less than 15,000.
The PARISH formerly included the chief part of that
of Abbotshall, which was separated from it in the year
1650 ; but it is now of very inconsiderable extent. It
is only two miles and a half in length, and scarcely one
mile in breadth ; and comprises little more, besides the
town site, than the burgh acres, and the common lands
once belonging to the town, not exceeding in the whole
1050 acres, of which 160 are woodland and plantations,
and the remainder arable. Near the town the soil is
rich and fertile, from the abundance of manure ; in
other parts, less productive. The surface rises from the
shore of the Firth (a level sandy beach) towards the
north into a bold ridge, which has an elevation of ,300
feet above the sea : the only stream is the Eastburn,
which, after receiving some tributaries in a course of
less than three miles, flows into the Firth at the extre-
mity of the parish, bordering upon that of Dysart. The
substrata are principally sandstone, slate, and coal,
which last occurs in several seams varying from nine
inches to three and a half feet in thickness ; one mine
is in operation, and the coal is raised from a depth of
forty-six fathoms. Iron-ore is found in the coal district,
in globular masses ; but the price obtained does not
remunerate the trouble of working it. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £18,239. Dunnikier
House, the seat of James Townsend Oswald, Esq., a
handsome mansion erected about 1790,is beautifully situ-
ated in a richly-wooded demesne.
99
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Kirkcaldy, synod of Fife.
The minister's stipend averages about £200, with a
manse and glebe valued together at about £50 per
annum ; patron, the Crown. The ])arish church, situ-
ated upon rising ground in the High-street, is a hand-
some structure in the later English style, erected in
1807, on the site of the ancient building, which had
fallen into a state of dilapidation. A portion of the old
tower is attached to the west end, and detracts greatly
from the appearance of the church ; but its removal, and
the erection of a tower or spire of corresponding style,
are in contemplation. The interior is well arranged, and
contains 1480 sittings. A church to which a quoad
sacra district was for a time annexed containing a
population of 1977 persons, was erected near the east
end of the town, at an expense of £'2000 ; it is called
East Fort Church, and has 840 sittings. There are
places of worship for members of the Free Church, mem-
bers of the United Presbyterian Church, Episcopalians,
Independents, Bereans, the Synod of United Original
Seceders, and Scottish Baptists. A Burgh school is
supported by the corporation and by the fees, and is
under the superintendence of a rector, to whom they
pay £50, and an assistant, who has a salary of £40 ; it
is attended by 170 children, who are instructed in the
classics and in the various branches of a commercial
education. The fees produce about £50 per annum to
each master ; but neither has a dwelling-house. Schools
have been erected in Kirkcaldy proper, Pathhead, Abbot-
shall, and Kinghorn, and teachers appointed, under an
endowment by Robert Philp, Esq., who, in IS^S, be-
queathed £74,000 for the education and clothing of 400
of the most needy children of the district. To each of
the children, on leaving school, are allowed from £7 to
£10, according to merit, to enable them to acquire a
trade, or to introduce them into creditable employment.
The master of the Kirkcaldy school, under this trust,
has £100 per annum ; and a mistress to teach the girls
to sew has a salary of £15. There are numerous other
schools, partly endowed, and partly supported by the
fees ; and the number of children attending them is
about 700. Mr. John Thomson, in 1810, bequeathed
£780, of which he appropriated one-half of the proceeds
to the payment of school fees for poor children, and
one-half to the relief of the aged. An institution for the
benefit of old and disabled mariners belonging to the
port, and for their widows and orphans, was established
about the year 1590, to the support of which the masters
and crews of the various vessels long contributed a per-
centage of their pay. This institution is called the
" Prime Gilt-Box of Kirkcaldy," and has funds amount-
ing to about £2500. There are also a ladies' benevolent
society, a clothing society, and a fund for supplying the
poor with coal. In 1828, the gallery on the north side
of the church, which was densely crowded to hear the
Rev. Edward Irving of London, fell down ; and many
lives were lost. Dr. Adam Smith, author of The Wealth
of Nations, and one of the most illustrious men, as a
writer, to whom Scotland has given birth, was born at
Kirkcaldy in 1723. After an absence of many years,
which were occupied in literary pursuits, and, for some
time, in discharging his professional duties in the chair
of moral philosophy in the University of Glasgow, here-
turned to Kirkcaldy, where he composed his celebrated
02
KIRK
KIRK
work. He died in 1789 ; and it is not a little remarkable
that, to this day, no monument to his memory has been
erected in his native town.
KIRKCOLM, a parish, in the county of Wigtown,
6 miles (N. by W.)from Stranraer; containing 1*93 in-
habitants, of whom 391 are in the village of Stewartown.
The word Kirkcolm is evidently corrupted by usage from
Kirk-Columba, a name at first applied to the church
(which was dedicated to St. Columba), and afterwards
used as a proper name for the parish. The place is of
great antiquity, the original church having been built at,
or shortly after, the time when the saint flourished to
whom it is dedicated. It is doubtful whether St. Columba
was of Irish or Scottish origin ; but he was in high
repute in Scotland in the sixth century. He fi.xed his
residence in the isle of Icolmkill, or " the chapel of
Columba," and spent his whole life in endeavouring to
convert the natives to Christianity, and in sending out
missionaries into the western parts of Scotland for the
same purpose. The remains of Corswall Castle, said by
Sympson, who wrote in 1684, to be then a heap of
ruins ; an ancient church dedicated to St. Bride ; and
the chapel of the Virgin, called Kilmore, also testify to
the great antiquity of the parish.
Kirkcolm is about five miles and a half in length
and four miles in breadth. It forms a small peninsula,
being bounded on the north and west by the sea, on the
east by the bay of Loch Ryan, and on the south by
the parish of Leswalt. The surface, in its general ap-
pearance, is irregular, sloping gently towards the west.
From Portmore bay northward, then westward round
Corswall point, and southward along the Irish Channel,
the scenery is varied by the bold rocky elevations of the
coast. There is a considerable stream, turning the mill
of Corswall ; and near the middle of the parish is Loch
Connel, about a mile in circumference. Springs of good
fresh water are found in every direction. In the inte-
rior the soil is a productive loam ; but near the coast,
which encompasses the larger extent of the parish, it is
poor, and so thin as scarcely in many parts to cover the
rock. The numlier of acres under cultivation is between
J 0,000 and 11, 000 ; there are upwards of 1200 acres in
waste and pasture, and between 100 and '200 planted.
The present crops of wheat, oats, and barley on lands
covered fifty years back with whins and heath, show the
great progress of the jjarish in an agricultural point of
view ; but tlie climate is bleak and rainy, and not
favourable to the highest improvement of the soil. With
few exceptions, the farm-houses are substantial and
comfortable dwellings. Galloway cattle, an excellent
native breed, are kept ; but the Ayrshire cow is pre-
ferred on the dairy-farms, on the management of which
much care is bestowed. In this parish the subsoil
is gravelly and rocky. The rocks are of the greywacke
transition class, and there arc considerable quantities of
red sandstone, as well as greywacke-slate, clay-slate,
and ])ure clay. Quartz and granite are also sometimes
found. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £6267. Corswall House, occupying an elevated posi-
tion (m the margin of Loch Ryan, in the midst of
spreading plantations, is seen from a distance as a pleas-
ing object. The only village is Stewartown, where the
young women, as in most other parts of the ])arii-h, are
chiefly employed in emljroidcring muslin webs. Little
trafhc is carried on ; but the basin called the Wig, ou
100
the coast of Loch Ryan, is a convenient and safe retreat,
and two or three vessels, of less than forty tons' burthen,
belong to Kirkcolm. Corswall lighthouse, finished in
I8I6, and occupying a rocky projection on the western
side of the parish, is a noble and commanding structure;
it is built of whinstone, and has a revolving light on the
top of the tower, which is eighty-six feet high, and em-
braces a very extensive view, comprehending a large part
of the Irish coast.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Stranraer, synod of Galloway;
patrons, the Earl of Stair, and James Carrick Moore, Esq.,
of Corswall. The stipend of the minister is £216, with
a good manse, and a glebe of ten acres valued at £15 per
annum. Kirkcolm church is a commodious and substan-
tial edifice, accommodating 650 persons ; it was built in
1824, and is in good repair. There is a parochial school,
in which reading and writing, English grammar, arith-
metic, and book-keeping, with mensuration, navigation,
and Latin, are taught ; the master has a house and gar-
den, a salary of £27, and about £18 in fees. Among
the relics of antiquity are the ruins of Corswall Castle,
distant about a mile from the sea, in the northern part
of the parish : a cannon seven feet long, a gold ring,
some coins, and a silver plate with an inscription, were
found here some years since.' About a mile from this
castle are the foundations of the ancient church dedi-
cated to St. Bride; and on the southern part of the coast
of Loch Ryan are the ruins of a wall belonging to the
chapel of Kilmorie. A stone from this chapel was placed
over the west door of the old church of Kirkcolm when
it was repaired in 1719, and left in the churchyard when
the church was taken down in 1821. It is a rude spe-
cimen of ancient sculpture, so much worn by time that
the figures can scarcely be traced with any accuracy.
One side appears to bear a shield, with an animal sculp-
tured on it, and, on the top of the shield, a large cross ;
the other side is distinguished by a figure having the
arms extended on a cross, with another figure beneath.
The stone is of grey whinstone.
KIRKCONNEL, a parish and village, in the county
of Dumfries, 4 miles (N. W. by \V.) from Sanq<ihar; con-
taining 1130 inhabitants, of whom 500 are in the village.
St. Connel, to whom the church was dedicated, appears
to have given the name to this parish. The church at
one time belonged to the monks of Holywood, who re-
ceived the tithes, establishing a vicarage for the due
performance of divine service. At the Reformation the
revenues were held by Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, on
the payment of £20 Scots yearly to the monks ; but
after that event, the patronage and tithes, with other
property of the abbey, were vested in the crown, and
granted by it to John Murray of Loehmaben. In the
reign of Charles II. the jiatronage was transferred to the
Duke of Queensberry ; and upon the death of the last
duke, William, it came, with the title, into the noble
family of Scott, to whom nearly the whole of this parish,
with very extensive projjcrty in the neighbouring dis-
tricts, now belongs. The rAlusii is about fifteen miles
in length and eight in breadth, and contains upwards of
26,000 acres. It is bounded on the north and north-
east by the parish of Oawl'ordjohn, in the county of
Lanark ; on the north-west and west by New Cumnock
and Auchinleck, in the county of Ayr; and on the south-
east and south-west by the parish of Sanquhar. The
KIRK
KIRK
surface throughout is irregular and hilly. The ground
gradually rises for some distance on each side of the
river Nith, which intersects the parish from west to east;
after which it forms a continued range of hills, of con-
siderable elevation, distant from the river on each side
about two or three miles, and affording good sheep pas-
ture. Beyond these hills, to the north and south, the
land consists of peat-moss covered with heath and grass,
or cold and swampy land, intersected with narrow val-
leys and deep ravines.
The SOIL under cultivation is in some parts a light
gravelly mould ; in other places it is a loam or clay, and
sometimes a mixture of moss and clay. Occasionally
there is a deep rich earth, especially upon the holm
lands near the river. About 6300 acres are arable ;
about 19,100 are hill pasture, 542 low pasture, and 178
occupied by wood : both grain and green crops of all
kinds are raised, but barley and wheat are sown in but
small quantities, on account of the great distance of a
regular market. The sheep, of which 11,000 or 12,000
are kept, are chiefly of the native black-faced breed, as
being the most hardy, and the best suited to the bleak
exposure of hill pasturage : about 7000 Jambs are an-
nually reared, 5000 of which are sent to market. The
cows, which are principally kept for the dairy, are of
the Ayrshire or Cunninghame breed. Improvements
in every branch of agriculture have been extensively
carried on, chiefly by the noble proprietor of the
parish ; and the annual value of real property in Kirk-
connel now amounts to £5647. Limestone and iron-
stone are found in this district ; but it is chiefly cele-
brated for its coal, which is of the best quality, and was
extensively wrought until the mining operations were
transferred to the neighbouring parish of Sanquhar,
for more general convenience. There is an iron-plating
forge upon a small scale, employing eight or ten men.
A great public road runs through the upper district,
upon which the Glasgow and Carlisle coach used to pass
and repass daily : the parish roads are in good repair,
but bridges are much wanted on the great road. The
village is principally inhabited by labourers. For eccle-
siastical purposes the parish is within the limits of the
presbytery of Penpont, synod of Dumfries ; patron, the
Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry. The stipend
averages hardly £200, with a good manse and convenient
offices, and a glebe valued at £18 per annum. Kirk-
connel church, a plain structure bearing the date 1729,
has been enlarged and repaired within the present cen-
tury, and is in very good condition. There is a paro-
chial school, in which English, writing, and arithmetic
are taught ; the master has the minimum salary, with a
house, and about £34 fees. On the farm of Rigg are
two mineral springs, useful in stomachic complaints ;
but owing to the want of accommodation they are not
much frequented : the waters, however, are often sent
to distant parts of the country. There are some small
remains of antiquity. John Hyslop, author of the Came-
ronians Dream, was a native of the parish ; and the
late venerable and highly-esteemed George Jardine, Esq.,
professor of logic in the university of Glasgow, was in
early life, for a short time, parochial schoolmaster of
Kirkconnel : he bequeathed the sum of £50 for the be-
nefit of the schoolmaster, directing the capital to be laid
out on the most advantageous terms, and the interest
to be paid to the master for ever.
101
Bursh Seal.
KIRKCUDBRIGHT, a
royal burgh and a parish, in
the stewartry of Kirkcud-
BiiiGHT, of which it is the
capital, 28 miles (S.W.byW.)
from Dumfries, and 100 (s.
W.) from Edinburgh ; con-
taining 3526 inhabitants, of
whom 2692 arc in the burgh.
This place is supposed to
have derived its name, ori-
ginally Kirk-Cuthbert, from
the dedication of its ancient
church to the Northumbrian saint of that name ; and
a cemetery about a quarter of a mile eastward of the
town still retains the appellation of St. Cuthbert's church-
yard. Prior to the time of the Romans, this part of the
country contained a chain of i'orts belonging to the
Selgovae, of which Caerbuntorigum, the principal border
garrison of that people, and situated here, was taken by
Agricola about the year 82. His successors retained
possession of the district for nearly three centuries, and
here formed the Roman station Benutium. During the
minority of Malcolm IV., son of David I., Fergus, lord
of Galloway, whose baronial castle was situated on an
island in Loch Fergus, near the town, threw off his alle-
giance to the Scottish crown, and exercised a kind of
sovereignty as an independent prince. Malcolm twice
invaded Galloway with a view to reduce him to obedience,
without success ; but having greatly increased his army,
he again attacked him in his dominions, and obtained a
triumphant victory. Fergus resigned the lordship of
Galloway in 11 60, and retiring into the abbey of Holy-
rood, upon which he had bestowed the churches and
lands of Dunrod and Galtway, within the present parish
of Kirkcudbright, died in the following year. He had
married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry I. of England,
and was ancestor of the families of Bruce and Baliol.
Fergus was succeeded in the lordship by his two sons,
Uchtred and Gilbert, between whom, according to the
Celtic law, his dominions were equally divided : the
former, who gave the church of Kirk-Cuthbert to the
monksofHolyrood, resided in the castle of Loch Fergus;
but in 1174 he was attacked there, and inhumanly
murdered, by his brother Gilbert. The last of the male
line of the ancient lords was Allan, who died in his
castle of Kirkcudbright, and was interred in the abbey
of Dundrennan, founded by Fergus, his great-grand-
father.
During the competition for the crown of Scotland
between Bruce and Baliol, the castle of Kirkcudbright
was delivered, by mandate of Edward I. of England,
•who had been appointed umpire, to Baliol, to whom he
awarded the crown. The next event of importance re-
lates to Wallace, who, subsequently to his defeat at the
battle of Falkirk, sailed from this town for France,
accompanied by Maclellan of Bombie, and fifty of his
adherents ; and soon after, Edward, with his queen and
court, remained for ten days in the castle of Kirkcud-
bright, whence he shipped large quantities of grain to
England and Ireland, to be ground for the supply of his
army. Some time afterwards, Edward Bruce, having
subdued Galloway for his brother, received the lordship
in acknowledgment of his services, together with the
castle of Kirkcudbright and the whole of Baliol's for-
KIRK
KIRK
feited possessions : the lordship passed subsequently by
intermarriage to the family of Douglas. In the reign
of James II., a sanguinary battle took place near the
town, which ended in the total defeat of the retainers of
Sir John Herries, who, assisted by Maclellan of Bombie,
had invaded the territories of Douglas to recover com-
pensation for robberies committed by the dependents of
that powerful chieftain. Sir John was made prisoner,
and executed ; and the conquerors, having obtained ad-
mittance into the castle of Raeberry, the residence of the
Bombie family, seized the chieftain, whom they carried
off to Threave Castle, and beheaded. The king, about
three years after this event, visited Kirkcudbright, while
making preparations for the siege of Threave Castle, the
last stronghold of the Douglases. In this siege he was
assisted by the inhabitants ; and for the service so ren-
dered he conferred upon the town, which had been pre-
viously a burgh of regality, all the privileges of a royal
burgh, by charter dated at Perth the 26th of October,
1455. After the battle of Towton in 1461, the town
afforded an asylum to Henry VI. of England and his
queen, who resided here till their departure for Edin-
burgh ; and on the l6th April, 146^2, the queen, with a
convoy of four Scottish ships, sailed from this port to
Bretagne, leaving Henry with a small retinue, who re-
turned to England in 1463.
James IV., in one of his pilgrimages to the shrine of
St. Ninian at "U'liithorn, visited the town, in 1501. In
1507, it was nearly destroyed by the Earl of Derby,
who, at the head of a large body of Manxmen, made a
descent on the shores of Galloway. James again visited
the town in 1508, and was hospitably received by the
burgesses, to whom he granted the castle of Kirlccud-
bright, and the lands appertaining to it, which had
reverted to the crown on the forfeiture of the Douglases.
In 1513, many of the inhabitants, under the command
of Sir William Maclellan of Bombie, attended James
to the battle of Flodden, and fell with their leader on
the field. In the year IS'-ZS, the Duke of Albany, Regent
of Scotland, landed here from Brest, and was joyfully
received. During the minority of Mary, Queen of
Scots, the town was summoned by the English forces
who had gained possession of Dumfries to acknowledge
the authority of Edward VI. This summons, hovicver,
the inhabitants refused to obey ; and having barred their
gates, and carefully secured their dykes, Maclellan of
Bombie, at the head of a party of his retainers, attacked
the assailants, w ho, having made some unavailing efforts,
retired to Dumfries. After the battle of Langside,
Mary, accompanied by Lord Herries and his followers,
retreated into Galloway, and remained for three days
there, previously to proceeding to England : she does
not appear, however, to have visited the town of Kirk-
cudbright. James VI. visited the town while in pursuit
of Lord Maxwell, who had arrived here from Spain to
arm his followers in aid of the Spanish descent j and
the king ])resented to the corporation a miniature silver
musket, to be given as a prize to the most successful
competitor in shooting at the target, in order to induce
improvement in tlie use of fire-arms. Charles I., on his
visit to Scotland, conferred upon Sir Robert Maclellan
of Bombie the title of Lord Kirkcudbright, and granted
to the burgh a new charter, vesting the government in
a provost, two bailies, a treasurer, and thirteen council-
lors ; which charter is still partially in force.
10'2
The TOWN anciently consisted only of one irregular
street leading down to the harbour, and was encom-
passed by a wall and fosse, of which there are still some
vestiges remaining. It has been greatly extended and
improved, and, being surrounded by a tract of richly-
wooded country, has a pleasing aspect. The place now
consists of several well-formed streets, intersecting each
other at right angles ; the principal are High-street,
Castle-street, and St. Cuthbert's and Union streets, the
two former leading to the river Dee, which bounds the
town on the west side. The houses, most of which are
modern, are neatly built ; and among them are many
handsome residences of opulent families, contributing
greatly to the appearance of the town. The streets are
lighted with gas, from works established by a company
in 1S3S; and the inhabitants are amply supplied with
excellent water from springs about half a mile distant,
conveyed by pipes laid down in 1/63. A public library,
founded in 1777, is still supported by subscription, con-
taining a small collection of volumes ; and there are two
circulating libraries still remaining, but nearly superseded
by the publication of cheap periodicals. A public read-
ing and news room, also, is supplied with Scottish and
English newspapers. Although formerly celebrated for
its extensive manufactures of gloves, boots and shoes,
soap, candles, and leather, the town has at present very
little trade ; and the only manufactures now carried on
are, that of hosiery, and the weaving of cotton, upon a
limited scale.
As a SEA-PORT, the town derives a moderate traffic
from the importation of coal and other commodities for
the supply of the district. There are two harbours, both
commodious and safe. The one at the town, formed by
the river Dee, which is here about 500 feet wide, has a
depth of thirty feet at spring, and of from twenty to
twenty-five feet at neap, tides ; and below it is a ford
across the river, which at some particular times has
only a depth of a foot and a half of water. Vessels fre-
quently deliver their cargoes on the beach, and take in
their lading in a dock which is partly of wood and partly
of stone. The other harbour is at Torr's or Manxman's
lake, about two miles and a half from the mouth of the
river, where almost any number of vessels may ride in
safety : in front of the entrance, however, is a bar, over
which ordinary vessels cannot pass till half-flood, when
there is a depth of ten or twelve feet water on it. A
lighthouse on the island of Little Ross, the lantern of
which exhibits a revolving light visible at a great dis-
tance, forms a guide to the entrance ; and by keeping
this and two towers in a right line, strange vessels may
safely enter the haven. The number of vessels regis-
tered as belonging to the port is twenty-six, of the
aggregate burthen of 9'32 tons ; and according to the
custom-house returns, fifty-four vessels, of '2069 tons in
the aggregate, entered the harbour, and the creeks of
Kirkcudbright, in a recent year. The chief imports are
coal and lime from Cumberland, and groceries, haber-
dasliery, iron, lead, slates and freestone, bone-dust,
guano, and various wares, from Liverjiool and otiier
ports ; there is no foreign trade, and seldom more than
one cargo of wood is annually imported. The exports
are corn, meal, jiotatoes, turnips, beans, black-cattle,
sheep, wool, salmon, and grass-seeds; the amount of
wool shipped in 1H4'2 was 7480 stone, and in the same
year w^cre exported 7-1 head of black-cattle and 12,000
KIRK
KIRK
sheep. A little above the harbour is a ferry across the
river for horses and carriages, for which a convenient
flat-bottomed boat has been constructed.
The river Dee abounds with e.\cellent salmon, of which
there are three fisheries. One of these, belonging to
Alexander Murray, Esq., produced some short time since
a rental of £700 per annum ; another, the property of
the Earl of Selkirk, £ 1 50 a year ; and the third, belonging
to the burgh, a rental of £80. Considerable quantities,
also, of cod and other fish are taken off the coasts. A
market is held weekly, on Friday, but it is not much
frequented ; and a market for provisions every Tuesday.
Fairs, chiefly for hiring servants, are held on the last
Friday in March and in September ; and for general
business on the l^th of August, if on Friday, otherwise
on the Friday following. There are branches of the
Bank of Scotland and the Western Bank established
in the town ; also a branch of the National-Security
Savings' Bank. The post-office here has two deliveries
daily. Facility of communication is afforded by roads
kept in excellent order, and there are two bridges over
the Dee between Kirkcudbright and Tongland, one of
them, which is still in good repair, erected about the year
1730 at an expense of about £400, and the other, of one
arch 110 feet in span, erected in 1808 at an expense of
£73.50. In 1847 an act was passed authorizing the con-
struction of a branch of about twenty-seven miles, to
Kirkcudbright, of the Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle
railway. Two steamers sail weekly to Liverpool in
summer, and every fortnight during the winter.
The BURGH is governed
by a provost, two bailies, a
treasurer, and a council of
thirteen members, chosen un-
der the provisions of the
Municipal Reform act ; and
the municipal and parlia-
mentary boundaries, which
are nearly identical, comprise
the whole of the royalty.
There are six incorporated
trades, the squaremen, tai-
lors, clothiers, hammermen
and glovers, shoemakers, and weavers ; the fees of ad-
mission as members vary from £1 to £1. 10. for sons
and apprentices of freemen, and from £3 to £6 for stran-
gers. In 1848-9 the revenues of the corporation, arising
from lands, the fishery, ferry, and harbour dues, were
£1249. The magistrates exercise both civil and criminal
jurisdiction ; but as the seat of the sheriff's court is
within the burgh, very few cases of the former kind are
brought under their consideration, and the latter kind
of jurisdiction is almost confined to petty cases of mis-
demeanor. Kirkcudbright is associated with Dumfries,
Annan, Lochmaben, and Sanquhar, in returning a
member to the imperial parliament. The county-hall
and gaol, erected in 1816, at an expense of £5000, form
a handsome range of building in the castellated style,
with a lofty tower; the hall and court-room are elegantly
decorated, and the gaol is under excellent regulation. On
the opposite side of the High-street are the old gaol and
court-house, a curious building, near which is the ancient
market-cross, with a pair of jougs for the punishment of
delinquents, and the date 1054. The number of the
burgh constituency is about ninety.
103
Ancient Seal.
The PARISH includes the ancient parishes of Galtway
and Dunrod, which were annexed to the ancient parish
of Kirkcudbright about the latter half of the seventeenth
century. It is bounded on the south by the Solway
Firth, and is about eight miles in length and three and a
half in breadth, comprising an area of 15,000 acres, of
which 3000 are arable, 500 meadow and pasture, 500
woodland and plantations, and the remainder hilly
moor, affording tolerable pasturage for sheep and cattle.
The surface is diversified ; on the shores of the Dee it is
tolerably level, but in some other parts rises by con-
tinued undulations to a height of 400 feet above the
level of the sea. The river, after having united with
the streams of the Deugh and the Ken, forms a boun-
dary of the parish, and joins the Firth at Kirkcudbright
bay; it flows through a romantic tract of country,
between banks of rugged and precipitous rocks clothed
with wood, and makes some picturesque cascades. The
Dee is navigable for ships of any burthen to Kirkcud-
bright, and to the lower bridge of Tongland for vessels
of 200 tons. There are several burns in the parish, in
which are found abundance of yellow trout, and, towards
the end of autumn, sea-trout and herling ; and near the
farms of Culdoch and Jordieland is a lake abounding
with trout equal to those of Loch Leven.
In this parish the soil is principally a clay loam,
alternated with moss ; in some parts of a dry and
gravelly quality, and in others of unrivalled fertility.
The crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips.
The system of agriculture is improved ; the lands have
been well drained and inclosed, and the farm-buildings
are in general substantially built. The cattle are mostly
of the Galloway breed, and are reared in considerable
numbers, as are also the sheep, which are generally of
the Leicestershire breed. The substrata of the parish
are chiefly greywacke, porphyry, and trap ; and near
the shore are found boulders of granite and greenstone.
There is but little indigenous wood : the plantations are
usually oak, ash, elm, beech, plane, Spanish chesnut,
and larch, spruce, Scotch and silver fir ; they are well
managed and in a thriving state, and on some of the
lands are various other varieties, including walnut, birch,
alder, maple, laburnum, poplar, and willow. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £11,541. St.
Mary's Isle, the seat of the Earl of Selkirk, is beautifully
situated a mile southward of the town, on what was
formerly an island, but is now a peninsula projecting
into the bay of Kirkcudbright. It was the site of a
priory founded by Fergus, lord of Galloway, for Augustine
monks, and dedicated to St. Mary. There are still
remaining some portions of the ancient priory, incorpo-
rated in the present noble mansion, which is embosomed
in a demesne enriched with stately timber, and com-
manding some highly-interesting and diversified pros-
pects. The houses of Balmae, Janefield, St. Cuthbert's
Cottage, and Fludha, are handsome residences finely
situated.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Kirkcudbright, synod of
Galloway. The minister's stipend is £281. 10., with an
allowance of £50 in lieu of manse, and a glebe valued at
£18 per annum; patron, the Crown. Kirkcudbright
church, which is one of the most elegant ecclesiastical
structures in the country, was erected in 1838, at an
expense of £7000, towards which the Earl of Selkirk
KIRK
KIRK
contributed more than £4000 ; the interior is well ar-
ranged, and contains 1500 sittings. There are places
of worship for members of the Free Church and the
United Presbyterian Church. An academy here is
under three masters, all appointed by the corporation,
who pay to one master a salary of £60, and to each of
the others £50, in addition to the fees. The course
of instruction includes the classics, mathematics, and
the whole routine of a commercial education ; and
the average number of scholars is 200. The buildings,
which were erected in 1S15, on a site given by the Earl
of Selkirk, were completed at an expense of £1129, and
contain three large class-rooms, a library, and other
apartments : in front is a piazza, for the use of the
pupils in unfavourable weather. Two parochial schools
are maintained, the masters of which have a salary of
£25. l.S. each, with a house and garden. There are also
a school for females, the mistress of which receives
£20 per annum from the funds of the burgh ;. and a
school, the master of which has £10 per annum paid
jointly by the burgh and by the Countess of Selkirk ;
with various other schools partly endowed ; and a Sab-
bath school under the superintendence of the minister,
in which are about 300 children. Loch Fergus has
been drained, and nothing is now left of the original
castle of the lords of Galloway ; but there are some
remains of that of Kirkcudbright, also a fortress of the
lords. The castle at Bombie, from which the Maclelians
took their title, is now a heap of ruins : the Maclelians
had a second castle at Raeberry, situated on a precipitous
rock overhanging the Solway Firth, but the site and
fosse alone remain. There are numerous vestiges of
British forts. A Roman vase was lately discovered at
Castledykes ; and near Drummore Castle was found,
about the commencement of the last century, a plate of
pure gold, valued at £20.
KIRKCUDBRIGHT, Stewartry of, a county, in
the south of Scotland, bounded on the north and north-
east by the county of Dumfries ; on the north and north-
west by the county of Ayr ; on the south and south-
east by the Solway Firth ; and on the south-west by
the county and bay of Wigtown. It lies between 54° 43'
and 55° 19' (N. Lat.), and 3° 33' and 4° 34' (W. Long.),
and is forty-eight miles in length, from east to west,
and thirty miles in extreme breadth ; comprising an area
of about 882 square miles, or 564,480 acres ; 8485
houses, of which 8162 are inhabited ; and containing a
population of 41,119, of whom 18,856 are males and
22,263 females. This district, which, from its ancient
tenure, is called a stewartry, though for all purposes a
county, occupies the eastern portion of the ancient pro-
vince of (lalloway. Prior to the Roman invasion of
Britain, it was principally inhabited by the British tribe
of the Ndvantcs. The Romans, on their invasion of the
island, erected several stations in the district of Gallo-
way, and constructed various roads ; but though they
maintained something like a settlement in this ])art of
the country, which they included in their province of
I'nleiit'ui, they were not able completely to reduce the
original inhabitants under their doiniiiioii. After the
departure of the Romans from Britain, the county,
owing to its proximity to the Isle of Man and tlic Irish
coast, became the resort of numerous settlers from those
parts, wlio, intermingling with the natives, formed a
distinct people, subject to the government of a chieftain
104
that exercised a kind of subordinate sovereignty under
the kings of Northumbria, or kings of Scotland, to whom
they paid a nominal allegiance. Upon the death of
Allan, Lord of Galloway, in the thirteenth century, the
country was distracted by the continual struggles of the
various competitors for its government, and fell under
the power of Alexander II., King of Scotland. On the
subsequent marriage of Devorgilla, one of Allan's daugh-
ters, with the ancestor of Baliol, King of Scotland, it
became the patrimonial property of that family. During
the contest between Baliol and Bruce for the crown, the
province was the frequent scene of hostilities ; and from
the attachment of the inhabitants to the cause of Baliol,
it suffered severely. Ultimately it became the property
of the Douglas family, on whose attainder it escheated
to the crown, and was divided by James II. among several
proprietors.
The stewartry of Kirkcudbright was for some time
included in the county of Dumfries, and was imder the
jurisdiction of the same sheritf ; but every vestige of
that connexion was lost prior to the time of Charles I.,
since which period it has to all intents formed a distinct
and independent county, though still retaining its ancient
appellation. Previously to the abolition of episcopacy,
the district was part of the diocese of Galloway ; it is
now mostly included in the synod of Galloway, and
comprises the presbytery of Kirkcudbright and parts of
others, and twenty-eight parishes. For civil purposes
it is under the jurisdiction of a sheriff, or Stewart, by
whom a stewart-substitute is appointed. Kirkcudbright,
which is the chief town, and New Galloway, are royal
burghs in the stewartry ; it also contains the towns of
New- Galloway, Maxwelltown, Castle-Douglas, Creetown,
and Gatehouse of Fleet, and some inconsiderable hamlets.
By the act of the 2nd and 3rd of William IV., the stew-
artry returns one member to the imperial parliament ;
the number of qualified voters is 1260. Of the lands,
about one-third are arable, and the remainder principally
mountain pasture, moorland, and waste. The surface is
strikingly varied, and towards the coast is diversified with
numerous hills of moderate height, generally of bleak and
rugged aspect, and interspersed with masses of project-
ing rock. In other parts are mountains of lofty elevation,
the principal of which are, the Criffel, rising 1900 feet
above the level of the sea, and the Cairnsmore and Cairn-
harrow, nearly of equal height. The mountainous dis-
trict is intersected with valleys of great fertility, and in
a high state of cultivation. Many of the hills are easy
of ascent, and afford rich pasturage for cattle and sheep ;
and some, which are of more moderate elevation, are
cultivated to their summit. The rivers are the Dee, the
Ken, the Crce, and the Urr. Of these, the river Dec
has its source in the western part of the stewartry, on
the confines of Ayrshire, and flowing south-eastward,
pursues an irregular course for about forty miles ; it
forms in its progress some picturesque cascades, becomes
navigable at Tongland for vessels of 200 tons' burthen,
and falls into the bay of Kirkcudbright. The Ken rises
in the north-west part of the stewartry, and after a south-
eastern course of several miles, expands into the loch to
which it gives name, and shortly forms a confluence with
the Dee. The river Cref has its source on the confines
of Ayrshire, and flowing south-eastward, forms a boun-
dary l)etween the stewartry and Wigtownshire; it runs
past Newton-Stewart, on the east, and falls into the
KIRK
KIRK
creek at the head of Wigtown bay. This river abounds
with smelts; and, for several miles in the latter part of
its course through a district abounding with romantic
scenery, is navigable for small vessels. The Urr has its
source in the lake of that name, on the northern boundary
of the stevvartry, and after a course of nearly thirty miles
through a pleasant and richly- wooded strath, falls into the
Solway Firth nearly opposite to the island of Hestan.
There are various less important streams, some of which
are navigable for small craft ; the chief are the Fleet, the
Tarf, the Deugh, and the Cluden. Numerous lakes also
adorn the county, but few of them are of sufficient ex-
tent to require particular notice ; the principal is Loch
Ken, measuring nearly five miles in length and about
half a mile in breadth.
The whole of the district appears to have been at a
very early period in a forward state of cultivation ; and
during the war of the Scots with Edward I. of England,
it furnished the chief supplies of grain for the subsistence
of the English army after the conquest of Galloway. In
the subsequent periods of intestine strife, however, it fell
into a state of neglect, in which it remained till the com-
mencement of the eighteenth century, since which time
it has been gradually improving. The soil is generally
a brown loam of small depth, alternated with sand, and
resting usually on a bed of gravel or rock. In some
parts a clayey loam is prevalent ; in others are large
quantities of flow-moss of considerable depth, which are
supposed to be convertible into a rich soil, a very wide
tract of such land having been rendered productive with-
in the last thirty or forty years. The crops raised in the
stewartry are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, turnips, and
other crops ; the farms on the arable lands vary from
150 to 500 acres in extent, and those on the moors from
4000 to 5000 acres. The rotation plan of husbandry is
adopted ; the lands have been drained, and inclosed
principally with stone fences, called Galloway dykes.
The farm-buildings are not inferior to those in most other
parts of Scotland. In this county the cattle, of which
more than 60,000 head are pastured, are of the Galloway
breed ; and great attention is paid to their improvement.
The sheep, of which upwards of 200,000 are fed on the
moorland and other farms, are of the black-faced breed,
with many of English breeds. Great numbers of swine
are also reared, and they form a valuable stock ; the
horses are more than 6000 in number, and, though not
pure Galloways, are much esteemed.
There are no remains of the ancient forests with which
the district formerly abounded, except a few trees on the
banks of some of the streams ; but considerable planta-
tions have been formed on the demesnes of the various
proprietors and in other parts, adding greatly to the ap-
pearance of the country. The minerals, on account of
the scarcity of coal, have not been rendered available to
any profitable extent ; copper is wrought near Gatehouse
of Fleet by an English company, and lead-mines were at
one time in operation in the parish of MinnigafF. Iron-
ore is found in abundance, but, from the want of coal,
is of little value ; the limestone and coal used here are
brought from Cumberland. Indications of coal, and also
of limestone, have been perceived on the lands of Arbig-
land, in the parish of Kirkbean ; but no mines have as
yet been opened. The manufacture of linen, cotton, and
woollen goods is carried on to a considerable extent in
the towns and villages : the principal trade, however, of
Vol. II.— 105
this district, which is almost entirely pastoral or agricul-
tural, is the large export of cattle, sheep, and grain, for
which the facility of steam navigation affords ample op-
portunity. The salmon-fisheries at the mouths of the
various rivers are highly productive, and the Solway Firth
abounds with fish of every kind ; but little benefit is de-
rived from this source, and comparatively few fishermen's
cottages are to be found upon the shores. In general
the coast is precipitous, with intervals of low shelving
sands ; and the navigation is for the most part danger-
ous, though some of the bays afford safe anchorage.
Kirkcudbright harbour is easy of access, and affords
secure shelter from all winds ; it has a considerable
depth at high water. About two miles from the small
island of Little Ross, at the mouth of Kirkcudbright har-
bour, and on which a lighthouse has been erected, is a
fine bay called Manxman's lake, where 100 vessels of
large burthen can ride in safety. Communication with
Liverpool is maintained by steamers, which sail regularly
from the port. The annual value of the real property
in the county is £193,801, of which £182,926 are for
lands, £9444 for houses, £1204 for fisheries, and £22*
for quarries.
KIRKDEN, a parish, in the county of Forfar,
5 miles (E. by S.) from the town of Forfar ; containing,
with the village of Friockheim, 1483 inhabitants. This
place, which was anciently called Idvie from the glebe
lands being in the barony of Idvies, derives its present
name from the position of its church in a deep and nar-
row valley. It appears to have been the scene of a san-
guinary conflict with the Danes in the reign of Malcolm
II. ; and near the spot are the remains of an obelisk
erected by that monarch in commemoration of their de-
feat, not far from which, in a tumulus raised over the
slain, have been found several urns containing ashes. In
the adjoining plain, also, numerous stone coffins ranged
side by side, and each containing an entire skeleton,
were discovered towards the close of the last century.
The PARISH is about seven miles in length from east to
west, and of very irregular form, varying from less than
a quarter of a mile to two miles in breadth, and com-
prising an area of 4514 acres, of which 3000 are arable,
1300 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
meadow, pasture, and waste. Its surface is boldly un-
dulated, and towards the south rises to a considerable
acclivity, forming part of the termination of the Sidlaw
hills, and commanding an extensive and richly varied
prospect over the surrounding country, with the vale of
Strathmore and the passes ot the Grampian hills. The
small river Vinny flows for more than four miles along
the northern border of the parish, and entering the
parish is joined by the Lunan, the streams together
forming the Lunan Water : in rainy weather the Vinny
frequently inundates the lower lands. Both these streams
abound with excellent trout, and in the latter pike are
also sometimes found, and occasionally a few salmon.
The SOIL is mostly a friable clay, but has been greatly
improved by a mixture of marl found in the lakes in the
vicinity, and by good cultivation has been rendered gene-
rally fertile. The crops are, grain of all kinds, with
potatoes and turnips ; and considerable attention is
paid to the management of the dairy-farms, and to the
improvement of live stock : the breed of cattle is prin-
cipally the polled or Angusshire kind. The lands are
inclosed chiefly with stone fences. Within the last few
P
KIRK
KIRK
years, a very large portion of ground has been reclaimed
from absolute sterility, and brought into profitable cul-
tivation, by draining. The farm-buildings are in good
condition, and on most of the farms threshing-mills have
been erected. In this parish the plantations consist of
oak, ash, elm, plane, and beech, with larch, spruce, and
occasionally silver firs to nurse : they are carefully
thinned. The substratum is partly sandstone, of du-
rable texture and of a greyish colour ; and in the
southern part, trap rock, which is a continuation of the
Sidlaw hills, is prevalent. Freestone of good quality is
found ; and there are two excellent quarries, which, when
in operation, employ a considerable number of men.
The annual value of real property iu the parish is £401 '2.
Gardyne Castle is a spacious baronial structure of vene-
rable aspect, beautifully situated on the steep acclivity of
a deep and picturesque dell watered by a streamlet ; the
demesne attached to it is richly planted, and laid out
with great taste. Middleton is a handsome modern
mansion, seated in a wooded plain, near the banks of the
Vinny. Pitmuics is also a modern mansion, situated
in grounds tastefully embellished.
There are two villages ; one called Cot-town of Gar-
dyne, consisting of a few scattered cottages inhabited
by about eighty persons ; and the other called Friock-
heim, which has arisen in consequence of the increase
of the linen manufacture, and contains about 900 inha-
bitants. The people of both are chiefly employed in the
weaving of Osnaburghs by hand-looms, and in mills for
spinning flax, of which there are three within the parish.
Facility of intercourse with the neighbouring districts is
afforded by numerous roads ; the Arbroath and Forfar
road passes for nearly three miles through the pari.sh,
and the Arbroath and Forfar railway likewise intersects
it. For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs Kirkden is within the
limits of the presbytery of Arbroath, synod of Angus
and Mearns. The minister's stipend is £1,50, of which
sum nearly one-half is paid from the exchequer; with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £13 per annum : patron,
the Crown. The parish church, erected in IH'i.'j, on the
site of the former, is a neat and commodious structure,
containing 5'2.5 sittings ; and a church has been built in
the village of Friockheim. The members of the Free
Church have also a place of worship. Kirkden parochial
school is well attended ; the master has a salary of £25.
\S. 10., with a house and garden, and the fees average
about £12 per annum. A school at Friockheim is sup-
ported by subscription. A parochial library was esta-
blished in 18'27, by James Douglas, Esq., of Cavers, who
presented a collection of seventy-two volumes, chiefly
on religious subjects ; and the number has been greatly
augmented by James Mudie, Esq., of Pitmuies. There
is a weak chalybeate spring at the extremity of the pa-
rish, in considerable repute ; also a pretty strong chaly-
beate spring on the glebe, beside the manse. On the
lands of Idvies and the estate of Gardyne are conical
mounds called respectively Bractullo and Gallows Hill,
supposed to have been anciently places for the trial and
execution of criminals ; they are both planted with trees.
Upon the farm of Bractullo were found some stone coflins
containing human bones, with strings of beads apparently
of charred wood.
KIRKFIELD, for a time an ecclesiastical district,
attached to the parish of Gokbals, within the jurisdic-
tion of Glasgow, county of Lanark ; containing 283.5
106
inhabitants. This place, which is situated on the south
bank of the river Clyde, is inhabited principally by per-
sons employed in factories connected with the city of
Glasgow. The district or parish, which was of moderate
extent, was separated for quoad sacra purposes, under
act of the General Assembly passed in 1834 : it was in
the presbytery of Glasgow and synod of Glasgow and
Ayr. The minister's stipend was £150, without either
glebe or manse, and was paid from the seat rents by the
proprietors of the church, who were patrons. Kirkfield
church, originally the parish church of Gorbals, and
subsequently a chapel of ease, was purchased by the
proprietors in 1813, at a cost of £1200, and contains
1023 sittings. There are places of worship for members
of the Free Church and of the United Presbyterian
Church. In a civil point of view, Kirkfield is in the
parish of Govan ; but ecclesiastically, in the parish of
Gorbals.
KIRKFIELD-BANK, a village, in the parish of
Lesmahagow, Upper ward of the county of Lanark,
1 mile (W. by S.) from Lanark ; containing 1023 inha-
bitants. This place is situated in the eastern extremity
of the parish, and on the west side of the river Clyde,
which flows at a short distance from it, and is crossed
by a bridge of three arches. The pop\ilation is chiefly
employed in hand-loom weaving for the manufacturers
of the district ; and in the neighbourhood is a distillery.
In the village is a school, to the master of which the he-
ritors make a small annual allowance.
KIRKGUNZEON, a parish, in the stewartry of
Kirkcudbright, 9 miles (S. W.) from Dumfries ; con-
taining, with the village of Gateside, 63S inhabitants,
of whom 40 are in the village of Kirkgunzeon. This
place is supposed to have derived its name, anciently
Kirkwijnon, from the dedication of its church to St.
Wynnin ; and this opinion is corroborated by the name
of a spring near it, which still retains the appellation of
St. Wynnin's well. In the reign of David Bruce, the
church and lands belonged to the abbey of Holm-Cul-
tram, in Cumberland ; but in 1369, the abbot, having
sided with the English against that monarch, was dis-
possessed of his property in Scotland. The abbey lands
were then conferred by the king upon Sir John Herries
of Terregles, from whose family they passed to the
Maxwells of Nithsdale, whose descendant, Marmaduke
Constable Maxwell, of Terregles, Esq., is now the princi-
pal proprietor in Kirkgunzeon. The pari.sh is about five
miles in length, and nearly three in average breadth,
comprising an area of 7600 acres, of which 5000 are
arable, meadow, and pasture, 400 woodland and planta-
tions, and the remainder moor and w<iste. Its surface
is irregularly broken into hills of moderate elevation,
abounding with grouse and blark game. The lower
grounds are intersected by a nameless river, which has
its source in two lakes iu the parish of Newabbey, and,
flowing through the centre of this parish, after a course
of nine miles, falls into the Urr, about a mile below
the village of Dalbeattie. The river abounds with trout,
and, in the deeper parts, with perch and pike ; and
during the spawning .season some very large trout, of
excellent (juality, and wcigliing from four to six pounds,
are taken at the outlets of the lakes in which the stream
has its source. Partridges and hares are to be seen in
abundance, and there are also pheasants, but in much
smaller numbers.
KIRK
KIRK
Along the banks of the river the ground is level, and
in various other places also flat, and well adapted for
the plough ; the soil on these lands is rich and fertile,
but of lighter quality in the upland districts. The crops
are barley, oats, and a small quantity of wheat, with
potatoes and turnips. The system of agriculture is im-
proved : the farm-houses are substantial and well built,
chiefly of granite, and roofed with slate ; the lands are
well inclosed, and the fences kept in good repair ; and
all the more recent improvements in husbandry are ge-
nerally practised. The cattle, of which considerable
numbers are pastured on the hills, are mostly of the
Galloway breed ; and Highland bullocks are bought in
at Falkirk, at the end of harvest, and during the winter
fattened for the markets. Comparatively few sheep are
reared ; and on two farms only are shepherds kept to
tend the flocks. The plantations have been greatly ex-
tended within the last few years, and are in a thriving
state. Granite, of which the rocks are principally com-
posed, and whinstone, are quarried. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £4084. The village is very
inconsiderable, consisting only of a few houses around
the church. There is a post-office at Dalbeattie, about
four miles from the village, which has a daily delivery;
and facility of communication is atforded by the turn-
pike-road from Dumfries to Kirkcudbright.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the limits of the
presbytery and synod of Dumfries. The minister's sti-
pend is £158. 6. 6., of which nearly one-half is paid
from the exchequer; with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £30 per annum : patron, Mr. Maxwell of Terregles.
Kirkgunzeon church, situated in the centre of the parish,
was erected in 1*90, and is a plain neat structure con-
taining 'i'24 sittings. The parochial school is well at-
tended ; the master has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and the fees average £15 per annum. A
small school is held at the lower end of the parish, for
which a building was erected by the farmers, at their
own expense ; and in addition to the fees, £4 are allowed
out of the parochial salary, to the master, who lives by
turns with the parents of his pupils. There are still the
remains of two ancient houses, formerly seats of the
Herries family, and both of which appear to have been
places of strength ; parts are left also of the tower of
Drumcoltran. On the farm of Glaisters was a large
cairn, the stones of which have been removed for build-
ing dykes, and in which were found many urns con-
taining human ashes that crumbled into dust on expo-
sure to the air. A beautiful gold coin of James V., in
good preservation, was found some years since on the
lands of Lochend ; and within the last few years there
was discovered in the glebe a silver medal, supposed to
have been struck on the dispersion of the Spanish Ar-
mada.
KIRKHILL, a village, in the parish of Penicuick,
county of Edinburgh, | a mile (N. E. by E.) from
Penicuick; containing 315 inhabitants. It is situated
on the west bank of the North Esk river, on which are
considerable mills for the manufacture of paper. The
population is chiefly engaged in these mills, and in
weaving.
KIRKHILL, a parish, in the county of Inverness,
6 miles (W.) from Inverness; containing 1829 inhabit-
ants. This place, which consists of the two united pa-
rishes of Wardlaw and Farnua, derives its name from
107
the situation of its church on a hill ; its Gaelic name
refers to the dedication of its church to the Virgin Mary.
The parish is bounded on the north by the Beauly loch
and the Firth of Moray, and on the north-west by the
river Beauly. It is about eight miles in length; varying
from one mile to three miles in breadth, and diversified
with hills, of which those in the south-eastern portion of
the parish rise to a considerable elevation, and are mostly
covered with heath, afTording scanty pasture for sheep
and cattle. The river, which skirts the parish for nearly
three miles, is navigable for vessels of sixty tons to the
village of Beauly, in the parish of Kilmorack, and abounds
with salmon, and trout of various kinds. Herrings are
taken in moderate quantities during the season in the
Beauly loch ; and on the shore, at Fopachy and "Wester
Lovat, are landing-places where vessels deliver cargoes
of lime and coal for the supply of the parish.
In the valleys, and along the Firth, the soil is a strong
clay, and on the rising grounds a rich loam. The crops
are wheat, barley, and oats, with potat(jes and turnips ;
the system of husbandry is improved, and the lands are
generally in a state of profitable cultivation. Consider-
able portions of moor have been rendered fertile by
draining ; the farms in the parish are partly inclosed,
and the buildings are mostly substantial and commo-
dious. There are some natural woods, chiefly of alder
and birch, the former of which is predominant ; and
extensive plantations have been formed, consisting of the
various kinds of forest and ornamental trees, all of them
in a thriving state. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £6S07. The mansions are Moniack
Castle, Newton, Lentran, Auchnagairn, Fingask, Reelick,
and Bunchrew, the last distinguished as the birthplace
of President Forbes of Culloden. The village, or Kirk-
town, is pleasantly situated on the bank of the Beauly
river ; and facility of communication is afforded by the
road to Inverness, which passes through the whole length
of the parish. Ecclesiastically Kirkhill is within the
limits of the presbytery of Inverness and synod of Mo-
ray. The minister's stipend averages £260, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £20 per annum ; patron, Hercules
Scott, Esq. The church, originally erected in 1220, on
Wardlaw or St. Mary's Hill, was taken down, and re-
built near the former site, in 1791, and is in good repair.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship. Kirkhill parochial school is well attended ; the
master has a salary of £30, with a house and garden,
and the fees average from £15 to £20 per annum.
There is also a school supported by the Society for Pro-
pagating Christian Knowledge. On the summit of Ward-
law Hill, and on the site of the old church, is a chapel,
the burial-place of the Eraser family, and which contains
elegant monuments to Thomas and Simon Fraser, Lords
Lovat.
KIRKHILL, a village, in the parish of Cambuslang,
Middle ward of the county of Lanark ; containing 216
inhabitants. This is one of thirteen villages in the pa-
rish, and is among the largest. It has about forty-three
families, of whom thirty-two are engaged in the manu-
factures of the district, chiefly hand-loom weaving for
Glasgow houses.
KIRKIBBOST, an isle, in the parish of North Uist,
county of Inverness ; containing 25 inhabitants. This
isle lies on the south of Uist, and west of the island of
Balishear ; and is about a mile in length, but of no great
P2
KIRK
KIRK
breadth, and insulated only at high water. It is com-
posed of fine sand ; and being exposed to the westerly
gales, a large tract has been blown away, and the sea
now covers fields which produced good crops of barley
and other grain. The suppression of sand-drift has,
however, been effectually secured here, as in other parts
of the parish, by sloping the sand-banks, and covering
them with sward from neighbouring places ; and bent is
also employed for this purpose.
KIRKIBOLL, a village, in the parish of Tongue,
county of Sutherland, 5 a mile (VV.) from Tongue;
containing Qi inhabitants. This is a pretty village,
situated on a bay of its own name, which opens into the
Kyle of Tongue .- it contains the manse, and a commo-
dious inn ; and at a short distance is Tongue House.
KIRKINNER, a parish, in the county of Wigtown ;
containing, with the hamlets of Marchfarm and Slo-
habert, 17 69 inhabitants, of whom 229 are in the village
of Kirkinner, 3 miles (S. by W.) from Wigtown. This
place, which is of remote antiquity, derives its name
from the virgin saint Kinneir, by whom its ancient church
is said to have been consecrated, and who suffered mar-
tyrdom at Cologne in the year 450. The church of Kirk-
inner was granted by Edward Bruce, Lord of Galloway, to
the priory of Whithorn ; and on its resignation by the
brethren of that establishment to James V., in 1503, in
exchange for the church of Kirkandrews, it was attached
to the chapel royal of Stirling. Subsequently it formed
the benefice of the sub-dean of the chapel. Tlie original
parish included also the district now forming the parish
of Kirkowan, after the separation of which, the ancient
parish of Longcastle was united to Kirkinner on the
decay of its church, which fell into ruins in 1630. The
early history of the place is not distinguished by any
other events of importance. Baldoon Castle, for nearly
two centuries the seat of the Dunbar family, and which
furnished Sir Walter Scott with incidents for his tale of
the Bride of Lammermoor, passed, by marriage with the
heiress, to the Hamiltons, and then to the Douglases,
with whom it remained till 1*93, when the estate was
purchased from the Earl of Selkirk by the Earl of Gal-
loway.
The PARISH is bounded on the east by the bay of
Wigtown, along which it extends for about three miles ;
and on the north by the river Bladenoch. It comprises
15,000 acres, of which 13,500 are arable, 300 woodland
and plantations, and the remainder hill pasture, moor,
and moss. Along the shore of the bay the surface is
perfectly level, but in most other parts is diversified with
gentle undulations, and hills of moderate height, some-
times covered with verdure, or crowned with plantations,
whicli add much to the beauty of the scenery. The bay
is here from seven to eight miles in width at high water,
but retires, at the el)l) of the tide, to a considerable dis-
tance from the shore, leaving a level tract of sand more
than a mile in breadth. The river Bladenoch has its
source near the borders of Ayrshire, and flows in a
winding course into Wigtown bay ; it abounds with
salmon, trout, and Sperlings, and is navigable for nearly
two miles from its mouth. The other streams in the
parish are the Malzie and the Mildriggen ; the former
joins the Bladenoch soon after that river enters the
parish, on the west, and the latter flows north-eastward
through the grounds of Harnbarrocb and Baldoon park,
into tlie Bladenoch near its influx into the bay. At the
lOS
south-western extremity of the parish is the lake of
Dowalton, or Longcastle, a sheet of water about two
miles in length and a mile and a half in breadth, the
larger portion of which is in the parish of Sorby. Pike
aud perch are found in this lake ; and on the Kirkinner
side, at a small distance from the shore, are two small
islands, one of them thirty acres in extent. There are
numerous springs of excellent water in various parts of
the parish, and also some springs strongly impregnated
with iron; the principal of these latter is a spring on
the lands of Barnbarroch, formerly much resorted to by
invalids.
The prevailing soil is of a gravelly nature ; on the
low lands of Baldoon are some large alluvial tracts. In
other parts are patches of moss ; but the lands generally
have been greatly enriched by the use of shell-marl for
manure, of which abundant supplies are obtained from
the shores of the bay. The crops are oats, wheat, barley,
potatoes, and turnips, with the various grasses ; the
system of husbandry is in an improved state, and a due
rotation of crops is carefully observed. The lauds have
been drained, and inclosed partly with fences of thorn
and partly with stone dykes ; the farm houses and offices
are substantial and well arranged, and many of them of
superior order. The cattle reared are usually of the
Galloway breed, and great attention is paid to their im-
provement ; large numbers are fattened for the Liver-
pool market, and shipped at Wigtown. Few sheep are
bred ; but many of the Highland kind, purchased at the
Falkirk tryst, are fed on turnips during the winter and
spring, and afterwards sent by sea to Whitehaven and
Liverpool, where they find a ready sale. The plantations
in the district consist of firs, with various other sorts
of trees for which the soil is adapted ; they are under
careful management, and in a thriving state, especially
the beech, ash, plane, and Huntingdon willow, many of
which have attained a luxuriant growth. In this parish
the prevailing rocks are of the transition kind, and
boulders of granite are found in some places ; but stone
of good quality for building is very scarce, and there are
not any mines or quarries. The annual value of real
property in Kirkinner is £10,997- Barnbarroch House,
the seat of R.Vans Agnew, Esq., is a stately modern man-
sion, situated nearly in the centre of the parish, in an
extensive and richly-planted demesne. The-village stands
on the road to Wigtown ; a few of the inhabitants are
employed in weaving linen by hand-looms at their own
dwellings. A post-office is established here, with a daily
delivery ; and facility of communication is maintained
by good roads that intersect the parish, and by bridges
over the various streams, of which that across the river
Bladenoch is a substantial structure. At Baldoon is a
small harbour, for the accommodation of vessels bringing
supplies of coal and other articles required in the dis-
trict, and for the shipment of grain, cattle, and other
agricultural produce.
For KCCLEsiASTicAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Wigtown, synod of Galloway.
The minister's stipend is £230, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £20 per annum ; j)atrons, the Agnew
family of .Sheuchan and Barnbarroch. Kirkinner church,
erected in 1S2S, and since enlarged by the erection of
two side galleries, is a handsome and substantial struc-
ture containing HOO sittings, and is situated at a small
distance eastward of the village. The parochial school
KIRK
KIRK
is well conducted, and attended by about 100 children ;
the master has a salary of £34, with a house and garden,
and the fees average £30 per annum. The school-house
is a spacious building near the church, and contains a
small library for the use of the scholars. At Cairnfield
was a Druidical circle, the stones of which have long
been removed ; and in a cairn near the site, which has
also been taken down and the stones used for building
fences, were found, inclosed in a cofhn of rudely-formed
slabs, some human bones partly consumed by fire.
There are vestiges of two circular camps, whose history
is unknown ; and not far from Loch Dowalton are some
remains of the ancient church of Longcastle. Numerous
ancient coins have been found at different times on the
farm of Barness. Of the family of Vaux, formerly pro-
prietors of Barnbarroch, Alexander was consecrated
Bishop of Galloway in 1426, and in R'Jg was appointed
by James I. one of the conservators of peace on the Scot-
tish borders ; his cousin, George Vaux, was Bishop of
Galloway in the reign of James III. Sir Patrick Vaux,
the last distinguished member of the family, was made
a lord of session by James VI., and was subsequently
sent by that monarch as ambassador to the court of
Denmark.
KIRKINTILLOCH, a burgh of barony and a parish,
in the county of Dumbarton, 7 miles (N. E. by N.)
from Glasgow, and 40 (W.) from Edinburgh ; containing
8880 inhabitants, of whom 6698 are in the burgh. This
place, during the time of the Romans, formed part of
the province of Valentia ; and vestiges of three forts on
the line of the Roman wall, which passed through the
whole length of the parish, may be still distinctly traced.
The barony was granted by charter of William the Lion
to William Cumyn, lord of Lenzie and Cumbernauld ;
and the town, under the appellation of Wester Lenzie,
was, by charter of the same monarch, erected into a
burgh of barony in 1184. The ancient castle of the
Cumyns, of which no vestiges are now remaining, ap-
pears to have been of great strength in the beginning of
the fourteenth century, when, on the forfeiture of John
Cumyn, it was bestowed together with the barony, by
Robert Bruce, upon Sir Robert de Fleming, in reward
of his eminent services during the struggles in which
Bruce had been engaged with England, in asserting his
right of succession to the Scottish throne. The present
name of the town, Kirkintilloch, supposed to be a cor-
ruption of Caer-pen-tulach, signifying in the Gaelic lan-
guage " the termination of a promontory," is minutely
descriptive of the situation of the place at the extremity
of a ridge extending from the south of the parish into a
plain on the banks of the river Kelvin. In 174.5, the
Highland army of the Pretender passed through the
town, upon which occasion a shot from a barn killed one
of their men, and the inhabitants, being unable to de-
liver the offender into their custody, were subjected to
a heavy fine. The people suffered severely from the
Asiatic cholera, in 1832, when thirty-six fatal cases oc-
curred ; this was the first place visited by that epidemic
in the west of Scotland, and the alarm which it occa-
sioned was great. Since that time no event of impor-
tance has taken place.
The TOWN is situated on the banks of the river Luggie,
near its influx into the Kelvin, and consists of numerous
irregularly- formed streets, diverging from each other in
various directions j the houses are of indifferent appear-
109
ance, and built without any regard to uniformity. The
streets are lighted with gas from works established by a
company of shareholders, and the inhabitants are amply
supplied with water. A public library is supported by
subscription, forming a collection of useful volumes ;
and there are other libraries in the parish. The environs
abound with pleasing scenery, enlivened by gentlemen's
seats, the grounds of which are enriched with thriving
plantations. From the abundance of coal and ironstone
in the immediate vicinity, and the facilities of water
carriage, the place has become a seat of manufacture,
and has greatly increased in population. The cotton-
manufacture is pursued to a very considerable extent,
chiefly for exportation to India ; the articles are flowered-
muslins, gauzes, and similar fabrics, the production of
which affords occupation to about 2000 hand-loom
weavers, most of them resident in the town. The
printing of calico is also carried on, giving employment
to 120 persons j about twenty persons are engaged in
the manufacture of silk hats, and there are an iron-
foundry and a distillery. The market is on Saturday,
but is not numerously attended : fairs, chiefly for cattle,
are held on the second Tuesday in May, the last Thurs-
day in July, and the 21st of October. Facility of com-
munication is afforded by the turnpike-road from Glas-
gow to Edinburgh, which passes through the town, and
by numerous good roads that intersect the parish in
various directions ; by the Forth and Clyde canal, which
runs for several miles along the northern border of the
parish ; by the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway, which
passes through the southern part of the parish, and has
a branch through the town to Campsie ; and also by
the Monkland and Kirkintilloch railway, which has its
northern terminus in the town, and connects the rich
coal districts in the parishes of Old and New Monkland
with the Forth and Clyde canal. The charter of William
the Lion was confirmed by Malcolm Fleming, who in
1525 granted to the burgesses the lands of the burgh ; a
gift ratified by his successors the Earls of Wigtown.
The government is vested in two bailies, a treasurer, and
twelve councillors, assisted by a town-clerk. These offi-
cers are annually elected by the burgesses, twenty-two in
number, who derive their qualification from the feudal
tenure of one of the tsventy-two portions, called New-
land Mailings, into which the rural district of the burgh
is divided : the tenure of the lands whereon the town
is built affords no right to vote in the election of the
officers. The magistrates are invested with all the juris-
diction of royal burghs, which in civil cases they exercise
to an unlimited amount, but in criminal cases only as to
petty offences ; the town-clerk acts as assessor, and
courts are held as occasion may require. The court-
house, to which a prison is attached, is a substantial
building with a spire ; it is situated at the market-cross,
and was erected in 1814.
This parish and that of Cumbernauld were originally
one, under the appellation of Lenzie, and continued as
such till 1659, when, a church being built for the accom-
modation of the eastern portion at Cumbernauld, the
ancient chapel of the Virgin Mary became the church
of the western portion, which constitutes the present
parish of Kirkintilloch. The parish is bounded on the
north by the river Kelvin, and is nearly six miles in
length, and about three miles and a half in extreme
breadth, comprising an area of 10,670 acres, of which
KIRK
KIRK
4000 are arable, 300 woodland and plantations, and the
remainder meadow, pasture, and waste. Its surface,
though undulated, is no where broken into hills of pre-
cipitous elevation. The principal river is the Kelvin :
its tributary, the Luggie, nitersects the southern portion
of the lands, and atterwards flows into the Kelvin on
the north-west of the town : both these streams abound
with trout. At Gart.shore is a lake called the Bord
loch, about four acres in extent. Around the town
the soil is a light black loam of considerable depth ; in
the southern portion of the parish, a strong clay : other
parts are peat-moss. The crops consist of wheat, bar-
ley, oats, peas, beans, potatoes, and turnips, and there is
much land cultivated as gardens and orchards : the
system of husbandry is improved ; the lands have been
partly drained and inclosed, and some large tracts of
moss and waste have been reclaimed. Considerable
numbers of cattle are reared in the pastures, of various
breeds ; on the dairy-farms the cows are all of the Ayr-
shire. The plantations, which are principally on the
Gartshore estate, are for the most part larch, spruce and
Scotch firs. In this parish the substrata are chiefly coal,
limestone, and ironstone. Coal is wrought extensively
on the Barr hill, the property of Mr. Gartshore, at Stron,
and at Shirva ; and limestone at Orchardstown : whin-
stone and greenstone, also, are quarried for the roads.
The annual value of real property in the parish is
£18,071. The mansion-houses are, Gartshore, for many
centuries the seat of the ancient family of Gartshore ;
Oxgang, Shirva, Unthank, Garngaber, Broomhill, Belle-
field, Woodhead, Luggiebank, Duntiblae, Merkland, and
Meiklehill.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Glasgow, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The minister's stipend is about £250, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per annum ; patron,
J. Fleming, Esq. The parish church, formerly the chapel
of .St. Mary, was erected in 1644, and, though repaired
within the last few years, is still inconvenient ; it con-
tains sittings for 800 persons. St. David's church, to
which a district containing a population of 3414 was for
a time annexed as a quoad sacra parish, was erected
in 1837, at an expense of £2300, raised by subscription ;
it is a neat substantial structure with about 1000 sittings.
The minister, who was appointed by the managers and
subscribers, derived his stipend chiefly from the seat-
rents. There are places of worship for members of the
Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church, the Synod
of United Original Seceders, and Wcsleyans. The paro-
chial school is attended by about 120 children; the
master has a salary of £34, with an allowance of £8 in
lieu of house and garden, and the fees average £30 per
annum. There are also a subscription school, and
another for which a handsome building was erected by
a lady of the Gartshore family ; the masters receive
salaries of £12 and £4 respectively, in addition to the
fees. The wall ofAntonine may be traced for nearly
six miles through the parish. The three Roman forts
already noticed were at Barr hill, Auchendavie, and
near the west end of the town, respectively. On clear-
ing the ground near them were found stones with various
inscriptioHH, on one of which was inscribed Li'f^io Scciaida
Auguslii J'uit ; and a wedge of lead was discovered, weigh-
ing eleven stone, on which is stamped, in Roman cha-
racters, the date " C.C.L.XX ".
110
KIRKLAND, a hamlet, in the parish of Glencairn,
county of Dumfries; containing 71 inhabitants, who are
chiefly employed in agriculture.
KIRKLAND, a village, in that part of the parish of
Wemyss which was included in the quoad sacra parish
of Methill, county of Fife, \\ mile (\V. by S.) from
Leven ; containing .534 inhabitants. This village, which
is pleasantly situated, and neatly built, is chiefly in-
habited by persons engaged in the weaving of linen, a
very extensive factory having been established here by
Messrs. Neilson and Company. The articles manufac-
tured are canvass, sheeting, dowlas, ducks, &c., in the
production of which, and in the spinning of yarn, the
dressing of flax, and other branches, nearly 500 persons
of the village and neighbourhood are constantly em-
ployed. In these extensive works, about 1000 tons of
flax and hemp are annually consumed ; nearly 300,000
spindles are at work, and the average yearly amount of
wages paid exceeds £12,000. The buildings are spacious,
substantial, and handsome : the interior is wholly lighted
with gas, and the most approved machinery has been
introduced. An act was passed in 1846 for the con-
struction of a railway to be called the East of Fife rail-
way, with a branch of a quarter of a mile to the Kirk-
land works. There is a school in the village, to the
master of which the proprietors of the factory give a
salary of £30 per annum, for the instruction of the
children of their establishment.
KIRKLAND of TINWALD, a village, in the parish
of TiNWALD, county of Dumfries, 4 miles (N. E. by N.)
from Dumfries ; containing 1 16 inhabitants. It lies in
the southern part of the parish, and a short distance east
of the road from Dumfries to Moffat. The village con-
sists for the most part of thatched dwellings, several of
them at present in a state of decay.
KIRKLANE, a village, in the parish of Kincardine
IN Monteith, county of Perth ; containing 310 inha-
bitants.
KIRKLISTON, a parish, partly in the county of
Edinburgh, but chiefly in that of Linlithgow; con-
taining, with the villages of Newbridge, Niddry, and
Winchburgh, about 2450 inhabitants, of whom about
450 are in the village of Kirkliston, 85 miles (S.) from
South Queensferry. This parish, of which about one-
fourth lies in the county of Edinburgh, and three-fourths
in that of Linlithgow, was formerly called Temple- Liston,
an appellation partly acquired from the Knights Tem-
plars, who obtained the chief lands in the twelth century.
The ancient name of Liston is supposed to have been
derived from some considerable family that resided here,
or from the Celtic term itoston, signifying " an inclosure
on the side of a river", and exactly answering to the
locality. Authentic information relating to the history
of Kirkliston reaches back to the year 995, when a
battle was fought between Kenneth, natural brother, and
commander of the army, of Malcolm II., King of Scot-
land, and Constantinc, the usurper of the crown. The
monument here, called the Cal-stane, is said to have
been erected in memory of this battle, in which both
the generals were slain. In 1298, Edward I. of England,
when marching to engage the Scots at Falkirk, rested
for some time witli his army close to the village of Kirk-
liston ; and the field in which the king's tent was
pitched is still shown, immediately to the south-west of
the village, on the property of Newliston. Upon the
KIRK
KIRK
dissolution of the fraternity of Knights Templars, the
Knights of St. John of Jerusalem became owners of their
large estates in this district, which they held till the
Reformation, when the whole were converted into a
temporal lordship in favour of Sir James Sandilands, the
chief of the order of St. John. At an early period, a
bishop of St. Andrew's obtained possession of the church,
with the village, mill, and some contiguous lands called
the Mains, or demesne, and kirk-lands of Kirkliston.
Afterwards the bishops acquired a regal jurisdiction
over their estates on the southern side of the Forth, and
made Liston the seat of authority, where the hall in
which their bailie held his courts was standing so late
as the year 1700. On the abolition of hereditary juris-
dictions in 1748, the Earl of Hopetoun claimed £1500
for the regality of St. Andrew's south of the Forth.
The estate of Newliston, in 1543, fell to the family of
Dundas of Craigton, who enjoyed it till the Revolution,
when it came to the Dalrymples, by the marriage of
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Dundas, with the second
Viscount of Stair, who in 1/03 was created Earl of
Stair and Lord Newliston.
The PARISH is five miles and a half in length from
east to west, and four miles and a half in breadth from
north to south, containing an area of 772'2 acres. It is
bounded on the north and north-east by the parish
of Dalmeny ; on the north and north-west by that of
Abercorn ; on the west and south-west by the several
parishes of Uphall, Mid-Calder, Ecclesmachen, and a
detached portion of Dalmeny, named Auldcathie ; on
the south by Kirknewton and Ratho ; and on the east
by Corstorphine and Cramond. A detached part of the
parish, called Liston-Shiels, lying on the slope of the
Pentland hills, is included for ecclesiastical purposes in
the parish of Kirknewton. The river Almond, rising in
Lanarkshire, and entering Kirkliston parish at the south-
western point, winds for about four miles and a half to
the village of Kirkliston, and afterwards runs towards
the north-east for a mile and a half; it then passes into
the parish of Cramond, and at length falls into the Firth
of Forth at the village of that name. The soil varies
throughout from a strong clay to a rich dark mould, in
diflferent admixtures and proportions. On the banks of
the river, and on the neighbouring haughs, it consists of
alluvial deposits, forming in some places a fertile loam,
capable, with good husbandry, of producing the best
crops. By far the larger part of the ground is under
tillage ; the wood, plantations, and permanent pasture
bearing but a small proportion to the arable tracts. On
the estates of Newliston, Clifton Hall, Carlowrie, and
Foxhall, and the lands of Niddry and Hurabie, a con-
siderable quantity of ancient timber may be seen ; and
in different parts are young clumps of beech, ash, elm,
and fir : with these exceptions, and exclusive of the
lawns belonging to the mansions of the gentry, the
whole of the lands are cultivated. All kinds of grain,
with potatoes, turnips, and the several grasses, are pro-
duced. Few parishes have made such rapid improve-
ments in agriculture within the last half century as this,
the face of the district having been completely changed
by the consolidation of small farms, by the introduction
of extended leases, by inclosures, superior drainage, and
manuring, with the rotation system modified to suit
every peculiarity of soil. The cattle are generally a
cross between the Teeswater and Ayrshire breeds, but
in
Ayrshire cows are preferred for the dairy ; the sheep
are the black-faced. Cheviots, and Leicesters. Few
sheep and cattle, however, are kept here, as the ground is
turned to better account. The rocks in the parish are
chiefly sandstone, limestone, and trap, and ironstone and
shale are found in large quantities : coal is supposed to
exist, but none has yet been discovered. On the farm
of Humbie is a quarry which produces a beautiful and
durable stone, suited to a superior class of buildings.
The annual value of real property in the parish is re-
turned at £3966. Newliston, the residence of the Hog
family, is a large and elegant house, built at the close of
the last century : it stands in the midst of extensive
pleasure-grounds and plantations, disposed in a some-
what original style. Clifton Hall, a very ancient man-
sion, is the seat of Sir Alexander Maitland Gibson, Bart.,
a family of considerable antiquity ; and Carlowrie also
an ancient mansion, is the residence of the Falconers.
The principal villages are Kirkliston and Winchburgh
in the county of Linlithgow, and Newbridge in the
county of Edinburgh. At the western extremity of the
village of Kirkliston is a distillery, established about
thirty years ago ; but with the exception of the hands
here employed, and those engaged in domestic trades, the
whole population are occupied in agriculture. A fair
is held at Kirkliston on the lastTuesday in July, and one
at the village of Winchburgh on the first Friday in the
month of June, at neither of which, however, is any bu-
siness transacted. There is a post-office that receives and
despatches letters once a day. Three turnpike-roads run
through the parish, viz., the road from Edinburgh to
Stirling, and to Glasgow by Falkirk, which passes through
the village ; the road from Edinburgh to Glasgow by
Bathgate ; and the road from Queensferry to the last-
mentioned road. The Union canal also intersects the
parish, and is conveyed over the river Almond by an
aqueduct. There are two good bridges, likewise, over
the Almond, one of which is on the line of the Stirling
road, and the other on the middle or Bathgate road to
Glasgow. The railroad between Edinburgh and Glasgow
crosses the Almond, near the village of Kirkliston, by a
splendid stone viaduct, forming one of the most exten-
sive works of the kind : this viaduct is 7^20 yards in
length, twenty-eight feet in width, and fifty feet above
the level of the water, resting upon thirty-six segmental
arches, each of seventy-five feet span, with piers seven
feet in thickness ; the whole presenting a very noble
appearance. At Winchburgh the railway passes through
a tunnel 330 yards in length, twenty-six feet in breadth,
and twenty-two in height, the second in extent of the
five on the line. The Bathgate railway crosses the river
Almond between the aqueduct of the Union canal and
the viaduct of the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Linlithgow, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale, and the patronage is vested in the Crown.
The stipend of the minister averages about £300, and he
has also £5. 11. 7., feu-duties of Hallyards, an annual
gift from the crown; with a manse, built in 1692, and
repaired and enlarged in 1808, and again in 1S38, and a
glebe of seven acres of land valued at £30 per annum.
Kirkliston church was thoroughly repaired in 1822; it
will accommodate 7OO persons, and has a fine-toned bell,
which is rung every morning at five in summer and six
in winter, and every evening at eight o'clock. This an-
KIRK
KIRK
cieut structure is supposed to have been built in the
twelfth century. The members of the Free Church of
Scotland have a place of worship. There is a parochial
school, at which the usual branches of education are
taught ; the master has the maximum salary, with the
fees, and a house and garden. In 1*98 a friendly society
was established, the benefit of which to the sick members
and the widows of members has been very considerable.
Among the antiquities of Kirkliston, one of the chief is the
monument erected to perpetuate the battle between Ken-
neth and Constantine, already noticed. At Clifton, under
an old cot-house, there was found, some time since,
an earthen money-box containing between 300 and 400
silver coins of England and Scotland ; and near this spot
was discovered a gold coin, about fifteen feet under the
ground, with the inscription Robertas II., Rex Scotorum.
In the south-western part of the parish, on the Hope-
toun estate, is an ancient baronial residence named II-
Liston, supposed to have been a hunting-seat of James
II., James IV., and other kings. About two miles west
of the village of Kirkliston stands Niddry Castle, a fine
ruin, formerly possessed by the Earls of Wintoun, and
where Queen Mary is said to have slept when on her
flight from Lochleven Castle to join her supporters at
Hamilton, in the year 1568. Andrew Dalzel, professor
of Greek in the university of Edinburgh, was a native
of this parish ; and the celebrated John, second Earl
of Stair, who succeeded to the estate of Newliston in
1725, has left behind him lasting memorials of his skill,
spirit, and perseverance, in the agricultural improve-
ments introduced here under his immediate auspices.
Indeed, the superior state of husbandry attained in this
district may be fairly traced to the efforts of this dis-
tinguished nobleman. There are several springs in the
parish impregnated with lime, iron, and magnesia.
KIRKMABRECK, a parish, in the stewartry of
Kirkcudbright, 85 miles (E. by N.) from Wigtown;
containing, with the burgh of Creetown, 1854 inhabit-
ants, of whom S70 arc in the rural districts of the parish.
This place derived its name from the situation of its
ancient church in a brake, at that time overgrown with
thorns and brambles. The lands were part of the pos-
sessions of the abbey of Dundrennan and the priory of
Whithorn, but, after the Reformation, were granted by
the crown to different families, and at present are divided
among fourteen proprietors. The parish, which includes
the greater portion of the ancient parish of Kirkdale, is
Ijounded on the west by the river Cree, and on the south-
west by Wigtown bay, and is about nine miles in length
and five miles and a half in breadth. The number of
acres is not accurately known ; about 5000 may be arable,
900 meadow, 1000 woodland and plantations, and the re-
mainder moorland pasture and waste. In some parts
the surface is mountainous, and in others diversified with
hills of only moderate elevation, and fertile valleys. The
principal mountains are the Clints of Drumorc, Craig,
Pibblc, Cairnharrow, and Larg, varying from 800 to 1000
feet in height. A portion of Cairnsmorc, which has an
elevation of 2222 feet above the level of the sea, is also
within the parish. The coast, which is about six miles
in length, is in general flat and sandy ; but the shores
of Kirkdale are bold and i)recipitous, and the rocks per-
forated with numerous caverns and fissiires, some of
which are identified with scenes described by Sir Walter
Scott in the novel of Guy Mannerimj. The river Cree has
112
its source in Loch Moan, near the spot where the counties
of Ayr and Wigtown unite with Kirkcudbrightshire, and
flows into Wigtown bay, from which it is navigable for
small vessels up to Carty.
Along the banks of the river, and in the valleys, the
SOIL IS rich ; but on the hills, and in other parts, it is of
lighter quality, interspersed with tracts of moss. The
crops are wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes ; the system
of agriculture is in a state of progressive improvement,
and the lands in many parts have been rendered fertile
by the use of bone-dust and guano as manure. In
Kirkdale the farm -buildings are generally substantial
and well arranged, but in other parts of the parish many
of them are of very inferior order : the lands are in-
closed with stone dykes. Much attention is paid to the
improvement of live stock : the cattle, of which large
numbers are pastured, are of the pure Galloway breed,
with some cows of the Ayrshire breed for the dairy.
The sheep are mostly the black-faced, and of small size,
with some of the Cheviot and Leicestershire breeds ; of
the first description about 7000, and of the others 800,
are reared in the pastures. There are considerable re-
mains of ancient wood : the plantations are of oak, ash,
hazel, alder, beech, sycamore, chesnut, elm, and firs, for
all of which the soil is well adapted. In this parish the
substrata are clay-slate, greywacke, and granite, of which
last the rocks are principally composed. Lead-ore has
been discovered in several parts, and pure specimens of
galena have been found ; a copper-mine was formerly
wrought, but it has been abandoned. There are some
extensive quarries of granite, opened by the trustees of
the Liverpool Docks about 1830, and in which, in 1834,
not less than 450 men were engaged ; they are still in
operation, but on a smaller scale, employing about I6O
persons. The stone, which is raised in large blocks, and
split into any required form or dimensions, is of excel-
lent quality and in high repute. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £5889. Kirkdale House,
a splendid mansion of polished granite, in the Grecian
style of architecture, after a plan by Mr. Adam, is finely
situated in a demesne tastefully embellished, and abound-
ing with picturesque and romantic scenery. Barholm
House is a handsome residence of chaste design, pleas-
ingly situated in grounds the approaches to which are
well laid out. Cassencarrie is an ancient mansion, with
a tower of interesting character ; and Hill House is a
substantial building, fronted with polished granite, and
commanding some good views of the adjacent country.
The burgh and port of Creetown is noticed under its
own head.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the ])resbytery of Wigtown and synod of Gallo-
way. The minister's stipend is about £240, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per annum ; patrons,
the Crown and John Mc CuUoch, Esq., of Barholm. The
church, erected in 1834, at an expense of £2000, is a
very handsome structure in the later English style ; it is
near the burgh of Creetown, and contains 800 sittings.
The ruins of the ancient churches of Kirkmabreck and
Kirkdale are yet remaining in their respective church-
yards, which are still used as places of burial ; and in
the latter is the vault of the Ilannay family, built of
granite. There is a place of worship in Creetown for
members of the United I'resbytcrian Church. The paro-
chial school is attended by about 100 children ; the
KIRK
KIRK
master has a salary of £34, with a house and garden,
and the fees average £30. A second school is supported
by the fees, and by the heritors, who allow the master a
free house and garden, and a salary of £10 per annum ;
and a school of industry, in which thirty girls are taught
free, is under the patronage of Miss Hannay and the
Rev. John Muir, the minister. There are several chaly-
beate springs in the parish ; one of them, at Pibble, is
strongly impregnated. Remains of Druidical circles are
found in different places; and in 1778, while removing
some stones from a tumulus, were discovered a coffin
containing a skeleton of gigantic size, an urn inclosing
ashes, and an earthen vessel for holding water. In 1809
was found a coffin of rude form, containing a skeleton
of large size, the arm of which had been nearly separated
from the shoulder by a stone axe : the blade was still
remaining in the wound. Cairn-Holy is traditionally said
to have been raised over the remains of a bishop of
Whithorn, who was slain in a battle with the English on
Glenquicken Moor in 1 150, and buried here. Dr. Thomas
Brown, professor of moral philosophy in the university of
Edinburgh, was born in this parish, of which his father
was minister, in 1778 ; he died in 1820, and was buried
in the churchyard of Kirkmabreck.
KIRKMAHOE, a parish, in the county of Dum-
fries, 2 miles (N.) from Dumfries ; containing, with
the villages of Dalswinton, Duncow, and Kirkton, 1568
inhabitants. The appellation of this parish is of doubt-
ful origin ; but it is supposed to have been derived
from the position of its church in a hollow place, or
near a river : the church is situated in a fine valley,
and there are evident traces of the river Nitli having at
some time run close by the church. The place is of
considerable antiquity. According to ancient records,
the monks of Arbroath obtained from David II. a grant
of " the church of Kirkmaho, in the diocese of Glas-
gow", the patronage of which, however, appears to have
been retained by the Stewarts, who had succeeded the
Cumin family in the barony of Dalswinton. In 1429 the
rectory was constituted a prebend of the bishopric, with
the consent of Marion Stewart, the heiress of Dalswin-
ton ; of Sir John Forrester, her second huslaand ; and of
William Stewart, her son and heir ; and the Stewart
family long continued to be patrons of this prebend.
At the Reformation, the rectory of Kirkmahoe was held
by John Stewart, second son of the patron. Sir Alex-
ander Stewart of Garlics. In the seventeenth century,
the patronage passed, with the barony of Dalswinton,
from the Stewarts, Earls of Galloway, to the Earl of
Queensberry, in whose family it remained until the death
of the last Duke of Queensberry in the year 1810, when
it came to the Duke of Buccleuch.
The lands were portioned in ancient times into the
four large estates of Dalswinton, Duncow or Duncol,
Milnhead or Millhead, and Carnsalloch, with which most
of the historical memorials of the parish are interwoven.
The estate of Dalswinton, or " the dale of Swinton ",
was first possessed by the Cumins : in 1250, Sir John
Cumin held this manor as well as that of Duncol, and
gave the monks the liberty of a free passage through
the lands of the two manors to their granges in the
west. On the accession of Bruce, Dalswinton was
granted to Walter Stewart, third son of Sir John
Stewart of Jedworth ; and it remained in the family
till 1680, when, with some exceptions, the barony was
Vol. II.— 113
disposed of to the Earl of Queensberry. The estate
afterwards came to the Maxwells, by whom it was sold
at the latter end of the last century to the late Patrick
Miller, Esq. It contains 5132 acres, and comprehends
about one-third part of the parish. The barony of
Duncow was forfeited by the Cumins, like that of Dals-
winton, on the accession of Bruce ; and was given to
Robert Boyd. In 1550, Robert, Lord Maxwell, was re-
turned as owner of it in right of his father, of the same
name and title ; and it continued in the family until
about sixty or seventy years ago, when it was sold to
various persons. It was in this village that James V.
spent the night before he paid the angry visit, recorded
by historians, to Sir John Charteris of Amisfield : the
site of the cottage where the king slept, near the Chapel
hill, was pointed out by a large stone which remained
there till about half a century ago. The estate of Mill-
head was possessed in 1700 by Bertha, wife of Robert
Brown of Bishopton, and heiress of Homer Maxwell of
Kilbean, from which family it passed about 1810 to
Frederick Maxwell, Esq. : it contains 1061 acres. Carn-
salloch in 1550 belonged to Robert, Lord Maxwell, whose
family held it till 1750, when it was sold to Alexander
Johnston, Esq.
The PARISH is seven miles and a half long, and its
extreme breadth is five miles and a half. It contains
about 15,000 acres, and is bounded on the north by
Closeburn parish, on the north-east and east by Kirk-
michael and by Tinwald, on the south and south-east
by Dumfries, on the west by Holywood, and on the
north-west by Dunscore. The northern and eastern
parts are hilly, the land ascending gradually till it ter-
minates in heights, some of which are between 600 and
800 feet above the level of the sea : the hills of Ward-
law and Auchengeith rise to 770 feet, and have a declivity
southward. The loftier grounds are covered witli heath
and coarse grass, affording pasture fit only for sheep.
In the vicinity of Tinwald, also, are some undulations
interspersed with low-lying tracts of morass, and which,
when not kept in tillage, are soon overspread with furze
and broom. The river Nith runs along the western
boundary of the parish, and intersects it at one corner.
There are also several small streams or burns, which
abound in trout, and are in many parts distinguished by
romantic scenery : the Duncow burn forms three water-
falls, one of which, in rainy seasons, has a striking and
imposing appearance.
The SOIL on the high grounds consists in numerous
places of deep moss, beneath which is a gravelly earth,
resting upon a red till or slaty rock. On the sloping
grounds it is gravelly, with a considerable mixture of
sand, and small round stones ; and on the low or holm
land the soil is alluvial, mixed with clay. In every
direction is a profusion of pebbles, of ditferent sizes,
rounded and polished by continued attrition, and many
of them variegated with beautiful lines and colours.
This is altogether an agricultural and pastoral parish,
and the capabilities of the soil are for the most part
developed. Grain of all kinds is grown, with the usual
green crops. The sheep are of the Cheviot breed, crossed
with the Leicester ; numerous lambs are reared on the
hilly grounds, and on most of the farms the calves are
disposed of to the Dumfries butchers when about six
weeks old. The husbandry in the district is of the most
approved kind ; the land is subject to good surface
Q
KIRK
KIRK
drainage, and is secured, where necessary, by strong em-
bankments ; the farm-houses are comfortable dwellings,
and suited to the character and circumstances of the
highly-respectable tenants who occupy them. Much has
been done in the way of reclaiming land ; and planta-
tions are to be seen in many places. It was in this pa-
rish that an inestimable addition was first made, in
1786-7, to the agricultural products of Britain, by the
late Patrick Miller, Esq., of Dalsvvinton, who, in that
year, introduced the Swedish turnip into Scotland. From
two ounces of seed, a great part of the now extensive
culture of this valuable esculent may be said to have
sprung ; for, as soon as Mr. Miller had obtained, from
the original plants on his own estate, a sufficiency of
seed for his neighbours, and his friends in the Lothians
and elsewhere, it was sown by them with avidity ; and
in a short time, extensive breadths of land were laid out
in its successful cultivation. Large importations of the
seed, it is true, were subsequently made by the British
seed-merchants, to supply the increasing demand for
it ; yet prodigious quantities of the turnip are now
raised in both countries, and in Ireland, from the pro-
ceeds of the stock sown at Dalswinton. In this parish
the rocks consist chiefly of sandstone, frequently im-
pregnated with red iron-ore : white marl has been found
in the southern parts ; and red soft sand, mixed with
gravel and stones, is in some places abundant. The an-
nual value of real property in Kirkmahoe is £9357.
The principal mansions are Dalswinton and Carn-
salloch, both of which are modern ; and the different
estates are ornamented with fine specimens of stately
timber, consisting of ash-trees, elm, chesnut, and rows
of beech. There are five villages, of which Duncow, the
largest, has a manufactory for coarse woollen-cloths,
worked by water and steam : the village of Dalswinton
is of recent origin. The road from Dumfries to Close-
burn runs for nearly six miles through the parish, which
is also intersected by the Glasgow, Dumfries, and Car-
lisle railway. Ecclesiastically the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery and synod of Dumfries ; pa-
tron, the Duke of Bucclcuch. The stipend of the mi-
nister is £238, with a manse, built in 1799, and a glebe
of eight acres of good land valued at £14 per annum.
The church, erected in 1822, is a well-built structure,
rendered picturesque by the foliage in the churchyard
and its vicinity. At Carnsalloch is a mausoleum or fa-
mily sepulchral chapel, in the pointed style, recently
erected by the Right Hon. Sir Alexander Johnston ; it
is of very handsome design, the windows filled with
stained glass, the floor paved with encaustic tiles, and
all the details are of an artistic character. There was a
meeting-house at Quarrelwood, belonging to the Came-
ronians ; but it has been converted 'into a poor-house.
Three schools are maintained, each of which is partially
supported by a parochial allowance. The master of the
school at the village of Duncow receives a salary of
£2."). 1,3. 3. ; the salary of the master at Dalswinton is
£17; and £8 are given for the support of a third school
at Lakchcad, a remote comer of the parish. At each of
the schools all the usual branches of education arc
taught ; and instructiim is occasionally afforded in the
classics and mathematics. The total amount of fees re-
ceived by the three masters is £80. About £.^00 have
been bequeathed to the poor ; and the sum of £.5 per
annum was left by Mrs. Allan of Newlands, for the
114
gratuitous instruction of fatherless children at the parish
schools. In digging for the foundation of the church,
some inconsiderable relics were met with. It may be
stated, in relation to this parish, that the application of
steam-power to the navigation of vessels was first suc-
cessfully illustrated at Dalswinton, in 1788, by Mr. Miller,
of whom mention has been already made. It is also
deserving of record, that the introduction, in 1790, of
the modern threshing-machine into this district, was
effected under the auspices of Mr. Miller, who first used
it on his own farm of Sandbed, in the presence of a
number of the agricultural class, whom he had invited
to witness its operation, with a view to manifest its effi-
ciency and encourage its adoption. Bishop Corrie, of
Madras, was a native of the parish ; as was also the late
Allan Cunningham. — See Dalswinton.
KIRKMAIDEN, a parish, in the county of Wig-
town, 16 miles (S. by E.) from Stranraer; containing,
with the villages of Drumore and Port-Logan, 2202 in-
habitants, of whom 1700 are in the rural districts of the
parish. This place, which occupies the southern extre-
mity of Scotland, derives its name from the dedication
of its ancient church to St. Medan, to whom some other
churches in this part of the country were also dedicated;
and the name, originally Kirk-Medan, after undergoing
various modifications at different periods, has since the
Reformation invariably retained its present form. From
the names of some localities in the parish, it would ap-
pear that other churches were founded here at an early
period ; and slight vestiges of the cemeteries may still
be traced. The principal churches on record are those
of Kirkbride, Kilstay, Kildonnan, Kirkleish, and Kirk-
drain ; and upon the shore of Maryport bay was an an-
cient chapel in honour of the Virgin Mary, the ruins of
which were standing in I68O. The promontory called
the Mull of Galloway, at the southern extremity of the
parish, is said to have been the last retreat of the an-
cient Picts, who, no longer able to withstand the assaults
of their victorious enemies, here leaped from the rocks,
and perished in the sea.
The PARISH is bounded on the east by the bay of
Luce, and on the south and west by the Irish Sea. It
is about ten miles in length from north to south, and
varies from a mile and a half to nearly four miles in
breadth, comprising an area of 13,000 acres, of which 4000
are arable, 6000 meadow and pasture, 300 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder moor and waste. The
form is very irregular, and the surface greatly diversified.
In some parts the ground is low and flat, but inter-
spersed with numerous hills of moderate height, some of
which are clothed with plantations ; in other parts the
lands rise into mountainous elevation, and almost in the
centre the parish is intersected by a range of heights
extending from the Irish Sea to Luce bay. Among the
more conspicuous of the hills that diversify the surface,
and some of which are nearly 900 feet above the level of
the sea, are Montlokowre, Dunman, Cairnliill, Cairn of
Dolt, and Grennan Hill, from all of which are obtained
extensive and interesting views. The bold rocky pro-
montory of tlie Mull of Galloway, a peninsula nearly a
mile and a half in length, and a quarter of a mile in
brcatltii, is connected witli the main land l)y a narrow
isthmus, little more than a quarter of a mile in width,
and on whicli a iightiiouse was erected in 1S30, display-
ing an intermitting light, visible at a distance of twenty-
KIRK
KIRK
three nautical miles. From the balcony of the light-
house is an unbounded prospect, embracing the moun-
tains of Cumberland, the whole of the Isle of Man, the
coast of Ireland from the mountains of Morne to Fair-
head, the heights of Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, and Ayr-
shire, and the summits of Mount Jura, in Argyllshire, all
of which are distinctly seen in clear weather. On the
eastern side of the parish the coast is flat, and the shore
gravelly ; but on the west, rocky and precipitous, and
worn by the waves into romantic caverns. The prin-
cipal headland on the east is Killiness Point ; on the west
are Crammag, Gounies, and the Mull of Logan.
Of the numerous bays that indent the coast the most
important are Chapelrossan, Balgown, New England,
Tirally, Grennan, Curghie, Drumore, Culliness or Killi-
ness, Maryport, and East Tarbet, on the bay of Luce ;
and West Tarbet, Barncorkrie, Clanyard, Portnessock,
and Port Gill, on the shore of the Irish Sea. The har-
bours are Port-Logan in the bay of Portnessock, and
Drumore. At both of these harbours, commodious
quays have been erected, where vessels of any burthen
may land and take in their cargoes, and find safe anchor-
age in the bays ; but the former cannot be entered at
low water by vessels of great size. Several of the other
bays, also, are accessible to small vessels in fine weather ;
but they are not much frequented. Fish of many kinds
are found in abundance off the coast ; the most general
are cod, whiting, mullet, mackerel, skate, turbot, soles,
oysters, lobsters, and crabs, of which two last great
numbers are taken by fishermen from Ireland, for the
supply of the Dublin market. Herrings, after having
for years abandoned this part of the coast, are beginning
to return, and promise to be abundant, in which case
the fisheries, not now conducted upon any regular plan,
may become a source of much profit.
The SOIL, though various, is tolerably fertile, and the
lands are in profitable cultivation ; the crops are wheat,
barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual grasses.
The system of husbandry is in a great degree advanced,
but is still susceptible of improvement. Thorough-
draining has been introduced to a moderate extent, with
considerable benefit, and due regard is had to the rota-
tion of crops ; the lands, also, have been mostly in-
closed. In this parish the fences, which are partly of
stone and partly of thorn, are but indifferent ; and
though the buildings on some of the larger farms are
substantial, many are still of very inferior order. The
cattle reared are of the Galloway breed, with the excep-
tion of the cows for the dairy, which are of the Ayrshire ;
and great attention is paid to their improvement : the
sheep reared in the hill pastures are all of the black-
faced, while such as are kept on the farms for domestic
use are of the Leicestershire breed. The plantations,
almost confined to the vicinity of Logan House, consist
of ash, mountain-ash, sycamore, elm, beech, birch, and
Huntingdon willow, for all of which the soil is well
adapted ; and in places sheltered from the sea, pineaster,
white-spruce, Scotch fir, holly, and yew are in a thriving
state. In general the rocks are composed of greywacke
and argillaceous schist, alternated with portions of gra-
nite and gneiss. Slate of tolerable quality for roofing is
found in abundance, and in some places has been wrought
to a considerable extent ; but there are no quarries at
present in operation. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £6396. Logan House, the seat of the
115
principal landed proprietor, is a handsome modern man-
sion, situated in an extensive demesne richly embellished.
No manufactures are carried on ; but in the villages of
Drumore and Port-Logan, which are separately described,
a few of the inhabitants are employed in the requisite
handicraft trades. There is a post established under the
post-office of Stranraer, from which town the mail is
conveyed daily to Port-Logan and Drumore, three days
in the week by a gig merely, and on the three other days
by a car carrying passengers. A fair is held near the
church on the Tuesday after the 21st of November ; it
was formerly frequented by dealers from various parts of
the country, but has degenerated into a mere pleasure-fair.
Facility of communication is maintained by statute-labour
roads, now much improved, and kept in good repair.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the limits of the
presbytery of Stranraer and synod of Galloway. The
minister's stipend is £150. 16. 5., of which £5. 7. 8. are
paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £8 per annum : patron, the Earl of Stair.
Kirkmaiden church, situated nearly in the centre of the
parish, was erected in 1638 ; it is a very plain structure
with 275 sittings. The parochial school is attended
by about ninety children ; the master has a salary of
£25. 15., with a house and garden, and the fees average
£18. A parochial library, containing a collection of 600
volumes, is supported by subscription. There are slight
vestiges of ancient fortresses on the hills, supposed to
have been of Pictish origin : on the isthmus connecting
the Mull of Galloway with the main land, are some
traces of a double line of fortifications extending from
sea to sea. Upon the coast, near East Tarbet, is a cave
thought to have been the retreat of St. Medan ; and
near it, in the adjoining rock, is a cylindrical well about
four feet in diameter and six feet deep, naturally formed,
and supplied with water by the surf breaking over the
rock at spring tides. In the parish are the remains of
the ancient castles of Logan, Clanyard, and Drumore ;
and a bell which, according to an inscription, appears to
have been originally cast for the grandfather of the first
Earl of Dalhousie, in 1534, is now used as the church-
bell : it is said to have been at one time the dinner-bell
of Castle-Clanyard, and to have been brought to that
place from Kenraure. Near Logan is a natural cavity
in the rocks, into which the tide enters at every flood,
and which is generally stored with various kinds offish.
Andrew Mc Douall, Lord Bankton, author of Institutes
of Scottish Law ; and Robert Mc Douall, admiral both
in the Portuguese and the British service, were natives
of the parish.
KIRKMICHAEL, a parish, in the district of Car-
rick, county of Ayr; containing, with the village of
Crossbill, 2933 inhabitants, of whom 499 are in the
village of Kirkmichael, 3 miles (E. by S.) from Maybole.
This place, which derived its name from the dedication
of its church, appears to have been at an early period
part of the possessions of the Kennedy family, to whose
ancestor a grant of the lands was confirmed by charter
of David II., about the year 1360. By the marriage of
Sir James Kennedy with the daughter of Robert III.,
this family obtained a considerable degree of rank and
influence. Gilbert Kennedy, the second Earl of Cassilis,
was employed in many of the most important offices of
state ; he was assassinated at Prestwick by Hugh Camp-
bell, sherifiF of Ayrshire. His son, Quintin Kennedv,
Q2
KIRK
KIRK
who became Abbot of Crossraguel, is distinguished for
having maintained the tenets of popery in a discussioa
with the celebrated reformer John Knox, and on his
decease was canonized for his zeal and constant devotion
to the Roman Catholic faith. Gilbert, the third earl,
was the friend and pupil of the historian George Bu-
chanan ; and John, the sixth Earl of Cassilis, was one of
the ruling elders who attended the assembly of divines
at Westminster, in 1643.
The PARISH is about twelve miles in length, and rather
more than five miles and a half in extreme breadth. It
is bounded on the north and north-east by the parish of
Dalrymple, on the east by that of Straiton, on the south
by Dadly, and on the west and north-west by the parishes
of Kirkoswald and Maybole. The surface generally,
with the exception of some level tracts along the banks
of the rivers, is undulated and hilly, in some parts at-
taining considerable elevation. Glenalla hillis 1612 feet
above the level of the sea ; and there are several other
eminences, of which Guiltree hill commands a beautiful
prospect, embracing on one side the valley of the Girvan,
with the Galloway hills, and on the other the bay of
Ayr, the peaks of Arran, and the towns along the coast,
with the Highlands and Ben-Lomond in the background.
The river Girvan has its source among the hills of Barr
and Straiton, and, running below Blairquhan, enters this
parish, which it divides into two nearly equal parts,
passing by the grounds of Cloncaird, where it assumes a
wide expanse, and presents a finely-picturesque appear-
ance : flowing between richly-wooded banks, it pursues
its course to the village of Crossbill, and then forms a
boundary between the parishes of Kirkoswald and Dailly.
The river Doon passes by one extremity of the parish,
about two miles below Patna, washing the base of the
eminence on which the stately mansion of Cassilis is
situated ; and the Dyrock, issuing from Shankston loch,
and augmented by the streams of the Barnshean and
Spalander, flows by the church and village of Kirkmichael
into the Girvan. There are numerous lakes in the parish,
the principal of which are. Loch Spalander, about forty-
five acres in extent, abounding in excellent trout, and
sometimes with char; Loch Barnshean, twenty-eight
acres in extent ; Loch Croot, ten acres ; Shankston loch,
twelve acres ; Drumore, nine acres ; and Kirkmichael
loch, about five acres in extent.
The SOIL in the low lands is extremely fertile, pro-
ducing luxuriant herbage ; in some parts, and especially
near the bases of the lower hills, light and gravelly ;
and in others, clayey, and intermixed with loam. The
whole number of acres in the parish is estimated at
1 5,2,50, of which about 11 ."iO are in natural woods and
in plantations, 500 waste, and the rest arable, meadow,
and pasture land. The system of agriculture has greatly
advanced ; and the lands have been nmch improved
under the influence of the example given by the Rev.
John Ramsay, incumbent of the parish about forty or
fifty years since, and founder of the Carrick Farmers'
Society ; and also under the encouragement afforded to
the tenants by the late Earl of Cassilis and the present
proprietors. Furrow-draining has been extensively car-
ried on J and in 183'J Ilcnry Ritchie, Es(|., of Cloncaird,
erected a work for the manufacture of draining-tilcs,
which at present produces on the average about 330,000
tiles annually. The farm-buildings are substantial and
commodious, and generally slated; and all the recent
lie
improvements in husbandry are practised. In this pa-
rish the substrata are chiefly sandstone, greenstone, and
limestone ; clay of excellent quality for making tiles is
found in abundance, and there are some veins of galena,
which appear to have been wrought, and are said to
have yielded a considerable proportion of silver. The
surface of the land in several parts is thickly strewn
with boulders of granite, some of them of vast magnitude.
There are quarries of freestone at Auchalton, Clonclaugh,
Balgreggan, and Glenside, which have been all exten-
sively wrought; and also a quarry of peculiarly fine
quality at Trochain, on the lands of Cloncaird. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £10,035.
Cloncaird Castle, an old castellated mansion, has been
entirely new fronted, and is now a very elegant residence :
it is beautifully situated in a highly-embellished demesne
abounding with stately timber. Kirkmichael House
stands near the lake of Kirkmichael, which forms an
interesting feature. Cassilis House, the property of the
Marquess of Ailsa, who bears the inferior title of Earl
of Cassilis, occupies an eminence rising from the bank
of the river Doon, and is an ancient mansion, supposed
to have been built about the fifteenth century. It was
enlarged and much improved in 1830, and is a stately
structure, surrounded with trees of noble growth, and
with thriving plantations. Under the ancient castle
was a subterraneous apartment, which, on being cleared
out some years since to form a wine-cellar, was found to
be replete with human bones. The village of Kirkmi-
chael is neatly built and pleasantly situated, and has a
post-office dependent on that of Maybole. Its inhabit-
ants, in addition to the various trades usually carried
on, are employed in weaving for the Glasgow and Paisley
manufacturers, and the females in working muslins,
which branches of trade are pursued to a still greater
extent at Crossbill. Facility of communication is af-
forded by numerous good parish roads, and there are
about twenty-six miles of turnpike-road.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Ayr, and synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The average stipend of the incumbent is
£260 ; the manse is a handsome antique building of
modern erection, and a very comfortable residence, and
the glebe comprises about sixteen acres of profitable
land. Kirkmichael church, which is pleasantly situated
on the Dyrock stream, and surrounded by a spacious
burying-ground planted with ash-trees of stately growth,
was built in 1*87 ; it is in good repair, and adapted for
a congregation of about 556 persons. A chapel of ease
has been erected for the accommodation of the inhabit-
ants of Crossbill, chiefly by the munificence of Sir Charles
Dalrymple Fergusson, of Kilkcrran, Bart. ; it is a neat
edifice, adai)ted for nearly 460 persons, and may be
considerably increased by the additicni of galleries. The
parochial school affords instruction to about seventy
children ; the master has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and the fees average £30. There is also a
school at Crossbill, for which a former proprietor erected
a spacious schoolroom ; the master used to receive an
annual ])ayment of £3. 10. from the proprietors of houses
in the village, in addition to the school fees. A parochial
library is supported l)y subscription ; and two savings'
banks have been established. In several parts of the
parish are traces of ancient circular forts, about 100
yards in diameter, and surrounded by a ditch fifteen feet
KIRK
KIRK
broad : on being removed by the plough, fragments of
spears, horns, urns, and ashes were found in profusion.
There were also till lately some remains of a chapel, sup-
posed to have been subordinate to the abbey of Crossra-
guel ; the well is still known by the name of the "Chapel
■well".
KIRKMICHAEL, a parish, in the county of Banff,
11 miles (E. S. E.) from Grantown ; containing, with the
late quoad sacra district of Tomintoul, 15*6 inhabitants.
This parish, which is named after Michael the Archangel,
to whom the church was dedicated, is situated on the
Avon, a tributary of the river Spey ; and is a bleak High-
land district, stretching for more than thirty miles, from
north to south, along the banks of the stream, and mea-
suring in average breadth from three to four miles. It
comprises, as is supposed, about 140,000 acres, of which
only '2400 are cultivated ; more than 60,000 are compre-
hended in the forest of Glenavon, and the remainder are
waste and pasture. The general aspect of the parish is
mountainous, dreary, and barren, it being situated at
the base of the Grampian mountains. The main range
of the Grampians bounds it on the south, and branches
from this range skirt it on the east and west, the only vista
or outlet being a narrow opening on the north, which
forms a passage for the waters of the Avon. The north
side of Benmacdui, and the eastern side of Cairngorum,
rising respectively 4362 feet and 4060 feet above the
level of the sea, and exhibiting throughout the year col-
lections of snow in their elevated chasms, are comprised
in the southern portion of the parish. The forest of
Glenavon has been lately converted by the proprietor,
the Duke of Richmond, into a range for deer ; and the
mountains and hills in all directions are well stocked
with various kinds of game. The inhabited parts of the
parish measure only about eighteen miles in length ;
they consist of the narrow valley of the Avon, and the
glens of the Conglass and Kebat on the east, and of that
of Lochy on the west. Of this extent, nine miles, with
the whole of the uninhabited portion, belong to the dis-
trict of Tomintoul. The Avon, a deep, rapid, and pel-
lucid stream, affords trout, and also salmon grilse from
June till November : after being increased by numerous
tributaries in its course of forty miles, it falls into the
Spey at Ballindalloch, in the parish of Inveraven, adjoin-
ing Kirkmichael on the north. The pleasant and ro-
mantic valley of this river furnishes a beautiful relief to
the wild and dreary aspect of the surrounding country.
The scenery is also enlivened by several lochs ; the
principal one being Loch Avon, at the southern extremity
of the parish, distant fifteen or twenty miles from any
habitation. Loch Avon is three miles long and one mile
broad, and is encompassed by lofty mountains, except
at its eastern side, where the Avon finds a narrow outlet :
the whole of the adjacent scenery is imposing and mag-
nificent. Trout, of a black colour and slender form, are
found in abundance in its deep water; and at the west
end is the celebrated Clachdhian, or Shelter-stone, a
ponderous block of granite, resting on two other masses,
and thus forming a cave sufficient to contain twelve or
fifteen men.
The SOIL most prevalent is a loam, incumbent on
limestone; that bordering on the Avon and its several
tributary streams is alluvial. Barley and bear, and the
usual grasses and green crops, are raised in consider-
able quantities, mostly under the five-shift course : the
117
Duke of Richmond, who and the Earl of Seafield are
the sole landowners, confines his principal tenants to
that course. The climate is such as to form an impedi-
ment to husbandry ; but the soil is in general good, and
the lands are well farmed. Draining, inclosing, and the
reclaiming of waste ground have for several years been
successfully carried on ; and the dwelling-houses and
farm-steadings have been improved. The sheep are of
the common black-faced breed ; the cattle are mostly
the West Highland, and their quality has been lately
much advanced by the encouragement of the Highland
and Agricultural Society of Scotland, and also by pre-
miums afforded by the Duke of Richmond. Besides the
masses of granite constituting the Grampian range, the
substrata comprise sandstone and slatestone, the latter
supplying a superior grey slate ; and limestone is abun-
dant in every direction. Good plumbago is found in
the neighbourhood; and ironstone, which formed an
article of profit more than a century since, is still to be
found in great abundance, in the hill of the Leacht, in the
south-eastern part of the parish, and is expected shortly
to furnish occupation for a considerable number of per-
sons. Oxide of manganese is found in the same locality,
and the working of it gives employment to several
people. The p^ish is entirely destitute of plantations ;
the only wood to be seen is the natural birch and alder
which ornament the banks of the Avon. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £332.5.
The village of Tomintoul, situated about five miles
south of the church, contains a population of 530, and
has a post-office with a daily delivery. Cattle and sheep
are sent in droves to the south, and grain is forwarded
to the sea-ports on the Moray Firth ; the supply of
merchandise is chiefly from Aberdeen. Markets are
held in the village, for the sale of cattle and sheep, and
some of them also for the hiring of servants, on the last
Friday in May, the last Friday in July, the third Wed-
nesday in August, the Friday after the second Tuesday
in September, and the second Friday in November ; the
four last, O. S. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the
presbytery of Abernethy, synod of Moray, and in the
patronage of the Earl of Seafield : the minister's stipend
is about £120, with a manse, and a glebe of nine acres
valued at £40 per annum. Kirkmichael church, built
in 1807, is a plain structure; it is about four miles from
the northern boundary, and contains accommodation for
350 persons. A church was erected by government in
1826, at a cost of £750, in the village of Tomintoul : the
minister's stipend, including communion elements, is
£120, and is paid by the government ; the manse was
built at a cost of £738, and there is a glebe of about
half an acre, with a garden. A Roman Catholic chapel,
accommodating 464 persons, was built in the village in
1838; and the members of the Free Church have a
place of worship. Kirkmichael parochial school affords
instruction in Latin, mathematics, and geography, in
addition to the usual branches; the master has the
maximum salary, and £10 fees, and also shares in the
Dick bequest. There are two schools in the village, the
master of one having £30 a year from government, with
a house and garden from the Duke of Richmond, and the
other endowed by the trustees of the late Mr. Donaldson.
The poor enjoy bequests amounting to £1800.
KIRKMICHAEL, a parish, in the county of Dum-
fries, 8| miles (N. by E.) from Dumfries j containing
KIRK
KIRK
llOS inhabitants. This place derived its name from the
dedication of its church to Michael the Archangel ; and
the ancient parish of Garvald, or Garrel, with the excep-
tion of some lands now in the parish of Johnstone, was
united to it about the year I67O. Sir William Wallace,
previously to his assault of the castle of Lochmaben in
I'iQ*, occupied a small fortress in this parish, with a
party of his followers, and made frequent sallies to annoy
the English under Greystock and Sir Hugh Moreland,
in one of which Sir Hugh and several of his men were
killed. Greystock, enraged at this defeat, and strength-
ened by fresh supplies from England, advanced with 300
men to give battle to Wallace, who, overpowered by
numbers, retreated to the hills : here, the Scots being
joined by Sir John Graham and a party of his retainers,
a general engagement took place, in which Greystock
fell, and Wallace obtained a complete victory. The pa-
rish is of elliptical form, about nine miles in length and
nearly five in extreme breadth, and comprises an area
of 17,070 acres, whereof 67OO are arable, 300 are wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder, part of which
is convertible into meadow, is sheep pasture, moorland,
moss, and waste. Towards the south the surface is
level, with the exception of a few hills of inconsiderable
height. In the northern part it is intersected by two
ranges of mountains extending from north to south.
The western range, at the hill of Holehouse, its northern
extremity, has an elevation of 1500, and at Woodhill,
on the south, of 1250 feet above the level of the sea: the
eastern range rises at Knock-Craig, on the north, to a
height of 1400, and at Kirkmichael fell, the southern
extremity, to a height of 1100 feet. From these ranges
the surface gradually slopes towards the south ; so that
at Cumrue, near the southern boundary of the parish,
the lands are comparatively flat, and only 190 feet above
the sea. Of the streams, the river Ae has its source in
the hills of Queensberry, in the adjoining parish of
Closeburn, and after flowing for some distance along the
southern borders of Kirkmichael, bends its course to the
east, and falls into the river Kinnel at Esby, in the pa-
rish of Lochmaben. The Glenkill bum, which rises in
the north of the parish, intersects it from north to south,
and runs into the Ae near the church. The Garrel burn
has its rise in the Garrel Craigs, at the northern extre-
mity of the parish, and taking a southward course, in
which, flowing with a rapid current, it makes some small
hut very picturesque cascades, joins the river Ae on the
confines of Lochmaben. There arc several smaller
burns and numerous springs, of which latter a few are
slightly chalybeate, but not resorted to for medicinal
use. The parish also contains some lakes, the principal
being Loch Crane and Loch Cumrue ; the former is one
acre in extent, and of very great depth. Loch Cum-
rue, though now reduced by draining to little more
than four acres, originally comprised an area of about
twelve ; it is fourteen feet deep, and abounds with pike
and eels.
Along the banks of the Ae and the river Kinnel, and
in the southern and western portions of the parish, the
SOIL is richly fertile, but in tlie more central parts dry
and gravelly ; the crops are wheat, oats, barley, potatoes,
and turnips, with the usual grasses. The hills afford
good pasture for sheep and cattle. The system of hus-
bandry has been greatly improved, especially on the
lands of Ross, the property of the Duke of Buccleuch ;
118
and a due rotation of crops is generally observed : the
lands have been inclosed partly with stone dykes, but
principally with hedges of thorn. Most of the farm
houses and offices are substantial and commodiously
arranged ; and many, of more recent erection, are even
of elegant appearance. The cattle, of which about I7OO
head are reared, are all of the Galloway breed : the
sheep, of which nearly 6000 are fed in the pastures, are
chiefly of the Highland and the Cheviot breeds. Much
attention is paid to the improvement of the stock, and
great numbers are sent to the markets of Dumfries,
Lockerbie, and Moffat. The plantations in the parish,
mostly of recent date, consist of larch, Scotch, and spruce
firs, with oak, ash, and elm, all of them well managed
and in a thriving state. There are some considerable
remains of natural wood, consisting principally of oak,
ash, birch, and alder, stately specimens of which adorn
the grounds of Kirkmichael House. The substrata in
the lower part are of the red sandstone formation, and
the hills are composed of transition rock ; veins of
ironstone and ochre are found in some places, and an
attempt was made to discover coal, but without success.
The annual value of real property in the parish is
£689-4. Kirkmichael House is an elegant mansion in
the ancient manorial style, erected after a design by Mr.
Burn of Edinburgh, and pleasantly situated in grounds
tastefully laid out. There are no villages ii^the parish,
neither are any manufactures carried on. A post-office,
under that of Dumfries, has been established at a place
called Pleasance ; and facility of communication is af-
forded by the high road from Dumfries to Edinburgh,
which passes through the parish, and by statute roads
kept in good repair.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Lochmaben and synod of
Dumfries. The minister's stipend is £246. 8. 11., with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per annum ; patron,
the Duke of Buccleuch. Kirkmichael church, situated
near the south-western boundary of the parish, is a neat
cruciform structure, erected in 1815, and containing 500
sittings. The parochial school is well conducted, and
attended by about sixty children : the master has a
salary of £34, with a house and garden, and an acre
and a half of land ; and the school fees average £20 per
annum. There is also a school at Garrel, to which the
heritors voluntarily contribute a salary of £17 ; the fees
average about £18. On the bank of the Garrel burn are
the remains of the church of Garvald, which was rebuilt
in 1617, but, after the union of the parishes, was suf-
fered to fall into decay ; the cemetery is still preserved,
surrounded by a stone wall, and embellished with weep-
ing-birch trees, and others appropriate to the character
of the place. On the farm of Wood are the ruins of the
old tower of (ilenae, which, in I666, gave the title of
baronet to a branch of the family of Dalzel, afterwards
Earls of Carnwath. Part of the ancient Roman road
from Netherby, in Cumberland, to the chain of forts
between the Forth and the Clyde, may still be traced to
its termination at a fort, some remains of which arc dis-
tinctly visible in the gurden of the manse. Near the
line of this road were found, in 17H5, two vases of cop-
per, the smaller of which stood upon three feet about an
inch and a half high ; ami in 1833, a similar vase, with
a handle and a spout, and supported on three feet mea-
suring two inches and a half in height, was found in a
KIRK
KIRK
moss near the Mains of Ross. There are several circular
camps, in some of which have been discovered ashes,
broken querns, and other relics of antiquity, and in one
a brolten sword. Silver coins of Alexander III. and
James I. of Scotland, and Edward I. of England, have
also been found. The lands of Ross give the title of
Viscount to the Duke of Buccleuch.
KIRKMICHAEL, a parish and village, in the county
of Perth, 14 miles (N. W. by N.) from Blairgowrie ;
containing 1412 inhabitants, of whom 104 are in the
village. This parish, the site of which is elevated, and
the climate cold, is situated on the great military road
from Perth to Fort-George, and is in form nearly a paral-
lelogram, measuring about twenty miles in length from
north to south, and about ten miles in its greatest
breadth. It comprehends the greater part of Strath-
ardle, which is about ten miles long and between one
and two miles broad ; the whole of Glenshee, measuring
about seven miles in length and nearly a mile in breadtli ;
and a district at the lower extremity of the latter, on
the west side of the Black Water, nearly semicircular in
form, and two miles in diameter. The entire area con-
sists of upwards of 50,000 acres, of which 4400 are sup-
posed to be cultivated, 1460 to be undivided common,
700 wood, and the remainder in a natural state. At the
head of Glenshee is a hill called Beinn-Ghulbhuiun, cele-
brated as the scene of a hunt in which Diarmid, one of
the Fingalian heroes, lost his life : his grave is still
shown here, with the den of the wild boar that was the
object of the chase. The most lofty hill in the parish is
Glas-Thullachan, at the head of Glenbeg ; and the chief
lochs are Sheshernich and Loch-nan-ean, which are situ-
ated among the hills, and afford good trout-angling.
The Strathardle district is watered by the Ardle; whilst
the Glenshee and Black Water districts are watered by
the Shee, which assumes the name of Black Water in
the district so called.
Near the Ardle the soil is thin and dry, on a sandy
bed, and in general yields light crops : upon the higher
grounds, as well as in Glenshee and the district of the
Black Water, it is wet and spongy, and requires a dry
and warm season for the maturity of the crops. In the
lower parts the most improved system of husbandry is
followed ; and lime has been extensively and success-
fully applied to the land recovered from waste, amount-
ing, within a few years, to 400 acres. The huts on
most of the farms have been replaced by neat and com-
fortable houses, and the interests of agriculture have
been much promoted by the construction of good roads.
The annual value of real property in Kirkmichael is now
£7993. The parish contains the mansion-houses of
Ashintully and Woodhill, and the small village of Kirk-
michael. The inhabitants are all engaged in husbandry.
An important addition has been made to the facilities of
communication by the erection of a handsome bridge of
two arches over the Ardle, in 1840, at a cost of £500,
raised by subscription. A cattle-fair is held on the
Thursday before the October Falkirk tryst, and another
on the Thursday before the May Amulrie fair : the
farmers usually dispose of their ordinary marketable pro-
duce at Blairgowrie.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Dun-
keld, synod of Perth and Stirling, and in the patronage
of Mr. Farquharson of Invercauld. The minister's sti-
pend is £158, of which two-thirds are received from the
119
exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe of six acres and
a half valued at £10 per annum. Besides the parochial
church, the parish contains two places of worship in
connexion with the Free Church. There are also two
parochial schools, affording instruction in the usual
branches : the master of the one situated in the village
has a salary of £34, with a house enlarged in IS'SI, and
about £'20 fees ; the other master, in Glenshee, receives
a salary of £15, with £12 fees. The poor in Glenshee
enjoy a bequest of about £200 ; and of two other be-
quests, one amounts to £17 a year for educating poor
children in the parish of the name of Stewart, and the
other to £20 per annum for bursaries in any of the
Scotch universities, St. Andrew's to be preferred, for
natives of the parish, educated at the parish school, or,
in case of failure, for those of the neighbouring parish
of Moulin. On a large moor is a cairn, at one time
ninety yards in circumference and twenty-five feet high,
but now much reduced in size ; and at the distance of
about a mile north-east from this cairn are a Druidical
rocking-stone, and numerous concentric circles.
KIRKMICHAEL and CULLICUDDEN, a parish,
in the county of Ross and Cromarty, 7 miles distant
(N. N. W.) from Fortrose ; containing, with the village of
Jemimaville, and the hamlets of Balblair and Gordon-
Mills, 1549 inhabitants, of whom 1410 are in the rural
districts of the parish. This place, in some public docu-
ments called Resolis, a term implying " a sunny inclined
plain", derived its name of Kirkmichael from the dedi-
cation of its ancient church to Michael the Archangel.
It includes the parishes of St. Martin and Cullicudden,
which were annexed to the parish of Kirkmichael to-
wards the close of the seventeenth century, the whole
forming the present parish of Kirkmichael and Culli-
cudden. Few particulars of the history of the place are
recorded ; but on account of the great number of Drui-
dical circles to be found here, it must have been of some
importance. On the summit of a precipitous rock near
the shore of Cromarty Firth are the ruins of Castle-
Craig, said to have been originally built by the Urqu-
harts, barons of Cromarty, one of whose descendants
having incurred the censure of the Pope, the castle and
the lands attached to it fell to the Church, and were
bestowed upon the bishops of Ross. The castle was
the chief residence of the bishops, and the property is
said afterwards to have come into the possession of
the Williamsons, by whom it was probably sold to the
Roses of Kilraveck, owners of a considerable portion of
the Black Isle. It subsequently passed to the Gordons
of Newhall, and now forms part of the estate of J. A.
Shaw McKenzie, Esq., the principal proprietor of the
parish. Of the castle, five stories in height, nearly one-
half is still entire ; the walls are of great strength, and
the various apartments have vaulted roofs of stone. Its
spiral staircase has within the last few years been re-
moved. The roof is in a perfect state ; and the eastern
gable is defended on each side by a bastion crowned with
a turret.
The PARISH extends along the southern shore of
Cromarty Firth for about eight miles, from east to
west, and varies from three to four miles in breadth ;
comprising, exclusively of an extensive tract of common,
14,000 acres, of which nearly 4000 are arable, 1500
meadow and pasture, 350 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder moor and waste. Its surface rises
KIRK
KIRK
gradually from the Firth for almost a mile towards the
south, aud as gradually subsides into a fertile valley in-
cluding a great part of the arable land in the parish,
beyond which the ground ascends abruptly to a height
of SOO feet above the level of the sea, terminating in
the summit of Maole-Buidhe, the southern boundary of
the parish. The only stream of any importance is the
burn of Resolis, which, issuing from a small lake near
the western extremity of the parish, flows eastward
through its whole extent, driving several mills, and,
after receiving in its course a few tributaries, falling
into the Firth at the hamlet of Gordon-Mills. There are
several copious springs of excellent water in the south-
ern district ; but scarcely any are found in the northern
p&rts, the inhabitants of which are supplied from wells
dug at their own individual expense. Of a well dug by
the incumbent in 1S36, the water, both in smell and in
taste, resembles the mineral water of Strathpeffer.
In general the soil is a light black loam resting on a
subsoil of clay, easy to work, and fertile. The system
of husbandry among the smaller tenantry has made com-
paratively little progress. All the farms, except a few,
are occupied by tenants holding but from forty to fifty
acres ; and with the exception of the lands attached to
the housesof the resident proprietors, on which improve-
ments have been made, there is little either in the agricul-
tural or pastoral features of the parish deserving of no-
tice. No natural wood is to be seen, except some patches
of birch, ash, and hazel : the plantations are chiefly
Scotch and larch firs, with a few hard-wood trees ; and
the soil appears to be well adapted for both kinds of fir.
On the lands of Newhall and Poyntzfield are some fine
specimens of ash, beech, and elm, of about a hundred
years' growth ; and on the Newhall estate, and also on
the lands of Braelangwell, very extensive plantations of
Scotch fir have been cut down within the last few years.
The prevailing substrata are of the old red sandstone
formation. Coal is supposed to exist; and in I7S6 a
vein of lead-ore was found by Mr. Gordon of Newhall,
but none has since been noticed. At Cullicuddeu is a
quarry of freestone varying both in quality and in colour,
from which materials have been taken for numerous
public buildings : the best description is found at a
depth of from nine to twelve feet, all lying above that
level being more or less friable. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £3*00. Newhall House,
the seat of J. A. S. Mc Kcnzie, Esq., is a handsome man-
sion, erected about the year 180.5, and situated in a de-
mesne tastefully laid out. Poyntzfield House, an ancient
mansion with a tower surmounted by a cupola, and
seated on an eminence commanding a very extensive
prospect, is approached by an avenue of fine trees ; and
the grounds, like those of Newhall, are ornamented with
plantations of stately growth. Braelangwell House i.s
also a spacious and elegant mansion, recently erected, and
beautifully situated in a higiily-picturesquc demesne.
The village of Jcmimaville is described under its own
head. The hamlet of Gordon-Mills was erected towards
the close of the last century, by Mr. Gordon of New-
hall, from whom it takes its name, and who established
a snufT-mill, which has, however, long been discontinued,
the premises being now occupied as a mill for carding
wool. The small hamlet of Balbluir consists of a few
rustic cottages. Near Braelangwell is a distillery for
whisky. Many of the poorer females in the parisli are
120
employed in the spinning of linen-yarn for the manu-
facturers of Cromarty ; and of the males some few are
engaged in the salmon-fishery in the Firth, in which
they use stake-nets. Cockles and muscles are found Iq
abundance ; and in August, considerable quantities of
cuddie fish are taken ; and sometimes herrings. Fairs
are held annually at the village of Jemimaville ; and
facility of communication is maintained by the roads
from Fort-George to Invergordon, and from Cromarty
to Dingwall, both which pass through the parish. Eccle-
siastically the parish is within the limits of the presbytery
of Chanonry and synod of Ross. The minister's stipend
is £219- 6. 7-, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10
per annum ; patron, Mr. Mc Kenzie. The church, erected
in 1764, and enlarged and greatly improved in 1839, is
a neat plain structure in the early English style of archi-
tecture, containing 7OO sittings. The parochial school
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £30, with a
house and garden, and the fees average £10 per annum.
Some portions of the ancient churches of St. Martin and
Cullicudden still remain, consisting chiefly of the gables.
In opening a barrow on the farm of Woodhead, about
thirty or forty years since, a sarcophagus of rudely-
formed slabs w as found, containing human bones of large
size, which, when exposed to the air, crumbled into dust
An earthen urn of very antique character has been met
with in a tumulus near Jemimaville. On the glebe was
discovered the foundation of an ancient Picts' house ;
and near it, a vessel of stone in the form of a cup, about
four inches in diameter, was found by the incumbent, in
trenching a patch of moorland.
KIRKMUIRHILL, a village, in the parish of Les-
MAHAGow, Upper ward of the county of Lanark, 5 miles
(E.) from Lanark; containing 242 inhabitants. This
village lies in the northern part of the parish, and on the
road from Lesmahagow to Hamilton, at its junction with
that from Lanark to Strathaven. The population is
partly engaged in hand-loom weaving for the manufac-
turers of the district, and partly in agriculture.
KIRKNEWTON and EAST CALDER, a parish, in
the county of Edinburgh, 10| miles (W. S. W.) from
Edinburgh; containing 1441 inhabitants, of whom 289
are in the village of Kirknewton, and 419 in that of East
Calder. These two ancient parishes were united about
the year 17r)0, on the erection of the present church.
The parish is bounded <m the north by the river Almond,
on the south by the Water of Leith ; and is about six
miles in length and four miles in breadth. Its surface
is comparatively level towards the north, but rises to-
wards the south to a very considerable elevation, by a
succession of three terraces, of which the lowest is tra-
versed by the road to Glasgow, the highest by the road
to Lanark, and the central forms the site of the church
and village of Kirknewton. The lands are watered by
numerous streamlets, intersecting the parish in various
directions ; and there are several springs of excellent
water, but none of them possessing any mineral qualities.
About two-thirds of the land are arable and in good cul-
tivation, about Goo acres woodland and plantations, aud
the remainder meadow and permanent ()asturc. The
soil of the arable land, which lies chiefly in the northern
portion of the parish, is generally a light free mould, with
alternations of clay j and the hills, chiefly in the southern
portion, alford excellent pasture for sheep and cattle.
The crops are wheat, oats, barley, peas, beans, potatoes,
KIRK
KIRK
and turnips. The system of husbandry is greatly ad-
vanced ; the lands have been partly drained and inclosed,
and all the more recent improvements in the construction
of agricultural implements have been adopted. Consi-
derable attention is paid to the dairy-farms, and great
quantities of cheese and butter are sent to Edinburgh,
where a ready market is obtained. The cattle are chiefly
of the Teeswater and Ayrshire breeds, of which latter are
the cows on the dairy-farms ; the sheep are of the black-
faced, Leicestershire, and Cheviot breeds. The planta-
tions are extensive, and generally in a thriving state,
consisting of Scotch, spruce, and silver firs, with elm,
beech, sycamore, and chesnut : there are some fine spe-
cimens in Hatton Park, an estate partly within the pa-
rish. The principal substrata are sandstone and lime-
stone, both of which are quarried to a considerable
extent. On the lands of Ormiston, a seam of coal has
been discovered by boring, but no mine opened ; and on
the lands of the Earl of Morton is a seam twenty inches
in thickness, but not of qualify sufficient to encourage
the working of it. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £5485.
The seats are Linnburn, Hillhouse, Meadowbank, Or-
miston Hill, and Calderhall. The village of Kirknewton,
situated a little eastward of the church, consists chiefly
of luimerous detached cottages with gardens : the village
of East Calder, on the road from Edinburgh to Glasgow,
forms a considerable range of houses on both sides of
the road, with gardens in the rear. Both villages are
neatly built ; they contain shops amply supplied with
the various articles of merchandise requisite for general
use, and are inhabited by persons exercising the usual
handicraft trades. On the north side of the Glasgow
road is the hamlet of Wilkieston, containing eighty-one
inhabitants. A post-office in the village of Kirknewton
has two deliveries daily ; and facility of intercourse is
maintained by the turnpike-roads from Edinburgh to
Glasgow and to Lanark, and by the Caledonian railway.
The railway quits the parish by a viaduct over the Lin-
house water, consisting of six arches, each sixty feet in
span : the erection is of white freestone, and elevated
more than 100 feet above the level of the stream. Eccle-
siastically the parish is in the presbytery of Edinburgh
and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The minister's
stipend is £282. 16. 1 1., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £20 per annum j alternate patrons, the Duke of Buc-
cleuch and the Earl of Morton. Kirknewton and East
Calder church is a plain substantial structure, containing
430 sittings, and conveniently situated nearly in the cen-
tre of the northern part of the parish. There are some
remains of the ancient churches of East Calder and Kirk-
newton, the churchyards of which are still used as places
of interment. The United Presbyterian Church have a
meeting-house. The parochial school affords instruction
to about eighty children ; the master has a salary of
£34, with a house and garden, and the fees average £40
per annum. At East Calder is a private school, built
originally by subscription ; and in the parish are schools
for females, who receive instruction in the branches pecu-
liar to their sex. Among the distinguished persons con-
nected with the parish have been, the eminent physician.
Dr. Cullen, proprietor of Ormiston Hill, and his son,
Robert Cullen, Esq., a senator of the college of justice,
the remains of both of whom are interred in the church-
yard of Kirknewton ; and Allan Maconochie, Esq., pro-
VoL. H.— 121
prietor of Meadowbank, from which he took his title of
Lord Meadowbank when appointed lord commissioner of
justiciary. The lands of Morton, in the parish, give the
title of Earl to the family of Douglas.
KIRKOSWALD, a parish, in the district of Cak-
RiCK, county of Ayr, 4 miles (W. S. W.) from Maybole ;
containing, with the village of Mardcns, 20S0 inhabit-
ants. The name of this place is derived from Oswald,
a Northumbrian king, who built a church here, in grati-
tude, it is said, for a victory he had obtained. An abbey
called Cross-Regal, or Crossraguel, was founded at a
later period for monks of the Cluniac order : the last
abbot was Quintin Kennedy, brother to the Earl of Cas-
silis. The building still remains, about two miles cast of
the village ; and being the most entire abbey in the west
of Scotland, it is preserved with the greatest care. From
this institution the celebrated George Buchanan received
£500 (Scots) yearly, on which account he denominated
himself Pensionarius de Crosragmol. Both the tempo-
ralities and the spiritualities of the abbey were annexed
to the bishopric of Dunblane by James VL, in I617.
This parish was also formerly remarkable as containing
the ancient castle of Turnberry, the seat of the Earls of
Carrick, and which was held in the year 1306 by an
English garrison under Percy ; it was afterwards stormed
by Robert Bruce, and the structure was thus greatly de-
solated by the contending parties.
The PARISH is situated in the district of Carrick, and
on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean ; it is six miles in
length from north to south, and comprises about 13,850
acres, of which 9350 are arable, 650 pasture, and the rest
in wood. Kirkoswald is skirted nearly for its whole
length by a fine sandy beach, and the shore is covered
with verdure almost to the margin. The surface is hilly :
but the eminences, of which Mochrnm and Craigdow are
the most considerable, do not attain any great height.
From every part of the coast are interesting and beau-
tiful prospects, comprehending the Firth of Clyde, with
the rock of Ailsa, the islands of Bute and Arran, and the
coast of Ireland. There are two lochs, each about thirty
acres in extent ; and numerous small streams traverse
the parish in different directions. The whole of the lands
are under tillage, with the exception of the summits of
the two highest hills, several tracts of moss, and the
plantations. Wheat is grown in considerable quantities,
and a little barley ; but the principal grain is oats, the
crops of which are of very superior quality. Dairy-
farming receives much attention, and the produce is
chiefly cheese, disposed of at the Glasgow market : to
that city also, and to Ayr, many cattle and sheep are
sent for sale, having been fattened on turnips. Draining
is extensively carried on ; and three works are esta-
blished here, producing yearly about 1,000,000 draining-
tiles. Sandstone is the prevaihng rock ; and coal is
obtained at Dulzellowlie, to the value of about £1750 per
annum, thirty persons being generally employed in rais-
ing it. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £10,556. Culzean Castle, the seat of the Marquess of
Ailsa, was built by David, Earl of Cassilis, in the year
1777, and is surrounded by about 700 acres of park and
pleasure-grounds, interspersed with thriving plantations.
It is a splendid pile, situated on a rock projecting a little
into the sea, and commanding a beautiful view of the
Firth of Clyde : a little below are the gardens of the
old house of Culzean, formed on three terraces cut out
R
KIRK
KIRK
of a rock, and kept in fine order. The village has about
300 inhabitants, who, with the rest of the population,
are chiefly agricultural : a few persons are employed as
cotton-weavers, obtaining work from Maybole, Girvan,
and Glasgow ; and many females procure flowering-
webs from the same places. The agricultural produce
is chiefly sent to Glasgow, from the ports of Ayr and
Girvan, especially from the latter place, seven miles dis-
tant, to which large quantities of potatoes are forwarded,
as well as wheat and oatmeal. There is a regular fish-
ing-station ; and besides various kinds of shell-fish, many
plaice, haddock, turbot, cod, salmon, and herrings are
taken, valued at about £360 per annum. The public
road from Glasgow to Portpatrick runs through the
parish, and steam-vessels are constantly passing.
Kirkoswald is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of
Aj'r, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage
of the Crown: the minister's stipend is £213, with a
manse, and a glebe of four acres and three-quarters,
valued at £6 per annum. A church was erected here
by David I., in the twelfth century, on the decay of that
of Oswald ; the present edifice, a neat structure, was
built in 1777. The parochial school affords instruction
in the usual branches ; the master has a salary of £30,
with £40 fees. There is also a school endowed by the
Kilkerran family, with accommodations and £12 per
annum for a master. The most striking and interesting
remains of antiquity in the parish, the ruins of the
monastery, stand in the middle of an area of eight acres
of ground called the Abbot's Yard, or the Precinct of
Crossraguel, and consist of the side-walls of the church
and choir to the height of fourteen feet. Towards the
east is the niche formerly containing the principal altar ;
and on the right are the vestry and the abbot's court-
room, handsomely arched ; besides which there are
several vaults and cells, of fine dressed stone. At the
east end of the abbey is the ruin of the abbots' original
house, and on the west are the remains of the last man-
sion they inhabited. The ruins of the old castle of
Turnberry are still to be seen, occupying a promontory
on the barony of the same name ; and about half a mile
to the south-east of Culzean is the castle of Thomaston,
built, according to tradition, in 1335, by a nephew of
Robert Bruce : it was inhabited towards the close of the
last century. Near Culzean Castle are some caves, six
in number, supposed to have been originally designed
for the celebration of worship. The parish contains also
the remains of a vitrified fort, or Phoenician place of wor-
ship dedicated to the sun, a Druidical temple, and numerous
tumuli, cairns, and vestiges of encampments.
KIRKOWEN, or Kirkowan, a parish, in the county
of Wigtown ; containing, with the hamlet of Kiltersan,
1423 inhabitants, of wh(mi 607 arc in the village of
Kirkowan, 6 miles (S. \V. by. W) from Newton-.Stewart.
This place, which derives its name from the dedication
of its church to St. Owen, of whose history few particu-
lars are recorded, anciently formed part of the adjacent
parish of Kirkinner, from which it appears to have been
separated about the time of the Keformation. The
parish is bounded on the east by the river Hladenoch,
and on the west by the river Tarf. It is about fifteen
miles in length, and varies from less than two miles to
nearly seven in breadth, comprising .'jO,.'').SO acres, of
w-hich 7000 arc arable, 300 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder meadow, pasture, and waste. The
122
surface is diversified with numerous hills, few of which,
however, attain any considerable degree of elevation,
and with large tracts of moor, interspersed with patches
of arable land of moderate fertility and in a tolerable
state of cultivation. The principal rivers are the Blade-
noch and the Tarf. Of these, the former has its source
in Loch Maebearie, in the north, and flowing in a south-
ern direction, separates the parish from that of Penning-
hame : on quitting Kirkowen, it changes its course to
the east, and runs into the bay of Wigtown. The Tarf,
which rises on the southern confines of Ayrshire, bounds
the parish for some miles in a beautifully-winding course,
and, afterwards altering its direction, intersects the
south-eastern portion of the parish, and flows eastward
into the Bladenoch near the church. There are several
lakes ; the most extensive is Loch Maebearie, about a
mile and a quarter in length, and half a mile in breadth.
Nearly in the centre of the parish, and within a mile of
the Tarf, is a continuous chain of three lakes, connected
with each other by rivulets, and extending a mile and a
half in length. Salmon, trout, pike, and eels are found
in the rivers and lakes, but not in great abundance.
In the north-west district the soil of the arable lands
is cold and thin, but in the south-east of richer quality,
light and dry, and, under good management, producing
excellent crops of grain, chiefly oats and barley. The
system of husbandry is much improved : the lands
have been drained and inclosed ; the farm-buildings are
generally substantial and commodious, and most of the
improvements in the construction of agricultural im-
plements have been adopted. On the hills is good
pasturage for sheep, of which about 9000 are kept, prin-
cipally of the black-faced breed ; they are much prized
for the fineness of their fleece, and about 1200 stone of
wool are annually sold, producing an income of £900.
The cattle are all of the pure Galloway breed, and are
usually disposed of when two years old to dealers from
Dumfries, whence they are sent southwards, and, after
a year's pasture in England, sold in the London market,
where they are in great estimation. The plantations are
in general under careful management and in a thriving
state. In this parish the substrata are greywacke and
clayslate, and large boulders of granite are found in
several parts : the granite, which is of good quality, is
hewn into blocks for lintels, door-posts, and other pur-
poses in which strength or ornament is required. There
is also a quarry of stone, of good quality for building,
at no great distance from the village. A vein of slate
was discovered on the Culvennan hill, and was for a
time in operation ; but the (juality was not such as to
render the working of the C|uarry desirable. The annual
value of real property in the parish of Kirkowen is re-
turned at £.5393.
Crniglaw Mouse, an ancient mansion finely situated
in a wcU-plantcd demesne, is the principal seat. The
village stands on the road to Wigtown, and near the
river Tarf, on which a mill was erected in 1822 for the
manufacture of woollen clothes, affording employment
to about seventy persons ; the articles made are blankets,
plaidings, flannels, and plain and pilot cloths, for the
dyeing and dressing of which the water of the Tarf,
from its peculiar softness, is well adapted. A i)ost-onice
has been established under that of Newton-.Stewart.
There are several handicraft trades carried on for the
accommodation of the district, and some shops in the
KIRK
KIRK
village for the sale of various kinds of merchandise.
Four annual fairs were formerly held here. Facility of
communication is maintained by the roads to Wigtown
and Portpatrick, which pass through the parish, and by
bridges over the rivers. Ecclesiastically the parish is
within the bounds of the presbytery of Wigtown and
synod of Galloway. The minister's stipend is £29^. 11.
8., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £6 per annum ;
patrons, the family of Agnew of Sheuchan. Kirkowen
church, erected in the year ISSQ, is a neat substantial
structure, with a tower, and is conveniently situated in
the village. A congregation of dissenters assembles for
public worship in an old barn which has been fitted up
for the purpose. The parochial school is well conducted ;
the master has a salary of £25. 13., with a house and
garden, and the fees average about £30 per annum.
There are some remains of the ancient castle of Mindork,
in the south-western portion of the parish ; but nothing
of its history is recorded.
KIRKPATRICK-DURHAM, a parish, in the stew-
artry of Kirkcudbright ; containing, with part of
the village of Crocketford, 1484 inhabitants, of whom
500 are in the village of Kirkpatrick-Durham, b^ miles
(N. N. E.) from Castle- Douglas. This place derives its
name from the dedication of its church to St. Patrick :
the adjunct Durham, distinguishing it from other
places of the name of Kirkpatrick, arose from the dry
and barren nature of the district in which the parish is
situated. On account of its secluded position in the
interior of the county, it does not appear to have been
connected with any events of political importance ; and
few particulars of its early history are recorded. In
various parts are found remains of circular walls and
mounds, called moats ; but from their general character,
they seem to have been intended merely as places of
security for cattle during the frequent ravages of the
border warfare. The parish is bounded on the west
by the river Urr, and is about ten miles in length from
north to south, and nearly four miles in extreme breadth,
comprising 20,000 acres, of which 8000 are arable, 500
woodland and plantations, and the remainder hill pas-
ture, moorland, and waste. Its surface, though not
mountainous, rises gradually towards the north, and is
diversified with cragged hills of considerable elevation,
mostly covered with heath, and affording pasturage for
sheep and cattle ; the moors in this part of the parish
abound with game of every variety, and are much fre-
quented during the shooting season. In the southern
districts the surface is comparatively level, subsiding
by degrees into gentle declivities, and better adapted
for agricultural purposes. The river Urr has its source
in Loch Urr, on the western confines of the county of
Dumfries, and flowing southward through a romantic
valley, falls into the Solway Firth about ten miles below
the southern extremity of the parish. The salmon-
fishery on this river was formerly very considerable ;
but from the extensive use of stake-nets near the mouth,
and from various other causes, it has within the last few
years been greatly injured, and very few salmon are now
obtained. The river is much frequented, however, in
the month of August, by the herling, a small fish of the
salmon kind, known in some rivers as the whitling.
There are two or three lochs of inconsiderable size, one
of which abounds with trout ; and various small burns
flow through the lauds into the river Urr.
123
In the lower lands the soil is tolerably good, and,
though thin and sandy, is, under proper management,
rendered productive, yielding favourable crojis of grain :
there are, too, some tracts of old pasture, which, when
brought under cultivation, are luxuriantly fertile. The
system of husbandry has been progressively advancing,
and is at present quite on a par with what is pursued in
the adjacent districts ; but upon the whole, the ])arish
is rather of a pastoral than an agricultural character,
and the farmers rely chiefly on the rearing of l)lack-
cattle and sheep, of which large numbers are sent to
Dumfries, Castle-Douglas, and Liverpool. There are some
small remains of ancient wood to be seen on the lands
of Kilquhanity and Kirk-le-Bride. The plantations are
tolerably extensive, and consist of the usual hard-wood
trees, largely interspersed with larch-firs to protect
them from the severity of the winds : they are gene-
rally in a thriving state. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Kirkpatrick-Durham is returned at £"234.
Handsome mansions are numerous : Brooklands, Chip-
perkyle, Croyes, Doonpark, Durhamhill, Kilquhanity,
and Walton Park are all of them good houses, pleasantly
situated in grounds tastefully laid out, and embellished
with plantations. The village of Kirkpatrick-Durham is
about a mile and a half from Bridge-of-Urr. An attempt
was made some years since to establish the cotton and
woollen manufactures on a small scale, and was for a
time attended with success ; but they have both been
discontinued, and there is no manufacture of any kind
carried on here at present. Some of the inhabitants
are employed in the usual handicraft trades, and there
are several good shops for the supply of the district.
A post-office, which has a daily delivery, is established
in the village ; and a fair is held annually on the Thurs-
day after the 17th of March (O. S.), chiefly for plants and
garden-seeds ; but it is not much frequented. Races
are held at the period of the fair, which were for a time
numerously attended, but are now of little consequence.
Facility of communication is maintained by the road
from the village to Castle-Douglas, by the great road
from Dumfries to Portpatrick, and by others which in-
tersect the parish : there are good bridges over the river
Urr and its tributaries. About a mile and a half south-
ward of the village is the pleasingly-rural hamlet called
Bridge-of-Urr, containing about fifty inhabitants. The
village of Crocketford, of which part only is situated
within the parish, is described under its own head.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery and synod of Dumfries. The minister's
stipend is about £270, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £10. 16. per annum; patron, the Crown. Kirk-
patrick church, erected in 1748, and enlarged by the
addition of an aisle in 1797, is a plain structure near
the southern extremity of the parish, containing 374
sittings. A Free church has been erected. There are
two parochial schools in the parish : the master of the
principal school, in the village, has a salary of £31. 6.,
with a house and garden, to which is added the interest
of a bequest of £270 for the gratuitous instruction of
poor children ; and the school fees average about £30
per annum. The master of the other school has a salary
of £16. 10., with fees averaging £10. On the lands of
Doonpark are some slight remains of an ancient moat,
near which were found, a few years since, some frag-
ments of old armour ; and on the lands of Areeming are
R2
KIRK
KIRK
the foundations of a church, from which the adjoining
farm received the appellation of Kirk-le-Bride. In va-
rious parts are the remains of other moats or mounds,
of circular form, and apparently constructed for pur-
poses of defence, or as places of security for cattle.
KIRKPATRICK-FLEMING, a parish, in the county
of Dumfries, 6 miles (E. N. E.) from the town of Annan ;
containing, with the hamlet of Newton, and the village
of Fairyhall with Hollee, 1692 inhabitants. This parish
derives its appellation from the celebrated Irish saint,
Patrick ; Fleming, the name of the ancient lord of the
manor, having been added, to distinguish it from other
parishes called Kirkpatritk. On account of its situation
near the border, it was formerly the arena of many san-
guinary conflicts ; and the numerous towers still remain-
ing in the vicinity testify the active warfare to which its
position exposed it. The family of Fleming, who were
very conspicuous in the thirteenth and fourteenth cen-
turies, held certain lands here by the tenure of defend-
ing them at all times against the English. Their chief
seat and castle was at i?e(/-//n?/, where, towards the con-
clusion of the reign of John Baliol, thirty of their fol-
lowers were besieged by an English force at the time of
one of Edward's incursions into Scotland, and, after
bravely defending their post for three days, chose rather
to perish in the flames kindled around the castle by the
enemy, than to submit to capture. This castle, as well
as another at Holm- Head, the property of the Flemings,
has entirely disappeared; but a third, at Stone-house,
also formerly possessed by the family, and now the pro-
perty of the Earl of Mansfield, is still partly standing in
the neighbourhood.
The old Tower of fVoodhouse, said to have been the
first house in Scotland to which Robert Bruce came,
when fleeing from Edward Longshanks, also remains.
It was then possessed by the Irvines, one of whom Bruce
took into his service ; and after having made him his
secretary, he knighted him, and in reward for his fidelity
and services, presented him with the lands of the forest
of Drum, in the north of Scotland. Near this tower, a
little northward, stands the cross of Merkland, an oc-
tagonal stone pillar nine feet high, and elegantly sculp-
tured. The time and occasion of its erection are doubt-
ful J but it is supposed by some to have been raised to
perpetuate the memory of the murder of IMaxwell, mas-
ter-warden of the marches, who was stabbed on this
spot by a man of the name of Gas, from the ])arish of
Cummertrees, in revenge for a sentence which Ma.xwell
had passed upon a cousin of his. The particulars are
these. Ma.\well, just before the murder, had been in
pursuit of the Duke of Albany and tlie Earl of Douglas,
who for some time had been exiles in England, but who,
making an incursion into their native land in 1483,
pioceeded to Loclimaben, and plundered the market
there, in order to try the disposition of tlicir countrymen
towards them. He came up with their forces at Burns-
wark, from which place an action was fought as far as
Kirkconnol, when Douglas was taken prisoner, but the
duke contrived to make his escape. Maxwell, having
recovered the booty, and obtained a victory, was leisurely
pursuing the remnant of the iiostile army, and resting
from his weariness through marching anil fighting, when
he fell by the clandestine attack of his malicious foe.
The cross that surmounts the pillar is composed of three
fleurs-de-lis, and, according to a tradition long current in
the district, commemorates the spot where a chief of the
border family of Carruthers was slain, nearly in the
manner above described, when retreating after the defeat
of Solway Moss. The three fleurs-de-lis composing the
cross, being the armorial bearings of the Carruthers fa-
mily, give a greater air of probability to this tradition.
The present parish comprehends the old parish of
Kirkconnel, which is said to have derived its name from
Connel, a saint who flourished at the commencement of
the seventh century ; and within the burial-ground of
Kirkconnel there still remains a part of the ancient
church. The parish is about six miles long and three
broad, and contains 11, ,5*5 acres. It is bounded on the
north and north-west by the parish of Middlebie, on the
east and north-east by Halfmorton, on the south and
south-east by Graitney, and on the west and south-west
by the parishes of Annan and Dornock. The surface
consists of a succession of gentle undulations and fertile
vales, in the latter of which are cultivated fields inclosed
by fine hedge-rows, or ornamented with thriving planta-
tions. The Kirtle, the only river, runs through a ro-
mantic vale ; the banks are covered with rich clusters
of natural wood, and adorned with plantations, gentle-
men's seats, and ancient towers. It contains trout, eels,
and perch ; and after a course of about eighteen miles
from its source in the parish of Middlebie, it falls into
the Solway to the east of Redkirk, in Graitney.
The SOIL in some parts is light, resting upon gravel,
sand, or rock. In other places it consists of a deep
strong earth, of a red cast, and mixed with a considerable
proportion of sand ; and this description of soil, with
slight variations, and lying upon a subsoil sometimes
of clay and sometimes of gravel, is the prevailing kind
in the southern part. Large portions of the parish are
mossy land, varying in depth from six to eighteen Inches,
and resting upon a bed of clay. The clay found as a
subsoil under ridges, peat-mosses, and soft bogs, is ge-
nerally white, blue, or red. There is also in the parish
a portion of the land called whitestoiie land, which, though
naturally barren, is capable of some degree of improve-
ment. About S060 acres are cultivated or occasionally
in tillage ; 2009 are in coarse pasture ; 900 are wet moss ;
and 605 are occupied by wood. Much of the land now
waste is considered capable of profitable cultivation.
All kinds of grain and green crops are produced, and of
good quality : of the latter, turnips and potatoes are the
most abundant, and the grain is principally barley and
oats. An immense number of swine are kept ; and fat-
tened, to a great extent, upon potatoes. The best method
of husbandry Is understood and practised ; farm-dung
is used as manure, and lime is procured from several
neighljouring places. Great advances have been made
in the draining of morasses, and the conversnm of moors
into good arable land. The houses, also, have under-
gone an entire change within the last thirty or forty
years, the mud and clay huts covered witli tliatch having
been disi)laced by neat and convenient buildings of stone
and lime, roofed with slate. The rocks in tlie ])arish
are |)rlnclpally of the sandstone formation, and are found
of various colours ; Init those that prevail most are a
dark-red and white, which are exceedingly hard and du-
rable, and admit of a fine polish. There Is also excel-
lent limestone. The annual value of real ])roperty in
Kirkpatrick-Flcming Is £'()'.i^i. The mansions are,
Springkcll, the seat of Sir John Heron Ma.vwell, a re-
KIRK
KIRK
markably elegant building in the Grecian style ; Moss-
knowe, the residence of Col. Graiiain, enriched with fine
plantations and gardens ; Langshaw ; Wyesbie ; Cove ;
and Broatshoiise. The population are principally em-
ployed in agriculture, the only manufacture being that
of cotton, which is carried on by about 1 50 weavers em-
ployed by a house in Carlisle. The road from Carlisle
to Glasgow and to Edinburgh, by MoEfat, passes for five
miles through the middle of the parish, and in the western
corner crosses a road which runs from Annan to Edin-
burgh, by Langholm and Selkirk, in a northern direc-
tion. Four bridges have been thrown over the Kirtle,
and there are one or two in other parts : all of these, as
well as the roads, are in good repair. Great facility of
intercourse is also afforded by the Caledonian railway,
which has a noble viaduct across the Kirtle ; it after-
wards runs along the ridge of the east bank of the river,
and passing by the Kirkpatrick station on the line, quits
the parish for the adjoining parish of Graitney.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposBS the parish is in the
presbytery of Annan and synod of Dumfries ; patrons,
alternately. Sir John Heron Maxwell and Colonel Gra-
ham. The stipend of the minister is £226, with a good
manse, and a glebe of about twenty-four acres, worth
£25 a year. Kirkpatrick church, a plain edifice, was
partly rebuilt about the year 1780, and was thoroughly
repaired in 1835; it is capable of accommodating SOO
persons. In the churchyard lie interred the remains of
several members of the Coultharts of Coulthart, chiefs
of their name, who in the last century possessed con-
siderable property in the parish. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship. There are two
parochial schools : the master of the Kirkpatrick school
receives a salary of £'25. 13., with about £30 fees, and
£5 from a bequest by Dr. Graham, of Mossknowe, for
instructingeight poor children gratuitously. The master
of the Gair school receives the same amount of salary as
the other master, with £23 in fees ; and both masters
have the allowance of house and garden. The usual
branches of education are taught ; in addition to which,
at the Kirkpatrick school, instruction is given in the
classics, mathematics, and French. A parochial library
and a savings' bank have been established. In the
burial-ground of Kirkconnel are still to be seen the
tombstones of " Fair Helen" and her favourite lover,
Adam Fleming. A rival of Fleming's having unsuccess-
fully courted Helen, vowed revenge, and soon found an
opportunity to attempt his purpose. Seeing the lovers
walking together on the banks of the Kirtle, he was
about to take the threatened revenge on Fleming ; but
being observed by Helen in the midst of the bushes, she
rushed to her lover's bosom to rescue him from the
danger, and received the fatal wound herself and expired.
Fleming immediately despatched the murderer on the
spot, and afterwards went abroad to serve under Spain
against the Infidels, in the hope of wearing out the im-
pressions of his love and grief. He soon returned,
however, and stretching himself on Helen's grave, ex-
pired, and was buried by her side. Upon the tombstone
are engraven a sword and a cross, with the inscription.
Hie jacet Adam Fleming. The Scotch ballad so well
known, describing the murder, is said to have been
written in Spain by Fleming himself. Not far from
Cove, a piece of gold worth £12 was found about a
century ago, eighteen inches under ground : on one end,
125
the word Helenus was stamped in Roman capitals.
There are three chalybeate springs in the parish, nearly
alike in qualitj', and also one of a strong sulphureous
nature, highly celebrated in scrofulous and scorbutic
cases, and which Sir Humphrey Davy considered to
possess properties similar to those of the Moffat well.
The late eminent physician, Dr. James Currie, was born
here in the year 1756. He was the author of yi Com-
mercial ami Political Letter to Mr. Pitt, published under
the assumed name of Jasper Wilson, in 1/93, and which
excited much attention, and passed through several edi-
tions. He also published a Life of Burns. This was
likewise the birthplace of the late Rev. Mr. Stewart,
of Erskine, so famous for the cure of consumption.
KIRKPATRICK-IRON GRAY, a parish, in the stew-
artry of Kirkcudbright, 5 miles (W. N. W.) from
Dumfries ; containing, with the village of Shawhead, 927
inhabitants. This parish derives the adjunct Irongray,
by which it is distinguished from other parishes of the
same name in this part of the country, from the lands
on which its ancient church was erected. It is bounded
on the north by the river Cluden, which separates it
from the county of Dumfries ; and is about nine miles
in length, and from one mile to four miles in breadth,
comprising nearly 14,500 acres, of which 7125 are
arable, 2114 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
rough pasture and waste. In the eastern portion of the
parish the surface is almost a level plain. Towards the
centre the land rises into bold undulations, forming
part of a ridge of hills that intersect the county ; the
summits are richly wooded, and the acclivities in the
highest state of cultivation. Of these hills the most
conspicuous are the Bishop's Forest and Glenbennan,
which have an elevation of 1500 feet above the level of
the sea, and command extensive and diversified pros-
pects, embracing portions of Nithsdale and Annandale,
the Solway Firth, and the hills of Cumberland. The
only river strictly belonging to the parish is the Auld
Water, which has its source on the confines of Kirk-
patrick-Durham,and after flowing for some miles through
this parish in an eastern course, curves towards the
north, and falls into the Cairn, which, afterwards taking
the name of the Cluden, forms a boundary of the parish.
The Auld Water, near its influx into the Cairn, makes a
small but picturesque cascade of two falls, the upper one
twenty feet in height ; and near the lower fall is a ro-
mantic bridge of one arch, which, from the noise of the
water, has obtained the appellation of the Routing Bridge.
The river abounds with trout and par, and, during the
season, with grilse.
In some parts the soil is of a light and sandy quality,
alternated with gravel, and in others a mixture of clay,
with tracts of rich alluvial soil near the shores of the
rivers ; the crops are oats, barley, and wheat, with po-
tatoes and turnips, and the various grasses. The system
of husbandry is improved : the lands are inclosed, and
the fences kept in good order ; considerable quantities
of waste have been brought under cultivation, and the
farm houses and buildings are substantial and commo-
dious. Great attention is paid to the improvement of
live stock ; the cattle are principally of the Galloway
breed, and, instead of being sold as formerly to drovers,
are fattened by the farmers at home for the markets, to
which they are forwarded by steam-boats. The sheep
are of the native breed, partaking of the Galloway kind.
KIRK
KIRK
Horses of the Clydesdale breed are reared in considerable
numbers ; and large numbers of pigs, forming a staple
commodity, are sent to the market of Dumfries. In
this parish the substrata are, whinstone, of which the
rocks are generally composed, slate, freestone, and pud-
dingstone : an attempt was made to discover coal, but
without success. The annual value of real property in
Kirkpatrick-Irongray is £6'206. The Grove is a hand-
some mansion in the castellated style, with a tower
rising from the south entrance ; Drumpark is also a
handsome residence. The village of Shawhead consists
chiefly of a few cottages and a small ale-house. Facility
of communication is afforded by good roads and bridges.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery and synod of Dumfries : the
minister's stipend is £231. 6. 2., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £25 per annum ; patron, James Oswald,
Esq., of Auchencruive. Kirkpatrick church, built in
1803, and situated on the bank of the river Cluden, is a
neat structure containing 400 sittings. The members of
the Free Church have a place of worship. There are
two parochial schools, one of which is in the village of
Shawhead ; the masters have each a salary of £25. 13. 7-,
with a house and garden, and the fees average about
£15 each annually. A parochial library has been esta-
blished, and contains about 200 volumes. The poor
have bequests yielding £23 per annum. In this parish,
about four miles from the church, are the Communion
Stones, where the Covenanters used to celebrate the
sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Helen Walker, whose
history is recorded by Sir Walter Scott in his Heart of
Mid Lothian under the name of " Jeanie Deans", was a
native of the parish ; and a stone to her memory was
erected here by Sir Walter.
KIRKPATRICK-JUXTA, a parish, in the county of
Dumfries, S\ miles (S.) from Moffat ; containing, with
the village of Craigielands, 934 inhabitants. The ancient
name of this parish was A'i/-patrick, the prefix of which
is of the same signification as that of A'irAr-patrick.
The suffix juita has been added to distinguish the place
from several other places of the same name, which are
more remote from the capital of Scotland. All the Kirk-
patricks appear to have received their common desig-
nation from the celebrated saint, Patrick. This locality
was formerly the residence of Randolph, Earl of Murray,
regent of Scotland during the minority of David Bruce:
the earl possessed the old castle of Achincass, in the
parish. The well-known family of Johnstone of Core-
head occupied the tower of Lochhouse. The parish is
irregular in form, but may be considered as of the mean
length of six miles, and of about the same breadth. It
contains 21,000 acres, and is bounded on the north and
east by Wamphray and Moffat parishes, on the north-
west and west by Crawford and Closeburn, and on the
south by Johnstone parish. The lands of White-holm,
in the parish, belong to the shire of Lanark. The general
appearance of the district is bleak and hilly : the surface
on the west consists of the mountain range of tiueens-
berry ; and two or three miles to the east of this, is a
parallel range, between which and Qucensberry lies the
pastoral valley of Kinnel Water. Between the second
range of hills and tlie river Annan, which washes the
ea.stcrn botmdary of the parish, is a tract of land nearly
two miles broad and eight miles long, consisting of hill
and valley, chiefly arable, and constituting the best part
126
of the parish. A small portion of this land, however, is
rocky, and some of it peat-moss ; another portion has
been reclaimed from waste moor. The highest part of
the parish is the mountain of Qucensberry, the summit
of which is 2140 feet above the level of the sea. The
Annan, the Kinnel, the Evan, and the Garpel arc the
streams connected with the parish : the Annan divides
it from Moffat, and after a course of about thirty miles,
in which it receives several tributary waters, falls into
the Solway Firth near the royal burgh of Annan.
The soil in general is dry, and tolerably fertile; the
richest and best cultivated lies in the eastern quarter of
the parish. About 7000 acres are in tillage ; 230 are in
woods or plantations, of Scotch fir, oak, beech, elm, ash,
and spruce ; and 14,000 are uncultivated, 2000 of which,
however, are supposed capable of tillage, or fit for plan-
tations. The cattle are chiefly of the Galloway breed ;
and the sheep pastured here consist of the native
black-faced, with some Cheviots. The improvements in
agriculture in the parish, during the present century,
have been considerable. Formerly it was almost entirely
destitute of inclosures, but this deficiency has been to
some extent remedied. Draining, manuring, and the
raising of green crops have each received attention ; and
the use of bone-dust manure for turnip land, and the
practice of letting sheep eat-off the turnip crops, are
two of the most approved usages of modern husbandry
adopted here. The farm houses and offices are in a state
of progressive improvement throughout the parish, much
attention being paid to the neatness of the buildings,
most of which are constructed of stone and lime, and
roofed with slate. The improvement also of the cattle,
and of the breeds of sheep, has been very considerable.
In this parish the rocks consist of freestone, trap, and
greywacke or bluestone, which last is much used for
common buildings. The annual value of real property in
Kirkpatrick-Juxta is £5557.
The only village is Craigielands, which is of small
extent, but consists of neat buildings on a regular plan,
raised some few years ago by one of the proprietors,
for the accommodation of persons residing on his lands.
In its vicinity is Craigielands, a handsome mansion
surrounded by a park. The lines of turnpike-road
running through the parish are, the road from Glasgow
to Carlisle, and another, intersecting that road at
Beattock Inn, from Dumfries to Edinburgh : the roads
and bridges are kept in good condition. Great facility
of intercourse is also afforded by the Caledonian railway,
which has a station in the parish, at Beattock. For
ecclesiastical purposes the parish is within the limits
of the presbytery of Lochmaben and synod of Dumfries;
patron, J. J. Hope Johnstone, Esq. The stipend of the
minister is £195, exclusive of the vicarage tithes, which
consist of twenty-four lambs, and forty-eight pounds'
weight of wool : he has also a manse, and a glebe of four
aral)le and five meadow acres, worth, with garden, about
£10 a year. Kirkpatrick church, built in 1*99, and
thoroughly rcjiaircd in 1H24, is a j)lain l)uil(ling, capable
of accommodating between 500 and GOO persons. There
are two iiuroeliial schools, the master of the first of which
receives a salary of £34 a year; the master of the second
school, who is not regularly settled, receives £17, and
each has also fees amounting to £15 or £20 a year. A
be(|uest of £130 was lately vested in the jjurchase of a
house and land, now yielding £6 per annum, appropriated
KIRK
KIRK
to teaching poor children ; and a school, erected from
the accumulations of an ancient fund, is chiefly main-
tained by Mr. Hope Johnstone. There are some other
schools, and a library. The chief antiquity is the ruin
of the castle of Achincass, the walls of which are about
150 feet square, twenty feet high, and fifteen feet thick.
Traces are still visible of the Roman road leading from
the great camp at Burnswark, in the parish of Middlebie,
to a small rectangular encampment in this parish called
Talius-liolm. There are also numerous cairns and cir-
cular inclosures upon the hills. The parish contains
several strong chalybeate springs.
KIRKTON, a village, in the parish of Balmerino,
district of Cupar, county of Fife; containing 111 in-
habitants. This is a small village, or hamlet, lying
north of the ruins of the celebrated abbey of Balmerino,
which occupy a beautiful situation in the neighbourhood
of the Tay, and form the chief object of attraction as
respects the antiquities of the parish.
KIRKTON, a village, in the parish of Largo, dis-
trict of St. Andrew's, county of Fife, 1 mile (N. E. by
E.) from Largo ; containing 395 inhabitants. It lies in
the south-eastern part of the parish, on the road from
Kilconquhar to Largo ; and derives its name from the
situation of the parish church within its limits. The
population is chiefly agricultural.
KIRKTON, a village, in the parish of Kirkmahoe,
county of Dumfries ; containing 221 inhabitants.
KIRKTON, a village, in the parish of Auchter-
HousE, county of Forfar, 8 miles (E. by S.) from
Cupar-Angus ; containing 134 inhabitants. The village
is seated in the centre of the parish, east of the high
road from Dundee to Meigle, and on an elevated site
about a hundred feet above the level of the sea. From
it, on the west, through an opening of the Sidlaw hills
called the Glack of Newtyle, is a fine view of part of
Strathmore, the district of Stormont, and the Grampians;
and on the south and east are seen the Lomond hills.
Largo Law, the city and bay of St. Andrew's, the Firth
of Tay, and the German Ocean, which last terminates the
prospect. The church is situated in the village.
KIRKTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Glenisla,
county of Forfar, 8 miles (N. by W.) from Alyth ;
containing 44 inhabitants. This is a very small place,
only distinguished as containing the church. It is in
the southern part of the parish, and on the north bank
of the Isla, which here flows in a devious course, and
in nearly a south-eastern direction, until it joins the
river Melgum behind Airlie Castle. The road from
Lintrathen to Fergus, in the parish, passes close to the
hamlet.
KIRKTON, a village, in the parish of Strathmar-
TiNE, county of Forfar, 4 miles (N. N. W.) from
Dundee ; containing 96 inhabitants. It is nearly in the
centre of the parish, on the road to Dundee, and on the
banks of the Dighty water. In the village, as its name
imports, is situated the kirk.
KIRKTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Tealing,
county of Forfar, 6 miles (N.) from Dundee ; contain-
ing 48 inhabitants. It hes in the central part of the
parish, a short distance eastward from the road leading
from Dundee to Kirriemuir. The church of Tealing is
in the hamlet.
KIRKTON, a parish, in the district of Hawick,
county of Roxburgh, 4 miles (E. by S.) from Hawick ;
127
containing 313 inhabitants. This parish is about eight
miles in length, from east to west, and two miles in
breadth, from north to south. Kirkton is bounded on
the north-east by the parish of Hobkirk ; on the west,
partly by the parish of Cavers, and partly by that of
Hawick ; and in all other directions, by the parish of
Cavers. Its surface is undulated, presenting in many
parts green hills of moderate elevation and of great
variety of form ; and is intersected by the river Slitrig,
on the western bank of which the ground rises by a
gradual and continued acclivity to the boundary of the
parish. The scenery is generally pleasing ; but the
want of wood renders it comparatively barren of beauty.
In this parish the soil is mostly fertile, and the pastures
rich ; the whole number of acres is estimated at 10,200,
comprising arable, pasture, and uncultivated land, with
a very small portion in wood and plantations. The
system of agriculture is in an improved state ; the lands
have been well drained, and inclosed partly with stone
dykes, and partly with hedges, kept in good order ; and
the various improvements in the construction of imple-
ments have been adopted. A quarry of very excellent
whinstone has been opened, which provides abundant
materials for the roads and for other purposes. Facility
of communication is afforded by the roads from Hawick
to Liddesdale and to Newcastle, which pass through the
parish ; and there are various good roads kept in repair
by statute labour. The annual value of real property in
Kirkton is £3599- Ecclesiastically the parish is within
the limits of the presbytery of Jedburgh, synod of Merse
andTeviotdale. The stipend of the incumbent is £1*4;
the manse, with its offices, was built in the summer of
1840, and the glebe is valued at £11 per annum. Kirk-
ton church is a neat plain edifice, also built in the sum-
mer of 1840, but inconveniently situated. The parochial
school is well conducted and well attended ; the master
has a salary of £26, with a house and garden, and the
fees average about £15 per annum. About a mile south-
west of the church is an encampment, upon rising
ground ; and still further west, in one or two places,
similar vestiges occur. Dr. Leyden, the eminent Orien-
talist, received the rudiments of his education in the
parochial school of this place, his parents residing on
the farm of Nether Tofts : his native place was Denholm,
a village in the parish of Cavers.
KIRKTON of KINNETTLES, a hamlet, in the
parish of Kinnettles, county of Forfar, 2^ miles
(S. W. by W.) from Forfar ; containing 49 inhabitants.
This place is situated in the south-western part of the
parish, a short distance eastward from Douglaston ; and
is a pleasing hamlet, built in 1813, and having a chain-
bridge across the Kerbit rivulet, by which the parish is
intersected. Though the population is so small, it com-
prehends persons in various trades.
KIRKTON of WEEM, a village, in the parish of
Weem, county of Perth, 1 mile (N. W. by W.) from
Aberfeldy ; containing 50 inhabitants. It is situated in
one of the detached portions of the parish, and is sepa-
rated by the waters of the Tay, over which is Tay bridge,
from the town of Aberfeldy. The bridge is a fine build-
ing of five arches, and was finished in 1733, under the
direction of General Wade, then commander of the
forces in Scotland. In the village is a good inn ; and
the church, in its vicinity, is conveniently situated for
a large part of the population of the district.
KIRK
KIRK
KIRKTOUN, a village, in the parish of Burnt-
island, district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife ; con-
taining'251 inhabitants.
KIRKTOWN, a village, in the parish of Fexwick,
district of Cunninghame, county of Ayr, 5 miles (N.
E. byX.) from Kilmarnock; containing 11* inhabitants.
This village stands a short distance from that of Fen-
wick ; it is of very small extent, and little better in
appearance than a mere hamlet. The greater part of it
is built upon the glebe land.
KIRKTOWN OF FORDOUN, a hamlet, in the pa-
rish of FoRDOUN, county of Kincardine, 3 miles (S. W.
by W.) from Glenbervie ; containing 34 inhabitants. It
consists of the manse, the parochial school -house, an inn,
and three or four cottages.
KIRKTOWN OF NEW DEER, a village, in the
parish of Nevt Deer, district of Buchan, county of
Aberdeen, 6 miles (E. S. E.) from Cuminestown ; con-
taining 3'i'i inhabitants. It is situated on the ridge of
a hill, upon the high road from Ellon to Newbyth, and
consists of a long street of above a hundred houses and
cottages, the fields declining to the east and west : the
population is almost wholly agricultural. There are a
sub-post office, and two or three good inns in the village ;
and fairs are held in it in April, May, June, October,
and November, at all which cattle and horses are ex-
posed for sale. The mail-coach from Banff to Peterhead
passes daily, and a stage-coach three times a week from
Aberdeen to Ellon. The church stands near the village,
where are also the parochial school and a circulating li-
brary.
KIRKURD, a parish, in the county of Peebles, 65
miles (N. E.) from Biggar ; containing 305 inhabitants.
It is said to derive its name from the situation of its
church on an eminence, urd being the Celtic for a height.
By some, however, the name is derived from an ancient
proprietor of land, named Urd Frazer, from whose con-
nexion with the place they also deduce the names of
Netherurd, Loch Urd, and Ladyurd, in the parish. In
the fifteenth century the place appears to have formed
part of the possessions of Sir David Scott, ancestor of
the ducal family of Buccleuch. Kirkurd parish is about
five miles and a half in length from east to west, and
from three to four miles in average breadth. It is
bounded on the north by the water of the Tarth, which
separates it from the parishes of Linton and Newlands ;
on the east by the parishes of Newlands and Stobo ; on
the south by Broughton ; and on the west by Skirling
and Dolphington. The surface is diversified with hill and
dale in nearly equal portions. Hell's Cleuch, the highest
of the hills, has an elevation of '2100 feet above the level
of the sea ; and on the summit is a cairn, situated on a
point where the parishes of Stobo and Broughton come
in contact with this parish. It is called the Piked .Staiie,
and commands an extensive view, embracing the country
beyond the Forth, and the chain of mountains stretching
from the eastern portion of the county of Fife to the
county of Dumbarton ; also North Berwick, the Eildon
hills near Melrose, and the Cheviot hills in the county
of Northumbirland. The Turth is the only stream of
any importance ; but there are several springs of excel-
lent water, affording an ample sup])ly, and near Castle-
Craig a sul|)hureous spring, which, on being analysed,
was found to contain properties similar to those of one
i>{ the Bprings at Harrogate, but inferior in strength.
1'28
The scenery is generally pleasing, and in many parts
enriched with thriving plantations.
The soil is light and gravelly, and seems well adapted
for the growth of timber. The whole number of acres,
according to actual measurement, is 6620, of which 2'200
are arable, about the same quantity meadow and pasture
land capable of being brought into cultivation, 600 in
woods and plantations, and the remainder chiefly sheep-
pasture and waste. The crops are oats, barley, peas,
potatoes, and turnips. Wheat has been raised in very
small quantities, but it was not found suited to the soil.
The system of husbandry is advanced ; the lands are
well drained, and irrigation is practised on some of the
meadow lands with singular benefit : the farm-buildings
are comfortable, though inferior to many others in the
neighbourhood ; and the various improvements in the
construction of agricultural implements have been adop-
ted. Considerable attention is paid by the farmers to
the management of the dairy, and to live stock : about
2000 sheep are pastured, chiefly of the black-faced kind,
and 250 black-cattle of the Ayrshire breed are kept in
the parish. The woods and plantations are carefully at-
tended to, and have been much increased of late. In
this parish the substrata are not various ; the prevailing
rocks are of the transition class. Whilst digging for
marl, the horns of an elk were discovered in excellent
preservation ; and in some of the boggy lands, have
been dug up quantities of hazel-nuts in a perfectly sound
state. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £2638. Castle-Craig, the seat of Sir A. G. Carmi-
chael, Bart., is a spacious and handsome mansion, erec-
ted by Sir John G. Carmichael, and enlarged and em-
bellished by the late proprietor ; it is situated in a
highly-cultivated and improved demesne, and the gar-
dens and pleasure-grounds are laid out with great taste.
Netherurd House, formerly called Cairnmuir House, is
also a handsome residence, the seat of the White family.
The nearest market-towns are Biggar and Peebles, with
which, and with other places, the inhabitants have faci-
lities of intercourse by roads kept in excellent repair :
the turnpike-roads from Edinburgh to Dumfries, and
from Glasgow to Peebles, pass through the parish.
For ecclesiastical purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Peebles, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale ; and the patronage is vested in Sir A.
G. Carmichael, Bart. The stipend of the incumbent is
£158, of which more than a half is a grant from the
exchequer; the manse was erected in I788, and the
glebe comprises about nineteen acres, nearly the whole
of which is good arable land. Kirkurd church, built
in I76G, and conveniently situated for the population,
is a neat and substantial edifice adapted for a con-
gregation of 300 persons. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship on the south border of
the parish of Newlands. The parochial school is well
attended ; the master has a salary of £34, with an ex-
cellent house and a garden, and the fees average £26
per annum. Attached to the school is a good library ;
and until the last few years tlicre was also a parochial
library, supported l)y subscription, in which was a con-
siderable collection of standard works : on its discon-
tinuance the books were divided among the members.
In the vicinity of Old Ilarestanes are some remains of
Druidical origin. Near Castle-Craig arc the ancient
mounts called the Castle and tlieLaw; they are sup-
KIRK
KIRK
Bursh Seal.
posed to have been stations for the administration of
justice in former times. To the east of them is a circular
intrenchment on an eminence, named the Ring ; and to
the west of them, another fortification, styled the Ches-
ters ; both probably military stations. A stone kist-
vaen, inclosing an urn of clay with human bones, was
found in 1754, at Mount Hill ; and at the base of that
eminence was discovered, some years afterwards, a stone
coffin, containing human bones, with several rudely-
formed weapons of flint, and a small ring. James
Geddes of Rachan, author of an essay on the Composi-
tion and Manner of Writing of the Ancients, and of several
other tracts, was born in this parish in 17IO; and the
late Dugald Stewart resided for some time at Netherurd
House.
KIRKWALL and ST.
OLA, a royal burgh, a sea-
port, and parish, and for-
merly the seat of a diocese,
in the county of Orkney, of
which it is the capital ; con-
taining 3.599 inhabitants, of
whom 2'205 are in the burgh,
21 miles (N. by E.) from
Huna, and 327 (N.) from the
city of Edinburgh. This
place, which is situated in
the south-eastern portion of
the Mainland, is of great antiquity, and from a very early
date has been distinguished for its importance. The
rural district around the town, called St. Ola, and sup-
posed to have been originally a separate parish, derived
its name from the foundation of a church by Olave, the
first Christian king of Norway, to whom the Orkney
Islands at that time belonged, at a period anterior to
the erection of the ancient cathedral. The buildings
near its site, which now constitute a portion of what is
styled the Old Town, bear evident traces of remote an-
tiquity. The burgh appears to have derived its name,
originally " Kirkcovog", now Kirkwall, from the Cathe-
dral of St. Magnus, founded in 1138 by Ronald, Earl
of Orkney, in honour of his uncle Magnus, the preceding
earl, who had been assassinated by his relative Haco, of
Norway, in 1110, and canonized after his death: this
cathedral, from its splendour and magnificence, was
called the Great Kirk, an appellation subsequently ap-
propriated to the town. The see, which had jurisdic-
tion over the whole of the county of Orkney, subsisted
under a regular succession of prelates, of whom Robert
Reid was the last Roman Catholic bishop, till the aboli-
tion of episcopacy in Scotland. Among its endowments
were the lands of the parish of St. Ola, which, on the
erection of the town into a royal burgh by charter of
James III., and the cession of the Orkney Islands to the
Scottish crown, were partly vested in the magistrates
and burgesses as a fund for keeping the cathedral of St.
Magnus in repair.
This ancient church is a stately cruciform structure of
red freestone, partly in the Norman, and partly in the
early and later English styles of architecture, with a
massive central tower, formerly surmounted by a lofty
spire, which, being destroyed by lightning in I671, has
been replaced by a low pyramidal roof. The entire
length of the cathedral is as much as 226 feet, and the
breadth fifty-six. Earl Ronald had begun his High
Vol. II.— 129
Church on no mean scale ; and it was afterwards greatly
enlarged in length : to this circumstance, together with
its severe simplicity, its narrowness, its height, and the
multiplicity of its parts, must be ascribed the most
striking characteristic of the pile, its apparent vastness.
It gives, indeed, to the beholder the idea of greater in-
ternal length than some cathedrals of much larger di-
mensions. The roof, which is richly groined, is seventy-
one feet in height from the floor, and is sustained on
each side by a range of fourteen pillars fifteen feet in
circumference, exclusive of four massive columns twenty-
four feet in circumference, supporting the central tower,
which rises to a height of 133 feet, and contains a fine
set of musical chimes, presented by Bishop Maxwell in
1528. The east window, inserted by Bishop Stewart in
the reign of James IV., is of elegant design, thirty-six
feet high and twelve feet in width, surmounted by a
circular window twelve feet in diameter; in the south
transept is a circular window of equal dimensions, and
at the west end of the nave a window similar to that of
the choir, but inferior in size and embellishment. This
venerable pile, from its remote situation, escaped the
havoc committed on such structures at the Reformation,
and is still entire. It contains numerous finely-sculp-
tured monuments, one of which at the east end, of white
marble, was erected to the memory of Haco, King of
Norway, who died in the bishop's palace after his return
from the disastrous battle of Largs, in 1264, and was
interred within the choir. The Episcopal palace appears
to have been of very ancient foundation, probably coeval
with that of the cathedral ; but by whom it was erected
is not known. It was partly rebuilt in the time of Mary,
by Bishop Reid, whose initials and armorial bearings
are inscribed on several parts of the walls ; and on that
side of the round tower facing the town is a niche, in
which is a rude statue of the prelate. This tower forms
at present the only portion of the palace that is in any
tolerable state of preservation. The palace was the
temporary residence of James V., who was entertained
by the bishop when, on a progress through his domi-
nions, he visited the Orkney Islands.
The TOWN is situated in the northern portion of a
tract of land extending from the bay of Kirkwall, on the
north, to Scalpa bay on the south ; and is divided into
the Old Town, along the shore of the former, and the
New Town, a little to the south ; the two parts of the
town being separated by a small rivulet, over which is
an ancient bridge of one arch. It consists chiefly of one
narrow and irregularly-formed street, about a mile in
length, and is lighted with gas by a company of share-
holders. The houses in the Old Town are mostly of
very antiquated character, budt with the end fronting
the street, and having steep roofs, and doors and win-
dows of diminutive size ; but such of them as are of
more modern erection are of handsome appearance.
The New Town consists of well-built houses ; in front
of each is a neat garden, and there are several pleasing
villas inhabited by opulent families, and numerous well-
stored shops for the supply of the inhabitants with va-
rious articles of merchandise from Edinburgh, London,
and other markets. There are two subscription libraries,
and card and dancing assemblies are held in the rooms
at the town-hall. The manufacture of kelp, formerly
very extensive, has been greatly reduced ; and the prin-
cipal manufacture at present carried on is that of straw-
S
KIRK
KIRK
plat, by females at their own dwellings, for the manufac-
turers of the district, whose agents are stationed here.
The plat is of various degrees of fineness, and is consi-
dered as superior to that of foreign production. The
manufacture of sail-cloth and ropes is also extensive ;
and there are two distilleries of whisky, which, besides
supplying the neighbourhood, produce considerable quan-
tities for exportation. Two branch banks, also, have
been established in the town. The trade of the port is
mainly in the exportation of kelp, corn, fish, cattle, and
wool ; and the importation of wood, hemp, iron, tar,
groceries, cloth, and coal. The harbour, which is cora-
modiously situated in Kirkwall bay, has been much im-
proved under an act of the 9th of George IV., and is
under the management of trustees consisting of the pro-
vost and six other members of the town-council, three
registered owners of ships, and three landed proprietors
of the county. A commodious pier has been erected
for the despatch of business, at an expense of £1100.
In 1843 there were sixty-four vessels registered as be-
longing to the port, of the aggregate burthen of 4312
tons ; and the customs received in the same year amounted
to £618. Boat-building, for which there are several
yards, is carried on to some extent. No regular fishery
is established here ; but cod, ling, haddocks, skate, hali-
but, and coal-fish are found off the coast in abundance,
for the supply of the inhabitants. There is an annual
fair in August, plentifully furnished with Manchester,
London, and Glasgow goods, with jewellery, haber-
dashery, and other wares. A powerful steamer plies
weekly between this place and the port of Leitb, and
numerous smaller boats to the adjacent islands.
Kirkwall was erected into a royal burgh, as already
stated, by charter of King James III., which recited and
confirmed all previous privileges, and was ratified by
charters of James V. and Charles II. There were like-
wise granted to the burgesses the city of Kirkwall, and
the cathedral church of St. Magnus. The government is
vested in a provost, four bailies, a dean of guild, treasurer,
and sixteen councillors, assisted by a town-clerk and
other officers. The provost and bailies are magistrates,
and exercise jurisdiction extending over the whole of the
royalty. They hold courts for the adjudication of civil
suits, and also for trivial nuisances and petty misde-
meanors, the town-clerk acting as their assessor : their
decisions in the criminal cases seldom extend beyond
the imposition of a small fine, or a confinement of
twenty-four hours. There are four incorporated crafts,
viz., the shoemakers, tailors, weavers, and hammermen,
of one of which every one exercising trade within the
burgh must be a member, and in which the fees for ad-
mission vary from £3 to £5 for sons of freemen or ap-
prentices, and from £4 to £10 for strangers. Kirkwall
is associated with Wick, Cromarty, Dingwall, Dornoch,
and Tain, in returning a member to the imperial parlia-
ment. The town-hall is a handsome building with a
piazza in front, and is three stories in height : the
ground-floor contains the prison for the burgh, consist-
ing of several separate cells ; the first floor has an as-
sembly-room, with court-rooms, and the story above it
is appropriated to the use of the masonic lodge.
The i-ARisii, which is about five miles in length, and
of nearly equal breadth, is t)ounded on the north by
the bays of I'irth and Kirkwall, on the cast by Inganess
bay and the parish of St. Andrew's, on the south by
130
Scalpa bay, and on the west by the parish of Orphir.
Its surface is diversified with hills, of which that of
Wideford, the only one of any considerable elevation, is
about 500 feet above the level of the sea, and covered
to its summit with heath. In the rocks on the east of
Scalpa bay are some singular excavations, made by the
action of the waves, and one of which, about 100 yards
in depth, forms a narrow winding passage in the rock,
generally twelve feet in height, but in some parts nearly
twenty feet, with beautiful stalactites of lime depending
from the roof. The soil is various ; towards the hills,
and in the higher lands, a mixture of cold clay and
moss ; near the shore, sandy ; and in several parts, a
rich black loam. Of late years, the system of agricul-
ture has been greatly improved, and the rotation plan
introduced ; considerable progress, also, has taken place
in draining and inclosing the lands. The exact area of
the parish has not been ascertained, but the probable
number of acres of arable laud is estimated at 1500;
the crops are oats, barley, bear, potatoes, and turnips,
with the various artificial grasses, all of which are culti-
vated with success. There is a large tract of undivided
common, affording good pasturage for sheep, the breed
of which, as well as that of cattle and horses, has been
much improved. A handsome mansion has been erected
by the Dundas family, Earls of Zetland ; and to the
east of the town is Papdale House, the residence of Mr.
Laing, and formerly of Mr. Malcolm Laing, author of
the History of Scotland, which was wholly written here.
There are several gardens where various kinds of fruit
are raised with great success, and in some of which
grapes are produced in hot-houses ; but little or no wood
is to be seen, and trees of any considerable size cannot
thrive unless in well-sheltered spots. In this parish the
substratum is principally clay-slate, alternated with coarse
sandstone, and in some places with veins of limestone,
and spar containing small crystals of galena.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Kirkwall, of which this is
the seat, and of the synod of Orkney, which also holds
its meetings here. There are two ministers, who officiate
alternately. The minister of the first charge has a
stipend of £150. 18., including an allowance of £4. 3. 4.
for communion elements ; with £30 in lieu of a manse,
and a glebe valued at £42 : the minister of the second
charge has a stipend of £154, including £4. 3. 4. for
communion elements ; with an allowance of £50 in lieu of
manse and glebe : patrons of both, the Corporation. The
choir of the cathedral is appropriated as the parish
church, and contains S35 sittings. A church dedicated
to St. Mary has been erected by subscription, at an ex-
pense of £1400, of which £200 were granted from the
Church Extension fund ; it is a neat structure containing
1000 sittings. There arc places of worship for members
of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church,
Original Seccders, and Independents. The grammar
school, which is of very early foundation, was originally
an appendage of the ancient cathedral establishment,
and under the care of the prebendaries. Even after the
dissolution of that body, the master for some time con-
tinued to receive the emoluments of the prebend of St.
Peter, which subsequently, with the other revenues of
the see, merged in the crown. The present master has
a sahiry of .£.'i8, arising partly from a voluntary con-
tribution by the clergy and gentry of Orkney, of 2000
K I R R
KIRR
merks, vested in the Earl of Zetland, and partly from
the proceeds of £500 bequeathed by John Balfour, Esq. :
the fees average £50 per annum. This school is at-
tended by about 100 scholars, who are instructed in
the Greek and Latin classics, the English and French
languages, arithmetic, mathematics, and navigation.
The patronage is vested in the council of the burgh, who
in 1820 erected an elegant school-house in lieu of the
ancient building, which had become dilapidated. A
school is maintained by the Society for Propagating
Christiiin Knowledge, which pays a salary of £15 to the
master, who also xeceives £5 from the Kirk Session;
and there is likewise a school for females, supported by
ladies resident in the town. Three friendly societies
have been established for the relief of widows and or-
phans, and of the indigent sick ; and there are two sub-
scription societies. Mr. Meason, of Moredun, in 1810
bequeathed £ 1 000, the interest to be appropriated towards
keeping the cathedral in repair, as some endowment was
greatly needed for the purpose.
There are considerable remains of what is called the
King's Castle, and of the palace of the Earls of Orkney.
At what period and by whom the former structure was
founded, is not distinctly known. From some inscrip-
tions and a mitre on the walls, it is supposed to have
been originally built by one of the bishops ; but it is
with more probability ascribed to Henry Sinclair, first
Earl of Orkney, in the fourteenth century. This fortress,
the walls of which are of great thickness, was in a tole-
rably perfect state in the time of Robert Stewart, created
Earl of Orkney in 1581, whose son Patrick, having com-
mitted many acts of rebellion, defended it for some time
against the king's forces, by whom it was at length taken
and demolished. The palace of the Earls of Orkney was
erected in 1607, by the above-named Patrick Stewart.
It was a spacious structure of grey stone, two stories in
height, and embellished with projecting towers and oriel
windows of elegant design. The grand hall, a magnifi-
cent apartment fifty-eight feet long and twenty feet wide,
was approached by a triple flight of steps, leading from
the principal entrance in the lower story, and was lighted
by a range of noble windows. The walls that are still
left are in as perfect a state as when first erected, and
the remains display much of ancient grandeur, though
the buildings were greatly dilapidated by Cromwell's
soldiers, who removed the stones for the erection of a
fortress on the east side of Kirkwall bay, the mounds
and intrenchments of which, raised to protect it from
the sea, are yet tolerably entire. Among the eminent
characters connected with the parish may be mentioned
Sir Robert Strange, a celebrated engraver ; Malcolm
Laing, the historian, to whom there is a tablet in the
cathedral ; and Dr. Traill, the present professor of medi-
cal jurisprudence in the university of Edinburgh, all of
whom were born here.
KIRRIEMUIR, a burgh of barony, a market-town,
and parish, in the county of Forfar ; containing, in
1841, 7085 inhabitants, of whom 3067 were in the town,
6 miles (VV. N. W.) from Forfar, and 20 (N. by W.) from
Dundee. It derives its name, which is of disputed
origin, most probably from its local appearance and
position, which would equally justify its appellation, in
the Gaelic signifying " a large hollow ", or, as is sup-
posed by some, " a wide district." With the exception
of sanguinary conflicts between the chieftains of the seve-
131
ral clans, during feudal times, there are no events of his-
torical importance connected with Kirriemuir. It was
usual in the fourteenth century for tlie Highlanders be-
yond the Grampian hills to form themselves into bands
under some warlike chieftain, and make depredations in
this part of the country; and in 1392, three chiefs com-
manded by Duncan Stewart, natural son of the Earl of
Buchan, came to ravage the district, when a battle oc-
curred near the town, in which Sir John Ogilvy of this
place, with many of his retinue, were slain. In 1411,
Donald, Lord of the Isles, a firm adherent of the English
interest, who acted as an arbitrary and desjiotic prince,
advanced with his followers to Kirriemuir, to prosecute
his claim to the earldom of Ross, in which he was op-
posed by Lord Ogilvy, at that time sheriff of Angus, who
mustered his warlike vassals, and, with the assistance of
the Earl of Mar, obtained a victory over the invader,
whom he defeated with great loss. In 1445, a memorable
conflict occurred between the clans of the Ogilvys and the
Lindsays, in which it is said not less than 500 of the
former were slain on the field of battle. At a subsequent
period, a bitter feud arose between the royal burgh of
Forfar and this place, originating in a dispute about some
ground called the Muir Moss, which was claimed by
both towns, and where a battle, celebrated by Drummond
the poet, was eventually fought, in which the inhabitants
of Kirriemuir had the advantage. Among the families
that have been connected with the place is that of
Ogilvy of Airlie, a collateral branch of the Gilchrists,
Earls of Angus. Its ancestor obtained from William
the Lion a grant of the barony of Ogilvy, whence he
took his name. His descendant. Sir James Ogilvy, was
in great favour with James IV., who created him a peer
of the realm by the title of Baron Ogilvy of Airlie ; and
the seventh lord, in consideration of important services
rendered to Charles I., was by that monarch created Earl
of Airhe in 1639.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated, partly on a plain
and partly on rising ground, and consists of streets ir-
regularly planned, from which numerous others branch
oiF in various directions, with some handsome ranges of
houses in the upper part. From the upper part is an
extensive and richly-varied prospect over the whole vale
of Strathmore, with its towns, castles, plantations, rivers,
and lakes, and the other picturesque and romantic fea-
tures that enliven and characterize its surface. The
streets are paved and kept in order by statute labour ;
the town is well lighted with gas by a company, and the
inhabitants are scantily supplied with water. A public
library, forming a large collection of volumes of general
literature, is supported by subscription ; and there is
also a reading-room in the town, furnished with news-
papers and periodical publications. According to a
census taken by the incumbent about five years ago, the
town contains a population of 3112, and the Southmuir,
divided from it by the rivulet Garie, a population of
1 134 : within a circle of one mile, there are about 6000
souls. The chief trade carried on here, and that to
which the town is indebted for its prosperity, is the
manufacture of brown linen, introduced into this part
of the country about the middle of the eighteenth cen-
tury, since which time it has steadily continued to in-
crease, now aflfording employment here to about 3000 per-
sons. The manufacture has maintained itself at Kirrie-
muir in rivalry with towns more advantageously situated ;
S2
K I R R
K I R R
and it has attained to such perfection that considerable
quantities of yarn are sent here from Montrose and
Dundee, to be manufactured for those markets. The
average number of pieces made annually exceeds 50,000,
tontaining 6,500,000 yards. The post-office has a good
delivery ; and a branch of the British Linen Company,
with a large and commodious building, is established in
the town. The market, which is abundantly supplied and
numerously attended, is on Friday. Fairs are held on
the hill at the upper extremity of the town, on the Wed-
nesday after the 24th of July and the Wednesday after
the 19th October, for sheep ; and also, on a smaller scale,
in June and December, on the Wednesdays after Glam-
mis fairs. Means of communication are afforded by a
good turnpike-road, and by bridges over the Esk and
Prosen ; the railway between Perth and Forfar passes
within four miles of the town, and an act was obtained
in 1846 for the construction of a branch railway to Kir-
riemuir. This place was a burgh of royalty at a very
remote period, and is subject to a baron, who had for-
merly unlimited jurisdiction both in civil and criminal
cases, but whose power, since the abolition of hereditary
jurisdictions, has been greatly diminished. A bailie is
appointed by the baron. Lord Douglas ; but his jurisdic-
tion is limited in civil cases to pleas not exceeding forty
shillings, and in criminal cases to oifences punishable by
fines not above twenty shillings, or imprisonment not
beyond one month. There is a justice-of-peace court
held here for the district, including the parishes of
Glenisla, Lintrathen, Airlie, Kingoldrum, Cortachy, Tau-
nadice, and Oathlaw ; and the peace of the town is pre-
served by a sufficient number of constables. A trades'
hall was erected by the various friendly societies of the
place ; the lower part is let for shops, and the upper
part, intended for the meeting of the societies, is now
appropriated as a place of worship. There is a small
prison for the temporary confinement of vagrants, and
oifenders against the peace till brought to trial.
The PARISH, which is situated to the north of the vale
of Strathmore, is divided into two extensive districts by
an intervening portion of the parish of Kingoldrum.
The northern district, containing a population of about
.300 only, is nine miles in length and from two to four
in breadth, and comprises about 18,000 acres, of which
2000 are arable, interspersed with portions of fine pas-
ture and meadow, 500 woodland and plantations, and
15,500 mountain pasture and waste. The southern dis-
trict of the parish is five miles in length and of nearly
equal breadth, and comjjrises about 16,000 acres, of
which 11, 000 are arable, 2000 woodland and plantations,
2000 moor and pasture, and the remainder roads, water,
and waste. In the north the surface is liilly and moun-
tainous, extending on botli sides of the river Prosen, and
hemmed in by a continued ciiain of mountains, of which
the most conspicuous is the Catlaw, the first in the range
of the Grampians, having an elevation of '2264 feet above
the level of the sea, and by some writers supposed to be
the Mons Grnmpius of Tacitus. These mountain ridges
are indented with numerous small glens and occasional
openings ; and from many of the steep acclivities descend
torrents, which afterwards form tributaries to the Prosen.
Of tbe southern division of the parish the surface is
nearly level, in some |)arts gently sloping, and in others
varied with gentle undulations; the only heiglits of any
importance being the braes of Inverquharity and the
132
hill of Kirriemuir, which are richly cultivated to their
very summit. The principal streams of the parish are
the South Esk, the Prosen, the Carity, and the Garie.
The South Esk has its source among the mountains in
the Clova district of the parish of Cortachy and Clova,
and after receiving many tributary streams in its pro-
gress by this parish and through the eastern part of
the county, runs into the sea at Montrose. The pearl
mussel is common in this river, and a pearl-fishery was
formerly carried on with success : some years since a
considerable number of pearls found here were sold to a
jeweller in the town for a considerable sum, one of them
being nearly a quarter of an inch in diameter. The
Prosen rises in the northern extremity of the parish, and
extends through the whole length of the glen to which it
gives name. Augmented in its course by the streams of
the Lidnathy, Glenloig, Glcnlogy, and numerous others
issuing from the sides of the mountains, it falls into the
South Esk near Inverquharity, not far from the influx,
into the same stream, of the Carity, which rises at Baliu-
tore, in the parish of Lintrathen. The Garie has its
source in the lake of Kinnordy, in this parish, and joins
the river Dean near Glammis Castle. Loch Kinnordy,
which was formerly extensive, and abounded with perch,
pike, and eels, was drained about a century since, by Sir
John Ogilvy, for the marl ; but the draining having been
imperfectly accomplished, it is still a lake, although of
inconsiderable size. The stream which issues from it, in
dry weather, is scarcely sufficient to turn a mill, though,
by the construction of numerous dams to collect the
water, it is made to give motion to the machinery of a
large number of corn and spinning mills.
The SOIL is very various. In the northern division of
the parish, it is sometimes of a gravelly nature ; on the
acclivities of the mountains, particularly those of gentler
elevation, of a richer alluvial quality ; and in other parts,
especially towards the mountain summits, a deep moss,
which in many places has been partially drained. In the
southern division the soil is for a considerable extent
sandy and gravelly : on the sloping grounds, where
there is frequently an accumulation of alluvial deposit,
it is richer, intermixed with black and brown loams of
great fertility ; in the lower tracts it is thin and dry ; in
some places mossy, and in others deep and fertile. The
crops comprise oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and tur-
nips : the system of agriculture is in a very advanced
state ; the lands have been well drained, and inclosed
partly with dykes of stone and partly with hedges of
thorn, which are kept in good order. Irrigation has
been practised with success on lands requiring that pro-
cess ; and all the more recent improvements in agricul-
tural implements have been generally adopted. The
natural woods in this parish, of which the eastern por-
tion formed part of the ancient forest of Plater, are now
inconsiderable ; they consist chiefly of birch, alder, hazel,
blackthorn, and willow. Around the castle of Inverqu-
harity are some ancient chesnut, yew, and ash trees ; and
in other parts, some beeches of stately growth. The
jjlantations are Scotch fir, with a few larches, and various
other kinds of trees ; they are well managed, and in a
flourishing condition. The jirincipal substrata are, the
old red sandstone, alternated vvitli red schistose and
trap rock ; slate ; and limestone. A dyke of serpentine
occurs on the farm of Halloch, and ni (ilenprosen are
rocks of primitive formation, containing mica-schist.
K I R II
KIRT
hornblende-slate, and gneiss, in which last are found
beautiful specimens of rock-crystal and garnets. The
slate, which is of a grey colour, and contains some vege-
table impressions, is of good quality for roofing ; and
the limestone is quarried, and burnt into lime in rudely-
constructed kilns. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £11,591. Kinnordy is a handsome man-
sion pleasantly situated ; the gardens contain many rare
and valuable plants, and in the house is a museum of
natural curiosities and antiquities. Balnaboth, Logie,
Ballandarg, and Shielhill are the other seats.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of For-
far, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage
of Lord Douglas : the minister's stipend is about £250,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £11 per annum.
Kirriemuir church, a neat plain edifice, was erected in
1787, and is adapted for a congregation of 1240 persons.
There is also a church at South Kirriemuir, to which a
district with a population of 2691 was for a time annexed ;
it contains 1021 sittings. A missionary, who has an in-
come from the Royal Bounty, ofticiates alternately at
Clova and Glenprosen. There are an episcopal chapel,
and places of worship for members of the Free Church,
the United Presbyterian Synod, and the Original Con-
stitutional Synod. The parochial school affords a very
liberal course of instruction ; the master has a salary of
£34, with £128 fees, a good house, and an allowance of
£2. 2. 9^- in lieu of garden-ground. John Webster,
Esq., in 1S29 bequeathed about £8000 to Charles Lyell,
Esq., to the minister of the parish, and others, in trust
for the erection and endowment of a school ; a handsome
house containing five spacious schoolrooms has been
erected, and teachers have been appointed by the trus-
tees. Mr. Henry, of Kensington, near London, a native
of this place, bequeathed £1400 to the minister and
elders, in trust for the education of children, to which
purpose the interest of £1200 was to be appropriated,
that of the remainder being directed to be paid to the
parochial schoolmaster for keeping the accounts. Fifty
boys are taught in the parochial school from this fund,
with preference of admission to those of the name of
Henry ; and their fees are paid out of the funds, for four
years. A savings' bank, and some friendly societies
established in the town, tended to diminish the number
of applications for parochial relief; but they have now
mostly gone down, from incorrect calculations.
There are several erect stones in the parish of large
dimensions, none of which, however, have any traces of
inscription ; and near the hill of Kirriemuir were two
rocking-stones, within a short distance of each other, one
of whinstone, and the other of Lintrathen porphyry.
These two stones were lately demolished by order of the
proprietor. The parish also contains some caves, the
most remarkable of which is one called Weems Hole, on
the summit of the hill of Mearns. It is of artificial con-
struction, built with stones, and covered with flags of
rough stone six feet in width ; the cave is about seventy
yards in length, and has the entrance to the south.
When first explored, a great number of human bones
were found in it, with some querns and other relics of
antiquity. There is a similar cave at Auchlishie, called
the Weems Park, in which, when opened, were found a
currach and several querns. In the loch of Kinnordy a
canoe was found in 1820, of which one extremity was
scarcely hidden under the surface. There are also va-
133
rious mutilated remains of ancient buildings, supposed
to be the ruins of some of the earliest religious establish-
ments after the introduction of Christianity into Britain.
In a bed of marl in the parish was found the skeleton
of a stag of large dimensions. It was discovered in an
upright position, the tips of the horns reaching nearly to
the surface of the marl, and the feet resting upon the
bottom at a depth of nearly six feet. The horns had
nine branches, and when dried weighed nearly eighteen
pounds. Above the marl in this part of the parish is a
deep layer of peat, in which the skeletons of other stags,
though of very inferior size, have been frequently found.
In the House of Logie is preserved the head of a stag of
ten branches.
Many eminent persons have been connected with the
parish. Of a branch of the Ogilvy family, resident at
Inverquharity, was Alexander, second son of Sir John
Ogilvy ; he joined the Marquess of Montrose at the bat-
tle of Philiphaugh, in which he was taken prisoner, and
for his loyalty be was executed at Glasgow in 1646.
Captain Ogilvy, son of Sir David, attended James II. at
the battle of the Boyne, and was afterwards killed in an
engagement on the Rhine ; he was one of a hundred
gentlemen who volunteered to attend that monarch in
his exile. David Kinloch, a descendant of the very an-
cient family of Kinloch of Logie, was born in 1560, and
educated as a physician, in which profession he acquired
a high pre-eminence. He travelled much in foreign
countries, and was incarcerated in the dungeon of the
inquisition in Spain, from which, however, he was libe-
rated in recompense for having performed an extraordi-
nary cure upon the inquisitor-general, after he had been
given over by his own physicians. Afterwards, he be-
came physician to James VI., and wrote several poems
in elegant Latin. A portrait of him is preserved at the
family seat at Logie.
KIRTLE, for a time a quoad sacra parish, formed
out of the parishes of Annan, Dornock, and Middle-
BiE, in the county of Dumfries, 2^ miles (S. E. by E.)
from Ecclesfechan ; containing above 1000 inhabitants.
This district derives its name from the river Kirtle, by
which it is bordered on the east. It is about four miles
in length and two in breadth, and comprises tillage and
pasture land in nearly equal portions, with considerable
mosses, which, however, feed cattle and sheep ; and
some plantations in the vicinity of the river. Much of
the land is of poor soil, but capable of improvement from
good culture. The geological features of the district are
not remarkable : red sandstone of excellent quality is
much used for building and for gravestones, and two
quarries are in operation. There are also two celebrated
lime-works, the lime from which supplies the country
around, and is even sent to Moffat, a distance of twenty
miles. The scenery along the banks of the stream is
diversified and beautiful ; and towards Annan the ground
attains a considerable elevation, but is in no part moun-
tainous. Throughout the whole of its course here, the
Kirtle is studded with handsome mansions, the grounds
of which add much to the beauty of their respective
localities. The village of Eaglesfield, in the district, has
its name from the late proprietor of Blackethouse, Eagles-
field Smith, Esq. ; and is large and populous, having at
present between 450 and 500 inhabitants, many of whom
are employed as weavers for the Carlisle manufacturers.
Means of communication are afforded by the high road
KNAP
KNAP
between Glasgow and Carlisle, which runs through the
middle of the district, and by other roads. Great facility
of intercourse is also presented by the Caledonian rail-
way, which has a station at Kirtlebridge. Ecclesiasti-
cally Kirtle was within the limits of the presbytery of
Annan and synod of Dumfries, and the patronage was in
the male communicants with one or two members of the
presbytery. The church, situated in the north-eastern
extremity of Annan parish, is a plain building of red
sandstone, erected about 1840, by voluntary contribu-
tions, aided by the Commissioners of the Church Exten-
sion fund ; it contains 600 sittings. There are two
schools, one at Eaglesfield, the other at Breconbeds ;
the master of each receives a salary of £10, and they
afford instruction each to about 100 children. In the
district is a remarkable old tower, vulgarly reputed to
be haunted by (Scottic'e) a bogle, called the "Bogle of the
Blackethouse."
KIRTLEBRIDGE, a village, in the parish of Mid-
DLEBiE, county of Dumfries ; containing S3 inhabit-
ants. It has its name from a bridge over the Kirtle
river, and is one of three villages in the parish which
have arisen within the last forty years. In this vicinity
is a station on the Caledonian railway, and the line is
carried across the beautiful river Kirtle by a noble via-
duct of nine arches, each thirty-six feet in span.
KITTOCH-SIDE, a village, in the parish of East
Kilbride, Middle ward of the county of Lanark ; 1^
mile (S. E.) from Carmunnock. It lies in the northern
part of the parish, on the road from Carmunnock to
Kilbride, and near the banks of the Kittoch, whence its
name. Upon two hills in its neighbourhood are the
remains of ancient fortifications, respectively called Castle
HiU and Rough Hill.
KNAPDALE, NORTH, a parish, in the district of
IsLAY, county of Argyll, 8 miles (W. S. W.) from Loch-
gilphead ; containing '21*0 inhabitants. This place, the
name of which is in the Celtic language accurately de-
scriptive of the surface of the land, diversified with hill
and dale, was in the year 1734 created a separate parish ;
as was also South Knapdale. The two districts previ-
ously formed one parish, called Kilvic-0-Charmaig after
Mac-0-Charmaig, an Irish saint who, from his solitary
retirement on a small island off the coast, founded several
chapels in the neighbourhood. This part of the country
was alternately subject, for a long period, to the aggres-
sions of the Irish and the Danes, against whose invasions
the inhabitants were continually on their guard ; and on
the approach of an enemy, a series of watch towers along
the coast were instantly lighted up as a signal for the
assembling of the military force of the district. The
Lords of the Isles exercised an independent sovereignty
over their vassals here till, in the reign of Bruce, they
were ultimately compelled to acknowledge the royal
authority.
The PARISH is bounded on the north and north-cast
by Loch Crinan and the canal of that name, and on the
west by the Sound of Jura. It is about thirteen miles
and a half in length, and nearly six miles in breadth.
The exact number of acres has not been ascertained ;
there arc, however, 3400 acres arable, 2'2,126 meadow
and pasture, 19'2.') in natural wood, and about 2.50 under
plantation. The surface is beautifully diversified with
hills and valleys, and in some parts with gentle undula-
tions and gradual slopes. The principal hills are,
134
Cruachlusach, which has an elevation of 2004 feet above
the level of the sea, and Dunardary, Duntaynish, Ervary,
and Arichonan, the lowest of which rises to the height
of 1200 feet ; they all command from their summits
interesting and extensive prospects, but from Cruach-
lusach the view is unbounded and strikingly grand.
There are not less than twenty inland lakes scattered
over the surface ; the largest is about a mile and a
quarter in length, and nearly one-third of a mile in
breadth, and all abound with trout. Several streams,
likewise, intersect the parish ; the most considerable is
the Kilmichael, which has its source in the moor of that
name, near the foot of Mount Cruachlusach, and after a
winding course, in which it forms a picturesque cascade,
falls into the sea about 300 yards below the bridge of
Kilmichael-Inverlussay. Dunrostan and Auchnamara
are streams of less importance. The coast is deeply in-
dented on the west by the inlet of Loch Swein, which
intersects the parish for nearly ten miles in a north-
eastern direction, almost dividing it into two distinct
parts : this inlet is about a mile in breadth at its en-
trance, but towards its northern extremity it widens to
nearly three miles, and then divides into three parallel
branches. Including the shores of Loch Swein, the ex-
tent of coast is almost fifty miles : the rocks in the
north rise precipitously to a height of 300 feet ; in some
parts the coast is bounded by low ledges of rocks, and
in others by a level sandy beach.
Near the coast the soil is light and sandy ; in other
places, a gravelly loam ; towards the south-west, a rich
friable mould of great fertility ; and in other parts, an
unproductive moss. The system of agriculture is im-
proving; but the principal attention of the farmers is
paid to the rearing of live stock. The chief crops are
oats and potatoes ; part of the lands have been improved
by draining and the use of lime, and the arable farms
are inclosed with stone dykes. In this parish the cattle
are all of the pure West Highland breed, and in respect
both of size and quality are not surpassed by any in the
county; the sheep are generally of the black-faced breed.
Some of the farms are well managed, and the produce
is abundant. The ancient woods consist of oak, ash,
mountain-ash, willow, birch, alder, hazel, and holly ; and
the plantations, which are in a thriving condition, are
oak, ash, larch, spruce, Scotch and silver fir, elm, and
beech. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £5891. There are two villages, namely, Bellanoch,
in which is a post-office under that of Lochgilphead,
with three deliveries weekly ; and Tayvallich. Facility
of communication is afforded by good roads : that from
Lochgilphead to Keills passes for fifteen miles through
the parish, and a branch of it leads to the church of
Kilmichael. A road from Inverlussay to Loch Swein is
in progress, which, when completed, will greatly pro-
mote the intercourse with the eastern portion of the
parish. Five vessels of thirty tons each, belonging to
this place, are employed in trading to Greenock, Liver-
pool, and the Irish coast ; and steam-boats from Glasgow
to Inverness pass daily during the summer along the
Crinan canal.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the jiresbytery of Invcrary and synod of Argyll.
The minister's stipend is about £l65,with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £22 per annum ; patron, the Crown.
There arc two churches, in which the minister officiates
KNAP
KNAP
alternately. The church of Kilmichael-Inverlussay is a
neat structure, erected in 1819, and contains 432 sittings ;
the church of Tayvallich, on the opposite shore of Loch
Swein, distant from Kilmichael three miles by sea and
ten by land, was erected in 1827, and contains 700 sit-
tings. There are three parochial schools, the masters of
which have each a salary of £17, and fees averaging £10
annually ; the whole afford instruction to about 240
children. At Keills, in the south-western extremity of
the parish, are the ruins of an ancient chapel of Mac-
O-Charmaig's, near which is an old cross ; and on
Drimnacreige are those of another religious house. Not
far from the site of a chapel at Kilmahunaig, of which
only the cemetery remains, is a conical mound, I'SO
yards in circumference at the base, and thirty feet in
height, called Dun- Donald, where the Lords of the Isles
held courts for dispensing justice. In the parish are
also numerous remains of fortresses, oneof which, called
Dun-a-Bheallich, on a hill near Tayvallich church, ap-
pears to have been raised to defend the pass from the
bay of Carsaig to that of Tayvallich. On a rock close
to the sea are the ruins of Castle-Swein, commanding
the entrance of that loch, and the foundation of which
is by tradition ascribed to Swein, Prince of Denmark ;
the remains consist of roofless walls 105 feet in length,
seven feet in thickness, and thirty-five feet in height.
A portion of the ruins, called Macmillan's tower, seems
to be of more recent date than the rest.
KNAPDALE, SOUTH, a parish, in the district and
county of Argyll ; containing, with a portion of the
quoad sacra district of Lochgilphead, 2223 inhabitants.
The Gaelic terra that gives name to this place consists
of the two words knap, a hill, and daill, a plain, field, or
dale, and is descriptive of the general appearance of the
surface, which is marked by numerous hills and dales.
The parish was formed at the same time as that of North
Knapdale, in 1734. It is bounded on the east by Loch
Fine, and on the west by the Sound of Jura, a large arm
of the Atlantic Ocean ; and is computed to be about
twenty miles in length, and in one part half that distance
in breadth, chiefly comprising large tracts appropriated
as sheep-walks and to the pasturage of black-cattle, the
soil and climate being alike unfriendly to extensive agri-
cultural operations. On the south-east is a small loch,
a branch of Loch Fine, called East Loch Tarbert, and
having only the narrow isthmus of Tarbert between it
and West Loch Tarbert, which latter borders the parish
also on the south-east. The parish is washed on the
west, as already stated, by the Sound of Jura; and Loch
Chaolis-port or Killisport, an arm of the sound, runs
into the land in a north-eastern direction for five or six
miles.
The north-western coast of Loch Killisport is much
indented, and abrupt and rocky ; but the south-eastern
shore is gradual in its ascent. Both sides are richly
ornamented with copse wood ; and excellent anchorage
is found in several of its bays, for vessels seeking refuge
from the swell of the south-west and other gales. The
shelter is especially good within Ellanfada, at the head of
the loch, where the north winds are broken by the hills
rising in that direction in the form of an amphitheatre.
The islands of Ellanfada, EUan-na-Muick, and Lea-
EUan, with others, are situated in the loch ; and off the
point of Knap, at the extremity of its north-western
shore, is a dangerous rock called Bow- Knap, the summit
135
of which is seen only at low water during spring tides.
Near the north-west coast, also, is ElIan-na-Leek ; be-
sides which there are the islands of Elian-More, Ellan-
na-Gamhna, and Core-EUan, all celebrated for the ex-
cellent beef and mutton produced on their pastures.
The waters of the loch afford abundance of fish, com-
prising salmon, trout, whiting, ling, seethe, haddock,
skate, halibut, turbot, flounders, and occasionally the
John-Dory. Herrings formerly visited it, and large
numbers of them were caught ; but they are now seldom
seen here in any quantity. Loch Fine is their chief re-
sort in this part of the country ; and between forty and
fifty boats belonging to the parish are engaged in the
fishery there during the season, each, in a prosperous
time, making about £70.
The INTERIOR of the parish is hilly and mountainous.
The highest range is that of Sliabh-Ghaoil, stretching
from Inverneill to Barnellan, a distance of twelve miles,
and the summit of which commands beautifully-diver-
sified and extensive prospects, comprehending Cantyre,
the Ayrshire coast, Bute, and the serrated peaks of the
isle of Arran, with Ireland, the isles of Mull and Jura, and
many other interesting objects. The heights also em-
brace a view of Loch Fine, the Kyles of Bute, the mouth
of the Clyde, the sound of Kilbrannan, the channel to-
wards Ireland, the Sound of Jura, and other waters.
Parallel with Sliabh-Ghaoil run subordinate ranges, with
intermediate valleys traversed by numerous streams, of
which the Ormsary and the Loch-head are celebrated for
their fine trout. Salmon-trout, also, of good quality,
are found in the inland lakes, which are four or five in
number. Some portions of the parish are subject to
tillage ; the farms are of small size, and the usual crops
are oats, bear, barley, peas, beans, turnips, clover, and
rye-grass, with potatoes, the last being raised in consi-
derable quantities, and exported. The average rent of
land, however, does not exceed one shilling per acre, in
consequence of the very large proportion of moor pasture.
On some of the best farms, the tenements and offices
have been much improved ; and on one estate a thresh-
ing-mill, worked by water, has been erected. The sheep
are all of the black-faced kind ; and the black-cattle,
many of which are of superior quality, are the West
Highland. The wood, which is partly natural and partly
planted, and of considerable extent, comprises oak, ash,
birch, hazel, and holly, larch, spruce-fir, ash, beech,
plane, and willow trees : some of the plantations are very
flourishing. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £5777. Ormsary, one of the principal seats,
is a beautiful residence, with a fine garden and shrubbery,
from which plantations are intended to be continued in
clumps to the north, and in belts to the shore on the
south, for the shelter of this agreeable locality. In the
parish are also the mansions of Inverneill, Erines, Drim-
drissaig, and Achindarroch, the last situated on the bank
of the Crinan canal, and surrounded with ornamental
grounds ; and a spacious mansion has been built at
I3armore.
An excellent road runs from Daill, the north-eastern
extremity of the parish, to Barnellan, in the south, and
for about twelve miles is called the Sliabh-Ghaoil road,
its route being along the eastern base of the hilly range
of that name. It was constructed with much labour
and difficulty, under the superintendence, and by the
persevering exertions, of Sheriff Campbell, and has
KNAP
KNOC
proved of eminent service to this and several other pa-
rishes, offering the only inland means of communication
between the peninsula of Cantyre and the other parts of
Argyllshire. The Crinan canal, begun in 1793, by a com-
pany, under an act of parliament obtained for that pur-
pose, commences at the loch and village from which it
takes its name, in the parish of Kilmartin, and, after a
south-eastern course of about nine miles, joins the Loch
Gilp branch of Loch Fine, in the north of this parish.
It is a convenient and safe channel for vessels plying
between the West Highlands and the Clyde : by it the
dangerous course round the Mull of Cantyre is avoided ;
and it has been found highly beneficial to the coasting
and fishing trade, for whose use it was chiefly designed.
The revenue, however, being scarcely sufficient to defray
the expense of maintaining the canal, an act was passed
in 1S4S, vesting the line in the new commissioners that
were then appointed for the Caledonian canal. At its
opening into Loch Gilp, a village has been formed since
the commencement of the canal ; it is called Ardrissaig,
and contains about 400 people, who are chiefly supported
by the herring-fishery: a hundred boats are frequently in
the harbour during the season of the fishery ; and there
is also much traffic by means of the Glasgow steamers,
three of which in summer time, and one in winter, arrive
at the port daily, for the conveyance of passengers, and
goods and cattle. The northern parts of the parish
chiefly use Lochgilphead, a large village in the parish of
Kilmichael-Glassary,as their post-town; and the southern
district the village of Tarbert, in the parishes of Kilcal-
monell and South Knapdale. To the latter village the
mail-bag was formerly sent from Lochgilphead daily,
upon its arrival from Inverary ; but it is now despatched
by steam from Ardrissaig, a change productive of some
inconvenience. The village of Tarbert affords means to
the farmers in the south for the disposal of their produce ;
those in the north generally resort to Lochgilphead.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of In-
verary, synod of Argyll, and in the patronage of the
Crown : the minister's stipend is £150, with a manse,
and a glebe of fourteen acres, valued at £10 per annum.
There are tvto churches, one situated at Achoish, and
the other at Inverneill, both built about the year 1/75,
and repaired a few years since ; they are seated respec-
tively for 212 and 300 persons. The incumbent formerly
officiated at these churches alternately ; but since the
erection of a church at Lochgilphead in 1828, and the
annexation of Ardrissaig, and some parts adjacent, to the
district of that church, he has performed public worship
at Inverneill every third Sabbath only. There are four
parochial schools, affording instruction in English and
Gaelic reading, and the other branches of a plain educa-
tion; and at two of the schools instruction is given in
Latin, geography, and navigation. The masters each
receive a salary of £12. 12., but no allowance is made
to any of them for dwelling-house or ground ; their fees
amount respectively to £20, £12, £8, and £7. There
is also an Assembly's school, the master of which is in-
debted for a house and some ground, and for the school-
house, to the liberality of Mrs. Campbell of Ornisary.
The remains of three ancient chapels are still visible,
one of which, in EUan-More, was built by Mac-0-Char-
niaig : it is arched over, and in good preservation ; and
in the recess of the wall is a stone coflin, with the figure
of a man cut on the lid. The same saint founded the
l.iG
church of Kilvic-0-Charmaig, the mother church of the
two Knapdales, and, after many acts of devotion, was
buried in his own island, where his tomb is yet to be
seen. At Cove are the ruins of a chapel built, according
to tradition, by St. Columba, before he took his depar-
ture for lona to found his seminary there ; the altar and
font still remain, and the former exhibits a well-sculp-
tured cross. The third chapel, at Kilmore Knap, seems
to have been the most considerable in South Knapdale ;
its walls are almost entire, and a beautiful cross stands
on the west side of the burying-grouud. At one time
there were the remains of seven ancient chapels to be
seen in the parish.
KNIGHTSWOOD, a village, in the parish of New
KiLPATRiCK, county of Dumbarton, if mile (S. by E.)
from New Kilpatrick ; containing 178 inhabitants. It
is situated in the southern part of the parish, a short
distance from the river Kelvin, which here flows on the
east. At Netlierton, in its neighbourhood, is a valuable
freestone-quarry, the stone of which is of a cream colour,
easily cut when fresh from the quarry, but hardening
considerably by exposure. At one period it was largely
exported to Ireland and the West Indies ; and it is still
wrought in vast quantities, affording employment to be-
tween sixty and seventy persons.
KNOCK, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish of Stornoway, island of Lewis, county of Ross
and Cromarty, 5 miles (E.) from the town of Storno-
way; containing 1637 inhabitants. This district, which
is called also Uii, and Eye, is connected with the main
part of the parish of Stornovi'ay by a narrow isthmus,
and is bounded on the west by Broad bay, and on the
east and south by the channel of the Minch, which se-
parates it from the main land of the county. It com-
prises about 12,000 acres, and was erected.- into a quoad
sacra district on the building of a church by parliamen-
tary grant within the last few years. In all its statis-
tical details it is identified with Stornoway ; it com-
prises only a few rural hamlets, the inhabitants of which
are engaged in the fisheries common to that parish. The
church, a neat structure, contains about SOO sittings, and
the minister has a stipend of £120, with a manse and
glebe ; patron, the Crown. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship. There are also two
schools supported by the Gaelic society of Edinburgh.
In the cemetery of the old church of Uii, of which there
are considerable remains, it is traditionally recorded that
not less than sixteen of the Mc Leods, the ancient lords
of Lewis, were interred.
KNOCKANDO, a parish, in the county of Elgin,
14 miles (S.) from Elgin ; containing, with the village
of Archiestown, 1676 inhabitants. Knockando derives
its name from two Gaelic words signifying " the black
hill", or " hill with the black head". It has the ancient
parish of Macallan, or Elchies, united to it, but no dis-
tinct record of union is preserved : both parishes were
vicarages, the former depending on the parson of Inver-
aven, and the latter on the parson of Boterie. This
is considered a Highland parish, but the provincial
Scotch, with a mixture of English, has entirely super-
seded the Gaelic language, which is spoken in the neigh-
bouring parishes. A place here, called Campbell's Cairns,
is thought by some to derive its name from a buttle
fought between the Campbells and some other clan, in
which the former were defeated. Others, however, think
KNOC
K NO C
the name arose from Cossack Dhu, an ancient freebooter,
who is said to have concealed his plunder among the
cairns. The most important event in modern times
connected with the district is the terrible flood of 18'i9,
which produced appalling desolation to fields, houses,
mills, and every description of property within the range
of its fury, and the details of which have now become
interwoven with the history of Moray.
The I'ARiSH is of an irregular figure, stretching along
the bank of the river Spey, extending between sixteen
and seventeen miles in length, and varying from two to
six miles in breadth. It is bounded on the north by
Dallas and Birnie parishes ; on the south by the river
Spey, which separates it from Inveraven and Aberlour,
in the shire of Banff ; on the east by the parish of Rothes;
and on the west by the parishes of Cromdale and Edin-
killie. The surface is considerably diversified by a suc-
cession of hills and glens, with several level haughs near
the river ; and towards the west is an eminence called
James Roy's Cairn, supposed to be the highest ground
in Morayshire. In the moorlands are two lakes, Ben-
shalgs and Loch Coulalt ; but the larger does not exceed
a mile in circumference. A number of burns, also, water
the parish, in all of which trout are found, and which in
a rainy season overflow their banks : in the celebrated
flood of 1829, they came down from the hills with tre-
mendous force, swollen to the size of rivers, and carrying
every thing before them to the river Spey. The Spey is
the most rapid river in Scotland, and many rafts of tim-
ber are floated along its stream from the forests of Ro-
thiemurchus and Abernethy.
The SOIL varies very considerably, comprising black
gravelly mould, heavy clay, and moss ; resting in some
parts upon clay, and in others upon gravel : the alluvial
deposits consist of clay, bog-iron ore, peat, fuUers'-earth,
and marl ; and oak and fir roots, and whole trees, have
been found embedded in the several large mosses. In-
dependently of the estate of Knockando, which compre-
hends about a third part of the parish, '2034 acres are
in tillage or pasture, 7986 are uncultivated, and 680
under plantation. All kinds of grain and green crops
are grown ; but agriculture is generally backward, and
modern practices have been only partially adopted ; very
few lands are inclosed, and the farm-buildings are usu-
ally of an inferior kind. Improvements are, indeed,
advancing on the grounds of some of the larger propri-
etors ; but the want of capital, the smallness of the
farms, and the limited use of manure operate to prevent
the extension of these improvements throughout the
parish. The rocks are all of the primitive formation,
and consist of granite, felspar, mica, sandstone, and
rock-crystal. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £3857. The mansions are, Easter Elchies,
built in the year 1700, by the father of the late Lord
Elchies ; the house of Knockando, built in 1732, now
partly in ruins, but capable of repair, and beautifully
situated near the banks of the Spey ; and Wester Elchies,
a building of more modern date, in the castellated style,
belonging to the Grant family. The scenery around
these seats, particularly Knockando, is exceedingly pic-
turesque and beautiful. The only village is Archiestown ;
it is three-quarters of a mile in length, and consists of
a double row of houses, with a square of about half an
acre in the centre. There are four meal-mills, a waulk-
mill, a carding-mill, and saw and threshing mills : at
Vol. II.— 137
the waulk and carding mills, wool is dyed and manu-
factured into plaiding and broad cloth, blankets, and
carpets. Spinning and weaving are carried on in the
parish ; and there are two distilleries, which have a very
high character. On the Spey is a salmon-fishery, and
trout-angling is practised to a great extent on that river
and all the burns. A road to Elgin and a road to Forres
run through the parish, both of which are in good order;
but the other roads are in general in a deplorable state.
The bridge of Craigellachie atfords a transit over the
Spey ; and there are numerous ferries ; as well as wooden
bridges across the burns.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Aberlour and synod of Moray ;
patron, the Earl of Seafield. The stipend of the minister
is £1.58, of which a small portion is received from the
exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe of about fourteen
acres, valued at £13 per annum. Knockando church,
built in 1757, and repaired in 1832, is a small plain
edifice, remarkably neat within ; it contains 477 sittings,
and is conveniently situated for the population. The
Independents have a place of worship. There are two
parochial schools, each of the masters of which has a
salary of £25. 13., with a share of the Dick bequest, and
about £8 or £10 fees ; instruction is given in Latin, the
mathematics, and the usual branches of education.
Three other schools are supported by the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge ; two of them are
taught by females. In the parish are several mineral
springs occasionally used for medicinal purposes. Of
two ancient caves, one is designated the Cave of Hair-
nish An Tuim, supposed to be James Grant, nephew of
the well-known Carron ; the other is called Bane's Hole,
from Donald Bane, the robber, who is said to have been
shot and buried in the neighbourhood. Lord Elchies,
already mentioned, a distinguished judge, was born at
Easter Elchies ; and Messrs. Grant, of Manchester, who
have established one of the most extensive mercantile
concerns in England, are natives of the parish.
KNOCKBAIN, or Kilmuir Wester and Suddy,
a parish, in the county of Ross and Cromarty, 3^ miles
(N. N. W.) from Inverness ; containing, with the villages
of Charlestown and Munlochy, 2565 inhabitants. Pre-
viously to the union of the counties of Ross and Cro-
marty, this parish was locally in the county of Ross
only. The name Kilmuir signifies " a church dedicated
to Mary"; and Suddy, "a good place for a settlement".
The two districts, once separate parishes, were united in
1756, when they received the name of Knockbain, b)'
which they have since been called, but which was origi-
nally applied only to a cold and desolate moor, whereon
the church and manse are built. Little is known con-
cerning the ancient history of the parish ; but the re-
mains of many cairns on the field of Blair-na-coi are said
to be the memorials of a sanguinary conflict which took
place near the spot, in the thirteenth century, between
the famous Mc Donalds and the people of Inverness.
The length of the parish is between six and seven
miles, and its breadth between five and six; it is bounded
on the south by the Moray Firth, and on the north-west
by the parish of Killearnan. The climate is tolerably
healthy. In general the soil is good, but it differs greatly
throughout, consisting of the several varieties of sandy
loam, clay loam, moor earth, moss, gravel, and alluvial
deposits. The number of acres on the estates of four
T
K N OC
LADY
of the five heritors in the parish is, 3458 of arable land,
3496 plantation, and 3323 pasture or uncultivated : the
number of acres on the estate of Suddy is not precisely
known. Large quantities of wheat and barley are raised,
and the farmers grow crops also of oats, peas, turnips,
and potatoes. The woods consist of Scotch fir, larch,
and one very large and recent plantation of oak-trees, for
■which the planter received a premium from the Highland
Society. The estate of Drumderfit contains the most
important farm in the parish ; this farm has been for
some centuries in the possession of the same family,
and they have brought it to a high state of cultivation by
the large sums from time to time expended upon it. At
Allangrange, Suddy, Muirends, Munlochy, and Wester
Kessock, considerable quantities of waste land have been
recovered. The lands generally have been portioned
into farms of the most suitable extent ; good houses
and fences have been raised, and the most recent im-
provements in husbandry are skilfully applied. On
some lands, particularly those of Wester Kessock, great
encouragement has been given by granting long leases.
The subsoil of the parish is clayey, in many parts tena-
cious, and sometimes covered with a thin stratum of
iron-ore, mixed with gravel and sandstone : the rocks
are of the old sandstone formation. The annual value
of real property in Knockbain is £6772.
There are two villages, one named Munlochy, the
other Charlestown ; the latter is opposite the northern
entrance of the Caledonian canal, and both are built on
the estate of Sir Colin McKenzie, Bart., of Kilcoy. A
considerable trade has been carried on for several years
with Newcastle and Hull, in the exportation of fir-props,
in exchange for which lime and coal are received. A
post-office is established, and the roads are in good re-
pair : that leading from Dingwall to Kessock-Ferry passes
through the western part of the parish, and the roads
from Kessock to Fortrose and Invergordon, and from
Fortrose to Beauly, run through the centre of it. Eccle-
siastically the parish is within the limits of the presby-
tery of Chanonry and synod of Ross. The stipend of
the minister is about £205, with a manse, a glebe of the
annual value of £22, and a composition of £1 a year in
lieu of the privilege of cutting peat ; the patronage be-
longs to the Crown and the Marchioness of Stafford.
Knoekbuin church is an ancient structure : when repaired
about thirty or forty years ago, it was sufficiently en-
larged to admit 250 additional hearers, and at present it
accommodates nearly 800 persons. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship ; and there is an
episcopal chapel. Tlie parochial schoolmaster has the
maximum salary, with a house, and about £13 fees.
There is another school, supported by the General As-
sembly's committee, and called Principal Baird's school,
the master of which has a salary of £25, and the fees.
In each of these schools the ordinary branches of educa-
tion are taught, and some of the Latin authors. Major-
General McKenzie, who was M.P. for Sutherland, and
who fell while supporting one of the wings of the British
army at Talavera, was born here : there is a monument
to his memory in St. Paul's Cathedral, London.
KNOCKSHOGGLE-HOLM, a village, in the parish
of CoYi.TON, district of Kyi.e, county of Avii, 5;'- miles
(E. by N.) from Ayr; containing 102 inhabitant.'?. It
is situated in the north-western part of the jjarish, a
short distance west of the road from Coylton to Tar-
138
bolton, and consists of a group of cottages, chiefly inha-
bited b/ persons engaged in agriculture.
KYLEAKIN, a village, in the parish of Strath,
Isle of Skye, county of Inverness, 85 miles (E.) from
Broadford ; containing 23 1 inhabitants. The name is
partly a corruption of Haco, the place being called Kyle-
akin, or Haco's-Kyle, in commemoration of events con-
nected with King Haco's Norwegian expedition in 1263.
The extremities of the strait between this part of Skye
and the main land are styled Kyle Rhea, or the King's
Kyle ; and here is a ferry about a third of a mile in
breadth. Lord Macdonald intended to erect a sea-port
town at this place; in 18 11 the plans were prepared,
and on the 14th of September the foundation stone was
laid with great pomp and ceremony ; but the design was
a failure, as the houses to be erected, of which a few
compose the present village, were on too expensive a
scale for the resources of the people generally, and no
person of wealth or enterprise could be found to settle
on the spot. It is now merely a fishing-village. There
is a good line of road from the Seonccr road to Kyle-
akin, and thence through the district of Lochalsh to
Strome Ferry, whereby the Lochcarron road is made to
form a more convenient means of communication be-
tween Skye and the north-east coast of Scotland.
LADHOPE, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish and district of Melrose, county of Roxburgh ;
containing 2367 inhabitants. This district is situated
in the western part of the parish of Melrose, on the bor-
ders of the Gala water. Its populous villages of Buck-
holmside and Darlingshaugh are appendant to Galashiels,
in the manufactures of which town the inhabitAits are
largely engaged : the first-named village is immediately
connected with Galashiels by a stone bridge. Great
facility of intercourse is afforded by the Edinburgh and
Hawick railway. Besides the church of the district, the
minister of which is appointed by the male seatholders,
communicants, there is a place of worship for members
of the Free Church; also several schools. — See Melrose,
and Galashiels.
LADY, an isle, in the parish of Dhndonald, county
of Ayr, 5 miles (S. S. W.) from Irvine, and 5 (N. W. by
N.) from Ayr. This island is situated in the Firth of
Clyde, about two miles and a half from Troon, the near-
est point of the main land of the county. It is of an
oval figure, and half a mile in length. On the eastern
side is good anchorage ground ; and two towers or pil-
lars, which may be easily seen at a distance, have been
erected on the north-west part of the isle, for the guid-
ance of vessels in the Firth, the coast in this part being
flat and dangerous.
LADY, a parish, in the island of Sanda, North Isles
of the covmty of Orkney, 25 miles (N. E. by N.) from
Kirkwall ; containing 909 inhabitants. Lady derives its
name from the dedication of its ancient church, which
was in the form of a cross, to Our Lady, or the Virgin
Mary. The parish includes the eastern portion of the
island, is about nine miles in length from south to north,
and one mile in average breadth ; it is bounded on the
west liy the ])arish of Cros.s and the bay of Otterswick,
and on all other points is surrounded by the sea. This
LADY
LADY
district is of singularly-irregular form, stretching out
into the sea by numerous narrow headlands of consider-
able length, of which that called the Start projects from
the shore of the main land for more than two miles, in a
direction due eastward. The surface is generally flat,
having little elevation above the sea, and is subdivided
into many small districts ; the principal are Elsness,
Overbister, Tressness, Coligarth, Newark, SiUbister, and
Northwall. At Elsness is an inlet of the sea, about 125
acres in extent, which is dry at low water ; and at Tress-
ness is another, of more than twice the dimensions: both
might be easily converted into good harbours. On the
extremity of the Start, a lighthouse was erected in 1802;
it is 100 feet in height to the lantern, and displays a
revolving light, which may be distinctly seen at a dis-
tance of eighteen nautical miles. In the northern part
of the parish are four considerable lakes, of which those
of Northwall and Westair are separated from each other,
and also from the sea, only by a narrow slip of inter-
vening land : these two lakes, with the others, less in
extent, and more widely detached, occupy by far the
greater portion of the north-eastern part of the island of
Sanda.
The SOIL is generally sand, in some parts intermixed
with clay ; about two-thirds of the parish are under cul-
tivation, and the remainder heath and waste. The exact
number of acres has not been ascertained: of the land in
cultivation, 2000 acres are arable, and the rest is good
pasture. The crops are oats, bear, potatoes, and turnips,
and in the culture of the two latter the drill system of
husbandry is prevalent ; the principal manure is sea-
weed, which is found to answer well. The breed of
black-cattle has been much improved since the intro-
duction of turnips. Garamount House, erected by the
late John Traill Urquhart, Esc|., of Elsness, is a hand-
some modern mansion, finely situated. There is no vil-
lage ; the population are chiefly agricultural, and em-
ployed in the manufacture of kelp and in the fisheries.
The kelp manufacture, though formerly much more
extensive, still affords employment to a considerable
number of persons during the months of June and July ;
and the produce is sent to Newcastle. Cod, turbot,
skate, and herrings abound in the surrounding sea, and
small quantities of dried cod are occasionally exported ;
but there is no regular station for curing, and few more
fish are taken than are required for the supply of the
inhabitants.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of North Isles and the synod of
Orkney. The minister's stipend is £158. 6. 8., inclu-
ding an allowance of £8. 6. 8. for communion elements ;
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £4. 8. per annum :
patron, the Earl of Zetland. Lady church, rebuilt in
1814, is a neat and spacious structure containing ample
accommodation for all the parishioners. There is a
place of worship for members of the United Presbyterian
Church. The parochial school of Sanda is common to
the two parishes of that island, namely. Lady, and Cross
and Burness; it is situated at the junction of the two
parishes, and the master has a salary of £46. 10., with
a dwelling-house. A school for the more immediate use
of this parish is supported by the Society for Propa-
gating Christian Knowlege, who pay the master a salary
of £15 per annum ; he has also a house, with fuel, and
an allowance for the keep of a cow from the heritors.
139
There are numerous vestiges of ancient chapels of very
diminutive structure, few of them exceeding twelve feet
in length : the names of St. Peter's and St. Magda-
lene's chapels only have been preserved. At Newark were
lately discovered the remains of a circular building of
flat stones, fitted together without cement : the walls
were about six feet thick, and in some jjarts surrounded
by an outer wall, with an interval of three feet i)etween;
the diameter of the inner wall was about twelve feet, and
the interior filled with stones, gravel, and a layer of red
ashes, interspersed with bones of cattle, sheep, swine,
rabbits, geese, and various kinds of shell-fish. There
are several tumuli in the parish ; and at Coliness, nu-
merous graves were discovered lined with flag-stones, in
which were many skeletons nearly entire, one with a
wound in the upper part of the skull. In one of the
graves was found a gold ring, and on one of the flag-
stones was a rudely sculptured cross.
LADYBANK, a village, in the parish of Collessie,
district of Cupar, county of Fife; containing 102 in-
habitants. The Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway
here divides into two branches, one of them proceeding
in a north-western direction to Perth, and the other in
a north-eastern to Dundee.
LADYKIRK, a parish, in the county of Berwick,
6 miles (N. E. by N.) from Coldstream ; containing,
with the two villages of Horndean and Upsetlington, 504
inhabitants. This place originally consisted only of the
parish of Upsetlington, the name of which is of very
uncertain derivation. It appears to have acquired a
considerable degree of importance at an early period ;
and during the disputed succession to the crown of
Scotland, towards the close of the thirteenth century,
a meeting took place here between eight of the compe-
titors, attended by several of the Scottish prelates and
nobility, and Edward I. of England, for the purpose of
investigating their several claims, and more especially
fer settling the feuds of Bruce and Baliol. In 1500, a
new church was erected by James IV., and dedicated to
the Virgin Mary ; the parish eventually took the name
of Ladykirk, and its former appellation has since been
confined to the village that had risen up around its
ancient church. Soon after the treaty of Chateau Cara-
bresis, a supplementary treaty was concluded here by
the English and Scottish commissioners, for which pur-
pose they met in the church of St. Mary ; and on the
same day the duplicates were interchanged at Norham
Castle. The parish includes the suppressed parish of
Horndean, annexed to it at the time of the Reformation.
It is about four miles in length, one mile and a half in ave-
rage breadth, and is bounded on the north by the parish
of Whitsome, on the east by that of Hutton, on the south
by the river Tweed, and on the west by the parish of
Swinton. The surface is generally level, diversified only
by a few eminences which attain no considerable eleva-
tion, and in some parts sloping gently towards the banks
of the Tweed.
In this parish the soil is various, but fertile ; the whole
number of acres is estimated at 3100, of which about
three-fourths are arable, fifty acres in plantations, and
the remainder in meadow and pasture. The crops are,
grain of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips ; the system of
husbandry is advanced, the farm houses and offices are
well built and commodious, and all the more recent im-
provements in agricultural implements are in use. Great
T 2
L A GG
L A G G
attention is paid to live-stock, for which the pastures
are peculiarly favourable. The cattle are mostly the
short-horned, that breed having been introduced here in
1/88 by Mr. Robertson, who bought some of the finest
specimens he could find in the county of Durham : of the
cattle reared here several have been sold for very high
prices. All the sheep are of the Leicestershire breed,
and they are in high estiinatiou for their quality and the
fineness of their wool. Oak and plane are the trees
which appear best adapted to the soil. On the banks
of the river the substrata are compact micaceous sand-
stone alternated with schistose, marl, and limestone of
inferior quality ; and in other portions of the parish,
sandstone of the old red formation : no quarries, how-
ever, have been opened hitherto. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £4430. The only mansion
is Ladykirk House, a handsome modern residence. A
salmon-fishery on the river Tweed is carried on at three
several stations ; but it is not so lucrative as formerly,
and the whole rental does not e.xceed £100 per annum.
An annual fair is held on the .5th of April, for the sale
of linen and lintseed. Facility of communication with
Coldstream, Berwick, and other places, is maintained by
good roads ; and a post between this place and Berwick
has a delivery daily.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Chirnside, synod of Merse
and Teviotdale : patron, the Crown. The stipend of the
incumbent is about £16S : the manse, lately repaired
and enlarged, is a convenient and comfortable residence ;
and the glebe comprises eleven acres and a half of pro-
fitable land, valued at £33 per annum. Ladykirk church
is a handsome cruciform structure in the decorated
English style of architecture, but has been greatly dis-
figured by injudicious alterations and additions; and
the general effect of the interior, originally of lofty pro-
portions and elegant design, has been destroyed by
partitioning off a portion of it for a schoolroom. It is
adapted for a congregation of 300 persons. There is a
place of worship for dissenters. The parochial school
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees average £25 per
annum. Some very slight vestiges of an ancient mo-
nastery may be seen on the bank of the Tweed, below
the village of Upsetlington, in a place still called the
Chapel Park ; and near them are three springs of excel-
lent wafer, called respectively the Nuns', the Monks',
and St. Mary's well. Numbers of cannon balls have been
found in a field opposite to Norham Castle, a cele-
brated fortress situated on the south side of the river,
in England.
LADYKIRK, in the county of Orkney. — See Stron-
SAY and Eday.
LADYLOAN, a quoad sacra parish, consisting of
part of the parishes of Ariiroath and St. Viokan's, in
the county of Fori ar ; and containing "2116 inhabit-
ants.— See Arbkoatii.
LAGGAN, a parish, in the county of Inverness,
10| miles (W. S. W.) from Kingussie; containing VZOl
inhabitants. This parish derives its name from the
Gaelic word Lag, signifying " a small round hollow or
plain ". It is situated on the river Spcy, and is twenty-
two miles in length from north to .south, and of about
the same breadth from cast to west ; comprising an area of
'256,000 acres, of which '25,660 are occupied by wood, 1700
140
under cultivation, and the remainder mountain and hill
pasture and waste. The elevation of the district is
nearly the highest in Scotland, and the surface is marked
by the greatest possible diversity of features. There
are several chains of very lofty eminences, embosoming
level and fertile tracts ornamented richly with wood and
water ; and in some places is a display of picturesque
and romantic scenery that is almost unrivalled. The
locality takes its principal character from the wild and
imposing aspect of the mountains, of which, at a dis-
tance, it appears entirely to consist ; but upon a nearer
approach, the interesting vale of the Spey is seen, dressed
in verdure, stretching east and west for about twenty
miles, and measuring between one and two miles in
breadth. This vale is bounded on the north by the
Monadlia, an immense ridge rising 3000 feet above the
level of the sea, in some parts thirty miles broad, and
reaching to the east for more than eighty miles. To
the south is the interesting chain called the Benalder
mountain, of equal height with the former, and once the
resort of numerous herds of deer, which some years ago
receded before the flocks of sheep that were being pas-
tured upon its surface. About the year 1843 it was again
converted into a deer-forest.
Tbese majestic elevations are relieved hy the expanse of
Loch Laggan, eight miles long and one mile broad, from
which views are obtained of the peaks and forms of the
different members and masses of the Benalder range
especially. The hills of Drummond separate the vale
of the Spey from the vale of this loch. The principal
loch, however, in the parish is Loch Ericht, upwards of
twenty miles in length and nearly two in breadth, ex-
tending southward from Dalwhinnie, and dividing the
ancient forest of Drumochtor, on the east, from that of
Benalder on the west : about one-third of it is in the
parish of Fortingal. In 1746 the Pretender was con-
cealed with some of his companions, for the space of
two weeks, near the banks of this sheet of water ; and
from this spot he set out for the ship which conveyed
him to France. The mountain springs and rivulets are
very numerous, and occasionally pour down their tor-
rents with prodigious rapidity, swelling the burns and
rivers below, to the destruction of crops, bridges, and
tenements. In general the streams contain good trout,
and, like the lochs, in which there are pike, afford fine
sport to anglers. Salmon come up to spawn as far as
Loch Spey, where the river of that name rises, in the
western part of the parish.
The SOIL in the valleys is alluvial, in some places ten
or twelve feet in depth, and, when the season is propitious,
producing heavy crops of bear, oats, and potatoes, as
■w<!ll as sown and natural grasses. The climate, however,
is highly unfavourable to agriculture ; frost, snow, and
rain often delaying the timely sowing, and destroying
the fruits of the ground before they are ripe. No
regular system of husbandry is followed : the short
leases, and the precarious nature of the in-gathering,
discourage the expenditure of capital and the labours of
industry j and the ordinary methods of improving land
and recovering waste ground are neglected for the ap-
propriation of the farms to ])asture, which is found to
l)e more profitable. About 40,000 sheep are usually
kept, mostly of tlie black-faced breed ; black-cattle are
also reared, and in general sold when young to the south-
country dealers. The late Duke of Gordon possessed
L A G G
LAIR
two-thirds of the lands, but this portion passed by sale
to other hands. The rents are determined by the number
of sheep pastured ; the tenants generally expect that the
wool will produce sufficient to pay the landlord, and they
hold their farms either as tenants at will, or on leases
for a few years only. In this parish the rocks comprise
gneiss, an inferior kind of slate, and excellent limestone,
a bed of the last running through the centre : peat is
supplied by the mosses, and is the ordinary fuel of the
inhabitants. Most of the wood is natural, consisting of
alder, birch, hazel, and willow ; the plantations are of
Scotch fir, birch, and several kinds of hard-wood, and
are chiefly in the vicinity of Cluny Castle. This man-
sion, which is beautifully situated on the north side of
the Spey, was erected at the beginning of the present
century, on the site of an ancient castle burnt to the
ground by the king's troops in 1/46, soon after the
battle of Culloden, Cluny Macpherson, the owner, having
espoused the cause of Prince Charles Edward. The pre-
sent proprietor has in his possession, among many other
relics of antiquity, several pieces of armour worn by the
prince. The other mansions are, the fine shooting-seat
of the Marquess of Abercorn, situated at Ardverikie or
Ardveirge, on the border of Loch Laggan, in the midst
of richly-diversified scenery 5 Glentruim House, a modern
structure ; and a residence on the verge of a loth at
Glenshirra. At Ardveirge, or " the Height of Fergus ",
tradition reports that one or more of the kings Fergus
were buried. They used to resort hither, as well as
others of the ancient kings, for the purpose of hunting ;
and it is said that the dogs were kept on an island in
Loch Laggan called Eilean nan con, or " Dogs' island ";
near which, in the same loch, is another isle called
Eilean an Rigli, or "Kings' island". Her Majesty and
the royal family resided at Ardverikie for a short time
in the year 1847. The annual value of real property in
Laggan is £6951. The Highland mail passes and re-
passes every day through one extremity of the parish :
there is also regular communication, by carriers, with
Perth, Kingussie, Fort-William, and Inverness, to the
two last of which places the marketable produce is sent.
The roads have been much improved since 1820 ; and
the parliamentary road from Fort-William, meeting the
Highland road at the bridge of Spey, near Kingussie,
was made about that time. There is a road from Dal-
whinnie to Fort- Augustus, round by Lochaber. Near the
church is a wooden bridge over the Spey ; there is a stone
bridge on the line of the military road at Garvamore, and
two or three others cross the smaller streams.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
AbertarfF, synod of Glenelg, and in the patronage of the
Duke of Richmond. Laggan church was built in 1843,
and contains about 600 sittings : the manse is also of
recent erection. The members of the Free Church have
a place of worship, and there is a chapel for Roman
Catholics. The parochial school affords instruction in
the usual branches ; the master has a salary of £34, with
a house, £2 in lieu of a garden, and about £W fees. A
small school is supported by Lady Abercorn. A silver
coin of the reign of Henry II. has been found. In the
middle of the parish is a very lofty perpendicular rock,
with the remains of a fortification on its summit ; and
at the east end of Loch Laggan, the ruins of the old
church are still to be seen. Lachlan Macpherson, Esq.,
one of the coadjutors of James Macpherson in collect-
141
ing the poems of Ossian, and also himself a very supe-
rior Gaelic poet, was born and buried in the parish.
Mrs. Grant, the poetess, resided for some time here,
with her husband, the Rev. James Grant, formerly paro-
chial minister. She was one of the last survivors of
those who met Dr. Johnson while on his tour, being
at that time a resident at Fort-Augustus, and in her
eighteenth year ; and she used frequently to describe to
her friends the strong impression made on her mind by
the singular appearance of the great moralist.
LAIRG, a large parish, in the county of Sutherland,
19 miles (W. by N.) from the village of Golspie; con-
taining 913 inhabitants, of whom 69 are in the village of
Lairg. The name is generally supposed to be derived
from the Gaelic word Lorg, signifying " a footpath ", and
to be descriptive of the situation of the parish, which lies
in the direct line from the northern to the southern part
of the county, and the way through which was only a
footpath till the present high road was constructed.
Some, however, derive the name from the compound term
ia-ri-Leig-, "bordering on the lake ", in allusion to the
extensive and beautiful sheet of water called Loch Shin.
The parish is not remarkable for any events of historical
importance. There are several cairns still remaming,
concerning the origin of which very little is known, the
people of the country, when questioned upon the subject,
merely repeating the tradition that they were built by
the Fingalians. At a place called Cnoek a chalk, " the
hill of the fight ", a number of tumuli are visible, which
are reported to be the graves of those who fell in an en-
counter between the Sutherlands and the Mackays.
The PARISH is thirty miles in its greatest length, from
east to west, and about ten miles in breadth, from north
to south ; containing 40,000 acres. It is twenty miles
distant from the sea, and is bounded on the north by
the parish of Farr, on the south by that of Criech, on
the east by that of Rogart, and on the west by the
parishes of Assynt and Eddrachillis. The surface
throughout is hilly, and by far the larger part of it
covered with heath : the hills vary in height in different
parts, but are generally lofty, and on the northern
boundary towers Ben-Chlibrig, the highest mountain in
the county. The whole site of the parish, indeed, is
very considerably elevated, and the air in w'inter is bleak
and piercing, the cold being often accompanied with
heavy falls of rain and snow ; the climate, however, is
healthy, and the inhabitants are hardy and long-lived.
The lakes are about twenty in number : the principal is
Loch Shin, extending nearly the whole length of the
parish ; it is twenty-four miles long, and its average
breadth is about one mile, the depth varying from twenty
to thirty fathoms. There are five rivers, four of which
fall into this loch. From the east end of it issues the
river Shin, which, after a rapid course of about three
miles, precipitates itself over a rock twenty feet high,
forming a fine cascade, and at last loses itself in the
Kyle of Sutherland. Trout are found in many of the
lakes ; in Loch Craggy they abound, and are considered
to be of as good quality as any in the kingdom.
The common alluvial deposit in the parish is peat,
resting upon a subsoil of gravel ; in a few places the
earth is loamy and very fertile. The mossy ground,
which is of great extent, is wet and spongy, and in every
part embedded with large quantities of fir, the certain
indications of a once well-wooded district, though at
L A M L
L AN A
present scarcely a tree is to be seen, except some birch
erowint; along the lake. The agricultural character of
the parish stands very low ; the larger part of it is moor-
land, and the whole, with the exception of the lots occu-
pied by the small tenants, has been turned into large
sheep-walks. The populution has consequently consider-
ably decreased ; the old tenantry have gradually passed
away, and settled either on the coast, or near grounds
more susceptible of cultivation. There is no great corn-
farm in the parish ; but the letters raise enough grain
for domestic use. The sheep are of the Cheviot breed,
and much attention has been paid to the rearing of them
for some years past : they are sent to the markets of
the Kyle and Kincardine, in Autumn and November. The
rocks of the parish are chiefly coarse granite and trap,
in addition to which, at the side of the lake, is a large
bed of limestone : this, however, though much wanted
for agricultural purposes, the inhabitants have no means
of working. The annual value of real property in Lairg
is returned at £1913. There are about forty miles of
road, in very good condition, and affording every facility
of communication : the Tongue line from south-east to
north-west, and, branching from it, the Strathfleet county
road, pass through the parish. A post-gig carrying
passengers arrives twice in the week. Ecclesiastically
the parish is within the limits of the presbytery of Dor-
noch, synod of Sutherland and Caithness : patron, the
Duke of Sutherland. The stipend of the minister is
about £184, with a manse, built in 1845, and a glebe of
ten acres valued at £9 per annum. Lairg church was
erected in the year 1845. There is only one school, the
parochial, in which all the ordinary branches of educa-
tion are taught, with Latin and Gaehc, the latter being
the vernacular tongue : the master's salary is £34, with
a house, and about £8. 10. fees. The poor have the
interest of £500, bequeathed by Capt. Hugh Mackay,
son of the Rev. Thomas Mackay, a late minister of Lairg.
His other sons were, Capt. William Mackay, author of
the narrative of the ship Jiiiw, from which, according to
Mr. Moore, Lord Byron drew his description of a ship-
wreck ; and John Mackay of Rockfield, who, whilst
labouring under the loss of sight, wrote the Life of
General Mackay of Scourie. James Matheson, Esq. M.P.,
of Achany, is grandson of the same clergyman.
LAMBA, an isle, in the parish of Northmavine,
county of Shetland. This is a small uninhabited isle
of the Shetland group, situated on the north-east coast
of the Mainland of Shetland, about a mile and a half
westward of Bigga island.
LAMBHOLM, an isle, in the parish of Holm and
Paplay, county of Orknky ; containing 1'2 inhabitants.
It is a small islet, almost circular, and about three miles in
circumference, situated in Holm sound, near to the west
entrance of tliat bay. Between it and the main land is a
pretty secure harbour for vessels of '200 tons' burthen.
LAMLASH, an island, in the parish of Kilbride,
Isle of Arran, county of Bute ; containing 2*1 inhabit-
ants. This island is two miles and a half in length
and half a mile in breadth, rising in a conical shape to
the height of 1000 feet; it is situated eastward of the
main land of Arran, and serves as a shelter to a spacious
bay of the same name as itself. Buchanan gives the
island the Latin name of Mains, from its having been the
retreat of St. Maol los ; and, for the same reason, it is
also called the Holy Island : anciently a monastery of
142
friars, founded by one of the Lords of the Isles, existed
here, i^amlash bay, an excellent harbour in the form of
a semicircle, on the south-east side of Arran, is land-
locked by the island, at the extremities of which, on the
north and south, are convenient entrances. At the head
of the bay is the village of Lamlash, or Kilbride, a fa-
vourite resort for bathing, and having several good inns
for the accommodation of visiters. — See Kilbride.
LAMMINGTOUNE, a village, in the parish of Wan-
dell and Lammingtoune, Upper ward of the county of
Lanark, 65 miles (S. W.) from Biggar ; containing 122
inhabitants. It is situated on the eastern bank of the
Clyde, on the road from Biggar to Roberton, and near
the great Caledonian railway. The place was formerly
a market-town, a charter having been obtained from
Charles I. to hold a weekly-market here every Thursday,
and two annual fairs, one on the 15th of June, and the
other on the 22nd of October ; but both the market and
the fairs have been discontinued. The Lammingtoune
burn, a tributary to the Clyde, flows on the south-west
side of the village. In the vicinity is a fine old tower,
built by a laird of Lammingtoune of the ancient family of
Baillie ; it is of considerable height, and the walls are of
great thickness.
LANARK, a burgh, mar-
ket-town, and parish, in the
Upper ward of the county
of Lanark ; containing, with
the villages of Cartland and
New Lanark, 7679 inhabit-
ants, of whom 4831 are with-
in the burgh, 25 miles (S. E.)
from Glasgow, and 32 (S.
W. by W.) from Edinburgh.
This place, the name of which
is of uncertain derivation, is
of very remote antiquity, and,
from the traces of a Roman road leading to the site of
its ancient castle, is supposed to have been a Roman
station. By some writers, indeed, it is identified with the
Cola-nia of Ptolemy. It appears to have attained to great
importance at an early period ; and Kenneth II. is said
to have assembled here, in 97 S, the first parliament of
which there is any record in the history of the country.
The place is referred to as a royal burgh in one of the
charters of Malcolm IV., by which a portion of its lands
was granted to the monks of Dryburgh ; and a charter
bestowed by William the Lion upon the inhabitants of
the town of Ayr, in 1197, is dated from a royal castle
here, the foundation of which is attributed to David I.
The town was burned to the ground in 1244, the houses
being chiefly built of wood ; but it was soon restored,
and not long afterwards it became the scene of a battle
between Sir William Wallace and Sir William Heslerigg,
the English sherilT, in which the latter and the forces
under his command were defeated, and driven from the
town. Lanark Castle, with all its dependencies, was
given as security for the dower of the niece of Philip, of
Erance, in the treaty negotiating for her marriage to the
son of John Baliol, in 1298. It seems to have been
garrisoned by the English in I.'IO, when it was sur-
rendered, together with Dumfries, Ayr, and tiie Isle of
Bute, to Rol)ert Brui e. King of Scotland.
The TOWN is l)cautifully situated on a gentle acclivity
rising to the height of nearly 300 feet above the level of
Burgh Seal.
L A N A
L AN A
the river Clyde, and consists of five principal streets,
with a few others of less note. Most of the houses have
been rebuilt, and many of them in a handsome style, by
which the appearance of the town has been greatly im-
proved. It is paved, lighted, and amply supplied with
water at the expense of the corporation ; and though no
regular police establishment is maintained, it is watched
by constables appointed by the magistrates of the burgh.
There are two bridges over the Clyde, affording facility
of access to the town. Of these, one, about a mile below
Lanark, was erected in the middle of the seventeenth
century, and displays no features of architectural im-
portance ; the other, two miles from the town, is remark-
able for the elegance of its structure.
Part of the inhabitants are occupied in weaving for the
manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley at their own
homes, not only in the town, but in several other parts
of the parish : more than 1000 persons, of whom nearly
900 live in the town, derive support from this work, the
wages, however, being now greatly reduced. The manu-
facture of shoes is also carried on to a considerable ex-
tent, giving occupation to about 100 persons : the making
of lace employs 120 females ; there are three breweries
upon a moderate scale, and several flour-mills. The
principal manufacture of the parish, however, is the
cotton spinning and weaving introduced at New Lanark,
a handsome village on the side of the river, by Mr. Dale,
who in the year 1784 erected mills on a very extensive
scale, which were afterwards conducted by the notorious
Robert Owen, and are now the property of Messrs.
Walker and Company. In these extensive and flourish-
ing works nearly 1'200 persons are regularly engaged.
A branch of the Commercial Bank of Scotland is fixed
at Lanark, for which a handsome house has been built
of freestone, raised from the quarries near the town.
There is also a branch of the Western Bank of Scotland.
A spacious and commodious inn has been opened for
the accommodation of the visiters who resort to this
place during the season for visiting the falls of the Clyde,
which are much frequented for the beauty and grandeur
of the scenery that the river displays in this part of its
course. Elegant assembly-rooms have been added to
the hotel within the last few years, at an expense of
£•2400. Great facility of intercourse is afforded by the
Caledonian railway, which passes through the parish, on
the north of the town. The markets are on Tuesday
and Saturday ; the former, which is the chief, is abun-
dantly supplied and numerously attended. Fairs are
held on the last Wednesday in May, O. S., for black-
cattle ; the last Wednesday in July for horses and lambs ;
and the last Wednesday in October, and the Friday after
Falkirk tryst, for black- cattle and horses. There are also
three fairs for the sale of various goods, the hiring of
servants, and for pleasure.
Lanark, by charter of Alexander I., was constituted a
ROYAL BURGH ; and the inhabitants, at various times,
received charters from his successors, conferring different
privileges, down to the reign of Charles I. An act of
parliament of the year I6l7 records that, from a very
early date, the standards of weights and measures had
been preserved here, for the adjustment of all the weights
and measures in the kingdom ; and these continued to
be used till, by the act of 1826, they were superseded by
the introduction of the imperial standard. The govern-
ment of the burgh is vested in a provost, three bailies,
143
a treasurer, and a number of councillors, assisted by a
town-clerk and other officers ; they are chosen under the
authority, and are subject to the provisions, of the act of
the 3rd and 4th of William IV. There are six incor-
porated trades, the smiths, wrights and masons, tailors,
shoemakers, weavers, and dyers, who are under the direc-
tion of a dean of guild, appointed by the deacons of the
several trades : none but burgesses are eligible as mem-
bers. The provost and bailies are magistrates within the
limits of the burgh, and exercise jurisdiction in both civil
and criminal matters ; but their power is chiefly limited
to holding a bailies' court, for the determination of civil
pleas, and to the summary punishment of petty offences
against the peace, the town-clerk acting as assessor in
the bailies' court. All cases of importance are referred
to the sessions for the county, which are held at this place
as being the county town. The election of a member
for the shire is held here, and Lanark is one of the Fal-
kirk district of burghs. The county-hall, to which a
prison is attached, was erected in 1834 ; it is well adapted
to the purpose, containing good accommodation for hold-
ing the courts, and for transacting the business of the
county and the burgh.
The PARISH, which is nearly in the centre of the
county, extends from six to seven miles in length, along
the bank of the Clyde, and from three to five miles in
breadth. It is bounded on the north by the parish of
Carluke, on the south by the parishes of Pettinain and
Carmichael, on the east by Carstairs, and on the west
by Lesmahagow. The surface, though generally elevated,
is almost uniformly flat, scarcely rising into hills, but in
some parts sloping and undulated. It is intersected by
the valley of the Mouss, in a direction from east to west,
between the two level tracts of Lee moor on the north
and Lanark moor on the south, both of which are nearly
"00 feet above the sea. Along this valley the river
Mouss flows with a very devious course ; and within
about a mile of its union with the Clyde, it seems to
have worn for itself a channel through the hill of Cart-
lane, forming a deep ravine about half a mile in length,
composed of cragged and lofty masses of precipitous
rock, rising on one side to a height of 300, and on
the other of 400, feet above the bed of the river. The
Mouss has its source in the northern portion of Carn-
wath moor, and, though it receives numerous tributary
streams in its progress, is but very inconsiderable till,
after issuing from the Cleghorn rocks, it spreads into a
wide channel between banks which on one side are pre-
cipitously lofty, on the other more gently acclivous,
and on both sides crowned with wood. Passing through
the Cartlane Craigs, it falls into the river Clyde opposite
to the village of Kirkfield-Bank. The Craigs abound
with prominent features of romantic beauty and majestic
grandeur ; and the chasm, which in itself is of suffici-
ently impressive appearance, derives additional interest
from having afforded security, as a place of refuge, to
Sir William Wallace in his unwearied efforts to maintain
the integrity of his country. Near the lower extremity,
an elegant bridge of three arches has been thrown over
the chasm, harmonizing with the character of the spot,
and adding much to the beauty of the scenery.
The river Clyde washes the parish on the south and
west. Entering^rom the east, it flows with silent course
through a rich and fertile tract of level land, which it
occasionally overflows ; and deflecting shghtly to the
LAN A
LAN A
south and south-west, it becomes narrower in its chan-
nel, and more rapid in its progress, passing over a rocky
and irregular bed, between rugged and precipitous banks,
till it reaches the bridge of Hyndford. Beyond this it
is greatly increased by the influx of the Douglas water,
and, proceeding northward, and dividing its stream at
Botinington, is precipitated over a ledge of rocks about
thirty feet high, forming a picturesque cascade. After
continuing its progress for half a mile, bounded by rocks
nearly 100 feet in height, it exhibits another beautiful
scene at Corehouse, where its waters descend in a per-
pendicular fall of eighty-four feet ; and advancing with
greater tranquillity through the low land at the base for
about a quarter of a mile, it presents a small but pictu-
resque cascade called Dundaf Lin. From this point,
the river flows between gently-sloping banks, richly
wooded, and in some parts cultivated to the margin of
the stream, and for three or four miles pursues an equa-
ble and noiseless course to Stonebtjres. Here, passing
through a ridge of rocks, its waters descend in three
successive falls, from a height of eighty feet, into the
plain below ; along which, for the remainder of its course
in the parish, it flows in a tranquil stream, amid lands
highly cultivated, and between banks pleasingly embel-
lished with natural wood and luxuriant plantations.
Among the chief points of attraction to persons visiting
the falls of the Clyde, is the Bonnington fall, about two
miles distant from the town, and to which the approach
is, for the greater part of the way, through the grounds
of Bonnington House. These grounds are tastefully
laid out in walks, with seats at all the points from which
the finest views of the scenery are to be had ; and are
open to the public on every day in the week except Sun-
day. A bridge has been thrown across the northern
branch of the stream by the proprietor of the mansion,
whence the best prospect of the fall is obtained, with the
richly-varied scenery by which it is surrounded. But
the Corra Lin or Corehouse fall is the most interesting
of the whole. Till lately it was difficult to gain any-
thing like a good view of it ; but a flight of steps has
been excavated along the face of the opposite rock, lead-
ing to a spacious amphitheatre on a level with the
bottom of the fall, from which it is seen in all its
beauty, combining every characteristic of sublimity and
grandeur. The fall at Stonebyrcs closely resembles that
at Corra Lin in all its leading features.
The SOIL in the western portion of the parish is a
stiff clay ; along the banks of the rivers, light and gra-
velly ; in some parts, wet and clayey ; and in the moors
of Cartlane and Lanark, of a hard tilly nature, with
some tracts of moss. The exact number of acres has not
been ascertained ; about 8'200 acres may be arable, 7.50
in common belonging to the burgh, 7,")0 in woods and
plantations, 1500 in pasture and waste land, and about
sixty in orchards. The crops are oats, wheat, barley,
potatoes, and turnips : the system of agriculture is im-
proved ; much of the land has been drained, and irri-
gation has been practised to some extent. The farm-
buildings, however, are indilfercnt, and the lands but
very partially inclosed. Considerable attention is paid
to the dairy and the improvement of the cattle, to which
the distribution of premiums by the various agricultural
societies has greatly contributed ; the cjws are all of the
Ayrshire breed. Horses, chiefly for draught, are reared
for the use of the parish and neighbouring districts.
144
The woods consist of oak, ash, birch, hazel, mountain-
ash, alJer, and hawthorn ; the plantations are of Scotch
fir, larch, and spruce fir. On the lands of Lee is a fine
old oak of extraordinary size, supposed to be a relic of
the ancient Caledonian forest ; also a larch of very
stately growth, thought to have been one of the first
trees of that kind introduced into the country. In this
parish the substratum is chiefly the old red sandstone,
traversed in some parts with whinstone. On the lands
of Jerviswood, a vein of quartz alternated with small
seams of iron-ore has been found, but not in sufficient
quantity to encourage any attempt to render it available.
Carboniferous limestone, also, in which petrified shells
are found, occurs in some places, and is extensively
quarried at Craigend hill : freestone was wrought for-
merly, but the works have been abandoned. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £17,780. Lee,
the seat of Sir Norman Macdonald Lockhart (a minor),
is a handsome castellated mansion, situated in a well-
planted demesne containing some stately timber. Bon-
nington House is a modern mansion, also in a highly-
picturesque demesne. Smyllum and Cleghorn are spa-
cious antique mansions, and Sunnyside Lodge an elegant
villa on the steep bank of the Clyde, about a mile and a
half from the town.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Lanark, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr : patron, the Crown. The stipend of the in-
cumbent is about £31.5; the manse is a comfortable
residence, and the glebe comprises several acres, valued
at about £16 per annum. Lanark church, situated in the
centre of the town, was built in 1777, and has been
thoroughly repaired within the last fifteen years ; it is a
neat and substantial edifice, and is adapted for a con-
gregation of 2300 persons. There are places of worship
in the town for members of the Free Church, the United
Presbyterian Church, Independents, and another body.
A grammar school is supported by the corporation, who
appoint the master, to whom they pay a salary of £40,
and to an assistant £'20 per annum. Connected with
this school are twenty-eight bursaries, of which nine
were endowed in 1648 by Mr. Carmichael, commissary
of Lanark, and the others by one of the Earls of Hynd-
ford, by the Mauldslie family, and by Chamberlain
Thompson ; they are of different values, and, after the
payment of the school fees, leave a remainder of £2
or £3 to the holders. A free school in the town was
founded by Mrs. Wilson, who endowed it with £1200,
for the instruction of fifty children. There is a school
supported by subscription ; and at Nemphlar and Cart-
lane are schools the masters of which receive £.5 per
annum from the heritors, with a school, school-house,
and garden, in addition to the fees. A school at New
Lanark is supported by the proprietors of the cotton-
works, and attended by about 500 children. The poor
have the rents of hospital lands producing £70 annually:
Mr. Wilson be(|ucathed ])ropcrty yielding £3'2 a year,
and the late Mr. Ilowisnn, of Hyndford, £700, the
interest of which is distributed among the poor not
receiving parochial relief. There are several benevolent
and friendly societies in the parish, and a savings' bank.
The Castle hill near the town is supposed to have been
the site of a Roman fort, or station, and a silver Faus-
tina is said to have been found there ; but nothing
remains either of the Roman fort, or of the royal castic
LAN A
L A N A
which formerly existed ; the site has been ploughed up,
and converted into a bowling-green. There are some
remains of two Roman camps in the vicinity, the larger
of which, near Cleghorn House, includes an area 600
yards in length and 420 in breadth, and is said to have
been constructed by Agricola ; tiie smaller, situated on
Lanark moor, is still more distinctly to be traced. The
Roman road from Carlisle to the wall of Antoninus
passed through the area of this latter camp. Upon an
eminence on the bank of the river Mouss are the re-
mains of a lofty tower, of which nothing, however, is
known ; it gives title to the Lockharts of Canibusne-
than. On a prominent part of the Cartland Craigs are
the small vestiges of an ancient stronghold called Castle
Quaw ; but there is no history connected with it. About
a quarter of a mile from the town are the venerable re-
mains of the old parish cliurch, displaying traces of an
elegant structure, of which a series of six arches that
separated the aisle from the nave is in good preservation.
The cemetery is still used as the parish churchyard ; and
the effect of these fine ruins, which were suffered for a
long time to fall into dilapidation, has been destroyed
by the erection of an unsightly square tower in the
centre, for the purpose of watching the graves. The
area has, however, been surrounded with a wall to pre-
vent further dilapidation ; and some steps have been
taken to restore part of the ruins. Lanark gives the
title of Earl to the Duke of Hamilton.
LANARK, NEW, a populous manufacturing village,
in the parish, and Upper ward of the county, of Lanark,
1 mile (S. by W.) from the town of Lanark ; containing
164'2 inhabitants. This place owes its rise to the intro-
duction of the cotton manufacture by Mr. David Dale,
who, in 1784, erected extensive mills for spinning and
weaving cotton. New Lanark is situated near the river
Clyde, and is surrounded by steep and richly-wooded
hills, which give it an air of seclusion and retirement ;
it is regularly and handsomely built, and is inhabited
chiefly by persons employed in the cotton-works, which
ever since their introduction have been carried on with
adequate success. The first of the mills erected was
154 feet in length, twenty-seven feet in width, and sixty
feet in height ; and a tunnel nearly 100 yards in length
was cut through a rocky hill, to form a passage for the
water of the Clyde, by which it was propelled : in 1788
a second mill of the same dimensions, and subsequently
two others, were built. The mill that was first erected
■was totally destroyed by an accidental fire in the year
1788, but was rebuilt in the year following. The works
were afterwards carried on by Robert Owen, son-in-law
of Mr. Dale, till 18'27, since which time they have been
conducted by the firm of Messrs. Walker and Company.
Their machinery is of the most improved construction,
and about I^OO persons are employed in the works, of
whom nearly sixty are mechanics and labourers engaged
in keeping the machinery in repair : many are children,
for whose comfort the company have made every requi-
site provision. A school has been established by the
proprietors of the works, for the instruction of the
factory children, of whom a large number attend at
stated hours, and receive a course of instruction adapted
to their improvement in knowledge and in morals. A
benefit society, for the support of its members in cases
of sickness, is maintained by small weekly payments ;
and there are also two funeral societies in the village.
Vol. H.— 145
LANARKSHIRE, an extensive inland county, in
the south of Scotland, bounded on the north by the
counties of Dumbarton and Stirling; on the east, by
the counties of Linlithgow, Edinburgh, and Peebles ;
on the south, by Dumfriesshire ; and on the west, by
the counties of Renfrew, Ayr, and Dumfries. It lies
between 55° 14' 42" and 55° 56' 10" (N. Lat.) and
3° 22' 51" and 4° 22' 51" (W. Long.), and is about fifty-
two miles in length, and thirty-three miles in extreme
breadth, comprising an area of 926 square miles, or
592,640 acres ; S5,326 houses, of which 3S68 are uninha-
bited ; and containing a population of 426,972, of whom
208,312 are males and 218,660 females. This county,
called also Clydesdale, from the valley of the Clyde,
which forms its central portion, was at the time of the
Roman invasion inhabited by the Damnii, and under the
Roman yoke formed part of the province of Valentia.
After the departure of the Romans, the original inhabit-
ants appear to have extended their ancient limits, which
they called Ystrad Clinjd, in the Britisli language, signi-
fying "the warm vale;" and to have acquired the
sovereignty over Liddesdale, Teviotdale, Dumfriesshire,
Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, part of Peebles, the western
part of Stirling, and the greater part of Dumbartonshire.
This ample territory formed a kind of independent
kingdom, including nearly all that portion of Scotland
to the south of the Forth. It was peopled with subor-
dinate British tribes, among whom were the Selgova>,
Atlacotti,k.c., who had frequent wars with the Picts and
others, but resolutely maintained their independence
till their power began to decline from the union of the
Pictish and Saxon forces, and their metropolis of Dum-
barton was taken, in the eighth century.
After the subjugation of the Picts by Kenneth II.,
every exercise of independent power gave way to the
authority of the Scottish monarchs ; and the various
British tribes of Strath-Cluyd, by degrees, intermingled
with the Saxons, Normans, Gaelic Scots, and Irish
from Cantyre, by whom successive encroachments were
made. The descendants of the Damnii alone, when they
could no longer retain their independence, rather than
yield to the power by which their territories were as-
sailed, resolved to emigrate, and, crossing the Solway and
the Mersey, found a retreat in the mountains of Wales.
In the twelfth century, numerous Flemish families
settled in the Strath of Cluyd, many of whom obtained
grants of land from the Ablsot of Kelso ; and with the
exception of a few brief intervals, the county progres-
sively advanced in prosperity till after the death of
Alexander III., when the wars which arose on the dis-
puted succession to the Scottish throne, involved it, in
common with other parts of the kingdom, in frequent
calamities. It was here that the celebrated hero, Wallace,
performed his first exploit, in expelling the English from
the town of Lanark. In the reign of James I., a portion
of Strath-Cluyd was separated from the county of Lanark,
and formed into the county of Renfrew. James II.,
exasperated by the turbulent ambition of the Douglas
family, marched into Lanarkshire, and destroyed Douglas
Castle, and all the lands of Douglas, including Douglas-
dale and Avondale, with the lands of the first Lord
Hamilton. During the war in the reign of Charles I.,
and the attempts to re-establish episcopacy during that
of Charles II., thispart of the country suffered materially;
but, since the Revolution, it has continued to make steady
U
L A N A
L A N A
progress in agricultural improvemeut, and in manufac-
turing and commercial prosperity.
In former times the county was included in the diocese
of Glasgow ; it is at present in the synod of Glasgow
and Ayr, and comprises several presbyteries, and fifty
parishes. For civil purposes, the county is divided into
the Upper, Middle, and Lower wards, under the juris-
diction of three sheriffs-substitute, who reside respec-
tively at Lanark, Hamilton, and Glasgow. It comprises
the royal burghs of Glasgow, Rutherglen, and Lanark ;
the towns of Hamilton, Douglas, Biggar, Strathaven,
Carnwath, Bothwell, Airdrie, and Lesmahagow ; and
numerous villages. Under the act of the 2nd of Wil-
liam IV., the county returns one member to the imperial
parliament. The surface is greatly varied. In the
Upper ward, which is the largest division of the county,
it is principally mountainous, rising to the greatest
height towards the confines of Dumfriesshire. The
summit of one of the Lowther hills is 2450 feet above
the level of the sea ; the Culter Fell has nearly the same
height ; and the hill of Tiiito, the loftiest on the northern
boundary of the mountain district, has an elevation of
2236 feet. In the Middle ward the land may be averaged
at only 300 feet above the level of the sea ; but through-
out that district the surface is every where diversified
with undulations, leaving little level ground except in
the valleys of the river Clyde. The principal river in
the county is the Clyde, which has its source in nume-
rous small rills issuing from the wastes and mountains
that separate Lanarlvshire from the counties of Peebles
and Dumfries. It takes a northern course, receiving
various tributaries in its progress, and making a curve
towards Biggar, after which, being augmented by other
streams in its approach to Lanark, its course is obstructed
by projecting rocks and precipices. Here it makes
several picturesque and beautifully-romantic cascades,
the principal of these celebrated falls being Bonnington,
Corra, and Stonebyres. The Clyde afterwards flows in
gentle meanderings through a fertile vale, pleasingly
embellished with woodlands, plantations, orchards, seats,
and numerous interesting features, to Glasgow, and,
running thence to Greenock, after a total course of 100
miles disappears in the Firth of Clyde. Its tributaries
connected with Lanarkshire are the Douglas water, the
Mouss, the Ncthan, the Avon or Aven, the Calder, the
North Calder, the Kelvin, and inferior streams. There
are numerous lakes in the county, but none of them arc
of sufficient extent or importance to require particular
notice ; they contain trout, pike, and perch.
The SOIL, varying in ditferent parts of the county, is
in many places exuberantly fertile, and even in the
higher lands is light, dry, and productive. In some of
the uplands are tracts of spongy moor ; in others, pas-
tures richer than are found in some of the lower lands.
The soil of the Middle ward generally, both in the arable
and meadow lands, is luxuriant, but a very considerable
portion of it is moss : this district abounds with orchards,
gardens, and plantations, and is in the highest state of
cultivation, constituting the chief agricultural district
and the greater portion of the vale of the Clyde. The
crops of all kinds arc abundant, the system of husbandry
being in the most advanced state ; the lands have been
well drained and inclosed ; the farm-buildings arc sub-
stantial and commodious, and all the more recent im-
provements in the implements of agriculture have been
liC)
adopted. The cattle are usually of the Ayrshire breed ,
and pa.ticular attention is paid to the rearing of cows
for the dairy, of which a large number are pastured ; the
sheep, of which 120,000 are fed on the hills, are of the
black-faced breed, with a few other varieties. In this
county the substrata are freestone, limestone, and whin-
stone, of which last the hills generally consist. Under
the freestone are seams of coal, which prevail throughout
Clydesdale, and are extensively wrought ; ironstone is
largely worked, and there are quarries of limestone both
for agricultural and building purposes. Near the south-
ern extremity of the county are extensive mines of lead.
A vein of copper-ore was discovered in the same part of
Lanarkshire, but it has not been wrought with any pro-
fitable success ; antimony has also been found in the
immediate neighbourhood. The ancient forests have
long since disappeared ; but there are numerous cop-
pices, and some flourishing plantations, together occupy-
ing nearly 10,000 acres, the greater portion of which
has been formed within the last thirty or forty years.
The seats are Hamilton Palace, Douglas and Bothwell
Castles, Carstairs House, Bonnington House, Corehouse,
Stonebyres, Lee House, Mauldslie Castle, Milton-Lock-
hart, Dalziel House, Cambusnethan Priory, AUauton
House, Airdrie House, Newton House, Monkland House,
Castlemilk, and numerous other elegant mansions.
The principal manufactures are the cotton, the linen,
the woollen, the lace, and the iron manufactures. Of
these, the cotton manufacture is by far the most exten-
sive : the principal seat of it is Glasgow, where there are
numerous mills, and it gives employment also to great
numbers of people throughout the county, who work for
the Glasgow houses, at their own dwellings ; there are
likewise large cotton-mills at Blantyre and New Lanark.
The linen and woollen manufactures, though vastly in-
ferior in extent to that of cotton, still alford occupation
to a considerable number. A manufacture of lace forms
the most flourishing trade of Hamilton. The Clyde and
other iron-works are very important, and embrace every
department of the iron manufacture ; large chemical and
other works are carried on, and the lead-works at the
village of Leadhills are also extensive. The annual
value of real property in the county is £1,834,999, of
which £902,992 are returned for houses, £341,122 for
lands, £140,213 for railways, £129,82* for iron-works,
£66,098 for canals, £58,303 for mines, £9193 for quar-
ries, and the remainder for other kinds of real property
not comprised in the foregoing. Facility of communi-
cation is afforded by good roads in almost every direc-
tion, the most important of them being the great road
to England by Carlisle, a new line between Edinburgh
and Ayr intersecting the county from Cambusnethan to
Strathaven, and new lines of road from Glasgow to
Dumfries by Lanark, and from Edinburgh by Biggar
and Chcsterhall. But the chief means of intercourse
are those presented by the lines of the Caledonian, and
the Edinljurgh and Glasgow, railway comjianies. There
arc several remains of Roman roads, of which that from
Carlisle to the wall of Antoninus is the most conspicuous ;
and near Cleghorn House, and on Lanark moor, are
vestiges of Roman camps, of which the former is 600
yards in length and 420 in breadth, and the other, of
less dimensions, is still more distinct. Roman vases,
coins, and other relics have been found in the vicinity.
There are also remains of British camps, numerous ruins
LANG
LANG
of ancient castles, cairns, tumuli, Druidical circles, and
remains of abbeys, priories, and other religious establish-
ments.
LANGHOLM, a burgh of barony and a parish, in
the county of Dumfries ; the parish containing, with
the village of New Langholm, 2820 inhabitants, of whom
1305 are in the burgh, 14 miles (N. E. by E.) from
Ecclesfechan, 18 (E. by N.) from Lockerbie, 18 (N. E.
by N.) from Annan, and 20^ (N.) from Carlisle. This
place derives its name from the level lands, or holms,
here, on the river Esk ; and appears to have been in-
debted for its origin to the erection of an ancient border
fortress by the powerful family of Armstrong : of this
fortress the ruins are still in tolerable preservation. The
town is situated on the east bank of the Esk, in a beau-
tifully-wooded portion of the vale through which the
stream flows, and on the road from Carlisle to Edin-
burgh. It consists principally of one spacious street of
well-built houses, roofed with slate ; and is connected
with the village of New Langholm, on the west side of
the river, by a handsome bridge of three arches. The
streets are lighted with gas, and the inhabitants are
amply supplied with water. A public subscription li-
brary was established in the town in 1800, and is well
supported ; it contains a valuable collection of standard
volumes and periodical works, and claims to receive a
disputed bequest of £1000 by the late Mr. Telford, civil
engineer, who was a native of this place. There is also
a library for tradesmen, established in 1815, at New
Langholm. The woollen manufacture is carried on to a
considerable extent, in two factories, one about half a
mile north from the town, on the side of the Ewes, and
the other at New Langholm, both belonging to the same
company, and together affording employment to about
120 persons. The cotton manufacture was established
at New Langholm about the year 1800, and is still con-
tinued : about ninety persons are occupied in this and
in the linen trade, working by hand-looms for the houses
of Glasgow and Carlisle. There is a distillery situated
half a mile from the town, on the road to Carlisle, and
another erected lately on the side of the Tarras water,
two miles and a half south-east from Langholm. In the
town is a brewery.
Langholm was erected into a burgh of barony by
charter granted in 1643 ; and the Duke of Buccleuch,
who is the superior of the burgh, appoints a baron-bailie
and a baron officer. Courts are sometimes held for the
trial of assaults and petty offences, punishable by fine or
imprisonment ; but the number of cases tried is very
inconsiderable. The town-hall and gaol, situated in the
market-place, were erected in 1811 ; they form a hand-
some structure surmounted with a spire. The post-
office has a good delivery ; and there are two branch
banks established here. A customary market is held
weekly on Wednesday, for provisions. Fairs take place
annually on April I6th, for seeds ; the last Tuesday in
May, O. S., for cattle ; the Wednesday before Whit-
sunday, for hiring servants ; the 26th of July, for lambs
and wool, which is numerously attended ; the 5th of
November, for cattle ; and the Wednesday before Mar-
tinmas, O. S., for hiring servants. At all these fairs,
shoes, earthenware, haberdashery, and jewellery articles
are also exposed for sale. Facility of communication is
afforded by roads and bridges kept in excellent repair ;
the road from Carlisle to Edinburgh passes through the
147
town, and roads to Annan, Lockerbie, Lochmaben, and
Dumfries, through other parts of the parish.
This parish, to which that of Ilalfmorton was formerly
annexed for ecclesiastical purposes, was erected in 1/03,
and was made the seat of a ])resbytery in 1743. It
comprises about 14,320 acres, of which 12,800 are the
property of the Duke of Buccleuch, and nearly all the
remainder belongs to George Maxwell, Esq., of Broom-
holm : of the whole area, 1900 acres are arable, 420
woodland and plantations, and the rest meadow and
pasture. Along the banks of the rivers the surface is
level, and in other parts diversified with numerous hills
of no great elevation, which are in general clothed with
verdure to their summits, affording excellent pasturage
for sheep. The river Esk has its rise in the mountainous
districts to the north, and flows through the parish in a
southern direction, receiving in its course the waters of
the Black Esk, the Megget, the Ewes, the Wauchope,
and the Tarras, and falling into the Solway Firth. In
the lower lands the soil is a light and fertile loam, and
on the hills of a gravelly quality : on the south-west of
the town is some fine orchard-ground, producing fruits
of various kinds in great perfection. The system of
husbandry is in an advanced state, all the more recent
improvements having been adopted ; the lands have
been mostly drained and inclosed ; the fences are well
kept, and the farm-buildings are substantial and com-
modious. Considerable attention is paid to the rearing
of live stock : the sheep, of which the average number
pastured on the hills is about 9000, are principally of the
Cheviot breed. The cattle are in general of the Galloway
breed, and thrive well ; they are eagerly bought up by
the Galloway dealers, and, after being kept for a year
on the pastures of that district, are sent, with others, to
the English markets. Horses of the Clydesdale breed
are also reared, and many of them sell for £35 and £40
each ; very large numbers of swine are fed here, and
when cured forwarded to Newcastle, Carlisle, and Long-
town. The plantations are oak, ash, beech, plane, and
forest trees of every kind, of which there are many
stately specimens. Beneath the surface of the parish
are strata of greywacke, greywacke-slate, limestone,
greenstone, and coal ; there is abundance of fine white
freestone, and lead-ore has been found on the lands of
the Duke of Buccleuch, and also on those of Broomholm.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £6026.
Langholm Lodge, one of the seats of the Duke of Buc-
cleuch, is a spacious mansion of white freestone, beauti-
fully situated on the banks of the Esk, about half a mile
from the burgh, in a demesne enriched with ornamental
plantations, and containing a great variety of picturesque
scenery. Over the river is a handsome cast-iron bridge
of one arch 100 feet in span, leading to a private walk in
the demesne. Broomholm House is an ancient mansion
on the south-east bank of the Esk, two miles from the
town, and also finely situated amidst richly-varied sce-
nery ; and about a mile to the south, near the confluence
of the Esk and the Tarras water, is Irvine House, occu-
pied by the chamberlain of the Duke of Buccleuch.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the limits of the
presbytery of Langholm and synod of Dumfries. The
minister's stipend is about £222, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £27. 10. per annum ; patrons, the Crown,
and the Duke of Buccleuch. The church was opened in
1845 : it occupies a more eligible site than the old edifice,
U2
LANG
LANG
rebuilt for the last time in 1779. In the cemetery of the
decayed church of Staplegorton is a handsome mauso-
leum, erected by the late Captain George Maxwell, of
Broombolra, at an expense of £1000. There are places
of worship for members of the Free Church, the United
Presbyterian Church, and Burghers. The parochial
school, situated at New Langholm, is well conducted ;
the master has a salary of £34, with a house and garden,
and the fees average about £40 per annum. The Broom-
holm free school, at Langholm, was established by Capt.
Maxwell, who endowed it with £500, to which the Kirk
Session added £100 : the money is laid out by the ma-
nagers to the best advantage, and the amount of interest
given as a salary to the master, who is obliged to teach
twenty-six poor scholars gratis, but may admit as many
more as the house will contain, as pay-scholars. There
are various other schools in the parish, some of the
teachers of which have a house rent free or a small an-
nual donation. In the western portion of the parish are
two mineral springs, one of them chalybeate and one
sulphureous. The castle of Barntalloch, near Staplegor-
ton, was once the head of a barony ; and around it rose
an ancient burgh, where a large fair was annually held
for many years, until at length transferred to Langholm.
There are no remains of this castle ; but some lands in
the vicinity still bear the appellation of the Borough-
roods of Staplegorton. Wauchope Castle, the site of
which was afterwards occupied by the old manse, was the
baronial residence of the Lindsays, adherents of Malcolm
Canmore in the twelfth century ; the small remains are
situated on an abrupt precipice overhanging the river
Wauchope, a short way to the west of the present manse,
on the side of the public road. The remains of the old
castle of Brooniholm were removed about the year 1745 :
near the site may still be traced a Roman road. About
the year 1790, six golden denarii, three being of the reign
of Nero, two of Vespasian, and one of Doraitian, were
found, in good preservation, on the farm of Broomholm ;
and a few years after, two denarii, and a coin of the reign
of Otho, were discovered near Wauchope bridge.
Among the distinguished characters connected with
the parish have been, John Maxwell, Esq. (great-grand-
father of the present proprietor of Broomholm), the in-
genious author of an Essay on Time ; Admiral Sir Thomas
Pasley, who distinguished himself under Earl Howe, in
the defeat of the French fleet, on the 1st of June, 1794 ;
Major-General Sir Charles William Pasley, K.C.B., now
living; William Julius Mickle, translator of Camoens'
Liisiad ; Capt. George Maxwell, R.N., already mentioned,
who signalized himself in an action with the Dutch fleet
off the Dogger Bank, in l/Hl ; David Irving, LL.D.,
author of the Life of Geori;e liiwluinan ; and the late Mr.
Telford, already mentioned, all of whom were born in
Langholm parish. A pillar 100 feet in height has been
erected on a hill eastward of the town to the memory of
Sir John Malcolm ; and there is a monument iu the
market-place, opposite the town-hall, to his brother,
Admiral Sir Pultcney Malcolm. Both were of the Burn-
foot family in the parish of Westcrkirk, and the latter
resided a considerable number of years in the parish of
Langholm.
X LANGHOLM, NEW, a village, in the parish of
LANfiiiOLM, county of DiiMi'UiKS ; adjoining the town of
Langholm, and ccmtaining 1057 inhabitants. This vil-
lage, delightfully situated on the west side of the river
148
Esk, near its confluence with the Wauchope, was erected
on ground leased by the Duke of Buccleuch, in 1778.
It consists of about 140 houses, constructed on a regular
plan, and to each of which is attached a portion of land,
varying in quantity according to the extent of the build-
ing, and held at a low rent on lease for fourteen years ;
the streets are lighted with gas, and the inhabitants are
amply supplied with water. A subscription library was
established in the year 1815. Facility of intercourse
with the burgh of Langholm, to which the village forms
a kind of suburb, is maintained by a handsome bridge
of three arches over the Esk. The trade of the place is
closely connected with that of Langholm ; the cotton
and linen manufactures are largely carried on here, and
the principal articles made are stockings, stuffs, serges,
and black and white plaids. — See Langholm.
LANGLOAN, a village, in the parish of Old Monk- ~/^
LAND, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 1^ miles
(W. by S.) from Airdrie ; containing 1111 inhabitants.
This is one of the principal villages of the many in this
great mining and manufacturing parish : it is situated
on the road from Airdrie to Glasgow, and has of late
years increased exceedingly in extent and population.
The Langloan iron-works have five blast furnaces in
operation for smelting the ore. In the vicinity is a con-
siderable red-sandstone quarrv.
LANGRIGG.— See Longridge.
LANGSIDE, a village, in the parish of Cathcart,
Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 1^ miles (S. W.
by S.) from Glasgow ; containing 1*25 inhabitants. This
village is situated on the road from Glasgow to Ayr, and
is ever memorable for the battle which took place in its
immediate vicinity between the forces of the regent Mur-
ray and those of Mary, Queen of Scots, and which de-
cided the fate of that unfortunate sovereign. The parti-
culars of this battle are shortly these. The Earl of
Murray, learning the resolution of Mary to march from
Hamilton to Dumbarton, immediately drew up his army
on the moor beside Glasgow, with a view to watch her
movements, and if possible bring her troops to an
engagement. The moment he became aware that the
queen's forces kept the south side of the Clyde, he gave
orders that his horsemen should ford that river, while
the rest crossed it by a neighbouring bridge ; and these
movements were scarcely completed when Mary's van-
guard appeared and the battle commenced. For a time
the conflict was doubtful ; but at length the queen's ranks
were broken by Murray's chief leaders, and irretrievably
thrown into confusion. Murray himself, who had
hitherto stood with a part of his troops on the defen-
sive, contenting himself with repulsing the enemy's
cavalry, which was far superior in numbers and equip-
ment to his own, now seized the moment to charge with
the main division ; and the flight became general. This
decisive engagement lasted but thrce-cjuarters of an hour :
on the queen's side there were about 300 slain, or, accord-
ing to some accounts, only half that number ; while on
the regent's, merely a single soldier fell. Previous to
the conflict, Mary had taken her station upon an emi-
nence half a mile distant, which commanded a view of
the field ; and here, surrounded by a small suite, she
watched the vicissitudes of the fight. At last, when
Murray's charge took ])lacc, she fled with great precipi-
tation, and at full speed, in the direction of Dumfries,
nor did she venture to delay in her progress until she
LANG
L A RB
found herself in the abbey of Dundrennan, sixty miles
from the field. Though formerly of much greater ex-
tent, the village now consists only of a few scattered
houses ; the neighbourhood is enriched with wood, and
the surrounding scenery, which is naturally picturesf|ue,
derives a peculiar degree of interest from the recollection
of events with which it is associated.
LANGTON, a parish, in the county of Berwick,
2| miles (W. S. W.) from Dunse ; containing, with the
village of Gavinton, about 500 inhabitants. It derives
its name from the ancient town, which was remarkable
for its length of straggling houses, extending from the
manor-house to the eastern extremity of the parish.
From its situation on the confiues, the place was con-
tinually exposed to all the accidents of border warfare ;
it was frequently plundered by the English, and in 15.58
was burnt by the forces under the command of Sir
Henry Percy and Sir George Bowes. In the reign of
David I., the manor belonged to Roger de Ow, a North-
umbrian, who granted the church with its appendages to
the abbey of Kelso, to which establishment it was con-
firmed by William de Vipont, a subsequent proprietor
of the lands. On the death of Sir William Vipont, who
fell in the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, the estates
passed, by marriage with his daughter and heiress, to the
family of Cockburn, of whom Alexander Cockburn of
Langton was keeper of the great seal in the reigns of
Robert II. and Robert III., which office was annexed to
the barony of Langton by charter of James IV., in 1504.
In 162", William Cockburn was created a baronet by
Charles I. : his descendant Sir Alexander Cockburn was
killed in the battle of Fontenoy. The lands continued
in the family till the year 1758, when they were sold to
David Gavin, Esq., who, finding the old town an obsta-
cle to the improvement of his estate, granted the inha-
bitants a more eligible site, upon very advantageous
terms : here they erected the present village, which they
called after his name ; and in a few years every vestige
of the former town disappeared. With a trifling excep-
tion, the lands are now the property of the Dowager
Marchioness of Breadalbane.
The PARISH is about five miles in length and three
miles in breadth. Its surface is extremely hilly, forming
a portion of the Lammermoor range of heights, which in
this part of them are called Langton Edge, and have an
elevation of nearly 1000 feet above the level of the sea.
The scenery, in numerous parts barren and rugged, is
relieved by many features of natural beauty, and in some
places is enriched with wood. Several small streams,
also, run through the parish, of which the principal is
Langton burn, a rivulet that rises in the hilly grounds,
and flows into the Blackadder. A smaller stream passes
near Langton Lees, between precipitous banks crowned
with foliage, and in its course through Langton wood
displays much beautiful and picturesque scenery. In
the higher parts the soil is light, and unfit for cultiva-
tion ; in the lower lands, richer, and of greater fertility.
The whole number of acres is estimated at 7000, of \\ hich
nearly 4000, lying chiefly in the Lammermoor hills, are
appropriated to the pasture of sheep ; 2800 are arable,
and about 400 acres woods and plantations. The system
of agriculture is advanced, and generally the five-shift
course is practised ; the crops are wheat, barley, oats,
beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips. The lands are well
drained and inclosed ; the farm-houses and offices are
149
substantial and commodious, and all the more recent
improvements in implements of husbandry are in use.
The sheep are of the Leicestershire and Cheviot breeds,
with a few of the black-faced ; the cattle are almost all
of the short-horned or Teeswater breed. In this parish
the wood consists chiefly of oak, ash, elm, beech, plane,
and larch, .Scotch, and spruce firs ; the trees are well
managed, and in a very thriving state. Langton House,
the property and occasional residence of the Dowager
Marchioness of Breadalbane, is a handsome seat ; the
grounds are tastefully laid out, and have been greatly
improved. The village of Gavinton is neatly built, and
pleasantly situated: facility of communication with Dunse
the nearest market-town, and with other places in the
vicinity, is maintained by roads kept in excellent order.
The annual value of real property in the parish is re-
turned at £5980.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Dunse, synod of Merse and
Teviotdale : patroness, the Dowager Marchioness of
Breadalbane. The stipend of the incumbent is £215;
the manse, erected in I767, and repaired and enlarged
by the late marquess in IS 19, is a comfortable residence,
and the glebe comprises ten acres of profitable land,
valued at £24 per annum. The ancient church, the
date of which is not distinctly known, was situated near
Langton House, and was in use till the year 1798, when
the present church was erected in the village of Gavin-
ton ; the edifice is adapted for a congregatitm of 250
persons. There is also a place of worship, built by the
Dowager Marchioness, for members of the Free Church.
The parochial school is well conducted ; the master has
a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and the
fees average £20 per annum. A parochial library is
supported by subscription ; it contains a good collection
of works on divinity, history, and biography. A friendly
society, also, has been established. On the hill near
Raecleugh Head are traces of a Danish camp, the ditches
of which are still tolerably entire ; and at a place called
Camp Muir, near Choice Lee, where a regiment was sta-
tioned after the rebellion in 1715, are traces of the mili-
tary works thrown up on that occasion. Upon Crura-
stane hill was a large cairn, on the removal of which, in
1792, were found several urns of different dimensions,
containing human bones. Various stone coffins have
been also discovered on the lands of Middlefield and
Crease. In 1813 there was found, in a small streamlet
flowing through a spot called the Battle- Muir, a bracelet
of gold, nine inches in circumference, and which weighed
nearly ten ounces.
LANTON, a village, in the parish and district of
Jedburgh, county of Roxburgh, 1^ mile (N. W. by W.)
from Jedburgh ; containing 175 inhabitants. The village
is chiefly distinguished for its tower, which is still entire,
and almost the only one remaining of the numerous
fortifications raised in various parts of the parish for the
defence of the district. The land is of good quality, and
the system of agriculture greatly improved.
LARBERT, a parish, ecclesiastically united to the
parish of Dunipace, in the county of Stirling ; con-
taining, with the villages of Carron, Kinnaird, Stenhouse-
Muir, and part of the village of Carronshore, 4404 in-
habitants, of whom 487 are in the village of Larbert, 2
miles (N. W.) from Falkirk. This parish is bounded on
the south by the river Carron, and is about three miles
L A R B
L A R G
in length and two and a half in breadth, comprising an
area of 3400 acres, of which, with the exception of 200
acres of woodland and plantations, the whole is arable,
meadow, and pasture. The surface rises gradually from
the south-west to the north-east, where it attains an
elevation of nearly 100 feet; and though not command-
ing an extensive prospect, yet it embraces numerous
interesting and impressive features. Formerly the river
abounded with salmon ; but since the establishment of
the Carron iron-works, they have almost disappeared.
A small stream called the Chapel burn rises in the pa-
rish of Dunipace, and after a course of about three miles,
in which it turns two mUls, falls into the Carron near
the village of Carronshore.
In general the soil is fertile, and near the confines
of Falkirk there is a considerable tract of rich carse
land ; the crops are wheat, oats, barley, beans, and
hay. The system of agriculture has of late years been
greatly improved ; the lands have been drained and in-
closed, and the farm-buildings are commodious. The
plantaticjns are almost confined to the grounds of the
principal landholders, and consist of oak, ash, beech,
sycamore, Huntingdon willow, and firs. In the grounds
of Kinnaird are some fine oaks, and an avenue of lime-
trees, and there are also some stately trees at Carron
Hall ; but in general the soil is unfavourable to the
growth of timber. The main substrata are sandstone,
coal, and ironstone, all of which are wrought to a great
extent ; the coal on the lands of Carron Hall and Kin-
naird is worked by the Carron Company, who employ
about 150 men in the collieries. The annual value of
real property in Larbert is £'26,246. The village is
situated in the south-western portion of the parish, on the
road from Stirling to Falkirk, with which latter parish
it has a communication by a bridge over the Carron.
A post-office has been established here ; and the Fal-
kirk trysts are held upon a heath near the village, the
property of Sir Michael Bruce of Stenhouse, on the
second Tuesday in August, September, and October,
chiefly for black-cattle and horses. The number of
cattle sold at the first of these trysts seldom exceeds
4000, and of horses 400 : at the second, 17,000 cattle
and 700 horses ; and at the October tryst, 20,000 cattle
and nearly 1000 horses. For the accommodation of the
persons attending these meetings, there are numerous
inns. Facility of intercourse is maintained by good
turnpike-roads which pass through the parish, and by
the Scottish Central railway, which has a station here,
and in the parish of Falkirk joins the Edinburgh and
Glasgow and the Caledonian railways.
Larbert and Dunipace are within the bounds of the
presbytery of Stirling, synod of Perth and Stirling : the
stipend of the united living is £272, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £26. 10. per annum ; patron, the Crown.
Larbert church, situated at the western extremity of the
parish, is a handsome structure in the later English
style of architecture, erected in 1819, after a design by
Mr. Hamilton, of Glasgow, and containing 1200 sittings.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship. Larbert jjarochial school is well attended ; the
master has a salary of £34, with a house and garden,
and the fees average £60 per annum. Among the relics
of aiiti(|uity formerly existing, was a conical building of
stone called Arthur's Oven, supposed to have been of
Roman origin, and which was demolished in 1743 for
150
the sake of the materials. The interior, twenty feet in
diameter, was surrounded with two stone shelves near
the base, and was open towards the vertex ; the entrance
was arched, and over it was a kind of window of square
form, tapering towards the summit. Roman mill-stones
and fragments of pottery were found within 300 yards
of the site, by some labourers draining a peat-moss, in
the year 1800; and in other parts of the parish are
some remains of ancient square towers, thought to have
been the residences of chieftains. The most distinguished
person connected with the parish was James Bruce, the
Abyssinian traveller, who died at Kinnaird in 1794. He
was descended from the Rev. Robert Bruce of Kinnaird,
a preacher known for his bold and uncompromising de-
fence of presbyterianism ; Robert Bruce died at Kin-
naird about 1632, and his tombstone yet remains in
Larbert churchyard. — See Carron, Dunipace, 8tc.
LARGO, a parish, in the district of St. Andrew's,
county of Fife ; containing, with the villages of Dru-
mochy. New Gilston, Kirkton, Lundinmiil, Temple, and
Woodside, 2751 inhabitants, of whom 423 are in the
village of Largo, 3 miles (E. N. E.) from Leveu. The
barony of Largo was given by James III. to Sir Andrew
Wood, a distinguished naval officer, in recompense for
his eminent services ; and the grant was confirmed by
James IV. It afterwards became the property of the
family of Gibson, of Durie, from whom it was purchased
in 1663 by Sir Alexander Durham, lyon king-at-arms,
whose descendant is the present proprietor. The estate
of Lundin, which formerly included the greater part of
the parish, belonged to the Lundins from the time of
David I. till the reign of William the Lion, King of
Scotland, when it passed, by marriage with the heiress
of that family, into the possession of Robert, the king's
son. Subsequently, by marriage with another heiress,
it became the property of John Drummond, second son
of the Earl of Perth ; and on the attainder of that fa-
mily in 1745, it came to Lady Willoughby D'Eresby,
from whom it passed to the family of Erskine, and
thence to Capt. Erskine Wemyss, of Wemyss Castle, its
present owner. The parish, which is situated on the
bay of Largo, is about six miles in length from north to
south, and three miles in breadth ; and is bounded on the
north by the parish of Ceres, on the south by the bay, on
the east by the pari sh of Ne wburn, and on the west by Scoo-
nie. Its surface is agreeably diversified with hills and
undulating valleys. The principal hill. Largo Law, rises
in a conical form to an elevation of nearly 1 000 feet above
the level of the sea, terminating in a double apex, and
sloping gradually on the eastern side : to the west of its
base is a deep valley, extending two miles in length,
called Keil's Glen. Towards the shore the surface is flat;
but the scenery generally, which is enriched by thriving
plantations, abounds with interesting and romantic
features.
In this parish the soil is various, but fertile, consisting
in the northern parts of a rich black loam, and in the
southern of loam, intermixed with lighter lands, and in
some places with a friable day. The whole number of
acres is 6820, of which fiOOO are arable, nearly 300 in
pasture, and 500 in woods and plantations. The system
of agriculture is in an improved state, and the crops are
favourable and abundant. Considerable attention has
been paid to draining and inclosing the lands, and nearly
all the waste has been brought into a state of profitable
L A RG
L A RG
cultivation. In general the farm buildings are substan-
tial and commodious, and roofed either with slate or
tiles. The cattle are of the Fifeshire breed, with some-
times a cross of the Teeswater ; the rearing of horses,
also, principally for agricultural purposes, is much at-
tended to, and several from Yorkshire have been intro-
duced with a view to the improvement of the breed. A
few sheep are fed for home use, of the Leicestershire
breed ; and great numbers of hogs, chiefly the Chinese,
are fattened for the neighbouring markets, where they
find a ready sale. The plantations consist mainly of
Scotch fir and larch, which thrive well ; in those of
more recent formation are oak, ash, elm, beech, and
plane. The oak attains to a luxuriant growth, and in
the grounds of Lundin House is a grove of lime-trees of
very stately size ; the planes in the demesne of Largo
House are of singular beauty, and many of the elms are
of large dimensions. The substratum is chiefly limestone
of a grey colour, and sandstone of a reddish colour ;
the limestone is found in strata fifteen feet in thickness,
and is quarried for building purposes and for burning
into lime. Freestone of good quality is quarried, but
not extensively, as the stone lies at a great depth,
and the expense of working it is scarcely remunerated
by the produce. Coal is also found in the parish, and
is chiefly worked for the lime-kilns ; it occurs in seams
about eighty feet thick, but is very sparingly used, as
coal of a much better quality is obtained from Wemyss
at only a moderate increase of price. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £10,815. Among the
principal seats is Largo : the ancient mansion, of which
a circular tower is still remaining, was inhabited by Sir
Andrew Wood ; the present structure, erected in 1/50,
is spacious and in a handsome style, situated in grounds
embellished with fine plantations, and commanding an
extensive and diversified prospect over the surrounding
country. Lundin, the property of Capt. Erskine We-
myss, is a modern edifice, from the centre of which
rises a square tower of great antiquity, the only existing
portion of the residence of the Lundin family ; it is
beautifully situated, and the demesne comprises some
venerable and stately timber. There are a few other
handsome houses of proprietors of land in the parish,
which, from their situation and the plantations around
them, contribute to enrich the scenery.
A salmon-fishery in Largo bay, after being carried on
for some years with very indilferent success, producing
not more than £130 per annum, was totally disconti-
nued ; but it has been revived, under better manage-
ment, and is now pursued to advantage. The spinning
of flax is carried on in the parish, affording employment
to nearly 100 persons, for which purpose there are two
mills driven by water, and one of them also by steam.
Largo port or harbour has a limited coasting-trade, and
three small vessels belong to it ; a steam-boat sails twice
a day during summer, and once a day during winter,
between this place and Newhaven. The harbour, which
is formed at the influx of the river Kiel into the Firth
of Forth, is incommodious ; but its improvement might
be effected at a comparatively trifling expense, and would
contribute greatly to restore the trade of the place, which
was formerly far from being inconsiderable in the expor-
tation of coal, salt, iron, and the produce of the quarries,
to Holland, and the importation of timber from Norway.
A subscription library, containing more than 500 vo-
151
lumes, is well supported ; and a savings' bank has been
opened, in which the various .sums deposited, chiefly by
labourers, amount to a large sum. Facility of inter-
course with the neighbouring market towns is main-
tained by turnpike-roads kept in excellent repair, and
the parish generally is improving. A post-office is es-
tablished under Leven.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs, the parish is within
the limits of the presbytery of St. Andrew's and synod
of Fife. The stipend of the incumljent is £^53 : the
manse, built in 1770, and in 1823 greatly enlarged and
improved, is a handsome and comfortable residence ;
and the glebe comprises five acres of good land, valued
at £20 per annum, to which may be added £1 1 paid in
lieu of " foggage". Largo church was erected near the
site of a more ancient structure in 1817, and enlarged
in 3 826 ; it is a neat edifice with a spire, and is adapted
for 836 persons. There are places of worship for mem-
bers of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian
Church, and Baptists. The parochial school is well
conducted ; the master has a salary of £34, with a
house, and the fees average about £30 per annum, in-
cluding £7. 15., the bequest of the late James Kettle,
Esq., for teaching four children. There are three other
schools in the parish, the masters of two of which re-
ceive, in addition to the fees, a salary of £5, paid by the
heritors. An hospital was founded by John Wood, Esq.,
a descendant of Sir Andrew Wood, who bequeathed
£68,418 Scots in trust for its erection and endowment,
for thirteen indigent persons of the name of Wood, a
chaplain, a porter, and a gardener ; the chaplain to have
a stipend of £17 sterling per annum. The building was
erected in 1667, and rebuilt in 1830 in a handsome and
substantial style, at an expense of £2000. It contains
two apartments each for sixteen inmates, who receive
£15 per annum paid monthly, and a .supply of vege-
tables ; there is a large hall in which they assemble for
prayer morning and evening, and above the hall is a
room where the patrons of the hospital meet for the
transaction of business connected with the institution.
The hospital is under the patronage of the Earl of
Wemyss, and the lairds of Largo, Lundin, and Balfour,
with the minister of the parish, and the members of the
Kirk Session, for the time being. There are also under
the management of the Kirk Session, the interest of
£100 bequeathed by Mrs. Wood for the benefit of or-
phans ; of £600 bequeathed by Mr. Kettle, one-half for
the instruction of four poor children, and the remainder
to be given in sums of £2 each to persons not on the
parish list ; and the interest of £500 for distribution
among widows of the name of Jameson who have chil-
dren under sixteen years of age, in sums of £5 per an-
num each. This last fund, for want of applicants, has
accumulated to £1100. On the banks of the river Kiel
are the venerable ruins of the ancient castle of Balcru-
vie, the residence of the Crawford family ; and to the
south and east of Lundin House are three stones of
rude triangular form, supposed to be either of Roman
origin, or the gravestones of some Danish chiefs who
fell here in battle with the forces of Banquo and Mac-
beth. Two pieces of similar stone were discovered on
the Largo estate, at the distance of a mile from each
other, which, when united, formed an antique carved
cross. On an eminence to the north have been found
silver coins of the earlier Roman emperors j and at Bal-
L ARG
L A RG
housie have been discovered three urns containing ashes,
and near them some stone coffins, and the bones of an
infant. The late Sir John Leshe, professor of mathe-
matics in the university of Edinburgh, and author of
The Progress of Mathematics in the Eighteenth Century,
was a native of this parish.
LARGO, LOWER, a village, in the parish of Largo,
county of Fife, 4 miles (N. E. by E.) from Leven ; con-
taining, with the hamlets of Temple and Drumochy,
567 inhabitants. This village is pleasantly situated,
and well inhabited : there are places of worship for
members of the United Presbyterian Church and Bap-
tists. Alexander Selkirk, whose adventures on a deso-
late island are, under the name of Robinson Crusoe, nar-
rated by De Foe, was a native of this village, in which
he was born in I676. Embracing a sea-faring life, he
was, in 1/03, left on the island of Juan Fernandez,
where he remained for more than four years in perfect
solitude : he was brought to England by Capt. Woode
Rogers, but, after nine months' residence on shore, he
returned to sea, and was not heard of afterwards.
LARGS, a parish, in the district of Cunninghame,
county of Ayr; containing, with the former quoad sacra
district of Fairlie, 4044 inhabitants, of whom 35'23 are
in the town and suburbs of Largs, 13| miles (N. N. W.)
from Saltcoats, and 79| (W. by S.) from Edinburgh.
The name of this place is supposed to be derived from
the term Learg, signifying " a plain;" but this etymo-
logy, the only probable one assigned, is not clearly
established, as there is no considerable portion of
ground in the locality answering to that distinctive
appellation. The ancient records connected with Largs
refer chiefly to the history of its church, which was
dedicated to St. Columba, abbot of lona, and was a rec-
tory, the patronage belonging to the lordship. At the
beginning of the fourteenth century, Walter the Stewart,
" for the safety of his own soul and that of his late
spouse Marjory Bruce," granted the church with all
the tithes, " in pure and perpetual alms," to the monas-
tery of Paisley. The church continued in the possession
of the monastery till the Reformation, when Lord Claud
Hamilton, commendator of Paisley, obtained the pa-
tronage and tithes of Largs, and the other revenues and
lands of the monks, the whole of which were made a
temporal lordship for himself and his heirs, with the
title of Lord Paisley. In 16'21, he was succeeded by his
grandson, James, Earl of Abercorn, from whom, in the
reign of Charles L, the patronage and tithes of the
church of Largs passed to Sir Robert Montgomerie of
Skchnorlie. Lilias Montgomerie, heiress of Skelmorlie,
by marriage in 1735 carried them to Alexander ISIont-
gomerie of Coylsfield ; and their son and heir. Colonel
Hugh Montgomerie of Coylsfield, succeeded in 1796 to
the earldom of Eglinton ; so that Archibald William,
thirteenth Earl of Eglinton, is now patron of the church
of Largs. A celebrated battle took place here on the
3rd of October, 1263, between the Norwegians and Scots.
The former, under their king, Haco, were at first vic-
torious ; but fearing that subsequent reinforcements
might enable the Scots finally to triumph, they retreated,
and Haco not long afterwards died at Kirkwall, in the
Orkneys, on his return to his kingdom of Norway. His
son and successor, ?>ic, however, married one of King
Alexander's daughters ; and thus all future hostilities
were prevented.
152
The TOWN was formerly but a small village cluster-
ing rcund the church, and has attained its present
populous and thriving condition by degrees, chiefly from
its situation on the shore of the Firth of Clyde, from
its superior facilities for sea-bathing, from the salubrity
of the climate, and the beauties of the surrounding
scenery. Some parts of the vicinity are marked with
features of a bold character. The hills on the east,
which form a barrier against the violence of the winds,
rise to a great elevation as they approach the town, and
comprise the eminences called the Hill of Stake, and,
more southward, Irishlaw and Knockside hill ; reaching
respectively the height of I69I feet, 1576 feet, and 1419
feet above the level of the sea. From the summits of
these heights, and from their abrupt declivities border-
ing on the town, views of the most diversified and pic-
turesque scenery may be obtained. Among the other
objects of interest is the Gogo river, which, rising in the
south-eastern quarter, receives the water of the Greeto
about the middle of its course, and falls into the sea on
the south side of the town. The Noddle rises in the
north-east, and after traversing the vale of Brisbane,
empties itself into the sea on the north of the town.
Largs has been celebrated for a considerable period as
an agreeable and healthy summer resort ; and from the
month of May till about the middle of October, the
population derives an increase, owing to the influx of
visiters, varying from 300 or 400 to 1000. The plain
on which the town stands consists of a fine gravel,
quickly absorbing the moisture after rain ; the whole
coast is perfectly safe, and by its gentle slope the beach
affords good opportunities of bathing at all times of the
tide. The town has been completely remodelled and
enlarged since the beginning of the present century, and
lighted with gas since the year 1839. The environs are
richly studded with elegant villas ; but the only public
building is that of the baths, which, in addition to
accommodations for hot and cold bathing, contains a
large billiard and reading room. Two circulating li-
braries have been established. About three miles
south of Largs, and also on the coast, is the pleasing
little village of Fairlie, inhabited by above 300 persons,
and, on account of its retired and attractive character,
and the handsome villas lately erected there, preferred
by many persons to the town. — See Fairlie.
About '240 or 250 hands in the parish are employed
in the manufacture of shawls and shawl borders, the
work being obtained chiefly from Paisley. There are
branches of the Western Bank of Scotland and the City
of Glasgow Bank, and a general post-office. The public
road to Ayr and Irvine runs along the coast; and an
excellent road has been formed of late years across the
moor, passing in a south-eastern direction to Kilbirnie
and Dairy, and being of great benefit to the neighbour-
hood for the conveyance of lime and coal. A parish
road, also, has been constructed through the vale of
Brisbane to the boundary of the parish, near Loch
Thom ; it joins the (jreenock parish road, and shortens
the distance between that place and Largs about two
miles. The boundaries of the harbour extend from
Haylie to Noddleburn, and there is a considerable
traffic carried on by means of steam-boats. Till lately
the accommodation for them was indifferent; but on
application to Sir Thomas Macdougal Brisbane, Bart.,
he agreed to give some ground for a pier, receiving its
L A R G
LARK
value in shares : a subscription was commenced, and
an act of parliament being obtained in 1H32, the foun-
dation-stone was laid on the 10th of January, 1H33,
and the pier opened on the 1st of December, 1S34. Great
advantage has been experienced in the landing and
shipping of passengers and goods by this pier, the cost
of which was £42/5 ; the shareholders are thirty-one in
number, and the shares, of £50 each, return about six
per cent. The produce of the parish is generally sent
for sale to Greenock, Glasgow, and Paisley ; but a con-
siderable portion is reserved for domestic use. A fair,
called vulgarly Comb's-day, from St. Columba, is held
on the second Tuesday in June, O. S., for pigs, horses,
and especially young cattle, large numbers of which
last are brought from the Highlands. The town has a
baron-bailie appointed by the superior ; but he rarely
interferes in judicial matters, the justices holding a
monthly court, where cases of small debt and breaches
of the peace are tried.
The PARISH stretches along the coast of the Firth for
nine miles, and measures in breadth a little more than
four miles, comprising 19,143 acres, of which 8598 are
heath and moorland pasture ; the remainder compre-
hends 1145 acres in tillage, 3300 pasture and meadow,
5500 green pasture, and 600 woodland and gardens.
The usual kinds of grain and green crops are raised, with
the exception of wheat, which is but little cultivated ;
and the four and the six shift courses of husbandry
are each in operati(m. About 600 cows, of the pure
Ayrshire breed, are kept for the dairy ; the farmers near
the town mostly sell the milk, or make butter, while
those in the rural district convert the produce into
cheese. The number of young cows yearly reared is about
300 ; nearly 500 head of cattle are fattened, and 4600
sheep are kept on the high lands, besides a few English
sheep on some of the lower grounds ; with a considerable
number of swine. Improvements of various descriptions
are gradually advancing, especially the draining and re-
covering of waste land ; and some new plantations have
been formed. Red and white sandstone are quarried
for building houses In the neighbourhood : the substrata
of the higher grounds consist mainly of secondary trap.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £13,743.
Among the seats is the old mansion of Kelburne Castle,
which was originally a square tower, but was enlarged
by David, Earl of Glasgow, and is the seat of the pre-
sent earl, having been the property of the family from a
remote period ; it is situated two miles south of the
town, and embraces beautiful views of the Firth and
the surrounding scenery. The house of Brisbane, the
seat of Sir Thomas Macdougal Brisbane, who Is of a
family long located here, and the chief of their name,
stands two miles north of the town, in the beautiful glen
of Brisbane. Skelmorlle Castle, a seat of the Earl of
Eglinton's, is an ancient structure, having been built in
the year 1502 ; and is pleasantly situated on a com-
manding eminence upon the coast, four miles north of
Largs. In addition to these, are numerous elegant resi-
dences and villas, among which is that of Hawkhill, on
the Gogo, near the town.
Largs Is in the presbytery of Greenock, synod of
Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the Earl of
Eglinton ; the minister's stipend is £246, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £36. 8. per annum. The parish
belonged to the presbytery of Irvine until 1S34, when
Vol. II.— 153
it was tranferred to that of Greenock, newly formed.
The present church was built on a new site in 1812,
and enlarged in 1833; it contains 1268 sittings. The
Skelmorlie aisle of the old church, with the monument
erected by Sir Robert Montgomerie, and the enrichments
of the ceiling, attracts and merits the attention of the
antiquary, being unquestionably the finest sepulchral
design extant in the west of Scotland. A chapel in
connexion with the Establishment, containing 300 sit-
tings, was erected at Fairlie in 1833, by private sub-
scription, and made the church of a quoad sacra parish
in 1835; but It has now no ecclesiastical district at-
tached. There are places of worship for members of the
Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church. The
parochial school affords instruction In the usual branches :
the master has a salary of £25. 13., with a house, and
about £2 fees; also the interest of £1/5 bequeathed
for his use. A school, likewise, has been founded by
Sir Thomas M. Brisbane, and premises erected, with a
house for a master, at a cost of £350 : the nomination of
the teacher, who has a salary of £30, and the manage-
ment of the institution, are vested in the family of
Brisbane, and the minister and Kirk Session of Largs.
In the south of the parish, and situated within the an-
cient baronj' of Fairlie, is the ruin of an old castle,
which belonged for more than 400 years to a family of
that name, and at the beginning of the ISth century was
sold to David, Earl of Glasgow, with whose descendants
it still remains. The ruins of the house of Knock are
also yet standing : the Frazer family possessed the
estate for about 250 years till 1650, when the property
passed into other hands. Kelburne confers the title of
Viscount on the Earl of Glasgow ; David, Lord Boyle,
having been created Viscount Kelburne and Earl of
Glasgow, April 12, 1703.
LARKHALL, for a time a quoad sacra district. In
the parishes of Dalserf and Hamilton, Middle ward
of the county of Lanark ; containing, with the village
of Millheugh, 2453 Inhabitants, of whom 1609 are in the
village of Larkhall, 3^ miles (S. E.) from Hamilton.
The district comprised the lands of Broomhill, West
Machan, and Meadowhill ; a portion of Dalserf lying
between those lands and the river Avon ; and considerable
strips of the parish of Hamilton to the north and west.
The village of Larkhall, which is situated in the Dalserf
portion of the district, and on the great road from
Glasgow to Carlisle, is of modern erection, built on a
regular plan, and has latterly very much increased in
population. It is the largest village in Dalserf parish,
and mostly inhabited by weavers. In its vicinity are
several hamlets, rows of houses, and other dwellings,
the whole so approximating with It as to be considered
parts of one town. Within the last few years, a post-
office, subordinate to Hamilton and Glasgow, has been
established ; and other facilities are fast tending to the
Improvement and importance of the place. A small fair
is held in the month of June. The river Clyde flows at
a distance of two miles on the north-east. Ecclesiasti-
cally Larkhall is within the bounds of the presbytery of
Hamilton, synod of Glasgow and Ayr ; and the patron-
age is vested in the male communicants : the stipend of
the minister is £80, derived from seat-rents. The
church, built by subscription, aided by the General
Assembly's extension fund, was opened for divine ser-
vice In Januarv, 1836, and contains 720 sittings, of
X
LASS
LASS
which thirty are free. There is also a place of worship
for the United Presbyterian Synod, containing about
700 sittings. A parochial school is held, in which,
besides the usual branches of education, Latin is taught :
the master has an annual salary of £5, with a house,
schoolroom, and garden, and the school-fees. The same
branches are taught in another school. A library, in-
stituted in the year 1S09, contains upwards of 500
volumes.
LASSWADE, a parish, in the county of Edinburgh;
containing, with the village of Loanhead, and the former
quoad sacra district of Roslin, 502.5 inhabitants, of
whom 539 are in the village of Lasswade, 2| miles (W.
S. W.) from Dalkeith. This parish is supposed to have
derived its name from the situation of the church and
village in a well-watered pastoral district. Lasswade was
anciently much less extensive, now including the parishes
of Pentland and Melville, which were suppressed at the
Reformation. On the north lie the parishes of Colinton
and Liberton ; on the east, those of Dalkeith, Newbattle,
Cockpen, and Carrington ; on the south, the parish of
Penicuick ; and on the west, Colinton, Glencross, and
Penicuick. The parish is about eight miles in length and
five miles in breadth, and of extremely irregular form,
comprising an area of ten square miles. Its surface, with
the exception of the Pentland district, is chiefly a level
tract of arable and pasture land in a high state ol cultiva-
tion, abounding with scenery of unrivalled beauty, and
with features strikingly romantic. The loftiest of the
Pentland hills within the parish is Allermuir, which ex-
ceeds 1600 feet in height above the level of the sea. The
North Esk river flows through the parish, between pre-
cipitous and richly-wooded banks, and is remarkable for
the picturesque character of the vale along which it pur-
sues its course. It winds round the ruins of the ancient
castle of Roslin, and near the mansion of Hawthornden,
and, intersecting the village of Lasswade and the pleasure-
grounds of Dalkeith, runs into the South Esk about a mile
below the Palace. That portion of the parish which was
for a time annexed to the church of Roslin is described
in the article on that place.
The SOIL is luxuriantly rich ; and the tracts of moor
and wet moss that abounded in the southern parts have
been reclaimed, and brought into a good state of culti-
vation. The lands are principally arable, producing ex-
cellent crops of grain : the oatmeal of this place has
long been noted for its superior quality. The dairy-
farms are also under careful management, and the pro-
duce forwarded chiefly to the Edinburgh market. Much
land is laid out in nurseries and gardens, yielding abun-
dant supplies of vegetables and fruits of all kinds for the
use of the city, to which great quantities of strawberries,
particularly, are sent daily in the season. The Pentland
hills are covered partly with heath, and in other parts
with grass affording excellent pasture ; the meadows and
low-land pastures are exceedingly fertile. In this parish
the substrata are coal and limestone, with red sandstone,
freestone, and whinstone, the last a very good material
for the roads : the coal is extensively wrought in the
vicinity of Loanhead, and not less than 30,000 tons a
year are sent from the mines to Edinburgh. The annual
value of real property in Lasswade is £21,833.
Melr.Me Castle, the residence of Lord Viscount Mel-
ville, is an elegant and spacious structure in the cas-
tellated style, with circular towers, erected about the
154
close of the last century, on the site of an ancient house
said to have belonged to David Rizzio, secretary to Mary,
Queen of Scots. It is situated on the bank of the North
Esk, in an ample and richly- wooded demesne, and forms
a conspicuous and highly interesting object. George
IV., when visiting Scotland in 1822, was hospitably enter-
tained in this noble mansion. Haivthornden, the ro-
mantic seat of Sir James Walker Drummond, built by
the poet Drummond, and incorpnrateii with the remains
of the baronial castle of that ancient family, stands on a
precipitous rock below Roslin, on the south bank of
the North Esk ; and is remarkable for the numerous
artificial caverns beneath the mansion, and in various
parts of the rock. These, during the war with England
in the reign of Edward I., afforded secure shelter to the
adherents of Bruce, of whom Sir Alexander Ramsay,
concealing himself with his followers in these almost
inaccessible retreats, frequently sallied forth upon the
enemies of his country, whom he surprised and defeated
with great slaughter. The principal of the caverns are,
the King's Gallery, the King's Bedchamber, and others ;
and in one of them, detached from the rest, and of
smaller dimensions, called the Cypress Grotto, Drum-
mond is said to have composed many of his poems. In
the court-yard is a deep dry well, from which a narrow
opening leads to a long subterraneous passage ; on both
sides of the passage are various small apartments, and
below them some of larger dimensions, the entry to
which is lighted from a fissure in the rock. The house
is adorned with numerous ancient relics, and family and
other portraits, among which is a portrait of Mary,
Queen of Scots. The pleasure-grounds attached to it
abound with interesting features, and with picturesque
and romantic scenery. Mavisbank House is a handsome
mansion in the style of an Italian villa, beautifully situ-
ated on the right bank of the North Esk, in a demesne
of highly-pleasing character. Sprhigfield House is also a
good mansion ; and on the same bank of the river are
Dryden and Rosebank : on the left bank are Polton,
Glenesk, and Gorton.
Lasswade village is seated in the deeply-sequestered
and well-wooded dell watered by the North Esk. The
houses are irregularly scattered along both banks of the
river, and are surrounded with gardens and plantations,
which, combining with the sylvan aspect of the vale
generally, render this one of the most attractive villages
in Scotland. The beauty of its scenery, and the mild-
ness of the climate arising from its sheltered situation,
have made it a favourite ])lace of resort for the citizens
of Edinburgh ; and numerous handsome villas have
been erected in the immediate vicinity, as residences
during the summer months. The principal manufactures
carried on here are those of paper and carpets. There
are three extensive paper-mills, in which several hun-
dreds of persons are employed. The carpet manufactory
at St. Anne's was established in the year 1834, by
Messrs. Richard Whytock and Co., for the production
of Tournay and Axminster carpets of all sizes and shapes,
without seam ; and a new kind of Brussels carpet, of
great beauty, resembling tapestry, with various fabrics
in velvet pile, has been invented by the pro])rietors, and
is in much re(|uest in London and other places. In
this establishment more than 100 persons are constantly
employed. There are also an iron and brass foundry,
and several corn and oatmeal mills. Within the parish
LATH
LATH
are likewise the villages of Loanhead and Pentland, and
there are two postoflices connected with Edinburgh
and Dalkeith, each of which has two dehverics daily.
Facility of communication is afforded by parish-roads
kept in excellent order, by the turnpike-roads to Edin-
burgh and other places, and by the Edinburgh and Ha-
wick railway.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale and the
presbytery of Dalkeith. The minister's stipend is about
£ 180, with a manse on an eminence near the church, and
a glebe of eight acres, valued at £40 per annum ; patron.
Sir George Clerk, Bart. Lasswade church, erected in
1793, and substantially repaired and improved within the
last few years, is a neat structure adapted for a congre-
gation of about 1000 persons : the remains of the ancient
church, within the churchyard, consist chiefly of one
of the aisles, which has been converted into a sepulchral
chapel for the Dundas family. There are places of
worship for members of the United Presbyterian Church
and Reformed Presbyterians. The parochial school is
well conducted, including in its course of studies the
Latin, Greek, and French languages, and the mathe-
matics ; and is numerously attended : the master has a
salary of £34, and the fees average about £150 annually.
There are also schools at Hawthornden and Pentland,
the masters of which have salaries and rent-free houses ;
and in the villages of Lasswade and Loanhead are good
subscription libraries. Upon the river North Esk, half a
mile above Hawthornden, is Wallace's Cave, an artificial
excavation in the rock, in the form of a cross, and ca-
pable of containing about seventy persons. On the
north side of the Bilston burn, about a mile from its
confluence with the North Esk, is Wallace's Camp, in the
shape of a semicircle, eighty-four feet in circuit, and de-
fended by a broad and deep ditch. At Springfield, near
a ford on the Esk, is a narrow road supposed to have
been part of a Roman way between two camps ; and
not far from Mavisbank House is a circular mound of
earth, near which have been found several ancient wea-
pons and various other relics of antiquity. An ancient
stone coffin, containing the skeleton of a male, was lately
found at Polton, by some workmen who, in the course
of certain improvements at that seat, were excavating
within a few feet of the oldest part of the mansion-
house. At a few yards' distance from the coffin, the
remains of a horse were found. The poet Drummond
was a native of this parish, and was buried in its church-
yard ; the late Mr. John Clerk, author of a Treatise on
Naval Tactics, resided on the estate of Eldin, and Sir
Walter Scott resided for a time after his marriage in a
cottage at Lasswade.
LATHERON, a parish, in the county of Caithness,
17 miles (S. W.) from Wick (reckoning to Latheron
church) i containing, with the late quoad sacra districts
of Berriedale and Lybster, and the villages of Dunbeath
and Swiney,7637 inhabitants. This place, which is situ-
ated on the south-eastern coast of Caithness, is supposed
with great probability to have derived its name, signify-
ing in the Gaelic language " the resort of seals ", from
its shores having been formerly frequented by vast mul-
titudes of those animals, of which considerable numbers
are still found in the caverns near the sea. From the
numerous remains of castles and fortresses, extending
along the coast from the Ord of Caithness to Bruan,
155
where the parishes of Latheron and Wick meet, it would
appear to have been the scene of ancient warfare ; but
the only authentic record of its early history preserved,
is that of the last invasion of the country by the Danes.
On the landing of a large body of troops under the com-
mand of the young Prince of Denmark, near the town of
Thurso, the inhabitants of that district, unable to meet
them in the field, retreated before the invaders to the hill
of Bcn-a-gheil, in this parish, where, having taken up
a favourable position, they resolved to give the enemy
battle. The Danes pursued them to this post, and at-
tempted to dislodge them ; but the Scots, having in the
retreat considerably increased their numbers, bore down
upon them in one compact body, broke their line, and,
killing their leader, put them completely to the rout.
The PARISH is bounded on the south-east by the
North Sea, and on the west by the county of Suther-
land. It extends along the coast for nearly twenty-seven
miles, and varies from ten to fifteen miles in breadth,
comprising an area of about 140,000 acres, of which
10,000 are arable, 800 woodland and plantations, and
the remainder meadow, pasture, and waste. The surface
in general is boldly marked with hills and valleys ; and
towards the west are numerous mountains of various
height and aspect, between which are deep and precipi-
tous ravines of dangerous access. Of these ravines the
most intricate are Brenahegleish, Benaehielt, and one at
the Ord of Caithness. The most conspicuous of the
mountains are Morven, Scaraben, and the Pap. Morven
has an elevation of nearly 4000 feet above the level of
the sea, and is a fine landmark for mariners ; near the
summit is a spring of excellent water. The prospects
obtained from most of these mountains comprehend
more than twelve counties. There are also straths of
great beauty and fertility, the three principal of which
are watered by the rivers of Langwell, Berriedale, and
Dunbeath ; the steep banks of these vales were formerly
covered with wood, and there is still sufficient remaining
to add greatly to the richness of the scenery. The three
rivers have their rise on the western confines of the
parish, and, after courses of from twelve to sixteen
miles through the straths to which they give name, fall
into the sea on the east ; they are but small streams in
the summer, but are much swollen in winter, and they
all abound with trout and salmon. In this parish the
only lakes of importance are those of Rangag and
Stempster, in both of which are found trout and eels. The
line of coast is defended by a chain of rocks, rising pre-
cipitously to heights varying from 100 to 300 feet, and
in many places perforated with deep caverns, some of
them sixty feet in length : these caverns, as already
stated, are frequented by seals, great numbers of which
are taken. The principal headlands are, the Ord of
Caithness, on the south ; Berriedale head ; and Clyth
Ness, to the north. There are numerous small bays, the
outlets of the several rivers which intersect the parish,
affording shelter for boats employed in the fisheries off the
coast.
Though generally shallow, the soil is easily culti-
vated, and well adapted to all kinds of grain ; on the
lands of Langwell and Dunbeath it is of a sharp gravelly
quality, and on the lands of Clyth a dry loam. The
crops are grain, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual
grasses ; considerable improvement has been made in
the system of husbandry, and much waste land has
X2
LATH
LAUD
been reclaimed and brought into cultivation. Many of
the f'arm-buildiugs, also, are vastly improved ; but there
are still some of very inferior order. Great attention is
paid to the rearing of live stock, for the conveyance of
which to the best markets facilities are afforded by steam
navigation. The sheep on the lands of Langwell and
Dunbeath are mostly of the Cheviot breed, and frequently
obtain prizes at the Inverness shows ; on the other
farms they are chiefly a cross between the Cheviot and
the Leicestershire : 12,000 are fed on the whole. The
cattle, of which about 4000 are pastured, are principally
a mixture of the Teeswater and Highland breeds, and
fetch good prices in the Edinburgh market. In this
parish the geological features are different from those of
the rest of the county. The only village of any import-
ance is Lybster, which is noticed under its own head ;
the others are small fishing-hamlets. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £10,967.
The principal dependence of the population is upon
fishing, of which there are four distinct branches carried
on, viz. the herring, the cod, the salmon, and the lobster
fisheries. The herring fishery is prosecuted with great
assiduity and enterprise, affording occupation during the
season to about 3200 persons, and employing during the
winter and spring from 1500 to 2000 in the making of
nets ; the season commences in July, and ends in Sep-
tember. The stations along the coast in this parish, and
to which are attached convenient harbours, are Dun-
beath, containing seventy-six boats ; Latheron-Wheel,
thirty-five ; Forse, thirty-two ; Swiney, ten ; Lybster,
101; Clyth, fifty-three; and East Clyth, eighteen boats;
in the aggregate, 325 boats, each having a crew of four
men, and from twenty to thirty-eight nets. It is calcu-
lated that the number of barrels cured at these stations
annually is 40,000, to which may be added 3000 cured
by the fishermen at their own dwellings ; and about
1000 barrels are generally sold in a fresh state to stran-
gers from different parts of the country. On an average
the price of the cured fish is £1 per barrel ; and of the
fresh, nine shillings. The cod-fishery is not carried on
to so great an extent, being generally abandoned, when
the herrings ajjpear in sufhcicnt numbers, for the more
lucrative employment of herring-fishing ; the number of
cod cured during the season averages 10,000, and they
are sold at sixpence each. The salmon-fishery is pur-
sued at Berriedale and at Dunbeath : the fishery at the
former, belonging to Mr. Home of Langwell, is rented
at £2*5 per annum; and the fishery at the latter, the
property of Mr. Sinclair of Freswick, at £27 per annum
only, the number offish having greatly diminished. At
botli places the fish are of excellent quality, the salmon
selling for one shilling, and the grilse for sixpence per
pound: few are sold on the spot; they are chiefly
packed in kits, and sent to London. The lobster-
fishery is but little attended to, though great numbers
are sometimes taken. A small pier has been erected at
Clyth, for the loading of vessels in moderate weather ;
and there is also a harbour at Lybster ; but from the
rocky nature of the coast, and the want of shelter for
vessels of any considerable burtlien, the navigation is
attended witli great danger ; and applications have l)een
conse(|Ucntly made to government, for the construction
of commodious harbours, which would materially pro-
mote the prosperity of the district. Tlie nearest market-
town is Wick. Fairs are held at Dunbeath and at
156
Lybster twice during the year; there are also post-offices
there. Facility of communication is afforded by good
roads, of which the road along the coast passes through
the whole length of the parish to Wick, whence there is
conveyance by steam to Aberdeen and Leith.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Caithness, the synod
of Sutherland and Caithness. The minister's stipend is
£219. with a manse, and a glebe valued at £15 per
annum ; patron, Sir James Colquhoun, Bart. The parish
church, situated near the coast, was erected in 1734,
and enlarged and new roofed in 1822 ; it is a neat plain
structure, containing 8*0 sittings. Churches were built
in Berriedale in 1826 and at Lybster in 1836. There is
also a missionary station connected with the Established
Church, founded by the Society for Propagating Chris-
tian Knowledge, at Bruan, the eastern extremity of the
parish, bordering on Wick. Attached is a comfortable
manse, erected by subscription, at an expense of £232 ;
and a glebe of four acres of excellent land was granted
to the minister by the late Sir John Sinclair, Bart.,
whose estates were chiefly benefited. The church con-
tains 600 sittings ; and the missionary has a stipend of
£25, granted by the society, and augmented to £100 by
seat-rents. Four catechists are appointed by the Kirk
Sessi<ni, and paid by the families whom they visit.
There are two or three places of worship for members
of the Free Church. The parochial school is well con-
ducted ; the master has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and the fees average £30. Two schools are
supported by the General Assembly, and one by the
Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge ; the mas-
ters receive salaries of £20 each. The poor have the
interest of various bequests producing about £18 per
annum. Sir John Sinclair, editor of the Statistical Ac-
count of Scotland, resided for many years at Langwell,
now the property of Donald Home, Esq.
LAUDER, a royal burgh, a
parish, and the seat of a pres-
bytery, in the county of Ber-
wick, 25 miles (S. E.) from
Edinburgh, and 35 (VV. by S.)
from Berwick-upon-Tweed ;
containing 2198 inhabitants,
of whom 1050 are in the
town. This place, the name
of which is in the Celtic lan-
guage descriptive of its situ-
ation in the valley of the
Leader, was granted in the
early part of the twelfth century, by David I., to Hugh
de Moreville, constable of Scotland. De Moreville gave
the lands of Tliirlstane, in the ])arish, to one of his
kinsmen, whoso grand-daughter conveyed them by mar-
riage to Sir Richard Maitland, ancestor of the present
Earl of Lauderdale, the principal proprietor of the pa-
rish. The chief historical events connected with the
place are, the erection of Lauder Castle by Edward I.,
King of England, during his invasion in the time of
Bruce ; and a meeting of the nol)lcs of Scotland, who,
when James III. cneainj)cd with his army near Lauder
in 1482, assembled in the church, and, after a confer-
ence, resolved upon the death of six of that monarch's
lav ouritcs, whom they hanged on a bridge over the
Leader. There was formerly a royal mint here.
liurgh Seal.
LAUD
LAUD
The TOWN is delightfully situated in the centre of the
vale, upon gently-rising ground between the river Leader
on the north and the South burn of Lauder. It consists
principally of one wide clean street, lighted with gas, on
the road from Edinburgh to Kelso j and nearly in the
middle, where the street expands into greater breadth,
is a row of houses, at the western extremity of which is
the town-house. The air is extremely pure, and there is
a good supply of water. The houses are irregularly built,
and of mean appearance ; and the town is inhabited
chiefly by retail shop-keepers, persons employed in handi-
craft trades, and agricultural and other labourers. The
approaches have been much improved within the last
few years. A subscription library is supported here by a
company of shareholders, and there is also one for
mechanics. Fairs are held in the early part of March,
for seed-corn and the hiring of farm servants ; in April
and October, for the hiring of household servants ; in
June, for cattle, chiefly milch-cows ; and in July, for
the sale of lambs. The post-office has a good delivery ;
and facility of communication is afforded by turnpike-
roads, of which one, on the east of the river Leader, to
Greenlaw, Dunse, Berwick, Coldstream, and Kelso, passes
for six miles, and another, on the west, to Melrose and
Jedburgh, passes for eight miles, through the parish.
Lauder is supposed to have been erected into a royal
BURGH by charter of William the Lion, in the beginning
of the thirteenth century ; and after the loss of the
original documents during the border warfare, the in-
habitants received from James IV. in 1502 a new char-
ter, which was confirmed in 1533. The government is
vested in two bailies and fifteen councillors. The bur-
gesses possess a common of 1695 acres, divided among
them in proportion to their number, and are entitled to
freedom of trading, exemption from customs, and other
privileges. In this burgh the magistrates exercise but
little either of civil or criminal jurisdiction ; of the
former, there are scarcely any cases of importance on
record, and the latter extends only to trifling misde-
meanors. The gaol, indeed, is not adapted for perma-
nent confinement. In front of the town-hall was an
ancient cross, the site of which is marked by a radiated
pavement. Lauder is associated with Haddington, Dun-
bar, North Berwick, and Jedburgh, in returning a member
to the imperial parliament.
The PARISH, which is one of the most extensive in the
county, is about thirteen miles in extreme length from
north to south, and from eight to nine miles in extreme
breadth ; but being divided by an intervening portion
of the parish of Melrose, its length is in fact only eleven
miles and a half. It comprises an area of nearly fifty-
eight square miles, and the number of acres is estimated
at 37,500, of which 1 '2,000 are arable, 600 woodland
and plantations, and the remainder chiefly hill pasture
and waste. The surface is diversified with hills, of which
the Lammermoor range forms the northern boundary
of Lauder ; and within the limits of the parish the
highest of that range is the Lammerlaw, 1500 feet
above the level of the sea. The valley of the Leader,
the richest portion of the lands, is from one to two
miles in breadth ; and on each side of the river, towards
the south-east, are ranges of hills of moderate height,
cultivated to their summits. The Leader has its source
in the union of two streams issuing from the Lammer-
moors about four miles above the town, and after a
157
winding course of nine or ten miles through the beauti-
ful valley to which it gives name, it falls into the Tweed
at Drygrange ; it abounds with trout, and is much fre-
quented by anglers. There are springs of excellent water
in different parts.
In this parish the soil is various ; in the valley, deep,
rich, and fertile ; in the higher grounds, of lighter quality.
The crops are, grain of all kinds, turnips and potatoes,
and the several grasses ; the system of agriculture is in
a very advanced state, and great improvements have
taken place under the auspices of the Lauderdale Agri-
cultural Society, of which the Earl of Lauderdale is
patron. The lands have mostly been well drained and
inclosed, and the least productive have been much bene-
fited by a plentiful use of lime. The farm-buildings are
substantial ; several of them are of superior order, and
on some of the farms are threshing-mills driven by
steam. The hilly districts afford good pasturage for
sheep and cattle, of which considerable numbers are
reared. The sheep are mostly of the Cheviot breed ;
but on two or three of the higher farms the black-faced
kind are pastured, and on others, in the low lands, are
some of the Leicestershire. In general the cattle are of
the short-horned or Teeswater breed ; but such of the
farmers as do not rear a sufficient number to eat off their
turnips, purchase young stock of the Angus and West
Highland breeds. The plantations are of oak, ash, beech,
elm, birch, poplar, willow, and larch, Scotch, and spruce
firs, all in a thriving condition. The substratum here is
principally greywacke ; the rock is of good quality, and
large quantities are raised both for building purposes
and for mending the roads. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £12,596. Thirlstane Castle,
the seat of the Earl of Lauderdale, is beautifully situated
northward of the town, on the banks of the river : the
original building, Lauder Fort, erected by Edward I.,
was rebuilt by Chancellor Maitland, and enlarged and
improved by the Duke of Lauderdale and the present
earl. The mansion is a spacious and handsome struc-
ture, containing many stately apartments, and a large
collection of paintings and family portraits ; and is sur-
rounded by a park tastefully laid out. AUanbank, to
the west of the town, is a good residence, of modern date,
with grounds of considerable extent, embellished with
plantations.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Lauder, synod of Merse and
Teviotdale. The minister's stipend is £'272, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per annum ; patron,
the Earl of Lauderdale. The church was erected in 1673,
on the south-west side of the town, by the Duke of
Lauderdale, to replace the original church, which he
removed when he enlarged Thirlstane Castle ; it is a
plain cruciform structure, containing 773 sittings. A
massive service of communion plate was presented to the
church by the same noble family in 1677- There are
places of worship for members of the Free Church and
the United Presbyterian Church. Lauder parochial
school is well attended : the master has a salary of £30,
with a good house and garden ; he also receives £5 from
the corporation for the gratuitous instruction of poor
children, and the fees average £70. There are three
schools dependent solely on the fees, of which two are
for females. Vestiges of a Roman road running through
the parish towards Channelkirk may be still traced :
L A U R
L A U II
Bursh Seal.
near it are the remains of a military station ; and on
eminences to the north are vestiges of three round camps,
having entrances on the east and west sides, and forti-
fied by double intrenchments. A similar camp is found
atTuUius' orTollis hill, on the northern extremity of the
parish. Ancient coins have been found, among which
were some inscribed with the names of Julius Caesar,
Lucius Flaminius, and others. There are also numerous
tumuli, near which have been discovered fragments of
military weapons.
LAURENCEKIRK, a
burgh of barony, and a parish,
in the county of Kincardine,
9 miles (N. by W.) from Mon-
, trose, and 10(N.E. by N.)from
Brechin; containing 1904 in-
habitants, of whom 1356 are
in the burgh. This place, an-
ciently called Conveth, derived
its present name from the
dedication of its original pa-
rish church to St. Laurence.
The burgh, which was pre-
viously a very inconsiderable hamlet, owes its importance
to Francis, Lord Gardenstone, a judge of the supreme
court of session, who, about the year 1/65, purchased
the lands of Johnston and Blackiemuir, in the parish,
which he greatly improved, and divided into inclosures
by hedges and plantations. He laid out the plan of a
village, and portioned off sites for the erection of houses :
these, being leased on advantageous terms, soon attracted
tenants ; and in 177^ a thriving town had arisen, which,
increasing in population, was erected in 1779 into a burgh
of barony. The town consists chiefly of one street, about
a mile in length, on the road from Perth to Aberdeen :
the houses are well built, and to each is attached a por-
tion of garden-ground, giving to the place a pleasingly-
rural aspect. A public subscription library, originated
by Lord Gardenstone, and to which he attached a small
museum, still exists, but the number of volumes has
materially diminished. The library of the clergy of the
diocese of Brechin, founded chiefly by the late Bishop
Drummond, and containing more than 1000 volumes, is
deposited in the episcopal chapel in the town, and is ac-
cessible to persons of literary pursuits. Laurencekirk
was erected into a free and independent burgh of barony
by royal charter, vesting the government in a bailie and
four councillors elected triennially by the burgesses, and
granting the privileges of a weekly market and an annual
fair. Every resident proprietor of a house and garden is
qualified as a burgess. The jurisdiction of the magis-
trates in civil cases has not been clearly defined, and
scarcely any such cases have been brought before them
for decision ; but in criminal cases their jurisdiction is
exercised in petty delinquencies subject to small fines,
though these have not in many instances been enforced.
A treasurer, and a town-officer to whom the police is
entrusted, are appointed by the magistrates. The courts
are held in a handsome building the \ipper part of which
is used as a masonic lodge : and a gaol, but seldom re-
quired, has been erected by the Prison Board.
The weaving of linen by hand-looms is carried on here,
for the manufacturers of Aberdeen, Montrose, and
Brechin, who supply the yarn. The manufacture of
snuff-boxes of wood, also, for which the place has long
158
been celebrated, is still carried on, by the son of the
original inventor, IVIr. Stiven : the boxes are remarkable
for their beauty, and the peculiar construction of the
hinge, the principle of which has recently been adopted
in the binding of valuable buoks or prints in wood. The
establishment of a weekly market has been attempted,
but hitherto without success, except for the sale of grain,
which, when purchased for exportation, is sent to Mon-
trose and Gourdon. Fairs are held on the third Wed-
nesday in January, O. S., for cattle, and for hiring ser-
vants ; the last Thursday in April, for cattle ; the 27th
of May, or the day after Whitsunday, O. S., for hiring
servants ; the Thursday after the third Tuesday in July,
O. S., for cattle and horses : the first Thursday in
November, for cattle ; and the ^Srd of November, or the
day after Martinmas, O. S., for hiring servants. Besides
these, a monthly market during the winter, for sheep,
cattle, and horses, has been established, commencing on
the second Monday after the first November fair, and
continuing to be held on the second Monday of each
month until the April fair. The post-office, to which
Auchinblae is attached as a sub-post-office, has a tole-
rably good delivery ; and facility of communication with
Montrose, Aberdeen, Perth, Dundee, and the city of
Edinburgh, is afforded by railway, the Aberdeen line
having a station here. There are also roads kept in ex-
cellent repair.
The PARISH, which is situated in the eastern portion
of the valley of Strathmore, is about four miles in length,
and varies from less than one mile to almost three miles
in breadth, comprising an area of 5381 acres, of which
5000 are arable, sixty pasture, °20 woodland and planta-
tions, and the remainder roads and waste. Its surface
rises gradually towards the north and south, but is not
diversified with hills or striking inequalities, the highest
ground in the northern portion attaining only an eleva-
tion of 220, and in the southern of 450 feet. The river
Luther, which intersects the parish in a direction from
north-east to south-west, has its source in the lower
range of the Grampian hills, and falls into the North Esk,
receiving in its progress numerous burns both from the
north-west and south-east. In the district south-east of
the Luther the soil is a deep clay loam of great fertility;
on the banks of the river are large alluvial deposits of
clay and sand ; and in the lands north-west of the river
the soil is of inferior quality, generally cold, and com-
paratively sterile. The crops consist of oats, barley,
small quantities of wheat, also peas, beans, potatoes, and
turnips, with the usual grasses : the system of agriculture
is improved; the lands have been drained and partly in-
closed, and a wide tract of unprofitable marsh has been
reclaimed in consequence of a new cut having been made
for tlie Luther. In general the farm-houses are roofed
with slate. Great attention is paid to the management
of the dairy-farms, and large quantities of butter and
cheese are sent to Montrose. The cattle are chiefly of a
mixed breed between the Angus and the Aberdeenshire;
a great part of them are fed for the London, Glasgow,
and I'^dinburgh markets, and the remainder are sold as
drove stock. The horses used for agriculture arc chiefly
reared in the parish, and resemble the Lanark and
Clydesdale breeds. The plantations, mostly of recent
growth, consist of larch, sjjruce, and Scotch firs ; and
in the hedge-rows are some good specimens of ash,
elm, l)cech, oak, birch, and sycamore, of older date.
L A U R
LEAD
There is nothing peculiar in the geology of the parish.
Sandstone and freestone were formerly quarried, and
Johnston Lodge was erected with stone raised from the
quarries ; but the working of them has been discontinued
since the opening of the Laurieston and Forth quarries,
in the adjacent parishes of St. Cyrus and Garvock, from
which stone of finer texture and more durable quality is
raised. The annual value of real property in Laurence-
kirk is £7388. Johnston Lodge is a handsome modern
mansion, commanding a fine view of the valley of Strath-
more and the Grampian hills.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Fordoun, synod of Angus and
Mearns. The minister's stipend is averaged at £'^43, in-
cluding £10. 4. 6., the rent of some land attached to the
living from time immemorial ; and there is a manse, with
a glebe valued at £40 per annum : patrons, the Principal
and Professors of St. Mary's College, in the University
of St. Andrew's. Laurencekirk church, erected in 1804,
and enlarged in 1819, is a plain structure containing 766
sittings. An episcopal chapel was erected, and endowed
chiefly, by Lord Gardenstone , and there are neat places
of worship for Independents and members of the Free
Church. The parochial school is attended by about
seventy children ; the master has a salary of £'20,
with ten bolls of meal, and an allowance of £10. 2. in
lieu of house and garden. His school fees average £30
per annum ; and he also receives £3. 6. 8., the interest
of a bequest by Sir Alexander Falconer, of Glenfarquhar,
ancestor of the present Earl of Kintore, for teaching
seven children gratuitously. The parochial library con-
tains nearly 300 volumes, chiefly for young people.
There are few monuments of antiquity in the parish ; but
coins have been found at various times, among which was
a Roman coin with the heads of two emperors, Aurelius
on one side and Antoninus on the other. About forty
large silver coins, mostly Spanish, and in good preserva-
tion, bearing dates from 16 16 to 1623, were found about
thirty or forty years since on the farm of Northhill.
Thomas Ruddiman, the grammarian, was master of the
parochial school of this place from 1695 till 1700 ; and
Dr. Beattie, author of The Minstrel, was a native of the
parish. The lands of Halkerton give the title of Baron
to the Falconer family. Earls of Kintore.
LAURIESTON, a village, in the parish of Bal-
MAGHiE, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 65 miles (W. N.
W.) from Castle-Douglas ; containing 275 inhabitants.
This place takes its name from William Kennedy Laurie,
Esq., proprietor of the lands on which it is built. It ap-
pears to owe its origin to the resort of numerous invalids,
attracted by the medicinal virtues of a powerful chaly-
beate spring at Lochinbreck, and for whose accommo-
dation a commodious inn had been erected near the spot.
The water, which is perfectly transparent, is strongly im-
pregnated with sulphate of iron and carbonic acid, and
has been found efficacious as a tonic, and in complaints
of the stomach arising from obstruction and debility.
In cases of ague, also, and in obstinate intermittents, it
has proved a complete restorative, when bark and other
medicines have been unavailing. The road from Kirk-
cudbright to New Galloway passes through the village.
Lochinbreck is one of five considerable lochs in the pa-
rish ; it abounds in trout, and hence its name, signifying
" the lake of trout ". The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship. The principal parochial school
159
is situated here, and a dwelling-house has been lately
erected for the master by the heritors.
LAURIESTON, for a time an ecclesiastical district,
on the south side of the river Clyde, and within the
jurisdiction of the city of Glasgow, county of Lanark.
This district was formed of a portion of the parish of
Gorbals adjoining the suburb of Tradeston. It was in
the presbytery of Glasgow, synod of Glasgow and Ayr,
and the patronage was vested in the Church-Building
Society of Glasgow : the church was built upon a site
purchased by the commissioners in Warwick-street.
LAURIESTON, a village, in the parish of Falkirk,
county of Stiiiling, li mile (E.) from Falkirk ; contain-
ing 1198 inhabitants. This place, originally called New
Merduslon, from Francis, Lord Napier, of Merchiston,
on whose lands it was built in 1756, received the name
of Laurencetoun, of which its present appellation is a
contraction, from Sir Laurence Duudas, a later pro-
prietor of the estate, and whose descendant, the Earl of
Zetland, is the existing lord. The village is pleasantly
situated on the road to Edinburgh, and consists of a
handsome square, and several streets intersecting each
other at right angles ; the houses are well built, and of
modern appearance, and from its occupying an elevated
site the surrounding scenery is extensive. The inhabit-
ants are chiefly employed in weaving for the manufac-
turers of Glasgow, and in the manufacture of nails, which
is carried on to a considerable extent. There are nume-
rous well-stored shops ; and many persons are engaged
in the various trades requisite for the accommodation of
the adjacent district, and for the traffic which the place
derives from its position on a public thoroughfare. A
post-office under that of Falkirk has been established
here, and there is every facility of communication with
the neighbouring towns. In the village is a place of wor-
ship for Reformed Presbyterians ; and of several schools,
one was erected by the Dundas family.
LEADHILLS, formerly an ecclesiastical parish, in
the parish of Crawford, Upper ward of the county of
Lanark ; containing about 1200 inhabitants, of whom
950 are in the village, 18 miles (W. N. W.) from Moffat.
The village derives its name from its situation in a ro-
mantic valley surrounded by hills that abound with
mineral produce, of which the principal is lead-ore ; the
hills are generally covered with heath, and towards the
south-east form a lofty ridge, well known as the Louthers,
rising to an elevation of nearly 2500 feet above the level
of the sea. From the summit of this ridge is an im-
posing and richly-diversified prospect, embracing the
Solway Firth, the Isles of Arran and Man, and the
mountains of Skiddaw, Ben-Lomond, and Helvellyn,
with the whole range of the Pentland hills. The village
is of peculiar appearance, the houses, which are chiefly
inhabited by persons employed in the mines, being placed
on eminences, or a kind of terraces. The principal
mansion of importance is the Hall, a seat of the Earl of
Hopetoun's, whose family take their title from this place,
formerly called Hopetoun ; it is an ancient structure,
and one of the wings has been converted into a commo-
dious chapel. The house, also, belonging to the repre-
sentative of the Scottish Mining Company, is a hand-
some building in tastefully-disposed pleasure-grounds,
surrounded by thriving plantations of beech, larch, moun-
tain and common ash, elm, and other trees. A library
established in 1741 by Allan Ramsay the poet, a native
LE C R
LECR
of Leadhills, is well supported, and has a collection of
nearly '2000 volumes. The lands near the village are
not by nature fertile ; but a considerable part of them
has been brought into profitable cultivation by spade
labour, and good crops of potatoes, with hay and summer
grass, are raised by the industry of the persons working
in the mines, to whom the proprietor gives portions of
land rent-free.
The mineral district extends about three miles in
length and two miles and a half in breadth, and consists
of a substratum of greywacke and greywacke-slate com-
bined with transition clay-slate, in which most of the
mineral ores are deposited. The chief veins of lead run
in a north and south direction, with a dip of about one
foot in three, and have produced large quantities of ore.
Lead-mines are believed to have been wrought here by
the Romans, an opinion partly confirmed by the fact of
one of their principal roads having passed thro\igh the
parish, and by the remains of Roman camps, several of
which may be distinctly traced in this and the adjoining
parish. The chief mines at present in operation are
those of High-Work, Meadow-Head, and Brow : that of
Susannah, after having been worked to the depth of 140
fathoms, has been discontinued, the price of lead being
insufficient to remunerate the expense of sinking to a
greater depth. The average produce of the mines is 500
tons annually, valued at about £8000. The common
galena ore is that chiefly raised ; but there are several
veins of green, yellow, and black ore, sulphate and
sulpho-tricarbonates of lead, and phosphate and earthy
lead ores ; and copper and iron pyrites, malachites,
azure copper-ore, grey manganese, blende, and calamine
are also found. In the various veins are likewise dis-
covered quartz, calcareous and brown spar, and sparry
ironstone. Silver is found in the lead-ore, in a very
small proportion ; and gold occurs in all the streams
that intersect the district. In the sixteenth century
many men were, by permission of the Scottish regent,
employed in searching for gold, of which considerable
quantities were collected, and sent to Edinburgh, to
be coined, and manufactured into different ornaments.
Specimens of native gold, weighing some ounces, w'ere
at times discovered ; but of late few have been found
weighing more than half an ounce, and these are now of
very rare occurrence. There are also considerable lead-
works at Wanlockhcad, in Dumfriesshire, not more than
a mile distant from this place. A post-office has for
about a century been established in the village ; and
facility of intercourse with the neighbouring towns is
maintained by good roads. Fairs are held on the second
Friday in June, and the last Friday in October ; the
principal articles sold arc provisions and merchandise,
for the supply of the inhabitants. Leadhills was sepa-
rated from the parish for ecclesiastical purposes under
an act of the General Assembly in 1K34, but in conse-
quence of the subsequent abrogation of that act, it has
now ceased to exist as a quoad sacra parish : the mi-
nister's stipend is paid by the Earl of Ilopetoun and the
Scottish Mining Company, with a house and garden.
The church is adapted for a congregation of iibout 850
persons. A school has been established for more than
a century, and is attended by 100 children ; the master
receives a salary from the earl and the company.
LECROFr, a jjarish, partly in the county of Stir-
ling, but chiefly in that of Perth, 4 miles (N. W.) from
160
Stirling; containing 513 inhabitants. Some antiquaries
identify this place with the ancient city on the west bank
of the river Allan, about a mile above its confluence with
the Forth, and which is called by Ptolemy Alauna ; and
they suppose that the Roman road to Ardoch passed
through the lands of Keir, in this parish. There are
still remaining here vestiges of one of a chain of forts
designated Keirs, all extending along the north side of
the vale of Monteith, and thought to have been erected
by the Caledonians, to watch the movements of the
Roman army. The sites are usually marked out by the
mounds of loose stones, now covered with grass, on
which they stood. Some of the forts, however, have
been wholly destroyed to furnish stones for building
inclosures and for various other purposes. The lands of
Keir, according to records still extant, formed part of
the possessions of the Princess Marjory, sister of Robert
Bruce, which he surrendered to the king in favour of
William de Monteith. In the vicinity of the church is
a hill where the ancient barons held their courts, and
near it another called Gallow Hill, the place for the
execution of criminals.
The PARISH is watered on the south-west by the river
Teith, and on the east by the river Allan, both tributaries
of the Forth, by which it is bounded on the south. It
is nearly in the form of an equilateral triangle, and com-
prises by measurement 3102a. \r. lip., of which 25.53
acres are arable, 30 pasture, 451 woodland and planta-
tions, 18 acres peat-moss, and the remainder homesteads,
roads, and waste. The surface is intersected by a high
bank or ridge, stretching in a direction parallel with the
north side, and which divides the parish into two distinct
portions, the lower being rich carse land, and the more
elevated of a dry light soil. From this bank is obtained
an extensive and varied prospect of the adjacent country,
including, in the foreground, the waters of the Teith, the
Allan, and the Forth, flowing in one united stream, be-
tween wooded banks, through a tract of fine open cham-
paign studded with well-cultivated farms having hedge-
rows interspersed with stately trees. On the opposite
side of the valley appear the castle of Stirling, occupying
the summit of a precipitous rock ; the rocks of Craig-
forth and Abbeycraig ; the tower of Cambuskenneth
Abbey ; the bridge of Stirling ; and the meadows on
the banks of the Forth, adorned by handsome villas and
pleasure-grounds ; with the hills of Falkirk in the dis-
tance. The Ochils are seen on the east, the mountain
of Benvoirlich on the north, and Ben-Ledi and Bea-
Lomond on the west. The soil of the carse land is
extremely rich, and that of the uplands, though of lighter
quality, is fertile ; the crops are wheat, barley, oats,
peas, beans, potatoes, and turnips, with flax, rye-grass,
and clover. The system of agriculture is highly im-
proved, the farm-buildings are generally substantial and
well arranged, and the woods and plantations thriving.
In this parish the substratum is a stiff clay, resting
chiefly upon a bed of hard rock ; and from an experi-
ment lately made, it has been ascertained that l)oth coal
and ironstone exist, but in scams too thin to remunerate
the trouble of working them. The annual value of real
property in Lccropt is £2227.
Keir House, the seat of Archibald Stirling, Esq., the
principal landowner, is a spacious and handsome man-
sion, to wliich two wings have been added within the
last twenty or thirty years. It is situated nearly in the
LEGE
LEGE
centre of the parish, and contains numerous apartments
splendidly decorated, and a picture-gallery seventy feet
in length, having a valuahle collection of paintings by
the first masters ; the grounds are tastefully laid out,
and the gardens and hot-houses are extensive and pro-
ductive. A bleaching establishment at Keirfield, con-
ducted upon the most scientific principles, affords em-
ployment to nearly 100 persons, under the immediate
superintendence of the proprietor. There is a flour-mill
in operation, as well as a mill for grinding oats and
barley, both containing machinery of the most approved
kind driven by the river Allan ; and a fishery, chiefly for
salmon-trout, produces a rental of about £W per annum.
The great road from Stirling to Perth, Aberdeen, and
the Highlands passes through the parish. Ecclesiasti-
cally Lecropt is within the bounds of the presbytery of
Dunblane, synod of Perth and Stirling. The minister's
stipend is £147. 13. 8., with a manse, and the glebe is
valued at about £16 per annum ; patron, Mr. Stirling.
Lecropt church, built in 1827, is a handsome structure
in the later English style, with a square embattled tower
embellished with sculptured figures of some of the Scot-
tish reformers, in high-relief. The parochial school
embraces a very complete course of classical and com-
mercial instruction ; the master has a salary of £34,
with a house and garden, and the fees, averaging £1 '2
per annum. An infants' school is supported by the
Stirling family. Principal Haldane, of the university of
St. Andrew's, is a native of this parish.
LEEDS, NEW, a village, in the parish of Strichen,
district of Deer, county of Aberdeen, 12^ miles (W.
N. W.) from Peterhead ; containing 203 inhabitants. This
village lies in the eastern extremity of the parish, on the
high road from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh.
LEETOWN, a village, in the parish of Errol, county
of Perth ; containing 1 12 inhabitants. It is the largest
of three small villages or hamlets in the parish, all dis-
tant from the village of Errol : the population is chiefly
agricultural.
LEGERWOOD, a parish, in the county of Berwick,
5| miles (S. E. byE.) from Lauder; containing 5/1 in-
habitants. The name of this place, signifying in the
Saxon " the light or hollow wood," is supposed to have
been derived from the situation of its church in a spot
almost surrounded by woods. At one time, the whole
or part of the lands belonged to the family of Stewart,
to whom they were confirmed by charter of Malcolm IV.,
King of Scotland, in 1160. Legerwood is about six
miles in length and four and a half in breadth, is bounded
on the west by the river Leader, and comprises 8430
acres ; 3470 acres are arable, ISOO meadow and pasture,
400 woodland and plantations, and the remainder moor-
land and hill pasture. The surface is generally elevated,
and is traversed in the northern part by three ridges of
hills, of which the highest. Boon Hill, is nearly 1100
feet above the level of the sea ; in the southern part is
also a hill of considerable elevation, rising by a gentle
acclivity from the east. The scenery is diversified with
valleys, and enriched with woods of ancient growth, and
thriving plantations. The Eden, a rivulet which has its
source in the Boon Hill, pursues a winding course through
the parish, and falls into the Tweed below Newton-Don.
Numerous smaller streams, tributaries to the Leader and
the Eden, rise in the higher grounds, and in parts of
their course exhibit some very pleasing scenery ; and
Vol. II.— 161
there are also many springs, affording an excellent supply
of water. A lake of consideralile extent, on the laniis of
Corsbie, has been drained, and partly converted into
meadow land.
The SOIL is very various in different parts of the
parish, but upon the whole is tolerably fertile, and, under
good management, jjroduces favourable crops of oats,
barley, beans, potatoes, and turnips. The system of
agriculture is in an advanced state, and the five-shift
rotation generally practised ; the lands are drained and
inclosed ; the farm houses and offices are substantial and
well arranged, and all the more recent improvements
in implements have been adopted. Much attention is
paid to live stock, and considerable numbers of sheep
and cattle are pastured ; the sheep are of the Leicester-
shire and Cheviot breeds, with an occasional cross be-
tween the two, and the cattle chiefly the short-horned.
The little natural wood consists of oak, ash, alder, birch,
and hazel : the plantations are larch, spruce, and Scotch
firs, with a small proportion of hard-wood ; they are
well managed, and appear to be in a flourishing state. In
this parish the substrata are mainly sandstone of the
secondary formation, grcywacke, and greywacke-slate.
Small portions of copper-ore have been discovered on
the lands of Dods farm, supposed to have been washed
from the soil by rain ; and particles of copper have been
found in various parts of the parish. The Boon Hill is
composed of a species of conglomerate ; and a quarry
has been opened, supplying materials for the roads, for
which use it is well adapted. Facility of communication
with the nearest market-town and other places in the
vicinity is afforded by good roads, of which those from
Kelso and Hawick to Edinburgh pass, the former on the
east, and the latter on the west, side of the parish : there
are also commodious bridges over the different streams,
kept in excellent repair.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Lauder, synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the pa-
tronage of Henry Ker Seymer, Esq. ; the minister's sti-
pend is £205. 4. 6., with a manse, and a glebe valued at
£15 per annum. Legerwood church, an ancient edifice,
repaired in 1/17 and 1804, and enlarged in 1837, is a
substantial and neat building, adapted for a congregation
of about 300 persons. The parochial school affords in-
struction to about seventy children ; the master has a
salary of £28, with £20 fees, and a house and garden.
Several children of the parish, on account of their dis-
tance from this school, attend the schools of Westruther
and Melrose. A small library, supported by subscrip-
tion, is gradually extending its collection ; and the parish
regularly contributes to the various missionary schemes
of the General Assembly. On a small mount, richly
wooded, and formerly surrounded by the lake of Corsbie,
which has been drained, are the remains of an ancient
castle, the residence of the lords of the barony : there
are also remains of a baronial castle at Whitslaid. The
date of the foundation of these castles is unknown ; but
they are thought to have been erected in the reign of
James II. Upon the summits of Legerwood and West
Morriston Hills are traces of ancient camps, and there
are vestiges of another on Birkinside Hill ; but they have
all been much defaced by the plough, and have nearly
disappeared under the modern improvements in cultiva-
tion. On the Boon Hill is an upright shaft of sandstone,
rising from a block of the same material ; it is called
LETT
LEIT
Bi.rsh Seal.
Dods Corse Stane, and is said by some to be an ancient
cross pointing out the site of a market formerly held
here, whilst others say that the stone denotes the place
where a duel was once fought.
LEITH, a burgh and a
sea-port town, in the county
of Edinburgh, 1^ mile
(N. by E.) from Edinburgh,
and 400 (N. N. W.) from
London ; the parishes of
North and South Leith to-
gether containing 28,268 in-
habitants. This place, which
is of considerable antiquity,
formerly belonged to the
abbey of Holyrood, and, in
a charter of David I. to the
monks of that establishment, is noticed under the desig-
nation of Inverleith, from its position near the influx of
the river or Water of Leith into the Firth of Forth. Its
earlier history is almost identified with that of the city
of Edinburgh, of which it forms a kind of suburb, and
within the jurisdiction of which, notwithstanding its
charter of incorporation, it was until recently essen-
tially included. Previously to the commencement of the
fourteenth century, though possessing every advantage
of situation, it had acquired little importance as a com-
mercial town : in 1329, its harbour, and the mills which
had been erected, were obtained by the corporation of
Edinburgh, by grant from Robert Bruce, on the pay-
ment of fifty-two merks annually. In the year 1398,
Sir Robert Logan, lord of Restalrig, and superior of the
town, resisted the claims of the corporation to the banks
of the river of Leith, which they consequently bought of
him for a very considerable sum ; and in 1.561 the supe-
riority of the burgh, which had been sold by his family
to Mary, queen of James V., then regent, for 10,000
merks, was purchased from Mary, Queen of Scots, by
the town-council of Edinburgh, by whom the inhabitants
of Leith were held in a state of abject vassalage. By
act of the corporation, they were restrained from carry-
ing on any trade, and from building warehouses for the
reception of merchandise landed at the port, which, im-
mediately on its arrival, was forwarded to Edinburgh.
They were also prohibited from keeping shops of any
kind, and from opening inns or houses of entertainment
for strangers, or even for passengers arriving by the ves-
sels ; nor was it permitted that any merchant in Edin-
burgh should enter into partnership with an inhabitant
of Leith, under a penalty of forty shillings and forfeiture
of the freedom of the city for one year.
In 1313, and also in 1410, the town suffered severely
from the English, who burnt all the .'^hips in the harbour ;
and in 148S, after the l)attlc of Bannockburn, it was
seized by the insurgent nobility who liad taken arms
against James III. During their occupation of it the
Firth of Forth was scoured by the ships of Sir Andrew
Wood, the firm adherent of that monarch, with whose
successor, James IV., he afterwards held an interview at
this place. Tlie town was plundered in 1.544 by the
English forces under the Earl of Hertford, who had
landed at Royston with an army of 10,000 men, and
who, after securing the whole of the vessels in the har-
bour, and leaving 1.500 of his soldiers here, advanced
to Edinburgh, on his return from which, previously to
1C2
the embarkation of his troops, he set fire to Leith. The
place .iufTered a similar calamity in 1.547, from the same
leader, then Duke of Somerset, who seized thirty-five
vessels at that time in the Firth. In 1549, the French
General D'Esse landed at Leith with a force of 6000
men, for the assistance of the queen regent against the
lords of the congregation, and strongly fortified the
town, which the lords fruitlessly endeavoured to take by
escalade, but which subsequently surrendered by capi-
tulation. It was besieged by the English in 1560; and
two of the mounds raised by the troops on that occa-
sion, and from which they discharged their artillery,
are still to be seen on the Links. In 1561, Mary, Queen
of Scots, upon her return from France, lauded here on
the 20th of August, and after remaining a few hours to
rest from the fatigue of the voyage, proceeded to Edin-
burgh, where she was received with joyful acclamations.
Not long afterwards, the fortifications, which consisted
of an octangular rampart, defended with strong bastions
at the angles, were demolished by order of the corpora-
tion of Edinburgh ; but the town was partly fortified by
the Earl of Morton in 1571, when the regency was held
by the Earl of Lennox, who made it his residence, and
held his court here for some time, during which the
misunderstandings between him and Morton frequently
involved the inhabitants in all the calamities of civil war.
In 1590, James VI. landed here with his queen, Anne of
Denmark; he arrived in the roads on the 1st of May,
but was compelled, from want of accommodation in the
town, to remain on board till the 6th, during the pre-
paration of Holyrood palace for his reception.
At the commencement of the war in the reign of
Charles I., it was proposed again to fortify Leith ; and
considerable progress was made in the works by nume-
rous volunteers who gratuitously gave their assistance,
persons even of the higher classes undertaking the per-
formance of most laborious tasks. In 1643, the Solemn
League and Covenant was zealously subscribed by the
inhabitants, who had almost exclusively embraced the
doctrines of the reformed religion. During the continu-
ance of the plague in 1645, not less than 2430 persons
fell victims to its ravages, and, for want of room in the
churchyards, were buried in the Links, where immense
quantities of human bones, wrapped in blankets, have
at various times been discovered. In 1650, the town
was taken possession of by the army of Cromwell, who
made it their head-quarters, and levied monthly contri-
butions on the inhabitants. After Cromwell's return
to England, General Monk, his commander-in-chief,
built a strong fortress here called the Citadel, at an ex-
pense of £10,000; but the site of this fortress, which
was in the form of a pentagon, with bastions at the
angles, and having an entrance towards the east, is now
occupied by the buildings of the docks and the Mariners'
cliurch. During the residence of Monk in the town, he
inchiced several English families to settle here, who con-
tributed greatly towards the establishment of its subse-
quent commercial prosperity.
In 1705, Capt. Green, of the IVorcester East Indiaman,
who had taken shelter in the harbour, was, by a singular
incident, recognised as having committed murder and
piracy on the crew of a Scottish vessel off the coast of
Malabar, and, together with three of his crew who had
been concerned in that transaction, was hanged within
flood- mark, on the shore. During the enterprise of the
LEIT
LEI T
Pretender in 1715, Brigadier Mc Intosh of Borlane, with
a party of his adherents, took possession of the Citadel,
which he occupied for some time ; but being pursued by
the Duke of Argyll, he evacuated the post in the night,
and after plundering the custom-house, and liberating
the prisoners in the gaol, retreated over the sands at low
water. In 17*9, a party of Highland recruits who had
enlisted into the 42nd and 71st regiments refusing to
embark on board the transport vessels in the harbour, a
Serjeant with a detachment of soldiers was sent from
Edinburgh Castle to enforce order, when a violent con-
flict arose, and the Serjeant being twice severely wounded
by the Highlanders, his party fired upon the mutineers,
of whom twelve were killed, and twenty severely wounded.
In the same year, the appearance of the notorious pirate,
Paul Jones, with three armed vessels, excited some alarm ;
and a battery of nine guns was erected to the west of
the Citadel, to protect the town from the threatened at-
tack : but a storm which arose, dispersing the vessels,
delivered the inhabitants from all further apprehension.
The town was anciently celebrated for its public games,
of which golf was the most prevalent ; and it was while
he was engaged in this sport, on the Links, that
Charles I. was informed of the Irish rebellion, when he
instantly left the ground, and on the following day re-
turned to London. Races were formerly held on the
sands, under the patronage of the corporation of Edin-
burgh, who annually gave a purse, and attended them
in their habits of ceremony; but in 1816 they were
transferred to the Links of Musselburgh, where they are
still held, and numerously attended. George IV., on
his visit to Scotland in 189,1, arrived in the Leith roads
on the 14th of August, and on the following day landed
at the harboiir, and was received by a vast concourse of
the nobility and gentry, attended by the civic function-
aries, who escorted him from the town to the palace of
Holyrood House. Leith was also visited by Her present
Majesty, when making a tour through her Scottish do-
minions, in September 1843 ; the visit was paid on the
3rd of that month, and on the auspicious occasion the
provost and magistrates presented a loyal address to the
queen, then entering the burgh, from Dalmeny Park, on
her way to Dalkeith. A triumphal arch had been erected,
and every other means adopted to testify the joyous
feelings of the inhabitants.
The TOWN is situated on the south side of the Firth of
Forth, at the influx of the Water of Leith. It is of con-
siderable extent, and has within the last few years been
greatly improved by the erection of several spacious and
■well-formed streets, crossing each other at right angles.
The more ancient part, situated between Kirkgate-street
and the river, consists chiefly of narrow lanes and alleys
of mean houses, inhabited only by persons of the lowest
order ; but that portion of the town which is of more
modern date is uniformly built, containing handsome
houses i and the public buildings are of elegant character.
Kirkgate-street, in which are the church of South Leith
and the Mariners' Hospital, forms a continuation of
Leith Walk (a noble line of approach from Edinburgh),
and contains several remnants of antiquity, among which
was till lately the mansion of the Balmerino family, now
demolished, where Charles II. slept on the night of his
arrival in Scotland by invitation from the Scottish par-
liament, in 1650. Other houses are said to have been
the occasional residence of the queen regent and of
163
Oliver Cromwell. Parallel with Kirkgate-street is Con-
stitution-street, a handsome and uniform ranare of build-
ings, joined at one extremity by St. Bernard's street,
from which Baltic-street, leading into Salamander-street,
branches off. Great Junction street, conducting to the
fort, is a spaciou.s avenue ; and there are various other
regular and well-formed streets. The town is lighted
with gas, and amply supplied with water. In 1846 an
act was passed for regulating the repair of the roads and
streets within the town.
Two public subscription libraries, containing extensive
collections of interesting volumes, are well supported.
Card and dancing assemblies take place in an ele-
gant suite of rooms in the Exchange Buildings in Con-
stitution-street, where also are held the meetings of
the Philharmonic Society, established in 1831, concerts
being given every Wednesday evening from the com-
mencement of October till the end of April. In the
same edifice are the library and lecture-room of the
mechanics' institution. The Exchange Buildings were
erected at an expense of £16,000, and form a spacious
structure in the Grecian style of architecture, consisting
of a projecting centre and two slightly-projecting wings.
In the centre is a stately portico of four Ionic columns,
rising from a rusticated basement to the roof, and sup-
porting an entablature and cornice surmounted by a
triangular pediment ; the wings are also embellished
with Ionic columns, between which are entrances to
other parts of the building. The interior contains the
assembly and concert room, with card, tea, and supper
rooms adjoining, a library and reading-room, the lecture-
room for the mechanics' institution, already noticed,
and the post-office, in addition to the various offices and
apartments for the purposes of the exchange. On the
Links, behind Constitution-street, are the Seafield baths,
to which is attached an hotel, the whole erected in 1803,
at an expense of £8000, by a proprietary of £50 share-
holders, and replete with every accommodation. At
Leith Fort, to the west of the custom-house, are the
artillery- barracks, a spacious range. The ancient stone
bridge across the Water of Leith, erected by Robert
Ballendean, abbot of Holyrood, has been removed, and a
handsome bridge of stone erected a little above the town ;
there are also two bridges of wood over the river, afford-
ing facility of communication between the districts of
North and South Leith.
The manufactures carried on in the town and its
vicinity are various and extensive. They include those
of paints and colours, prussiate of potash, soap, candles,
ropes, cordage, sailcloth, and bottles : there are several
breweries, a distillery, a large establishment for the re-
fining of sugar, another large establishment for cooking,
and preserving in tin cases, all kinds of fresh meat and
vegetables, for naval stores, &c. ; some extensive saw-
mills, and cooperages ; some iron-foundries, and other
works. The foreign trade of the port is chiefly with the
North of Europe and the West Indies, in addition to
which it has an important coasting-trade ; the principal
imports are wine, tobacco, timber, hemp, and tallow.
The number of vessels registered as belonging to the port,
in 1 843, was 263, of the aggregate burthen of 27,897 tons :
the number which in that year entered Inwards, was
266 British, of 38,647 tons, and 364 foreign, of the
burthen of 33,671 tons ; and the amount of customs
was £628,008. In 1848, the number of registered
Y2
L EIT
L E I T
vessels was 211, and the amount of customs £563,452.
There are three companies engaged in the trade with
London, in which they collectively employ twenty-two
vessels ; five vessels are employed in the trade with
Hull, four in that of Newcastle, five in that of Aberdeen,
four in the trade with Inverness, several also with
Greenock, Wick, Dundee, Stirling, Liverpool, and other
ports, and seven vessels in the Greenland trade. Leith
harbour, upon the improvement of which very con-
siderable suras have been expended, is under the manage-
ment of commissioners appointed by act of parliament
in 183S. The entrance is defended by a martello tower :
at the mouth is a lighthouse with reflecting lamps ; and
another, with a revolving light, has been erected on the
small island of Inch-Keith, in the middle of the Firth,
about four miles from the shore. The present docks
were commenced in 1800, and completed in 181", under
the superintendence of the late Sir John Rennie, civil
engineer, at a cost of £285,000, of which £265,000
were borrowed from government by the corporation of
Edinburgh. The two wet-docks are each 250 yards in
length and 100 yards in breadth; they are protected
from the sea by a strong wall, and are capable of con-
taining 150 ships of ordinary size. On the north side
are three graving-docks, each 136 feet long and seventy
feet wide, with an entrance thirty-si.x feet in breadth ;
and on the south side of the wet-docks is a range of
warehouses, for the bonding of grain, foreign wines, and
other articles of merchandise. The pier has been greatly
improved at the joint expense of government and the
corporation of Edinburgh : the Leith roads atford good
anchorage for vessels of any burthen ; and of the vessels
employed in the coasting-trade, the greater number lie in
the harbour and the remainder in the wet-docks. Ship-
building is carried on to a considerable extent, and there
are several yards for that purpose, from which various
fine steamers and other vessels have been launched : in
1840, a government steamer and a merchantman of very
large dimensions were built here.
The custom-house, situated on the north side of the
harbour, and at the west end of the lower drawbridge,
is an imposing structure in the Grecian style of archi-
tecture, erected in 1812, at a cost of £12,617. In the
centre of the principal front, which has a slight projec-
tion, is a receding portico of two lofty columns, rising to
the roof, and sup|)orting a triangular pediment, in the
tympanum of which are the royal arms -. the wings also
project slightly beyond the main line of the building.
The whole edifice is crowned with a handsome entabla-
ture and cornice surmounted by a parapet panelled in
compartments, and relieved in the intervals with an
open balustrade. The Leith Branch of the National
Bank, in St. Bernard's street, is a neat building, likewise
in the Grecian style, two stories in height : the centre of
its main front has a semicircular projecting portico of
four Ionic columns, sustaining an entablature and cornice
continued round the building, and surmounted by a
graceful dome ; and the front on each side of the portico
is embellished with pilasters of corresponding character.
In the Tolbooth wyud is the market-place, which is well
arranged, provided with convenient .stalls, and plenti-
fully sujiplied with fish and with provisions of all kinds.
Facility of cominunication is maintained with I'klinljurgh
and tlie neighbourhood by roads kept in excellent
order ; and a branch of the North-British railway, four
164
miles in length, has its terminus here, contiguous to
which are spacious inclosed yards belonging to the pro-
prietors of the several collieries in the vicinity, whence
the inhabitants are chiefly supphed with coal. In July
1844 an act was obtained for the extension of the Edin-
burgh and Trinity-pier railway to Leith and to Granton-
pier : the line belongs to the Edinburgh, Perth, and
Dundee Railway Company.
The BURGH, under a succession of charters from the
time of David I. to that of Charles II., by which king
the charters were recited and confirmed, was till recently
subordinate to the corporation of Edinburgh. Its go-
vernment was vested in one of the magistrates of that
city, who had the title of Admiral of Leith, and in two
resident bailies chosen from the inhabitants of Leith by
the Edinburgh town-council. Under the provisions of
the Municipal act of the 3rd and 4th of William IV.,
however, the burgh affairs are entrusted to a provost,
four bailies, a treasurer, and ten councillors, exercising
jurisdiction independently of Edinburgh. There are
four principal chartered incorporations, viz., the Ship-
masters, or the Corporation of the Trinity House, the
Merchants' Company, the Maltmen, and the Trades.
Of these the last is subdivided into the several crafts of
Wrights, coopers, hammermen, bakers, tailors, cordiners,
fleshers, barbers, and weavers, each of which sends a
member to the association of conveners, also deemed a
separate corporation. The freedom of the burgh is ob-
tained by entrance into one of the four bodies, for which
the fees vary extremely according to the age of the per-
son; in some, from £50 to £150 for strangers, about half
that sura for sons and sons-in-law of freemen, and for
apprentices from £20 to £30 : in other companies the
fees are very inconsiderable. The provost is admiral,
and the four bailies are deputy-admirals, of Leith ; they
hold courts of admiralty, and, as magistrates of the
burgh, courts for the determination of civil pleas. There
is also a sheriff's court. The police of the town is under
the superintendence of commissioners, consisting of the
provost and magistrates of Edinburgh and Leith, the
masters of the several corporations, and others chosen
by inhabitants renting houses of £15 per annum. There
is a separate police for the docks, appointed by the
dock commissioners. An act of parliament was passed
in 184S, to provide for the municipal and police govern-
ment of the burgh, and for other purposes.
The Town Hall, erected in 1827, about the centre of
Constitution-street, is a handsome building comprising
convenient rooms for holding the sheriff and police
courts, and offices for transacting the business of the
police commission. The Trinity House, now called the
Mariners' Hospital, situated in Kirkgate-street, was erected
on the site of the ancient building designated Trinity
Hospital, in 18^7, at an expense of £2500. It is in the
Grecian style, with a portico of two duplicated columns
of the Doric order, surmounted by a balustrade, behind
which is a Venetian window between duplicated columns
of the same order, supporting an entablature and cornice,
which are continued round the building, and are crowned
in the centre by a triangular pediment having in the
tympanum the emblems of navigation, well sculptured.
On each side, the front is ornamented with pilasters,
between which are handsome windows. In the hall
where the masters hold their meetings are some good
paintings, including portraits of the queen regent, Lord
L E I T
LEIT
Duncan, and others ; and in another of the rooms is an
ancient view of the town. The Council Chambers, built
on the site of an ancient structure, form a remarkably
neat and elegant building in the Norman style of archi-
tecture, comprising the burgh court-house, and several
well-aired apartments for the confinement of prisoners.
In conjunction with Portobello and Musselburgh, the
burgh returns a member to parliament.
The parish of North Leith once belonged to the
abbey of Holyrood, from which it was separated in
1606; and in 1630 the baronies of Newhaven and
Hillhousefield were severed from the parish of St.
Cuthbert, and annexed to this parish. It now extends
rather more than a mile and a half along the shore of
the Firth, and is about a cjuarter of a mile in average
breadth, containing a population of 849-. The lands in
the rural district are all inclosed, and, with the excep-
tion of a few acres of arable land, are laid out in gardens,
and in pleasure-grounds and plantations attached to the
villas with which the parish abounds. Towards New-
haven, the sea has made very considerable encroach-
ments. Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds
of the presbytery of Edinburgh, synod of Lothian and
Tweeddale ; patrons, the heads of families. The minister's
stipend, including the vicarage tithe on fish, is £285,
with an allowance of £60 in lieu of manse, and a glebe
valued at £394 per annum, subject to deductions for re-
pairs. North Leith church, erected by the heritors in
1815 at an expense of £9000, and situated to the south-
east of the fort, is an elegant though unpretending struc-
ture in the Grecian style of architecture, after a design
by Mr. Burn, with a portico of four Ionic columns, sup-
porting a triangular pediment. Above is a tower of three
diminishing stages, of which the first is of the Doric, the
second of the Ionic, and the third of the Corinthian
order ; and this tower is surmounted by a tasteful spire
rising to the height of 158 feet from the pavement. The
interior of the edifice is well arranged, and contains I768
sittings. There are also places of worship for the Free
Church and the United Presbyterian Synod. The paro-
chial school is well conducted ; the master has a salary
of £21, with a house and garden, and the fees average
about £8 per annum. Of several other schools, four are
supported by subscription.
The parish of South Leith, which is much more ex-
tensive than North Leith, includes the villages of Jock's-
Lodge and Restalrig, the former quoad sacra district of
St. John's, and part of the former cjuoad sacra districts
of Glenorchy and Portobello ; and contains a population
<>f 19,776, of whom 3428 were in St. John's. It is about
three miles in length, from the harbour of Leith, on the
eastern bank of the river, to the confines of Portobello,
and is about a mile and a half in breadth ; comprising
I "200 acres, and including the east side of Leith Walk,
the Calton Hill, the North Back of the Canongate, and
other portions of the environs of Edinburgh. The rural
district, with the exception of the Calton Hill, consists
of rich arable land in high cultivation, fertile meadows,
extensive nursery-grounds, and vegetable, fruit, and
flower gardens ; it is thickly interspersed with stately
mansions surrounded hy plantations and pleasure-
grounds, and with villas inhabited by opulent families.
In South Leith the ministerial charge is collegiate : the
stipend of the first minister, who is appointed by the
Crown, is £396, with a glebe valued at £80 per annum ;
165
the stipend of the second minister, appointed by the Kirk
Session and the Incorporations, is £247. The church,
originally the chapel of the Virgin Mary, was made
parochial in 1609, when the ])arish church of Restalrig
was destroyed as a monument of idolatry, by order of
the first General Assembly after the Reformation. It
is a very ancient structure, erected prior to the year
1490, and has suffered no alteration, except in 1791,
when a gallery that obstructed the light was removed ;
the edifice contains 1717 sittings. John Home, author
of Douglas, who was born at Leith in 1722, lies interred
in the cemetery that surrounds St. Mary's. The church
dedicated to St. John was erected by subscription in
1773. A church dedicated to St. Thomas, with a re-
sidence for the minister, was erected and endowed in
1840, in connexion with an asylum for females and some
schools, by John Gladstone, Esq. (now Sir John Glad-
stone, Bart.), of Fasque, a native of the town, at an ex-
pense of £10,000. The church is a handsome structure
in the later English style; and the asylum, in which is
accommodation for ten patients, and the schools, form a
neat range of buildings of a similar character ; the
whole after a design by Mr. Henderson, of Edinburgh.
Part of the district assigned quoad sacra to the church
is in North Leith parish. An assistant minister of the
parish of South Leith officiates at Restalrig ; and there
are four or five preaching stations, where divine service
is performed by missionaries, who are licentiates of the
Established Church, and have a stipend of £50 each.
The episcopal chapel dedicated to St. James was erected
by subscription in 1805, at a cost of £1600. It is a
handsome structure in the Grecian style of architecture,
with a receding portico in the centre, and two slightly-
projecting wings ornamented in the upper part with
duplicated columns, and crowned by a parapet divided
into compartments by pedestals supporting urns. The
interior is well arranged, and contains 380 sittings.
There are places of worship for members of the Free
Church, the United Presbyterian Synod, Independents,
and Wesleyans.
The High School, situated in the south-west part of
the Links, in the immediate vicinity of the town, is
under the direction of the magistrates of the burgh, the
heads of the various corporations, and the ministers of
the parish ; to whom, as trustees, was paid over their
share of Dr. Bell's bequest for the foundation of burgh
schools on the Madras system, namely, £4894. 16. 8.
three per cent, consols, and £4895. 16. 8. bank annui-
ties. It is conducted principally by a classical master
and an assistant, a mathematical master, two masters
for English, and one for writing and arithmetic, who,
in addition to the fees, receive certain salaries from the
trustees. There were lately added an English master
with a salary of £50, and a writing-master with a salary
of £30, paid from Dr. Bells endowment ; and these
teach on the Madras system. The building, erected by
subscription in 1805, is a handsome structure two
stories in height, with two projecting porticos of two
columns each, rising from a rustic basement ; it is sur-
mounted by a square turret, ornamented at the angles
with columns of the Ionic order, and crowned by a
graceful dome. The hall, and the several class-rooms,
are spacious and well arranged. There are various other
schools, of which one for 120 boys, another for 80 girls,
and an infant school in which are I70 children under
LEN N
LEOC
the management of ladies, are supported by voluntary
subscription. The Hospital of King James, to which
James VI. in 1612 transferred the funds of the ancient
preceptory of St. Anthony, with other endowments, has
been long under the patronage of the Kirk Session, for
the relief of poor widows, and indigent members of the
several corporations. An asylum for females labouring
under incurable diseases was endowed in 1840, by Sir
John Gladstone, in connexion with St. Thomas's church :
it maintains ten inmates, at an annual cost of £300.
There are also a dispensary, a humane society, and va-
rious other religious and benevolent associations, in-
cluding a Bible Society, a British and Foreign Bible
Society, a Sabbath-School Society, and a Religious Tract
Society.
LEITH-LUaiSDEN, a village, in the parish of
AxiCHiNDOiR and Kearn, district of Alford, county
of Aberdeen; containing 233 inhabitants. This village
has sprung up within the last thirty years, and is the
only one in the parish : the population is agricultural.
LEITH, ST. JOHN'S, for a time a quoad sacra pa-
rish, in the parish of South Leith, county of Edin-
burgh, I5 mile (N. by E.) from Edmburgh ; containing
3428 inhabitants. This parish was separated for eccle-
siastical purposes under act of the General Assembly in
1834; it was about three-quarters of a mile in length,
and one-quarter of a mile in breadth, and entirely occu-
pied by buildings of the town. The stipend of the
minister was £250, of which £200 were secured by
bond of the managers, on the part of the congregation,
who were the patrons, and the remainder was variable
according to the state of the funds. The church, erected
by subscription in 1773, is a neat structure containing
1000 sittings. There is a place of worship for a congre-
gation denominated Separatists. A school is supported ;
and there are numerous Sabbath schools, in which about
,500 children receive instruction.
LEITH, WATER OF, a village, in that part of the
large parish of St. Cuthbert, Edinburgh, which
formed the quoad sacra parish of Dean, in the county of
Edinburgh ; containing 1024 inhabitants. This place
is in the immediate vicinity of the Leith Water, whence
the name ; and is a western suburb of the city of Edin-
burgh, wliicli see.
LEITHOLM, a village, in the parish of Eccles,
county of Berwick, 5 miles (N. W.) from Coldstream ;
containing 365 inhabitants. It lies in the eastern ex-
tremity of the parish, near the Leet water, the boundary
on that side ; and is on the high road from Kelso to Ber-
wick. This is the largest village in the parish, and has
a by-post to Coldstream.
LEMPITLAW, a village, in the parish of Sprous-
ton, district of Kelso, county of Roxburgh, 2i miles
(.S. E.) from Sprouston ; containing 119 inhal)itants.
This place was the head of the barony of Lempitlaw,
which was formerly a distinct parish : at what particu-
lar time the parish was annexed to Sprouston is not
exactly known. The village stands on the road from
Kelso to Coldstream, a short distance from the Tweed,
which flows westward of it ; and consists chiefly of a
few small farm-houses in detached situations, and about
twenty-five neatly-built cottages, inhabited by persons
principally employed in husbandry.
LENNOXTOWN.a village, in the parish of Campsie,
county of Stirling, 3 miles (N. W. by W.) from Kirk-
166
intilloch ; containing 2821 inhabitants. This is a con-
siderable place, situated in the centre of the parish, and
deriving its name from the family of Lennox of Wood-
head, on whose property it was built. It stands about
nine miles north of Glasgow, and nearly a mile south of
the base of Campsie fells ; the road from Kirkintilloch
to the village of Campsie passes through it, and it has a
branch, called the Campsie branch, of the Edinburgh
and Glasgow railway. On account of its centrical posi-
tion, and its proximity to large public works, it has now
become the residence of almost half the population of
the parish. Here are prepared the various chemical
products of the Campsie alum-work, at the east end of
the village; and in the neighbourhood are several coal-
mines and lime-kilns. Calico-printing is extensively
carried on : indeed, the Lennox-mill printfield is said
to be the largest establishment of the kind in Scotland,
employing upwards of 7OO persons. The Kincaid and
Lillyburn printfields, and Clachan and Glenmill bleach-
fields, are in the vicinity of the village, and are also very
extensive concerns, in which a great number of hands
are engaged : all these works are within the parish.
Numerous persons are, likewise, employed in a variety of
handicraft trades ; and few places of the same size are
the scenes of greater enterprise and industry. Both
sheriff's courts and justice-of-peace courts are held in
the village, which is also the polling-place for the dis-
trict. A post-oihce has been established under Glasgow.
Among the most striking objects around Lennoxtown is
the elegant and newly-built mansion of Lennox Castle,
the residence of J. L. Kincaid Lennox, Esq., superior of
the village ; this splendid edifice was commenced in
1837, and completed in 1841, and is in the boldest style
of old Norman architecture. The principal entrance is
by a handsome portcochere on the north front ; and
from the lofty towers, which overtop the aged trees that
formerly adorned the ancient mansion-house of Wood-
head, is a prospect of considerable extent and beauty.
The grounds surrounding the castle are laid out with
artistical taste, and plans for their improvement and ex-
tension are still in progress. Campsie parochial church,
a handsome edifice, built in 1 829, is situated here ; and
a spacious school-house, consisting of two large rooms,
one of which is at present used as a juvenile and the
other as an infant school, has been erected by Messrs.
Lennox and Dalglish, assisted by subscribers, for the
benefit of the numerous children in the locality. A
Roman Catholic priest resides in the village, for the
superintendence of the Irish population in Campsie,
amounting to between COO and 1000 persons ; and there
is a place of worship for members of the United Presby-
terian Church.
LENTRATHEN, in the county of Forfar.— See
Lintrathen.
LKOCHEL and CUSIINIE, a parish, in the district
of Alford, county of Aberdeen, 3^ miles (S. S. W.)
from Alford ; containing 1084 inhabitants. These two
ancient parishes, the etymology of the names of which
is altogether uncertain, were united in I6I8 by a de-
creet of the lords of I'lut ; but this union was dissolved
about three years subsequently through the influence of
Bishoj) Patrick Forbes, a central church for the two dis-
tricts not having been built according to the conditions
of the annexation. In 1793, however, a process of an-
nexation was commenced on the part of the heritors ;
LEO C
LEO C
and a decreet for the union was passed by the court of
Teinds on the SSth January, 1795, in consequence of
■which, two years afterwards, a central church was built.
The Earls of Mar appear to have been the first posses-
sors of land in Leochel of whom any account remains,
Gilchrist, Earl of Mar, having, between the years 1165
and 1170, given to the church of St. Mary at Mony-
musk, and the Culdees there, the church of Leochel,
with all its tithes and offerings, and the portion of land
in which the church was situated. This gift was con-
firmed and enlarged by some of his successors, and was
also ratified by a charter of Alexander II., about the
year 1<234. The most ancient and the principal estates
in the district of Leochel are the lands of Corse, Craig-
ievar, Easter Fowlis or Fowlis-Mowat, Wester Fowlis,
and Lynturk ; those in Cushnie are, Cushnie, and Hall-
head. The lands of Corse are locally in the adjoining
parish of Coull, but are annexed quoad sacra to this
parish, a union supposed to have taken place about 16'21,
when Leochel and Cushnie were disunited by the exer-
tions of Bishop Forbes.
The PARISH is situated in the upper part of the dis-
trict of Alford, and is rendered extremely irregular in its
outline by a projection on the north-west, and another
on the east, independently of which it measures about
five miles from east to west, and three and a half from
north to south. Its whole extent is 1 1,208 acres, of
which 54.5.5 are arable, 963 pasture, 3790 moor, and 1000
wood. The climate is rather cold, causing the harvests
to be in general somewhat later than those in the lower
part of the district ; and the scenery partakes of the
variety and boldness produced by a combination of
mountains, hills, and valleys in almost uninterrupted
succession. On the western boundary is the Soccoch,
or hill of Cushnie, a mountain range rising 2000 feet
above the level of the sea, and from the base of which
four lofty ridges stretch eastward throughout the whole
length of the parish, each accompanied by its valley and
refreshing stream. The summits of these eminences are
barren, the cultivated ground lying on the northern
and southern slopes, and in the beds of the valleys, the
lowest parts of which are only 500 feet above the level
of the sea. The prospects are extensive and beautifully
picturesque, especially those from the hill of Cushnie,
comprehending in the panoramic range the fertile vale
of Croraar on the south, backed by the lofty Grampians;
Morven and Benaven on the west ; the windings of the
Don along the valley of Towie, the mountain of Ben-
rinnes, the Buck of Cabrach, and the Tap of Noth, to
the north-west and north ; and, towards the north-east
and east, the vale of Alford, well cultivated and wooded,
with the district of Garioch, and the level tracts reaching
to the Buchan coast. There are various rivulets in the
locality, generally flowing from west to east, and falling
into the principal stream, the burn of Leochel, which,
after a circuitous route of ten miles through the parish,
joins the river Don at Alford. All these waters abound
with trout, especially the Leochel ; and frequently, by
their sudden and violent floodings, they occasion much
damage to the bridges and the adjacent lands.
In some parts the soil is a rich loam, and in the val-
leys, and near the streams, occasionally exhibits alluvial
deposits ; in general, however, it is much mixed with clay.
It is commonly incumbent on a retentive clayey subsoil.
Grass and turnips succeed best, but a considerable por-
167
tion of grain is raised, averaging annually in value about
£8000 ; and about 500 head of black-cattle are sold
yearly : these are of the Aberdeenshire horned or polled
breed, and are the chief live-stock, very few sheep being
kept. Great improvements have been for some time in
progress in husbandry, which is here practised sometimes
by the six-shift, but most frequently according to the
seven-shift, course ; the farm-buildings are in good con-
dition, and threshing-mills have been considerably mul-
tiplied, forty-five being now in operation, besides four
meal-mills. The rocks in the parish consist principally
of granite, of a red colour in some parts, and in others
inclining to grey : limestone has been also found, but in
too small quantities to repay the expense of quarrying.
The annual value of real property in Leochel and Cush-
nie is £3298. The plantations are mostly of Scotch fir
and larch, but the latter, after about fifteen years' growth,
generally decays : the whole of the wood has been
planted since the year 1S20, with the exception of some
fine trees in the vicinity of the several mansions. Craig-
ievar Castle, the seat of Sir John Forbes, Bart., is in
perfect repair, having been new-roofed in 1826. It is
considered a fine specimen of the old baronial mansion
of the period of James VI. The hall, a noble apartment,
with its lofty roof, its spacious fire-place, and venerable
aspect of feudal grandeur, is particularly admired ; and
the grounds of Craigievar, ornamented with ancient ash
and beech, render the scenery highly interesting. The
house of Cushnie and that of Hallhead are each about
150 years old, and are dilapidated and untenanted.
The chief manufacture in the parish is that carried on
at a carding-mill, where plaids and blankets are made to
a small extent. Many aged women are engaged in knit-
ting stockings, from worsted, for a house at Aberdeen,
and their labours produce a total annual return of
between £70 and £100. The fuel chiefly in use was
formerly peat and turf ; but these are now obtained with
great difficulty, the mosses in the parish being nearly
exhausted, and coal is frequently procured from Aber-
deen. The Alford and Aberdeen turnpike-road passes
within five miles of the centre of the parish, on the
north ; and that from Tarland to Aberdeen runs along
the southern border of the lands of Corse. A good
commutation road joins the Alford line at Whitely, in
the parish of Tough ; and the government road from
Donside to Deeside intersects the lower part of the
parish of Leochel and Cushnie. The nearest post-offices
are those of Alford on the north-east, and Tarland on
the south-west, each six miles distant from the middle
of the parish. The chief communication for the sale of
produce is with the market at Aberdeen. Fairs for
cattle, horses, sheep, and wool are held on a moor near
Scuttrie, on the estate of Craigievar, in April, May, July,
August, and September.
Leochel and Cushnie are ecclesiastically in the
presbytery, of Alford, synod of Aberdeen ; and Sir John
Forbes, Bart., and the Rev. Henry Thomas Lumsden,
proprietor of Cushnie, are alternate patrons of the
united parish, as respectively representing the patrons
of the two old churches. The minister's stipend is £197,
with an allowance in addition from the proprietor of
Corse of £4. 16. 2. for ministerial services to the tenants
of that district, a manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per
annum. The church, containing 500 sittings, is in a
dilapidated state, though built as late as 1797- The old
LEON
LEON
churches are unroofed and ruinous, but the buryine-
grounds attached are still used. A small place of wor-
ship belonging to the United Presbyterian Church is
situated near the eastern boundary. There are two
parochial schools, affording instruction in the ordinary
branches : the masters have each the minimum salary,
with a house and garden, from £1'2 to £15 fees, and an
allowance of £30 from the Dick bequest. A school is
supported by the General Assembly, and two others are
maintained partly by endowment, one having a bequest
of £300 from the late Charles and Peter Ritchie in Wester
Leochel, and the other school having been endowed by
the late Peter Mc Combie, Esq., of Lynturk. There is a
small library in each of the two parochial districts ;
and considerable benefactions have been made for the
use of the poor. About the year 1826, a gold coin of
the Roman Emperor Constantius was dug up iu Cushnie ;
and in 1S39, a silver coin of James VL, struck after the
union of the crowns, was found near the manse. The
chief antiquities are, several subterraneous places called
Picts houses, some intrenchments on the hill of Corse,
and the ruins of the castles of Lynturk and Corse.
Patrick Forbes, Bishop of Aberdeen, a prelate distin-
guished for his learning and piety ; and his son. Dr.
John Forbes, professor of divinity in King's College,
Aberdeen, were both proprietors of Corse ; and the latter
was buried in the family aisle at Leochel. Dr. Matthew
Lumsden, the celebrated Orientalist, and professor of
Persian and Arabic in the college of Fort-William, Ben-
gal, belonged to the ancient family of Lumsden of Cush-
nie. Sir John Forbes is styled a Baronet from the pro-
perty of Craigievar.
LEONARD'S, ST., a parish, in the district of St.
Andrews, county of Fife; containing 554 inhabitants.
This parish derives its name from the dedication of its
ancient church, and appears to have had its origin in
the frequent pilgrimages made by large numbers of
devotees to visit the relics of St. Andrew, said to
have been deposited by Regulus, a Grecian monk, in
the church of St. Andrew in the city of that name. The
conventual buildings there were inadequate for the ac-
commodation of these pilgrims ; and to remedy this
deficiency, a house was erected for their entertainment,
with a church and other requisite appendages, forming
together the hospital of St. Leonard, under the patronage
of the prior and brethren of the Augustine monastery
at St. Andrew's, by whom it was endowed, and within
whose jurisdiction it was situated. After the practice of
visiting the relics of departed saints had begun to sub-
side, the hospital was converted into a college, iu con-
nexion with the university of St. Andrew's ; and its
original endowment was appropriated to the mainte-
nance of a principal, four chaplains, and twenty-six
scholars, of whom six, under the direction of the prin-
cipal, were to devote themselves exclusively to the study
of theology. This college was afterwards united to that
of St. Salvator, an act of parliament for the purpose of
ertecting the union being passed in 1747. The buildings,
with the exception of the chapel, were then sold, and all
the classes of the United College have since been taught
at St. Salvator's, in the parish of St. Andrew's.
The chapel is situated at the east part of South- street,
a little removed from the street j and though it has long
been roofless and in ruins, it is still a fine specimen of
pointed architecture. It measures seventy-eight feet in
168
length and eighteen feet in width, in the interior; and
both the wall and pavement contain remains of monu-
ments, some of which are worthy of notice. The largest
monumentisthatof Robert Stuart, Earl of March, Bishop-
elect of Caithness, and after the Reformation coramendator
of the Augustine priory of St. Andrew's : it is in the Gre-
cian style, and about fifteen feet in height. A monument
in memory of the famous Wynram, sub-prior of St. An-
drew's, and after the Reformation superintendent of Fife,
records that he died at the advanced age of ninety years, in
loS'^i. Another commemorates Robert Wilkie, who was
principal of the college from 1579 to l6ll, having suc-
ceeded his uncle James Wilkie in the office : he was a
great benefactor to the institution, and is styled in the
inscription on the monument " a very famous man."
About forty feet to the south of the chapel still remains
entire, and in good condition, the official residence of
George Buchanan, the celebrated principal of the college,
and promoter of the Reformation : it is now occupied
by Sir David Breivster, principal of the United College.
The old library and hall are also entire, and are the
property of Major Hugh Lyon Playfair, of St. Leonard's,
to whom the city of St. Andrew's owes so much as its
chief magistrate and distinguished improver.
The PARISH is principally within the limits of the city
of St. Andrew's, to which it forms an appendage, and
with which in all civil matters it is intimately connected.
That part of it not surrounded by the city is bounded
on the north by the parish of St. Andrew's, on the east
by the parish of Kingsbarns, on the south by Crail,
and on the west by Dunino. The surface of the rural
district is pleasingly diversified, and the soil generally
fertile ; the whole number of acres is 981, of which about
650 are arable and in a state of profitable cultivation,
and 300 in pasture and waste land. There is very little
natural wood ; and the parish contains few plantations of
any extent. The system of agriculture is in an improved
condition, and the crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes,
and turnips ; the lands are partially inclosed, and the
farm houses and offices in general substantially built
and commodious. In this parish the substrata are chiefly
freestone and sandstone ; the former, though soft, is of
good quality, and very durable, and both are quarried
for building and other purposes. The principal landed
proprietors are, the principal and masters of the United
College of St. Salvator and St. Leonard, and the corpo-
ration of the city of Glasgow. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £797.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of St. Andrew's and synod of
Fife : patron, the Crown. The stipend of the incumbent
was formerly five chalders arising from the revenues of
the priory of St. Andrew's, and the rent of half an acre
of land bequeathed about "200 years since for the support
of the minister. By act of parliament for the augmen-
tation of small livings, passed in ISIO, the income has
been raised to £150 per annum, of which £88 are re-
ceived from the exchequer. There was neither manse
nor glebe; but within the last few years a glebe of four
acres, with half an acre additional for the site of a manse,
has been aiipmpriatcd, and is at present let for £18 per
annum. The church, once belonging to the college of
St. Lc(niard, and for more than two centuries the parish
church, having fallen into a state of dilapidation, the
cha|)el of St. Salvator's College has been ever since ap-
L E R W
L E R W
propriated as the church of St. Leonard's parish, though
situated in the parish of St. Andrew's. This chapel,
erected by Bishop Kennedy in the fifteenth century, was,
previously to its being mutilated at the time of the Re-
formation, an elegant and spacious structure in the deco-
rated English style of architecture ; and it still retains
much of its original character, though greatly curtailed
in its dimensions, and stripped of many of its ornaments.
It is well adapted for a congregation of nearly 500 per-
sons, and besides the splendid tomb of the founder,
contains monuments to the memory of Dr. Hugh Spens,
principal of St. Salvator's from 1505 to 1534; Dr.
Alexander Pitcairn, principal from 1693 to I69B ; and
Lieut. W. D. Playfair, eldest son of Provost Playfair,
who fell at the battle of Soobraon, in India, in 1846 :
this last was erected by the brother officers of the de-
ceased. There is no school of any kind ; the children
receive instruction in the schools of the city of St.
Andrew's. — See Andrew's, St.
LERWICK, a parish, a sea-port, market-town, and
royal burgh of barony, in the Shetland Isles; con-
taining 3284 inhabitants, of whom '^787 are in the
town, 95 miles (N. E.) from Kirkwall, 126 (N. E. by N.)
from Wick, I66 (N.) from Peterhead, and 272 (N. by E.)
from Edinburgh. This place, which has long been cele-
brated as the resort of whale-ships, Dutch herring-boats,
and numerous foreign and wind-bound vessels, originated
in the seventeenth century, in connexion with the Dutch
fishermen. Capt. Smith, however, who visited the islands
in 1633, and describes the harbour, makes no allusion
to the town, and in I7OO it contained not many more
than 200 families. It is situated on the eastern shore
of Mainland, opposite the island of Bressay, from which
it is separated by the narrowest part of Bressay Sound,
otherwise called Lerwick harbour, and well known to
mariners who navigate these seas as a secure roadstead
in bad weather. The town is built on a tract originally
covered with deep peat-moss, called the Commonty of
Sound, and consists of one principal street leading to
the harbour, from which avenues or lanes branch off at
diflFerent places. The most ancient houses are constructed
without any regularity, projecting from the line of
parallelism, and nearly meeting each other by their
abutment. Many improvements, however, have been
made within the present century ; and several houses
have been erected in a more modern style, and with a
greater regard to order, by which the general appearance
of the town has been much altered. The gradual increase
of the population led to the cutting up of the peaty soil
of the surrounding land, for the purposes of fuel, in
consequence of which the ground exhibited a rocky or
stony exterior ; but the aspect of the vicinity has since
the year 1820 been rendered more attractive by the
inclosure of a common of about forty acres, encompass-
ing the town, and by its partition into thirty-one "parks,"
most of which are under grass. Considerable portions,
also, of adjacent land have been brought into useful and
ornamental cultivation by resident gentlemen, at a great
expense ; and neat and elegant houses and cottages
have been raised, which are surrounded by well laid-out
grounds and small but flourishing plantations. The
chief of the villas are, Seafield Cottage, built by the late
Charles Ogilvy, Esq. ; Hayfield, the property of William
Hay, Esq. ; and Gremista, the occasional residence of
Sir Arthur Nicolson. A fort, said to have been erected
Vol. II.— 169
in Cromwell's time, is situated on an eminence at the
northern end of the town, and serves for the protection
of the harbour at its entrance in that part. It was
thoroughly repaired in 1781, when it was named Fort-
Charlotte, after Her Majesty, the consort of George III. ;
and it was garrisoned till the peace of I7S3. For the
defence of the southern entrance of the sound, a govern-
ment road has been formed, commencing half a mile
south from the town, and reaching to a promontory
called the Knab : by this road, the transit of artillery
or military stores can be effected at any time.
The inhabitants are occupied partly in agricultural
operations, and as shopkeepers and merchants, but
chiefly in the ling, cod, and herring fisheries, the last of
which, however, has for some years past been falling off.
The ling fishery, which continues from May to the middle
of August, engages a few boats from this parish ; and
many sloops of small burthen are employed in the sum-
mer time in taking cod. To the herring fishery, 174
boats were sent in 1839, chiefly from Lerwick. Indepen-
dently of the fisheries, there is scarcely any traffic carried
on beyond what arises from a good general mercantile
business ; and the only manufacture is that of various
articles of hosiery, such as stockings and gloves, made
by girls and women. A straw-plat manufactory formerly
existed here ; but it has long been discontinued. The
making of herring-nets, however, which has been intro-
duced into some neighbouring parishes, is considered
likely, on account of the demand for the article, to be
successful here, and is about to be commenced under
the auspices of the leading residents. The general
mercantile business transacted is very considerable ;
almost the whole exported produce of Shetland passes
through the hands of the Lerwick merchants, and they
import nearly all the groceries and manufactured goods
used in the islands. There are a branch of the Union
Bank of Scotland, and a savings' bank. Several schoo-
ners having accommodation for passengers are engaged
in the coasting-trade between Leith and Lerwick ; and
in virtue of a contract with government, the Aberdeen,
Leith, and Clyde Shipping Company convey the mails
to Shetland once a week, by means of a steam-boat
during the months from April to September inclusive,
and by a sailing-packet during the rest of the year.
The sailing-packet plies directly between Aberdeen and
Lerwick ; the steamer starts from Granton Pier, calls
at Arbroath, Montrose, Stonehaven, and other places,
receives the mails at Aberdeen, and touches at Wick
and Kirkwall on her way to Lerwick. The exports are
chiefly fish, butter, hides, tallow, calf and rabbit skins,
and stockings ; and the imports, coal, cloth, groceries,
and grain : the foreign imports, principally from Nor-
way, are timber, and wood goods, such as boats, scoops,
shoes, &c., a little bark, &c. This being the seat of the
custom-house, all Shetland vessels are registered here :
the customs received at the port during the year 1844
amounted to £463. Several vessels have been built at
Lerwick by Messrs. Hay and Ogilvy, some of them of
from 100 to 200 tons.
This is the county-town of the Shetland Isles, and the
sheriff- substitute of this division of the united sheriffdoms
of Orkney and Shetland resides, and holds his courts,
here. The foreign cod and herring fishermen assemble
at Lerwick in great numbers ; and by an act of the 48th
of George HI., it was made the rendezvous of the British
Z
LER W
LESL
deep-sea herring fishermen, who are inspected here pre-
viously to their engaging in the fishery. For the further-
ance of this object, by the establishment of a resident
magistracy, a royal charter was granted in January 1818,
erecting the town into a burgh of barony, the council
to consist of two bailies and nine councillors, to be
elected every three years, on the first Thursday in Sep-
tember. The bailies and council, and the electors or
burgesses, must be proprietors or occupants of premises
of the value of £10 per annum, and must all reside
within the burgh. At the time of the passing of the late
Municipal Corporations' act, the rental of property within
the burgh was estimated at £3600 ; and the number of
persons resident whose rents in property or tenancy
amounted to £10 and upwards, was forty-eight, of whom
forty-one were burgesses, and the rest females or minors.
The annual income of the corporation does not exceed
£5, and the expenditure is about £15, the excess of the
latter over the former being provided for by a voluntary
assessment of the inhabitants, as the magistrates are not
empowered to raise any taxes for the support of the
municipal establishment. By the statute 3.5 George III.
c. 122, the magistrates consider themselves vested with
the jurisdiction reserved to independent burghs of barony
under the statute 20 George II. c. 43, and with other
powers within the burgh competent to justices of the
peace. Weekly burgh-courts are held under the Small-
debt act ; and there are courts, when necessary, for the
punishment of offences and the removal of nuisances.
A treasurer is appointed by the magistrates and council ;
and a fiscal, peace-officer, and town-crier by the magis-
trates alone. There being no local act, the inhabitants
have adopted the general police act in regard to its pro-
visions for cleansing, paving, and the supplying of water ;
and for these purposes they assess themselves in the
sum of sixpence in the pound.
The PARISH stretches along the coast, and measures
about six miles in length from north to south, and one mile
in breadth. It is separated by the sea on the east and
north-east from the island of Bressay, which here forms
the harbour of Bressay Sound, at whose northern ex-
tremity, not far from the shore, rises the dangerous rock
called the Unicorn. The surface of the parish, like that
of the surrounding country, is rocky and mountainous,
the highest point being about 300 feet above the level of
the sea ; the soil on the elevated grovmds is a deep peaty
moss, and that of the arable land, which lies in patches
along the sea-shore, light and sandy, and tolerably pro-
ductive. The rocks consist of sandstone and conglome-
rate, and a quarry is in operation. The annual value of
real property in the parish, as determined for the property-
tax, is £7006. Ecclesiastically this place is in the pres-
bytery of Lerwick, synod of Shetland, and in the patron-
age of the Earl of Zetland. The minister's stipend is
£150 per annum, with an allowance of £8. 5. 9- for com-
munion elements. Of these sums, £27. 15. 6. are derived
from the bishopric rents of Orkney, £16. 13. 4. from
the town of Lerwick, £23. 0. 8. from lands in the rural
district, and £90. 16. 3. from the exchequer under the
Small-stipend act. There being neither manse nor glebe,
a compensation of £50 per annimi is paid by the heritors
in lieu thereof. The church is a modern edifice, with a
Doric front of hewn stone, and stands above the town,
towards the nortliern extremity. The salary of the
parochial schoolmaster is £34. 4, per annum, with about
170
£30 fees. The ruins of several chapels were recently
visible at Gulberwick ; but the only relic of antiquity of
any note now remaining is a castle of Pictish origin, on a
small island in a lake near Lerwick ; and this is fast
faUing to decay.
LESLIE, a parish, in the district of Garioch, county
of Aberdeen, 7 miles (\V. S. W.) from Old Rain ; con-
taining 553 inhabitants. This place is said to have de-
rived its name from a family who held the lands so early
as the eleventh century. It is very pleasantly situated
on the banks of the Gady, a beautiful stream celebrated
by Arthur Johnstone, the elegant Latin poet ; and was
erected into a burgh of barony by James II. in favour of
George, " dominus de Lesly," with the privilege of hold-
ing a weekly market on Thursday and a yearly fair at
Michaelmas, both of which, however, have long since been
disused. The parish measures three and a half miles in
length and two and a half in breadth, and comprises 4000
acres, 2800 of which are cultivated. It is crossed by a
ridge, in some parts considerably elevated, stretching
from east to west, and dividing it into two nearly equal
parts. Between this ridge and the high grounds sepa-
rating the parish from the Alford district, is a valley
watered by the Gady. Upon the north side of the river
the soil is a light loam, on a gravelly or sandy bottom ;
and upon the other side a strong rich mould, incumbent
on clay : the lands are well farmed, the seven-shift course
generally prevailing ; and they produce good crops of
grain and turnips. The sheep are a cross between the
Leicesters and the Cheviots, and the cattle are the native
Aberdeenshire; the latter produce yearly about £1620.
In this parish the landed proprietors are Sir Andrew
Leith Hay, and F. Leith, Esq. The substratum consists
principally of serpentine rock, with felspar, quartz, and
a variety of minerals in small portions. There is no
good wood, the only plantation being very small and not
in a flourishing state. The fuel used is, peat obtained
from a moss in the parish, and coal from Inverury.
The inhabitants are chiefly employed in agricultural
pursuits ; there is no manufacture with the exception of
that of worsted stockings, in the knitting of which the
aged females are particularly expert. The farm-produce
is sold at Huntly and Inverury ; but chiefly at the latter
town, for conveyance to Aberdeen by canal. There are
two commutation roads, one running parallel with the
Gady, by Premnay, to the turnpike-road between Inve-
rury and Aberdeen ; and the other, in the direction of
Kinnethmont, joining the turnpike-road to Huntly. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £2472.
Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery of Garioch,
synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of Sir Andrew
Leith Hay: the minister's stipend is £159, of which
nearly a third is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £11.5. per annum. Leslie church,
containing nearly 300 sittings, is situated on the southern
bank of the Gady, not far from the eastern extremity of
the parish; it was built in 1815. There is a place of
worship for Independents. The iiarochial school affords
instruction in the usual branches : the master has a
salary of £25. 13. 4., and £2. 2. 9. in lieu of a garden,
with about £13 fees ; also £1. 13. 4. left for teaching the
children of jjoor widows. The chief relic of antiquity is
Leslie House, formerly the seat of the barons of Leslie,
a castellated building now in ruins, founded in l66l,and
once inclosed by a rampart and fosse.
LESL
LESL
LESLIE, a parish antl manufacturing town, in the
district of Kirkcaldy, and county of Fife ; containing
36'25 inhabitants, of whom about 2000 are in the town,
9 miles (N. by W.) from Kirl<caldy, and 20 (N.) from
Edinburgh. This place is by some writers supposed to
have derived its name from tlie Gaelic Lis, a garden, or
richly-cultivated spot, and from its situation on the river
Leven. Others, however, deduce the name from the
Earls of Rothes, who became possessed of certain lands
here, to which they are said to have given their family
name, and from which that appellation may in process of
time have been extended to the whole parish. At the
period of the Roman invasion of Britain, the Caledonians,
who had defeated the ninth legion on the Orr, disputed
the passage of the Leven in the neighbourhood, it is said,
of this place, and on being repulsed, retired to the heights
of Lomond, while the Romans encamped on the heights
of Balsillie, where both Roman and Caledonian battle-
axes and other warlike instruments have been dis-
covered. The parish appears to have been distinguished
at an early period as a favourite resort of the Scottish
kings for hunting and the celebration of various sports ;
and many of the lands are still called by appellations
referring, in their Gaelic origin, to the ancient games,
which seem to have been continued till within a re-
cent period. The Earls of Rothes, one of whom was
created a duke by Charles IL, granted the inhabitants
numerous privileges by a charter which erected the place
into a burgh of barony ; and their descendants still retain
possession of their ancient lands, the property of the pre-
sent earl.
The PARISH is about five miles in length and from
three to four miles in breadth, and is bounded on the
south by the river Leven, which separates it from the
parish of Kinglassie. It comprises nearly 6000 acres, of
which 4300 are arable, 1000 meadow and pasture, and
thirty undivided common. The surface is pleasingly
undulated from the bank of the Leven to the heights of
Lomond, and is intersected by two streams that flow
into that river from the north and west respectively,
enlivening the scenery, which is otherwise agreeably
varied, and richly embellished with the plantations in
the grounds of Leslie House and Strathendry. The
Leven issues from the lake of that name, and after al
course of about twelve miles through a fertile and highly-
cultivated district, falls into the sea at the thriving town
of Leven. The banks of this river abound with beautiful
scenery. Its stream gives motion to numerous mills, and
affords an abundant supply of excellent water for the
bleachfields in the parish, and for other works that have
been erected on its sides. Previously to the establish-
ment of the bleachfields, the river abounded with trout
and eels of remarkably fine size and flavour; and so
abundant were the latter that the lands of Strathendry,
before the dissolution of monasteries, paid a tribute of
many thousand eels annually to the abbey of Inchcolm,
on which the estate was dependent. The soil is every
where rich and fertile, and the lands are in the highest
state of cultivation under an improved system of hus-
bandry ; the crops are barley, oats, wheat, potatoes and
turnips, with the usual green crops. The farm-buildings
are substantial and well arranged. Great improvements
have been made by draining and inclosing the lands ;
the fences on some farms are hedges of thorn, and on
others stone dykes, and both are kept in good order.
171
The plantations are ash, elm, beech, oak, and silver-fir,
with some larch and sycamore ; the trees on the Leslie
estate are remarkably fine, and leading to the house is a
noble avenue of beech, of more than two hundred years'
growth, several of the trees measuring nearly seventeen
feet in girth at a height of four feet from the ground. In
general the substratum is whinstone, interspersed in
places with gravel and sand, which rest upon it to a con-
siderable depth : limestone is also prevalent, and quarried
for burning into lime ; and in the eastern part of the
parish coal is found, but the mines have been nearly ex-
hausted, and are not wrought to any great extent. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £5488.
Leslie House, the seat of the Earl of Rothes, a noble
quadrangular mansion erected by the Duke of Rothes
in the reign of Charles II. , was mostly destroyed by an
accidental fire in 1/63 ; but a remaining side of the
quadrangle, forming the present residence, was repaired
by John, Earl of Rothes, in 1/67. It is beautifully
situated in a tastefully-disposed and richly-embellished
demesne, comprehending much interesting and pictu-
resque scenery, and through part of which the Leven
winds its course between banks crowned with flourishing
plantations. The house contains many stately apart-
ments, with a valuable collection of paintings and family
portraits, and some beautiful tapestry : among the sub-
jects of the last are the Story of Leander, the Journey
of the Children of Israel through the Wilderness, and the
Anointing of Saul by Samuel. Strathendry is a hand-
some spacious mansion in the Elizabethan style, erected
within the last few years ; it is pleasantly situated in a
wide domain, and has thriving wood, chiefly of recent
growth.
The town is neatly built, and mostly inhabited by per-
sons employed in manufactures and in agriculture. The
weaving of linen is one of the chief branches of trade,
nearly 300 persons being engaged in it, for the manu-
facturers of Glasgow : there are six mills for spinning
flax, affording occupation to more than 800 persons ;
and three bleachfields, in which about 150 are occupied.
Prinlaws, a considerable place, has arisen since the es-
tablishment of an extensive flax-mill and bleaching-
ground by John Fergus, Esq. ; it contains 760 inhabit-
ants, chiefly employed in the works, and the houses, to
each of which is attached a garden, are ornamented with
shrubs and evergreens. Fairs are held on the first
Thursday in April, O. S., for milch-cows and horses, and
the 10th of October for lean stock ; the former of these
is numerously attended, but the latter has been for some
years declining. Leslie, as a burgh of barony, is under
the government of two bailies and a council of sixteen ;
but they exercise no jurisdiction of any consequence,
except in matters of police. A circulating hbrary is sup-
ported by subscription under the management of a com-
mittee. ■ A daily sub-post has been established be-
tween this place and Markinch ; and facility of inter-
course with the adjacent towns is maintained by good
roads, kept in repair by statute labour. Ecclesiastically
the parish is in the presbytery of Kirkcaldy, synod of
Fife, and in the patronage of the Earl of Rothes : the
stipend of the incumbent is £257. 8. 6., with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £18 per annum. Leslie church,
situated in the centre of the parish, is a neat and sub-
stantial edifice with a spire, erected in 1820, and adapted
for a congregation of nearly lOOOpersons. There are places
Z 2
LESM
LE SM
of worship for the United Presbyterian Synod and mem-
bers of the Free Church. The parochial school affords a
liberal education ; the master has a salary of £34, with
£3S fees, and an allowance in lieu of a house and garden.
Besides the aid periodically raised for their relief, the
poor have the interest of permanent funds belonging to
the Kirk Session for their use, producing annually about
£30. Leslie Green, in the parish, is said to have been
the scene of King James' poem of Christ's Kirk on the
Green.
Upon several of the eminences are large erect stones,
on the removal of one of which, some time since, a
coffin containing human bones was discovered. On
these eminences, which are generally called Knowes, and,
in allusion to some warlike exploits, are also distin-
guished by proper names, other relics of antiquity have
at various times been found : on the Gallant Knowe,
near Strathendry, an urn of Roman pottery was disco-
vered in 1760. Near Pitcairn House a tumulus was
opened in 17*0, in which was a kistvaen containing a
great number of human bones, and at the eastern ex-
tremity were two urns of bluish clay, filled with bones
which had evidently been burnt. A fragment of a deer's
horn, nine inches and a half in circumference at the
widest end, has been found in a bed of gravel, at seven
feet below the surface. Arrow-heads of flint, and the
head of a spear apparently belonging to a standard,
have been also found.
LESMAHAGOW, a parish, in the Upper ward of the
county of Lanark, 6 miles (S. W. by W.) from Lanark,
and '-2'2 (S. S. E.) from Glasgow ; including the villages
of Abbej'-Green and Turfholm, Boghead, Crossford,
Hazelbank, Kirkfield-Bank, Kirkmuirhill, and New
Trows ; and containing 690*2 inhabitants. This place is
supposed to have derived its appellation from a Celtic
term signifying " garden," and from the name of its
tutelar saint, who is said to have had a cell here about
the sixth century. In 1140, a monastery was founded
by David I. for Tyronensian monks, wherein he placed
brethren from his abbey of Kelso, to which it became
subordinate : the last remains were removed on the
erection of the present church. The parish is about
twelve miles in length and eight in breadth. It is
bounded on the north-east by the river Clyde, and com-
prises 4'2,840 acres, of which -26,900 are arable, 1500
woodland and plantations, 600 acres coppice, and the re-
mainder moorland pasture, and waste. The surface is
generally elevated, and towards the west and south-west
rises into a range of hills, forming a boundary between
the counties of Lanark and Ayr ; the highest of these
hills are 1*200 feet above the level of the sea, and all
afford excellent pasture for shee|). Besides the Clyde,
the chief rivers are, the Poniel water, which has its
source in the south-west of the parish, and after a course
of njore than seven miles, falls into the Douglas ; the
Logan, the Nethan, and the Kype waters, which rise in
the hills on the west, and, receiving numerous smaller
streams, join the Clyde ; and the Cander, which, on
quitting the parish, separates for a few miles the parishes
of Slonehouse and Dalscrf, and flows into the Avon.
The banks of the Nethan are richly ornamented with
plantations, and studded with handsome villas and neat
farm-house.s. Tlie Kype displays little beauty in its
course, and frequently, after rain, descending from tlic
higher lands with impetuous violence, does much damage
172
to the cultivated plains. There are springs of excellent
water m various parts, and several impregnated with
iron and other minerals ; many of them issue in streams
sufficiently powerful to give motion to mills and ma-
chinery. The falls of the Clyde are noticed in the ac-
count of the parish of Lanark, which is separated from
this parish by the river.
The SOIL is chiefly clay of a yellow colour, with tracts
of lighter and more friable quality, and some portions
of gravel and sand ; the crops are, grain of all kinds,
potatoes, and turnips. The system of husbandry is
advanced, and draining has been practised to a consi-
derable extent ; the lands have been inclosed, chiefly
with hedges of thorn and beech, and partly with stone
dykes; and the farm-houses have within the last few
years been greatly improved. Much attention is be-
stowed on the management of the dairy ; the cheese
made on the several dairy-farms is principally the Dunlop
kind. The cattle are of the Ayrshire breed ; and the
sheep, of which large numbers are fed in the hilly pas-
tures, are the old black-faced, these being better adapted
to the nature of the soil than the Cheviots. The woods
are judiciously managed, and the plantations are also
kept in good order, and are very flourishing ; the annual
produce from both is estimated at about £700 per annum.
Coal is wrought in several parts. A fine kind of cannel
coal is found at Auchinheath ; it occurs in seams vary-
ing from ten to twenty inches in thickness, and is sent
in considerable quantities to the gas-works in Glasgow
and other places. The rocks are rhiefly whinstone ;
limestone of good quality is also abundant, and is ex-
tensively worked. Ironstone occurs in several places,
but not in such abundance as to have led to the esta-
blishment of any works ; lead-ore, likewise, is supposed
to exist, and several attempts have been made to procure
it, but hitherto without success : few minerals, indeed,
have been found. Petrified shells are thickly embedded
in the limestone, as also are the fossil remains of various
animals. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £■27,0.^6. Several handsome seats have been erected
by heritors residing on their lands, and all of them are
embellished with flourishing plantations : Stonebyres is
a fine mansion, the oldest portion of which was built in
I39.S, and a more modern in 1.596 ; a splendid addition
in the same style of architecture was made in 1844.
The inhabitants of the parish are partly employed in the
mines and quarries, and in (ilasgow manufactures : many
of them reside in the villages, which are all separately
described. Fairs for hiring servants are held in March
and October, and a cattle-fair in the spring. Facility of
intercourse is maintained by good roads, which have
been greatly improved within the last few years, and of
which tlic turnpike-road from Gla<^gow to Carlisle, and
that from (ilasgow to Lanark, pass, the former for eight,
and the latter for about five, miles within the parish.
In 1847, the Caledonian railway company obtained an
act for the construction of a branch from their Clydes-
dale Junction line to the Lesmahagow and Douglas
mineral fields ; also an act for an extension of the Mother-
well branch of the Clydesdale Junction line to the Auchin-
heatli mineral field. A post-oHice has been established;
and there is a small lil)rary, supported by subscription.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Lanark,
synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the
Duke of Hamilton. There are two ministers, the church
LES W
LETH
having been made collegiate at the Reformation : the
minister of the first charge has a stipend of £283. 4. 2.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per annum ;
the minister of the second charge has an equal stipend,
■with a manse, but no glebe. Lesmahagow church, built
in 1804, is handsome and substantial, and is adapted for
a congregation of 1330 persons. There are places of
worship for members of the Free Church, Independents,
Reformed Presbyterians, and the United Presbyterian
Synod. The parochial school affords a liberal education,
and is well attended ; the master has a salary of £34,
with £45 fees, and a house and garden. A school for
teaching girls to read and to sew is supported by sub-
scription ; it is situated in the village of Abbey-Green,
and is attended by about thirty children. In different
parts are other schools, the masters of which receive
annual donations from the heritors, in addition to the
fees. The poor have the interest of various funded
bequests yielding about £100 per annum ; the principal
is a bequest of £"2600 by the late Dr. White, of Calcutta.
There are three friendly societies, which have contributed
greatly to prevent applications for relief from the paro-
chial funds; and also a savings' bank, duly encouraged.
Some slight remains exist of the ancient castle of Craig-
nethen. Roman coins have been found near the site of
a Roman road which within the last few years has been
totally obliterated by the progress of cultivation ; and
many ancient cairns have been removed, to furnish
materials for stone dykes. A Caledonian battle- a.xe, and
about 100 silver coins of Edward I., were dug up in
opening ground for laying down a drain.
X LESSUDDEN, a village, in the parish of St. Bos-
well's, district of Melrose, county of Roxburgh,
4 miles (E. S. E.) from Melrose ; containing 399 inha-
bitants. The name of Lessudden, often given to the
parish, is more appropriately applied to this village. It
is probably derived from Edwin, King of Northumbria,
who had a fortress here ; and in a charter of Robert II.,
by which the lands were granted to the abbey of Mel-
rose, the place is called Lessedwiii, signifying " the manor
of Edwin." The village is beautifully situated in the
north-eastern part of the parish, adjacent to the south
bank of the Tweed, and on the high road from Melrose
to Jedburgh ; it is built at the east end of a spacious flat
green, amid pleasant gardens, and in the neighbourhood
of woods that overhang the Tweed. The air is salu-
brious ; and from the advantages the village possesses,
it is likely to increase in extent and population. A sub-
scription library, containing more than 1000 volumes,
was established here in 1799, under the patronage of
Sir David Erskine, of Dryburgh Abbey.
LESWALT, a parish, in the county of Wigtown,
4 miles (N. W.) from Stranraer; containing 2712 inha-
bitants. The name is of doubtful origin, but is supposed
to signify " the meadow along the burn." In the reign
of James V. this parish was the property of the monks
of Tongland, the vicarage then paying a tax of £12. 13. 4.,
a tenth of its estimated value : at the time of the Refor-
mation the tax was £26. 13. 4. Leswalt church was
made over to the king in 1.58*, and by him vested in
1589 in the bishops of Galloway; but when episcopacy
was abolished, it became again the property of the crown.
The parish is about eight miles in length, and nearly of
the same breadth. • It has the Irish Channel on the west,
Loch Ryan on the east, the parish of Kirkcolm on the
173
north, and Portpatrick on the south ; forming a portion
of the peninsula called the Rhyns of Galloway. The
surface is for the most part exceedingly hilly, and along
the coast rugged and rocky, and frequently broken by
immense chasms. There are two large streams, the
Soleburn and the Pooltanton ; and a beautiful sheet of
water called Loch Naw, which covers a space of thirty
acres.
In some parts the soil is rich and productive; but in
many others, especially towards the south, it is wet and
heavy : there are large tracts of moss, totally unfit for
tillage, but employed for pasturing sheep and young
cattle. The oats produced are estimated at the value of
about £6000 yearly : some attention is now paid to the
cultivation of wlieat, and considerable quantities of
potatoes are raised. Much land that was formerly rough
pasture, or waste, has been improved by the application
of lime and shell-sand manure, and brought into good
cultivation ; and the care recently bestowed on the
fences and the farm-houses has effected great changes in
the appearance of the parish. Black-cattle of the Gal-
loway breed are reared for the English markets ; the
sheep are chiefly the Cheviot and the black-faced. Grey-
wacke and red sandstone form the principal strata of the
parish. Lochnaw Castle, on the border of the loch of
the same name, with its plantations and gardens, forms
an object of admiration : the only plantations in the
parish are those above the castle. There are two villages,
Clayhole and Hillhead, forming part of the suburbs of
Stranraer. An excellent road runs through the middle
of the parish, branching off in one direction round Loch
Naw to Portpatrick, and in another by Kirkcolm to
Stranraer. The annual value of real property in Leswalt
is £5836. Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds
of the presbytery of Stranraer, synod of Galloway, and
the patronage is in the Crown. The stipend of the
minister is £143, of which nearly a fourth is received
from the exchequer; with a manse, built in 1811, and a
glebe of nearly twenty acres, valued at about £30 per
annum. Leswalt church, built in 1828, contains 550
sittings. The members of the Free Church have a place
of worship ; and there is a parochial school, the master
of which has a salary of £25. 13. 3., with £20 fees, and
a house and garden. There is also a parochial library
of nearly 400 volumes.
LETHAM, a village, in the parish of Monimail,
district of Cupar, county of Fife, 4 miles (W. by N.)
from Cupar ; containing 383 inhabitants. It is situated
in the western part of the parish, about a mile north of
the high road from Cupar to Collessie ; and is a con-
siderable village, the population of which is chiefly en-
gaged in the weaving of linen. The Independents have
a place of worship. A large subscription school was
established here in 1821 ; and there is a miscellaneous
circulating library, besides a religious library in the
vestry of the parish church, which is about half a mile
distant.
LETHAM, a village, in the parish of Dunnichen,
county of Forfar, 5 miles (E. by S.) from the town of
Forfar; containing 745 inhabitants. This village, which
is of comparatively recent origin, stands principally on
the lands of the late George Dempster, Esq., of Dun-
nichen, by whom the plan of its erection was laid down.
It is pleasantly situated, and regularly built, contain-
ing many neat and several handsome houses ; and is
L ETH
LETH
inhabited chiefly by persons engaged in manufac-
tures, and in the various handicratt trades requisite
for the supply of the district. A pubhc library is sup-
ported by subscription, and has a collection of more
than 500 volumes of works on religion, morals, history,
and general literature, several of which were donations
from individuals interested in its success. The principal
trade carried on is the weaving of the coarse linen cloth
called Osnaburghs, and the finer sorts of linen for shirt-
ing and sheeting, in which great numbers of females are
employed. In connexion with these, a mill has been
erected in the Den of Lethara, near the village, for spin-
ning lint and tow into yarn : the works are propelled by
the Vinney water. Several attempts have been made to
introduce power-looms, but hitherto without effect, the
weaving being still carried on in the houses of the
weavers, many of whom have small farms, or portions
of land, which they cultivate at their leisure hours for
health and amusement. There is a place of worship for
Independents. Connected with the manufacture is a
linen-hall, which has some time been appropriated as a
schoolroom, and on Sunday forms a place of worship for
a congregation in connexion with the United Presbyterian
Synod. The number of children attending the school
varies from eighty to 100; and many of the children
employed in the spinning-mill are taught the rudiments
of general learning. Fairs are held twice a year, for
cattle, and for hiring farm- servants. Near the Den of
Letham graves have been discovered, containing vast
numbers of human bones, and several urns, which crum-
bled into dust on exposure to the atmosphere.
LETHENDY and KINLOCH, a parish, in the county
of Perth, 4 miles (S. W. by W.) from Blairgowrie ; con-
taining 662 inhabitants. These two ancient parishes
were united about the year 1806. The district of Le-
thendy measures five miles from east to west, and one
mile and a half at its greatest breadth, comprising 1633
acres, of which 1486 are well cultivated, and the remain-
der in plantations, with the exception of a small portion
of pasture. The district of Kinloch contains 28'24 acres,
of which 1.503 are cultivated in the best manner, 269
are under plantations, and the remainder waste, or used
only for pasturage. Lethendy is bounded on the east
by the burn of Lunan, separating it from Blairgowrie ;
and the laud gradually rises from that burn to within
a short distance of the western limit, where it exhibits a
sudden declivity about half a mile in extent. In Kin-
loch the surface in general is irregular : there are two
large brooks, Lornty burn and Lunan burn ; and three
sheets of water, called respectively the loch of Drumelie,
the Rae loch, and the Fenzies loch. The soil of the
parish is partly a black mould, inclining in some places
to a reddish argillaceous earth, and producing all kinds
of crops of excellent (|uality : in the eastern quarter the
lands become more heavy and wet, the soil is blacker,
and not so fertile, Between 200 and 300 head of black-
cattle arc kept, many of which arc fattened for the mar-
ket. The annual value of real property in the parish is
£4489. The principal residences are, the house of Bal-
leid, a very old building ; the house of Marlee ; and the
house of Kinloch, a neat modern structure. The fuel
in general use is peat and wood, obtained in the parish ;
but coal is procured from l'"if('sliire, and also from New-
castle and Sundcrlund, through Perth, to which jjlace the
agricultural produce is sent, especially potatoes for the
174
London market. For ecclesiastical purposes the parish
is in tae presbytery of Dunkeld, synod of Perth and
Stirling, and in the patronage of the Crown. The mi-
nister's stipend is £211, with a manse, a glebe of eight
acres i n Lethendy, valued at £ 1 8 per annum, and another
of the same extent and value in the Kinloch district.
The church of Kinloch is a plain modern structure ; that
of Lethendy very ancient, and much dilapidated. The
members of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian
Church have places of worship. There is a parochial
school in each of the two districts, where the usual
branches are taught ; the master of that of Lethendy
receives a salary of £25, has a house and garden, and
£12 fees, and the master of the school in Kinloch has
a salary of £35, with a house and garden, and £12 fees.
In the parish are the old tower of Lethendy, and a
Druidical temple in Kinloch ; and a great many tumuli
are to be seen in the latter district, called the Haer
cairns, on a moor where some suppose the famous battle
to have been fought between Agricola and Galgacus.
LETHNOTT and NAVAR, a parish, in the county
of Forfar, 7 miles (N. W.) from Brechin ; containing,
with the hamlet of Balfield, 400 inhabitants. These
two ancient parishes, united in 1723, measure fifteen
miles in length from north-west to south-east, and about
five miles in average breadth. There are not more than
2324 acres under cultivation, the remainder being exten-
sive hills and moorland in a state of undivided common,
and used as sheep-walks. The parish is surrounded by
the Grampians on all sides except the east ; and among
the many lofty hills the most elevated is that of Wirren,
or " the Hill of springs". The cultivated portion chiefly
forms an irregular glen watered by the West water, a
tributary of the North Esk ; the lands rise gradually
from the stream, and stretch into the hills and moun-
tains. The scenery is improved by about fifteen or
twenty acres of wood, disposed in clumps; and in the
southern quarter is some level ground, adjacent to rivu-
lets, of which there are several in this and other parts of
the parish.
In general the soil is clay and loam on atilly bottom,
producing barley and oats, and the usual green crops ;
no wheat is ever sown. The higher grounds are not so
much loaded with the debris of the hills as the lower,
whither it is brought down by the rains and streams ;
but the soil there is more gravelly, and much thinner,
and the value of the farms in the hilly part consequently
depends chiefly upon the right to hill pasture. The ro-
tation system of husbandry is followed ; and the average
rent of arable land is 12.s'. per acre, the leases running for
nineteen years. In this parish the inclosurcs are of
stone, and are mostly in good condition ; the chief defi-
ciency is in the tarm-buildings, which are very indifferent.
Vast improvements have taken place within the last
thirty years, by the reclaiming, draining, and liming of
land ; and in some districts the extent of ground under
tillage has been nearly doubled. The greatest discou-
ragements to the farmers are, the rugged and uneven
state of the roads, and the distance of a market-town,
the nearest being Brechin, to road to which, moreover,
lies across a steep hill. Lord Panmure, the principal
proprietor, in order to encourage his tenants in this pa-
rish and those of Ed/.ell and Lochlec, several years since
instituted an annual show of sheep itiid cattle, at which
])reniiums are awarded for the best specimens.
LEUC
LEUC
The hills consist of clay-slate and mica-schist, upon a
bed of gneiss. A vein of blue slate intersects the parish
from east to west, extending, as is supposed, from the
German Ocean to the Western Isles : this is thought to
be a continuation of that found at Dunkeld and at Eas-
dale, and it was wrought a few years since for a short
time, but the working was discontinued. A little lime-
stone also exists ; and in the lower parts of the valley
are gravel, sand, clay, marl, and peat. The last partly
supplies the inhabitants with fuel ; but they also burn a
good deal of turf, and coal brought from Montrose, the
nearest sea-port town, sixteen miles distant. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £1399. It is
ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Brechin, synod of
Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage of the Crown :
the minister's stipend is £1.58, of which nearly a third is
received from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £20 per annum. The church is a plain edifice,
built in 1827, and accommodates 250 persons with sit-
tings. The parochial school affords instruction in the
usual branches ; the master has a salary of £34, with a
house and garden, and £7 fees. A school, five miles dis-
tant from the other, is supported partly by a small en-
dowment, and partly by subscription. Lord Panmure
takes part of his title from this parish, being Baron Pan-
mure of Brechin and Navar.
LEUCHARS, a parish, in the district of St. An-
drew's, county of Fife ; containing, with the village
of Balmullo, 1901 inhabitants, of whom 592 are in the
village of Leuchars, 7^ miles (N. E. by E.) from Cupar.
This place is thought to have derived its name, supposed
to signify in the Gaelic language " a marshy flat", from
the low grounds east and west of the village, which, pre-
viously to the draining of the land, were covered with
water during the greater part of the year. It seems to
have been chiefly the property of the Earls of Southesk
and the family of Bruce of Earlshall, but nothing of its
origin prior to that period is known ; nor has it been
connected at any time with events of historical impor-
tance. From the style of the older portions of the parish
church, it would appear that it was originally founded at
a very early date ; by whom, or under what particular
religious establishment, if any, is not clear. There was
also an ancient chapel dedicated to St. Bennet, which
subsisted till the Reformation ; but not a vestige of it is
remaining. The parish is situated on the bay of St.
Andrew's, and is about nine miles in length and five
miles at its greatest breadth ; it is bounded on the south
by the river Eden, and comprises 12,350 acres, of which
7900 are arable, about 500 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder pasture, meadow, and waste. Towards
the bay on the east the surface is an extensive level, but
towards the west rises by a gradual acclivity to the
height of nearly 300 feet above the level of the sea,
forming a range of hills which separate the parish from
the parish of Logie : the principal of these hills, within
the parish, are the Lucklaw, the Airdit, and the Craig-
foodie. The Eden receives the waters of the Moultry,
which intersects the parish from north to south, and also
of the Monzie bum, which falls into the Moultry before
the influx of that stream into the Eden.
The SOIL near the sea-shore, which is a dead flat about
two miles in breadth, is sandy and comparatively barren,
but it increases in richness towards the inland parts,
where it becomes a deep loam, alternated with extensive
175
beds of strong blue clay. The system of husbandry is
in a highly-improved state ; and, according to the quality
of the soil, a five, six, or eight years' rotation is pursued :
the crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips,
with the usual green crops. The farm houses and offices
are substantial and commodious ; the lands have been
well drained, and inclosed with dykes of stone ; and on
most of the farms are threshing-mills, some of which are
driven by steam. The chief fuel is coal, brought from
Newcastle and the Firth of Forth. Great numbers of
sheep are fed in the pastures during summer, and on
turnips during winter ; they are of the Leicestershire,
Cheviot, and Highland breeds, the last kind being gene-
rally fattened for the butcher, and the two former kept
for breeding. The cattle are of the Teeswater, crossed
with the Fifeshire ; and the horses mostly of the Clydes-
dale breed. In this parish the plantations are well ma-
naged ; on the light and sandy soils Scotch fir thrives
well, and attains to a stately growth. The substratum
is various ; to the north-west, chiefly whinstone : Luck-
law hill is composed of trap, alternated with greenstone
interspersed with veins of calcareous spar and porphy-
ritic felspar ; and near the Eden is a stratum of red
sandstone, but not sufficiently compact for building pur-
poses. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £15,527. Earlshall, the chief mansion-house, is a
castellated structure of venerable antiquity, part of which
is still kept in repair : the walls and roof of the great
hall, which is very spacious, are ornamented with he-
raldic devices, and it displays a fine specimen of baronial
grandeur. The grounds are extensive, and embellished
with thriving plantations. Pitcullo and Airdit are also
castellated mansions, partly fallen into decay. Pitlethie
is with good reason believed to have been a hunting-seat
of the Kings of Scotland : the royal arms carved in stone
are still preserved.
A large number of the working classes are employed
in weaving towelling and sheeting for home use, and
coarse linens, dowlas, Osnaburghs, and Silesias for the
manufacturers of Cupar and Dundee, to be exported to
America and the West Indies : 130 looms are constantly
in operation. A distillery at Seggie, on the shore of the
Eden, for many years previously to 1836 consumed 100
quarters of grain daily, affording employment to about
100 persons. On the Moultry and the Monzie burn are
meal and barley mills, driven by those streams ; and
there are mills in the parish for linseed, oatmeal, and for
sawing timber. The village of Leuchars is neatly built,
and appears to have increased since the conversion of the
tract of land called the Tents Moor into farms, and the
consequent removal of numerous cottages on it, the oc-
cupants of which now reside in the lately-erected houses.
It is pleasantly situated, and has a cheerful and healthy
appearance ; the surrounding scenery, also, is diversified.
The inhabitants of the village, who are chiefly employed
in weaving, and in the trades requisite for the supply of
the parish, have facility of intercourse by means of good
turnpike-roads, by which the village is intersected. The
Eden is navigable for vessels of considerable tonnage to
Guardbridge, near Seggie, where a small harbour has
been constructed for the convenience of trade ; and at
Seggie is a pier for the use of the distillery there. A
prosperous salmon-fishery is carried on in the bay. A
few salmon and trout are taken in the Eden during the
season : and near the mouth of the river are extensive
LEUC
LE VE
beds of mussels, which are let to tenants who bestow
great attention upon the management of them. Two
annual fairs for the sale of cattle and pedlery are still
held in the village ; but they have been for some years
declining, and are but thinly attended. BalmuUo is
pleasantly situated, and has of late years become greatly
enlarged. The Dundee line of the Edinburgh, Perth, and
Dundee railway passes through the parish and village of
Leuchars ; it has a station to the south of the village,
and still further to the south, near Seggie, diverges the
St. Andrew's branch of the line.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of St.
Andrew's, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of the
Crown. The minister's stipend averages £'2'20, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per annum. Leuchars
church, situated in the village, is a highly-interesting
structure, and appears to have been erected at different
periods, exhibiting beautiful specimens of the ancient
and later styles of Norman architecture, with additions
of a much more recent character. It consists of three
portions, of which that to the east, the most ancient
portion, is of semicircular form, and decorated externally
by a range of ten circular arches with zigzag mouldings,
supported on double pillars : above is a series of nine
similar arches and pillars, surrounding the walls. The
interior of this portion of the building is lighted by a
tier of three circular-headed windows of corresponding
character, inserted in the intervals between the pillars ;
and above the upper series of arches are corbels gro-
tesquely ornamented, from which spring the ribs of the
groined roof. The central portion of the edifice differs
from the former chiefly in having a series of pointed
arches formed by the intersection of circular arches
resting on the alternate columns, and in the higher ele-
vation of the roof, which is not groined. It is lighted
by two windows on the south, and one on the north.
The western portion is not distinguished by any striking
features of architectural embellishment. Together with
the central part, it is fitted up as the parish church, and
adapted for a congregation of nearly 900 persons. There
is a place of worship for members of the Free Church,
and in the village of BalmuUo is one for a congregation
of the Original Secession. The parochial school is
under good arrangement : the master has a salary of
£34, with about £10 fees, and a house and garden; also
a glebe of two acres of land, and the interest of '2000
merks Scotch bequeathed by the Rev. A. Henderson. A
school for English reading and sewing is supported by
the Lindsay family ; and a parochial library has been
established in the village of Leuchars, which already
contains a collection of some hundred volumes of gene-
ral and religious publications. The poor have the rent
of land in the hands of the Kirk .Session amounting to
£'24 a year.
At a short distance from the village of Leuchars is a
circular mound once surrounded by a moat, on which
the ancient castle of Leuchars was erected ; but no
vestige of the building is remaining : it was a place of
great strength, and one of the strongholds of the Earls
of Fife, but the fortifications were demolished by the
English in the fourteenth century. On Craigie hill, an
earthen vase containing about a hundred silver coins of
Sevcrus, Antoninus, and other Roman cmjtcrors, was
turned up by the plough in 1808: most of them arc now
in the possession of the Lindsay family.
176
LEVEN, a sea-port, an ancient burgh of barony, and
a bathing-place, in the parish of Scoonie, district of
Kirkcaldy, county of Fife, 3 miles (W. S. W.) from
Largo', and 9 (N. E.) from Kirkcaldy ; containing above
■2000 inhabitants. This place, which is agreeably situ-
ated on the sea-sbore at the mouth of the river whence
it takes its name, was erected into a burgh of barony by
charter of the proprietor of the lands of Durie, formerly
in the possession of the Gibson family, whose descen-
dants, the Lords Durie, are distinguished in Scottish
history. These lands now belong to Charles Maitland
Christie, Esq. The town consists chiefly of two parallel
streets, connected with each other by several smaller
streets crossing them in various directions ; the houses
are neatly built, and the inhabitants are supplied with
water, and the town cleansed and lighted, by a board
of police that has been el^tablished some years under
act of parliament. A handsome carriage-bridge has
been constructed over the river, near its mouth, in con-
nexion with the new road leading to Kirkcaldy : the
want of this was long severely felt, as there was no
bridge for carriages nearer than Cameron bridge, about
three miles further up the stream. A subscription
library, containing a well-chosen collection of nearly 700
volumes, has been for some time founded ; and there is
also a mechanics' institution, to which is attached a
library of useful works. The weaving of linen is one of
the chief branches of the trade of Leven, affording em-
ployment to about 170 persons at handlooms in their
own dwellings. There are also five mills for the spin-
ning of flax and tow, in which 250 persons are engaged,
of whom upwards of 150 are females. An extensive
iron-foundry has been many years in operation, and
gives constant occupation to about fifty men ; about
thirty are employed in a saw-mill, and a considerable
manufactory of bricks and tiles is carried on. The town
derives a degree of traffic from its proximity to the
market-towns of Kirkcaldy and Cupar ; and the post-
office has two deliveries daily. Fairs are held in the
spring annually, and likewise in July and October, the
former fair for linseed, and the two latter for white
linen : about half a century ago, they were numerously
attended by merchants from distant parts of the coun-
try; but they have now become little more than pleasure-
fairs.
The trade of the port consists in the exportation of
the coal procured on the Durie estate, and of linen-cloth
and yarn, bone-dust for manure, grain, potatoes, whisky,
cast and pig iron, ochre, and bricks and tiles ; and in
the importation of flax, hemp, malt, coal, stone for
building, timber, slates, herrings, and bones to grind for
manure. There belong to the port two brigs, of 374
tons' aggregate burthen, chiefly in the American trade ;
and five sloops, of 188 tons' aggregate burthen, em-
ployed in the coasting-trade. In a late year, fifteen
foreign ships, and '2i'i coasters, entered mwards ; the
value of the exports was £60,483, and of the imports,
£43,190. Leven harbour, naturally formed by a creek
of the river, is accessible at spring-tides to vessels of
300 tons, which can unload and take in their cargoes
at the quay ; but from the banks of sand near its
mouth, which after storms or floods frequently .shift
their position, the entrance is rather difficult. The
quay, also, is not sufficiently extensive for the increasing
trade, which, if it should continue to make the same
LEWI
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progress it has made for the last few years, must
ultimately lead to the improvement of the harbour and
the enlargement of the quay. Facility of intercourse
with the neighbouring market-towns is afforded by turn-
pike-roads ; the Edinburgh and Northern railway passes
a few miles to the west of the town, and there is also
communication with Edinburgh by steam-boats, which
leave the port during the summer twice, and in winter
once, every day. The parochial church is in the vicinity
of the town ; and there are places of worship for mem-
bers of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church,
and Independents.
LEVERN, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
Upper ward of the county of Renfrew; comprising the
villages of Crossniill, Dovehill, Hurlet, and Nitshill; and
containing 2490 inhabitants. This parish consisted of
a south-eastern portion of the Abbey parish of Pais-
ley, an eastern part of Neilston, and a western part of
Eastwood parish ; and the district was so called from
the river Levern, by which the lands are intersected.
It measured three miles in its greatest length, and two
miles and a half in its greatest breadth, comprising about
^275 acres. The parish was formed under an act of the
General Assembly in 1834. Levern is in the presbytery
of Paisley, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and the patron-
age is vested in the communicants : the stipend of the
minister is £84, derived from seat-rents and collections,
with a manse and garden valued at £20 a year. The
church was built in 1834, and opened for divine service
in 1835 ; and a session- house and two porches have
since been added ; the whole completed at a cost of
£890: there are 66O sittings. The Roman Catholics
have also a place of worship.
^ LEWIS, an island in the Atlantic Ocean, partly in
the county of Inverness, but chiefly in that of Ross
and Cromarty ; containing, with adjacent islands,
21,466 inhabitants, of whom 4429 are in the county of
Inverness. This island, which forms part of the series
called Long Island, and is the largest of the Hebrides,
or Western Isles, is separated from the main land of
Ross and Cromarty by the channel of the Minch, and is
about eighty-two miles in length, and from eleven to
twelve miles in average breadth. It contains the pa-
rishes of Barvas, Lochs, Stornoway, and Uig in the
north, and the parish of Harris in the south, the last
being in the county of Inverness ; and the whole com-
prises an area of nearly 700,000 acres. The surface is
deeply indented with bays and inlets from the sea. Of
these the principal are, Seaforth on the east and Loch
Reasort on the west, which respectively bound the pa-
rish of Harris on the north-east and north-west; and
East and West Tarbert, which, by still deeper indenta-
tions, almost divide that parish into two detached por-
tions. The island is generally hilly, though the Harris
district is more mountainous than the rest of Lewis,
from which it is separated by a chain of very consider-
able height ; towards the coast are some tracts of fertile
land, but the aspect of the interior is for the most part
frightfully dreary and barren. Numerous small streams,
issuing from inland lakes, flow through the lower grounds
into the sea. Several of them abound with trout and
salmon ; and the numerous lochs that indent the shores
afford lucrative fisheries for herrings, and for white-fish
of all kinds. The eastern portion of the isle is in general
appropriated to the grazing of sheep and black-cattle,
Vol. II.— 177
of which considerable numbers are reared ; in the
western district are some small tracts of arable land,
the soil of which is among the most fertile of the He-
brides. The system of agriculture, though .>-lowly im-
proving, is still in a very backward state; and the cot-
tages are built of bog with stone facings inside and out,
and roofed with thatch : timber of every kind is extremely
scarce. In some parts of the island the coast is low and
sandy, and in others abruptly steep and rocky ; the bay
of Stornoway affords convenient and safe anchorage,
well sheltered from all winds, and there are numerous
other harbt)urs. The principal inhabited islands off the
coast are Bernera, Pabbay, Scarp, Tarrinsay, Anabich,
Ensay, Hermitray, Killigray, and Scalpa. At the Buffs
of Lewis, or northern headland, is a colony of Danish
origin, which has preserved its ancient character without
the slightest assimilation to that of the other inhabit-
ants, with whom they scarcely hold any intercourse,
though speaking the Gaelic language in all its purity ;
they are engaged in the fisheries off the coast. There
are some remains of forts, Druidical circles, cairns,
upright stones, and other monuments of antiquity. — See
the articles on the various parishes and islands.
LEWISTOWN, EAST and WEST, a village, in the
parish of Urquhart and Glenmorriston, county of
Inverness; containing 183 inhabitants. These places
are merely small clusters of cottages, and the population
chiefly agricultural labourers.
LEY^OF HALLIBURTON, a hamlet, in the parish
of Kettins, county of Forfar, 3 miles (S. E.) from
Cupar-Angus ; containing 48 inhabitants. It lies nearly
in the centre of the parish, on the road leading from
Collace to Meigle.
LEYSMILL, a village, in that portion of the parish
of Inverkeillor which formed part of the quoad
sacra district of Friockheim, county of Forfar, 4
miles (E.) from Dunnichen ; containing 173 inhabitants.
It is situated in the western part of the parish ; and in
its vicinity is a considerable pavement quarry, where
the stone is dressed by machinery driven by a steam-
engine, aflfording employment to about fifty of the popu-
lation.
LHANBRYDE, in the county of Elgin.— See St.
Andrew's.
LIBBERTON, a parish, in the Upper ward of the
county of Lanark ; including the village of Quothquan,
and containing 796 inhabitants, of whom 117 are in the
village of Libberton, 2^ miles (S. by E.) from Carnwath.
This place, the name of which is of uncertain derivation,
is situated on the banks of the river Clyde, and compre-
hends the ancient parishes of Libberton and Quothquan,
the latter having been annexed to the former in I669.
The parish is about seven miles in length from north
to south, and four miles and a half in average breadth,
forming a peninsula bounded on the south and west by
the Clyde, and on the north by the river Medwin. It
comprises S703 acres, of which about half are arable,
.500 acres woodland and plantations, and the remainder
hill pasture and waste. The surface is generally ele-
vated, and along the banks of the rivers level, but in
other parts varied with hills, of which Quothquan Law,
the highest, is 600 feet above the sea, and covered with
verdure to its very summit. The Clyde frequently over-
flows its banks, adding great fertility to the adjacent
lands ; it is of very various depth, and fordable in nianj'
2 A
LI BE
LI BE
places during the summer. In some parts its banks
have a height of fifty or sixty feet. The Medwin, which
rises in the parish of West Linton, pursues a course of
several miles, receives the waters of the North Medsvin,
and then flows into the Clyde. A branch of it, taking
an eastern direction, at Dolphington forms a boundary
between the counties of Peebles and Lanark, and after-
wards falls into the Tweed. The scenery is pleasing, and
in some places embellished with thriving plantations.
In this parish the soil is various; near the Clyde,
extremely fertile ; in other parts, comparatively poor.
The crops are oats, barley, bear, potatoes, and turnips :
the system of husbandry is advanced ; and draining has
been practised to a considerable extent, embankments
constructed, and much unprofitable land reclaimed and
brought into cultivation. The farm-buildings have been
also improved, though still inferior to many in other
districts of the county. The lands have been inclosed,
partly with stone dykes and partly with hedges of thorn,
which are kept in good order ; and the plantations have
been extended. Attention is paid to the management
of dairy-farms, and large quantities of butter and cheese
are produced for the supply of the neighbouring mar-
kets ; the cows are all of the Ayrshire breed. The sheep
fed in the pastures are a cross between the Cheviot and
the Leicestershire. The plantations, chiefly on the lands
of Cormiston, Shieldhill, Iluntfield, and Whitecastle, are
larch, spruce, and Scotch firs, intermixed with various
other kinds of trees, and are in a very thriving state.
The landed proprietors' residences and tastefully-embel-
lished demesnes add greatly to the beauty of the scenery.
Libberton village is pleasantly situated : it has facility
of intercourse with Carnwath, the nearest market-town,
by a tolerably good road ; and the turnpike-road from
Peebles to Glasgow passes for nearly a mile through the
parish. Quothquan is also pleasantly situated. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £4730. It
is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Biggar, synod of
Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage of the
Lockhart family, of Lee and Carnwath ; the minister's
stipend is about £'226, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £l6 per annum. The church, erected in 1812, is a
neat edifice adapted for a congregation of 350 persons.
The parochial school, situated in the village of Libberton,
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £30, with
£■20 fees, and a house and garden. There is also a
school at Quothquan, the master of which has £'2. 10.
annually, being the interest of a bequest, and £6 from
house-rents, in addition to the school fees. A friendly
society, established in 1811, has contributed to reduce
the number of applications to the parish for relief.
Near the village are the remains of a circular camp, situ-
ated on the extreme edge of a barren moor, about half a
mile from the Clyde ; it comprises an area of about an
acre and a half, and is surrounded by a double intrench-
ment with a deep fosse.
LIBERTON, a parish, in the county of Edinburgh,
2 miles (S. S. K.) from Edinburgh ; containing, with
the village of Morton, part of New Craighall, and the
former quoad sacra parish of (iilmcrton,. '54.50 inhabitants.
This place is supposed to have been originally called
Lepers' town, from an ancient hospital for lepers, of
which a memorial is retained in the name of the lands
near the site. It is of considerable anti(|uity, and has
been long celebrated for the beautiful remains of Craig-
178
MILLAR Castle, which render it a favourite resort of
the inhabitants of Edinburgh. At what time, or by
whom, the castle was originally founded, is not precisely
known ; but for more than three centuries, previously
to its coming into the possession of the Gilmour family,
its present owners, it was the baronial seat of the
Prestons of Preston, whose armorial bearings appear on
the walls. During the reign of James III., John, Earl
of Mar, the younger brother of that monarch, was for
some time detained in confinement in the castle ; which
was subsequently the residence of James V., when in his
minority, while a contagious disease was prevalent at
Edinburgh. Craigmillar Castle sustained considerable
damage in 1.543 and 154*, from the English, by whom it
was partly demolished. It was soon restored, however,
and, after her return from France, became a residence of
Mary, Queen of Scots, whose retinue of French attend-
ants lived in a small village situated at the base of the
castle hill, and which, from that circumstance, obtained
the appellation of " Little France." In 1566, after the
murder of David Rizzio, a conference took place here
of the Earl of Huntly, the Earl of Argyll, and others,
having for its object the procuring of a divorce between
the queen and Darnley, which her majesty refused to
sanction ; and the castle was subsequently the scene of
various historical events. The remains of this once
stately edifice are situated on the summit of a rock
rising, almost perpendicularly on the south, to the
height of 360 feet above the level of the sea. They
were once defended by an outer wall with a deep fosse ;
and within the line of this is still an embattled wall
with circular towers on the east, built in 1427, and
inclosing the court, into which is an entrance on the
north. The ascent to the castle is by a flight of steps,
leading into the ancient hall, which is yet entire ; and
there are several other apartments in good preservation,
one of which, of very small dimensions, is said to have
been the queen's bed-chamber. On the east is the an-
cient chapel, now in ruins, and used as a stable ; the family
chapel built by Sir John Gilmour is also a ruin. The
grounds have been lately planted.
The PARISH, which extends from the eastern confines
of the Pentland hills nearly to the Firth of Forth, and
from the vicinity of Edinburgh to within a mile of Dal-
keith, is about seven miles in length and three in mean
breadth, comprising an area of rather more than 4700
acres. Of this area almost 4000 acres are arable, 370
meadow and pasture, and the remainder woodland and
plantations. The surface is boldly undulated, attaining
in some parts a considerable elevation, and commanding
views over a wide extent of richly-fertile and highly-
cultivated country, with many interesting features, and
much romantic scenery. The view from Craigmillar
Castle embraces the city of Edinburgh, the Pentland,
Braid, and Blackford hills, the Firth of Forth, the
coasts of Fife and East Lothian, and various other
objects. In the lower districts the soil is a rich loam;
in the higher lands, a thin but retentive clay ; and on
the confines of the Pentland hills, a dry gravel. The
crops are wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips. The
system of agriculture is in the highest state of improve-
ment ; the lands have been well drained, and, from the
alunulance of excellent limestone found in the |)arish,
have been rendered extremely fertile. The lands are,
however, but partially inclosed. Efforts have been made
LI B E
LIFF
of late for the improvement of the farm-buildings. Por-
tions of land are laid out in gardens, in which fruit and
vegetables are raised for the supply of tlie Edinburgh
market. A sycamore-tree at Niddrie measures nineteen
feet in circumference, and one at Morton Hall fourteen
feet ; and at Moredun, Drum, and Inch are also many
fine trees.
In this parish the substrata are chiefly coal and lime-
stone. The former, constituting part of the coalfield of
Mid Lothian, was extensively wrought for many years
at Gilmerton ; but in 1838 the works were suspended,
partly from the expiration of the lease, but chiefly from
the abundant supply brought to Edinburgh at a more
moderate cost : they subsequently came again into opera-
tion. A vein of ironstone has been discovered at the same
place. The limestone is of excellent quality and very
pure, containing about ninety-five per cent of carbonate
of lime. There are quarries of it at Burdiehouse and
Gilmerton, both in extensive operation. The stone of
the former occurs in a seam twenty-seven feet in thick-
ness, of a deep blue colour on the upper surface, and of
a light grey beneath ; and contains numerous shells,
some perfect impressions of different plants, small fishes,
and other remains. The stone of the latter is about
nine feet in thickness, and contains various organic
remains, which are exclusively marine. On the north
side of the castle hill at Craigmillar was an excellent
quarry of freestone, from which materials were raised
for the erection of the Regent's-bridge, George-square,
and many of the streets in the southern district of the
city of Edinl)urgh, the barracks at Piershill, and other
buildings. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish is £23,715.
Inch House, the seat of Walter Little Gilmour, Esq.,
is an ancient spacious mansion, erected prior to the
year 16 17, and beautifully situated in an extensive
demesne enriched with wood, and commanding some
fine views. Morton Hall, the seat of Richard Trotter,
Esq., erected in 1769, and improved by the present pro-
prietor, is a handsome mansion in a demesne tastefully
embellished with thriving plantations. The house of
Drum, the residence of Miss Inncs, is also handsome ;
it was erected by Lord Somerville. Moredun, the seat
of David Anderson, Esq., built by Sir James Stewart ;
Brunstane, erected in 1639 by Lord Lauderdale; and
the houses of Southfield, Sunnyside, St. Catherine's, and
Mount-Vern(ni, are all beautifully situated. The chief
village is Gilmerton, which contains 548 inhabitants.
There is a branch office here, connected with the Edin-
burgh post-office ; and facility of communication is main-
tained by various roads, and the lines of the North-
British railway company.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Edinburgh, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale. The minister's stipend is £326. 14. ".,
including £10 prebcndal fees ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £20 per annum : patron, the Crown. Liberton
church, erected in 1815, is a handsome structure with a
lofty embattled tower, forming an interesting object in
the landscape, and contains 1430 sittings. A church,
to which a quoad sacra parish was for a time annexed,
was erected at Gilmerton {which see) in 1837 ; and this
is now a preaching-station, supplied regularly by a
preacher of the Establishment : he receives an annual
salary of £80, raised by subscription and collections in
179
the parish church. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship ;md a school. Liberton paro-
chial school is attended by about eighty children ; the
master has a salary of £34, with a house and garden,
and the fees average £45 per annum. There are schools
also at Gilmerton, Burdiehouse, and Niddrie, the teachers
of which have an endowment from the resident pro-
prietors, in addition to the fees ; and the teacher at
Niddrie has, besides, a house. At Kames is a girls'
school, established and supported by Mrs. Trotter. To
most of the schools are attached libraries for the use of
the children. There are some slight remains of the an-
cient chapel of Niddrie, formerly a distinct parish ; it
was founded in 1387 by Robert Wauchop of Niddric-
Marshall, was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and made
subordinate to the abbey of Holyrood : the burying-
ground is still used. The ancient chapel and burying-
ground of St. Catherine have long since disappeared.
Near their site is a mineral well, the water of which has
been found efficacious in the healing of cutaneous disease :
a black oily substance constantly floats on the surface
of the -water. This well was inclosed by James VI., who
visited it in 1617; but it was destroyed and filled up
by Cromwell's soldiers in 1650 : it has, however, been
restored, and is now in good preservation. In the
vicinity of Morton Hall are several tumuli ; and to the
west is the hill of Galachlaw, on which Cromwell en-
camped his army of 16,000 men previously to the battle
of Dunbar. At Gilmerton is an artificial cavern of several
apartments, excavated in the solid rock in 1724, by aa
eccentric individual who lived there with his family till
1/35, and carried on the trade of a blacksmith. On the
lawn in front of the house of Drum are the remains of
the ancient market-cross of Edinburgh, placed there in
1756 by the Somerville family.
LIFF and BENVIE, a parish, chiefly in the county
of Forfar, and partly in the county of Perth ; con-
taining, with the villages of Backmuir, Benvie, Birkhill-
Feus, Dargie, Invergowrie, Liff, Muirhead, and part of
Lochee, 3980 inhabitants, of whom 136 are in the village
of Liff, 5 miles (W. N. W.) from Dundee. The word
Liff is a North-British or Pictish term signifying " a
flood" or" an inundation," but the reason of its applica-
tion to the first-named of these two ancient parishes is
not now known. The name of Benvie is supposed to be
derived from the Celtic term beiiin huidlie, " the yellow
hill or mount". The parishes were united in Novem-
ber 1758. That of Liff, long before this, had received
considerable augmentations. The parish of Invergowrie
had been annexed to it before the middle of the seven-
teenth century ; and the parish of Logic, including the
lands of Balgay and Blackness, bad been united to it
quoad civilia a short time after that period. The lands
of Logic, Balgay, and Blackness, however, containing a
large portion of the suburbs of Dundee, have been from
time immemorial, and are still, connected quoad spiritu-
alia with Dundee.
The PARISH is situated at the south-western corner of
the county of Forfar, and is bounded on the east partly
by Dundee, and on the west and south-west by Fowlis
Easter and Longforgan, both in Perthshire. The river
Tay forms its southern limit; and the Dighty, a small
stream, divides the parish from Auchterhouse and Lundie
on the north. It measures six miles from east to west,
and four from north to south, comprising about 6000
2 A2
L I F F
LI FF
acres, of which nearly 5000 are under cultivation, fifty
or sixty acres in pasture, and the remainder in planta-
tions. The surface rises gently from the Tay for nearly
three miles, and attains an elevation of 400 feet, but
afterwards declines towards the north. Several rivulets
flowing from the west water the different lands, and
being joined, at the distance of a mile from the Tay, by
a stream running from the east through Lochee, form
together the burn of Invergowrie, and after impelling
the Invergowrie flour-mills, fall into the bay of the same
name.
The SOIL in the lower grounds is either a black loamy
earth, or clay, and is much enriched by the facilities
afforded to the industrious tenants of obtaining manure
from the town of Dundee : on the higher grounds the
earth is generally light and sandy, resting upon rock
or lime. All kinds of grain are raised, and great atten-
tion is also given to green crops, especially turnips and
potatoes, of which latter large quantities are usually
grown, many of the farmers letting out fields in small
allotments for the purpose. The ground is mostly cul-
tivated under the five-shift course ; the tenants are skil-
ful and indefatigable, and farm their lands to the best
advantage. Dairy husbandry is much on the increase,
and numerous cows are kept, of the Ayrshire breed :
the rest of the cattle are the Angus, and the sheep the
North Highland, but little attention is paid to the im-
provement of these. The farm-buildings are in general
convenient. The substrata of the parish comprise many
varieties : the stratified rocks are red and grey sand-
stone. Great interest has recently been excited among
geologists by the discovery of fossil organic remains in
the denes of Balruddery, most of which have been de-
termined, by competent authority, to belong to entirely
new species ; and in consequence also of various doubts
with respect to the precise formation of their beds, a
minute investigation is expected to take place. Several
quarries of excellent freestone are in operation, particu-
larly at Lochee, where they have long been wrought :
from one of these a large portion of the material was
taken for the construction of Dundee harbour. The
yearly value of the whole of the stone raised is estimated
at £1800. The plantations are extensive and interesting,
adding much to the general beauty of the scenery : they
comprise a great variety of trees, some of them, espe-
cially about the mansiinis, of very fine growth ; the
whole are in a thriving condition, and produce by the
sale of cuttings £800 a year. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £10,.'>03.
Tlie House of (iraij, belonging to the representative of
the ancient family from which it is named, is a noble
and commanding turrctcd edifice in the manor-house
style, built in the year 1/16, and the whole in very
good condition. It is surrounded by a beautiful park
of '200 acres, finely ornamented with choice and venera-
ble old trees ; and on the estate are valuable plantations.
CampcrilowH, formerly Luiiilic, llaiisc is an elegant mo-
dern Grecian structure, embellished on the east with a
portico supported by eight massive Ionic columns ; it is
built of white Killala sandstone. The interior contains
a beautiful saloon, lighted by a cupola : and among the
ornaments of this splendid mansion is a striking and
much-admired [)aintiiig by Sir John Copley, representing
the scene on board tiie Iciicnibli- inniiediately after the
battle of Camperdowii, in which De Winter appears as
180
one of the principal characters, delivering up his sword
to the British admiral. Adjoining the house is preserved
a large mass of wood exhibiting the effigy of a lion, which
was the bulkhead of De Winter's ship, Vryheid. About
a quarter of a mile from the house are extensive shrub-
berries and gardens. The mansion of Invergnwrie, lately
much enlarged, is delightfully situated on a slope near
the Tay, and commands a view of the bay of Invergow-
rie, of the course of the river, and of the Carse of Gowrie.
Balruddery House is a modern edifice, of considerable
elegance, and from its elevated site embraces fine pros-
pects of the surrounding scenery, including numerous
romantic dells of great beauty, and several rich and ex-
tensive tracts in the distance.
The chief village is Lochee, situated partly in the
parish of Dundee, and w hich contains a large population,
closely connected in commercial matters and general
traffic with the town of Dundee. It is described under
its own head, as are the other principal villages enume-
rated at the commencement of the article. The Kirk-
town of Litf contains about twenty-six families, and
there are thirty-five in Birkhill-Feus : this latter place
has been recently let out in small allotments for houses,
and is likely to become a settlement for weavers and
others, on account of its situation on the turnpike-road
from Dundee to Meigle and Cupar-Angus, between four
and five miles distant from the first of these towns.
Household linen was formerly made in the parish to a
considerable extent ; but the chief manufacture now
carried on is the weaving of coarse linen-cloth principally
for exportation, in which many young persons of both
sexes, as well as adults, are engaged, except during the
spring and in harvest time, when they obtain agricul-
tural work. It is supposed that, out of the population
of Lochee connected with this parish, amounting to
2439, two-thirds, both male and female, are occupied in
manufactures, and the remainder consist of mechanics,
handicraftsmen, and common labourers. Three spin-
ning-mills have been erected in the village since the year
IS'25; as also one at Denmiln ; and at Bullion, near
Invergowrie, works of some extent have lately been es-
tablished for bleaching and dyeing yarn and cloth. The
railway and the turnpike-road from Dundee to Perth
pass near the southern limit of the parish, and the turn-
pike-road from Dundee to Meigle and Cupar-Angus
through the eastern portion. The agricultural produce
is taken for sale to Dundee, only three miles distant
from the parish boundary ; and from the same place,
coal and other necessary articles are procured.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the ])resbytery of Dun-
dee, synod of Angus and Miarns, and in the patronage
of Lord Gray : the minister's stipend is £26s, with a
manse, and a glebe of fen acres including the garden.
The church, rebuilt in 1831, is beautifully situated in
the park of Lord Gray, who liberally granted to the
heritors sufficient ground for the site and precincts :
seats are provided for 7'>0 persons. The cost of the
building was ni)wards of £'2'200, exclusive of the spire,
which rises from a bell-tower, at the east end of the
structure, to a height of 108 feet from the ground. A
church was erected at Lochee about the year 1830, at a
cost of £'2000; it contains nearly 1'200 sittings, of which
100 are free, and the income of the minister, who is ap-
pointed by the male communiiauts, is derived from
seat-rents and collections. There are also places of
L I L L
L I L L
•worship for members of the Free Church and the United
Presbyterian Cliurch. The parochial school affords in-
struction in the usual branches ; the master has a salary
of £34. 4., with a house and about £37 fees. A school
in connexion with the former quoad sacra parish of
Lochee was established, and premises erected, in 1837,
partly by subscription and partly by a government grant,
at an expense of nearly £300; the sum of £12. 10. is
annually allowed, as a kind of endowment, by the Gene-
ral Assembly's Education committee. There is also a
school of industry, under the patronage of the Countess
of Camperdown. The remains are still to be seen here
of a castle or palace called Hurly-Hawkin, built by Alex-
ander I., who, having narrowly escaped assassination,
founded the church of Scone in gratitude for his delive-
rance, and made over to it his lands of Liff and Inver-
gowrie. A subterraneous building, with several com-
partments, was discovered some years since near Cam-
perdown House, and from the domestic utensils found,
and other circumstances, it appears to have been inha-
bited. The walls of the church of Invergowrie, also,
are yet standing ; it is supposed to be the most ancient
place of Christian worship north of the Tay. Among
other antiquities is a Druidical temple consisting of nine
large stones ; and a place on the borders of the parish,
to the east, called Pitalpie, or "Pit of Alpine", is sup-
posed to have been the scene of an engagement in the
9th century between the Picts and the Scots, in which
the latter were vanquished, and Alpine their king, with
many nobles, slain. Not far distant is a stone designa-
ted the King's Cross, where it is said the royal standard
was planted during the battle. Near the village of
Benvie is a strong chalybeate spring, formerly in great
repute. The late Professor Playfair, of Edinburgh, was
born at Benvie on March 10th, 1748 ; and Admiral
Viscount Duncan resided occasionally at Camperdown,
his family seat. The ingenious William Playfair, brother
of the professor, was also a native of the parish.
LIGHTBURN, a village, in the parish of Cambbs-
LANG, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 1:^ mile
(E. S. E.) from the village of Cambuslang ; containing
163 inhabitants. This place lies nearly in the centre of
the parish, on the road from Hamilton to Glasgow ; and
is one of thirteen villages within its limits the popula-
tion of which are chiefly colliers, weavers, cotton-spin-
ners, and operatives of various kinds connected with the
mines and manufactures of the district.
LILLIESLEAF, a village and parish, in the district
of Meluose, county of Roxburgh ; containing 771
inhabitants, of whom 355 are in the village, 6 miles
(E. S. E.) from Selkirk. This parish, the name of which
has in various records been written Lillesclive and Lilles-
clif, is seated on the river Ale, which, after forming its
boundary for about four miles, intersects the parish of
Ancrum, and then falls into the Teviot. In common
with other places similarly situated, it was thickly stud-
ded with fortresses, as a defence against the incursions
of the enemy during the border warfare, in which it
largely participated. Of these there were not less than
fourteen, the most considerable being one on the highest
part of the eminence whereon the village is built. It
was two stories high, and rendered strong by its posi-
tion, having a gradual ascent from the Ale on the north,
and a large pool and morass on the south ; the fortress
was of rectangular form, and capable of maintaining 100
181
men within its walls. There were numerous smaller
towers, called peels, in the village, in which the inhabit-
ants commonly resided, their houses at that jjeriod being
necessarily constructed for defence against incessant at-
tacks : the remains of two of these towers are still to be
seen. On the suppression of conventicles in the reign
of Charles II., the moors in this parish were, from their
secluded situation, selected for holding meetings ; and
some of the inhabitants were visited with imprisonment,
exile, and death for attending them.
The PARISH is nearly six miles in length and about
two miles and a half in breadth, comprising 7000 acres,
of which 2800 are arable, 3500 meadow and pasture,
650 woodland and plantations, and fifty acres waste.
Its surface is intersected from east to west by several
ridgy heights, and is agreeably varied with rich valleys
and well-cultivated declivities, interspersed with flourish-
ing plantations, and presenting altogether an aspect of
cheerfulness and fertility. In some places the soil is a
loam, but generally it is a heavy clay with a substratum
of whinstone. During the last five and twenty years,
there have been great improvements in agriculture ; a
large proportion of the land bears good crops, and is
now in a high state of cultivation. The pool and morass
which during the border warfare served as a defence to
the principal fortress, and which was formerly a resort
of sea-gulls, has been partially drained ; cattle now pas-
ture on some parts of it, and on others the grass is cut
for hay. The system of agriculture called the four- shift
course is prevalent. The want of lime, which is to be
procured only from a distance of nearly thirty miles,
and at a very considerable expense, is deeply felt ; but
on some farms where it has been used, the increase of
the crops, and the melioration of the soil, have been
found commensurate with the cost. The plantations
are larch and Scotch fir, with a portion of oak, ash, elm,
and beech ; and being well managed, they are generally
thriving. A saw-mill, for the purpose of cutting and
preparing timber for paling, fire-wood, and other pur-
poses, has been erected some years on the Riddell estate ;
it is worked by water, and has been found of extensive
use. Many of the farm-houses have been lately rebuilt,
in the construction of which, there is much more atten-
tion to comfort and convenience than formerly ; the
fences are well kept, and add greatly to the beauty of
the landscape. The principal fuel is coal, which, being
brought from a distance of about thirty miles, is of rather
high price ; but peat of inferior quality, brushwood, and
the thinnings of the plantations, are very generally used,
though, from the scarcity of the peat, which is nearly
exhausted, and the dearness of brushwood, coal is little
more expensive. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £56S4. The principal gentleman's seat is
Riddell, for many generations the property and residence
of the Riddell family, but which, on the death of Sir
John B. Riddell, Bart., in 1819, was purchased by Mark
Sprot, Esq. . .
The village is pleasantly situated, and such of the "V iJL-O
houses as have been lately built are neat and comfortable ; (
the old ones are the very reverse. A few of its inhabitants
are employed in weaving stockings for the manufacturers
of Hawick, but the majority are engaged in trades de-
pendent upon agriculture, and a few in agriculture itself. \
A subscription hbrary has been formed within the last
thirty or forty years, which consists of a large collection
LIND
LINK
of volumes ; and a post-office has been established in
the village. Facility of communication with the neigh-
bouring towns is maintained by roads kept in repair at
the expense of the landowners, their tenants and house-
holders. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery
of Selkirk, synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the
patronage of the Duke of Roxburghe : the minister's
stipend is £243. 8. 5., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £17 per annum. Lilliesleaf church, built in 1*71, is
in good repair, and conveniently situated for the resort
of the parishioners, but, from the lowness of the site, is
subject to damp ; in the eastern aisle is a stone with the
date 1110, removed from the old church, which must
have been of great antiquity. There is a place of wor-
ship for the United Presbyterian Church. The parochial
school, for which a very commodious building has been
erected by the heritors, affords a useful education ; the
master has a salary of £30, with £17 fees, and a house
and garden. There is a private school, for which a
schoolroom has been provided rent-free ; and the ladies
in the neighbourhood patronize and encourage a school
for girls, who are taught sewing, reading, and the ele-
ments of arithmetic. The sum of £100 was bequeathed
to the Kirk Session above a century since ; the interest
is appropriated by the heritors in lessening the assess-
ment for poor's rates. Two stone coffins, one containing
an earthen pot filled with ashes and arms, and inscribed
with the date 7-7, and the other containing the bones
of a skeleton of gigantic stature, and bearing the date
936, were discovered in the ancient chapel on the Rid-
dell estate, which has long ceased to exist. These are
supposed to have been the remains of ancestors of the
Riddell family, to one of whom, Walter Rydale, sheriff
of Roxburgh, a charter was granted by David I., con-
firming to him the estate of Lilliesclive, and others which
his father, Gervasius de Rydale, possessed at the time of
his death.
LIMEKILN.S, a village and sea-port, in the parish
and district of Dunfermline, county of Fife, 3 miles
(S.) from the town of Dunfermline ; containing 949 in-
habitants. This place, which was formerly considerable
for its trade, appears to have been of some note at an
early period. Not far from the harbour is an ancient
vault, called the King's Cellar, in which most probably
were stored the various articles imported for the use of
the royal household in the palace of Dunfermline, and
on which is the date 15.51. The village stands upon the
north shore of the Firth of Forth, and is neatly built.
Its inhabitants are chiefly employed in tiie neighbouring
lime-works, and in the exportation of coal, lime, wool,
and other produce, in wliich several vessels belonging to
the port are engaged. Ship-buihling, and the curing of
fish, are also carried on to a moderate extent. Lime-
kilns harbour, which is accessible to vessels of 300 tons'
burthen at spring-tides, is spacious and commodious ;
and the several shipowners here were incorporated as
an Insurance Company, by act of parliament, in 1834.
There is a ferry to Blackness ; and tlie steamljoats to
and from Stirling used to touch at the port. A mer-
chant-seamen's fund has been established. There is a
place (if worship for the United Presbyterian Church,
and a school is held in a room over the King's Cellar.
LINDORES, a village, in the parish of AnniE, dis-
trict of Cupar, county of Fife, '^5 miles (E. S. K.) from
Newburgh ; containing 95 inhabitants. This place,
182
which is of great antiquity, most probably arose under
the protection of the Macduffs, thanes of Fife, to whom
the lands originally belonged, and of whose baronial
castle some vestiges remain. The village is of pleasing
and rural appearance, and delightfully situated near the
lake of the same name. This lake is about one mile in
length, and three-quarters of a mile in breadth, its
banks abounding in rich scenery ; and in the immediate
neighbourhood is the handsome mansion of Lindores,
the residence of Admiral Maitland, built on a command-
ing eminence. The high road from Cupar to Newburgh,
and the Perth section of the Edinburgh, Perth, and
Dundee railway, both pass near the village. The Grange
of Lindores, of which the population is I66, is also in
Abdie parish. — See Abdie, and Newburgh, in which
latter article is a notice of Lindores Abbey.
LINGA, an isle, in the parish of Delting, county of
Shetland. It is of very small extent, and is one of a
group of islands lying in Yell sound, between Yell and
the Mainland. There is safe anchorage for fishing-sloops
between this place and Delting.
LINGA, an isle, in the parish of Fetlar, county of
Shetland. It lies northward of Fetlar, a short dis-
tance from it, and between that island and Unst ; and is
uninhabited.
LINGA, an isle, in the parish of Tingwall, White-
ness, and Weesdale. county of Shetland ; contain-
ing 13 inhabitants. This is one of a cluster of isles,
lying in the sound of Scalloway, which opens into the
bay of the same name.
LINGA, an isle, in the parish of Unst, county of
Shetland ; situated in Blomel sound, south of the
main land of the parish, and uninhabited.
LINGA, an island, in the parish of Walls and
Sandness, county of Shetland ; containing 9 inhabit-
ants. This isle is situated in Gronfirth voe, St. Magnus'
bay ; and eastward of the island of Muckle Roe.
LINGA, MUCKLE and LITTLE, two isles, in the
parish of Stkonsay, county of Shetland. These are
small islands, one lying to the north-west of Stronsay ;
and the other, which is the larger, and sometimes called
the Holm of Midgarth, situated in the channel of Linga
sound. This channel has two entrances to its conve-
nient harbour, severally northward and southward ; and
through the latter, which is the wider entrance, large
vessels may pass, with the assistance of a pilot, and find
safe anchorage in four fathoms of water. On Muckle
Linga are the ruins of a chapel.
LINGAY, an isle, in the parish of Barra, county of
Inverness. This is one of the Hebrides, and lies in
the sound of Pabbay, a short distance north of the is-
land of Pabbuy ; it is of very small extent, of nearly cir-
cular form, and uninhabited.
LINGAY, an isle, in the parish of Harris, county
of Inverness. It is an island of the Hebrides, and one
of a group lying in the sound of Harris, a little to the
cast of Groay, and about three miles south of the main
land of the parish. Like the preceding, it is nearly of
circular shape, and has no population.
LINKTOWN, a town, in the parish of Abbotshall, /
district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife; containing
3'24() inhabitants. This town is situated on the west
side of Kirkcaldy bay, and consists of one principal
street, nearly a mile in length, and of several lanes which
lead into it from various parts of the parish. These are
LINL
LI NL
all narrow and inconveniently formed j and the houses,
with the exception of some of more modern erection,
are low and of mean aspect. The streets are lighted
with gas from works erected in the parish for the supply
of Kirkcaldy, Newtown, and places adjacent. Nearly in
the centre of the town is a handsome residence belong-
ing to John Pratt, Esq., of Glentarkie, which, being
surrounded by grounds tastefully laid out, and embel-
lished with shrubberies and young plantations, adds
much to the scenery and general appearance of the place.
Most of the chief manufacturers of the parish reside in
this town, which contains works of various kinds. The
principal trade is the weaving of ticking, and the manu-
facture of dowlas, canvas, and a thin kind of sheeting ;
there are several spinning-mills, a pottery for the coarser
sorts of earthenware, and a small-beer brewery. The
proximity of the market of Kirkcaldy renders the esta-
blishment of any at this place unnecessary ; but a fair is
held on the third Friday in April, formerly much at-
tended for the sale of linseed ; and another on the third
Friday in October, formerly for the sale of black-cattle.
These, however, have both very much declined ; and at
present, shoes and a few articles of pedlery only are ex-
posed for sale. Great facility of intercourse is afforded
by the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway. A so-
ciety for supplying meal at a moderate cost when that
article is dear, has been established, and operates as a
salutary check upon sudden fluctuations in the price of
bread. The town is a burgh of barony, and is under the
government of a bailie appointed by the Ferguson family,
of Raith. There is a small prison for the temporary con-
finement of persons convicted by the bailie of trifling
offences against the peace; but it is very seldom used.
— See Abbotshall.
Obverse.
Reverse.
Seal.
LINLITHGOW, a royal burgh, a parish, and the
seat of a presbytery, in the county of Linlithgow, of
which it is the principal town ; containing, with part of
the village of Linlithgow-Bridge, 5950 inhabitants, of
whom 38~'2 are in the burgh, 8 miles (E. S. E.) from
Falkirk, and 16 (W.) from Edinburgh. This place de-
rives its name, signifying in the Saxon language " the
lake of the sheltered valley", from the beautiful expanse
of water on which it is situated, in a secluded and richly-
fertile vale. It is supposed to have been constituted a
royal burgh by David I., who had a castle and a grange
here, which formed part of the royal demesnes, and
around which the town of Linlithgow, even now wearing
an appearance of great antiquity, gradually arose. The
earliest charter extant is one granted by Robert II. ; but,
long before that period, the town had been governed by
two bailies, whose names were subscribed to the deed of
183
submission tendered to Edward I. of England in 1292 ;
and during the occupation of the Scottish burghs by the
English in the reign of David II., the place had been
constituted one of the four principal burghs of the king-
dom. On the night previously to the battle of Falkirk,
Edward I. encamped his forces on the plains adjoining
the town ; and in the year 1300 he erected a castle at
this place, where he spent the following Christmas, and
in which he left an English garrison. The castle was,
however, taken by Robert Bruce, who, introducing a few
armed men concealed in a waggon-load of hay, obtained
admittance for his followers, and put the whole of the
garrison to the sword.
James IV., while at the palace of Linlithgow, visited
the church previously to his expedition into England,
and is said to have received, when offering up prayers
for his success, a supernatural warning of the melancholy
fate which attended him in the battle of Flodden Field,
in 1513. The supposed scene then presented in the
church is described in the fourth canto of Sir Walter
Scott's Marmion. A severe engagement took place at
Linlithgow-Bridge in 1526, between the forces of the
Earl of Angus, whose party, during the minority of
James V., held that prince in their power, and those of
the Earl of Lennox, who sought to obtain possession of
the royal person, and deliver him from their arbitrary
control. The Earl of Lennox, after receiving promise of
quarter, was killed by Sir James Hamilton ; and the
place of his interment was long distinguished by a mound
called Lennox's Cairn. In 1570, the Earl of Moray,
then regent, was shot while passing through the town,
from the balcony of a house belonging to the Archbishop
of St. Andrew's, by Hamilton of Bothwell-Haugh ; his
remains were conveyed to Holyrood House, and interred
in the church of St. Giles at Edinburgh. During the
prevalence of the plague in Edinburgh in 1646, the
meetings of the parliament were held in the palace of
Linlithgow, in which the members, upon various occa-
sions, had previously assembled ; and the town also de-
rives no inconsiderable degree of interest from the cir-
cumstance that it was the birthplace of Mary, Queen of
Scots, who was born in the palace on the 8th of Decem-
ber, 1542. Linlithgow was visited by Her present Majesty
on the 13th of September, 1842, in the course of her
tour through Scotland in that year ; and every demon-
stration of respect and loyalty was made by the inha-
bitants.
The PALACE, which, from a very early period, was the
occasional residence of the Scottish kings, is supposed
to have been first erected on the site of a Roman station ;
the original buildings, however, were destroyed by fire in
1424. The present structure, raised by James I., received
considerable additions in the reigns of James IV. and
James V. : upon the marriage of the latter with Mary of
Guise, it became the favourite residence of that queen ;
and it was afterwards much improved by James VI., on
his visit to Scotland in 16 17. At this time the build-
ings occupied a quadrangular area, 175 feet in length
and 165 feet in breadth ; and though the exterior had a
heavy appearance, the interior of the quadrangle displayed
much elegance of style and beauty of decoration. In
the centre of the inner court was a fountain of freestone,
elaborately sculptured in various devices ; the surround-
ing buildings were also ornamented with sculpture.
Placed in a canopied niche was a well-executed statue
LI N L
L INL
of Pope Julius II., who presented the sword of state to
James V. on his coronation, and on each side of this
was the figure of an ecclesiastic, in a smaller niche ; but
these were destroyed in the eighteenth century. In the
rebellion of 1745, General Hawley, who commanded a
detachment of the English forces under the Duke of
Cumberland, quartered his troops in the palace, which,
during their occupation of it, was by some accident set
on fire, and reduced to its present ruinous condition.
The principal portions now left are, the hall in which the
parliaments were held, a noble apartment ninety-nine
feet long, thirty feet wide, and thirty-five feet high to
the summit of the walls, which alone remain ; the room
where Queen Mary was born ; the banquet-room ; and
the chapel. What e.tists of this venerable structure is
preserved from further decay by the Commissioners of
Woods and Forests, and is under the superintendence
of Sir Thomas Livingstone, Bart., as representative of
the Earls of Linlithgow, hereditary keepers. Within
the last seven years, very considerable and judicious
repairs have been executed in the palace. The stair of
the north-western turret leading to Queen Margaret's
Bower has been made good, so that safe access is now
obtained to this favourite retreat of James IV.'s lovely
consort, who is said to have hence viewed the departure
of the king for the field of Flodden. From this place
the surrounding country is seen to great advantage. In
1845 the outer gateway was completely and splendidly
restored ; the four orders of knighthood borne by James
V. were set up anew, and in a style of the most elegant
workmanship.
The TOWN is beautifully situated on the south bank of
the lake from which it takes its name, and extends about
a mile along the high road from Stirling to Edinburgh,
consisting principally of one street, which, towards the
middle, expands into an open area. In this part is the
Cross-well, an hexagonal structure, richly sculptured
with grotesque figures, and surmounted by a unicorn,
the whole rebuilt in ISO* in close imitation of the an-
cient structure, which had fallen into decay : pure water
issues thence, from thirteen ditferent openings, for the
supply of the town. The houses are generally of an-
cient and venerable aspect, interspersed with many of
more modern style ; and the town is well lighted with
gas. The manufacture of boots and shoes is very con-
siderable, giving constant employment to about 300
persons. The tanning and currying of leather are also
among the trades carried on here : in the former are five
establishments, affording occupation to about thirty men ;
and in the latter, nine, in which fifty men are employed.
An extensive distillery, and a large brewery, engage
many hands ; there are some works for the making of
glue, and part of the female population are occupied in
needlework for Glasgow houses. The market day is
Friday ; and fairs are held on the first Friday after the
second Tuesday in January, the last Friday in February,
the third Friday in April, the second Friday in June,
and the first Fridays in August and November. Facility
of communication with the surrounding districts is pre-
sented by excellent roads, by the Union canal, and the
Edinburgh and (ilasgow railway. Linlithgow contains
a post-oflice, and a branch of the Commercial Bank
of Scotland ; and a small monthly paper called Dick's
Advertiser is published here, and circulated through the
county.
184
The BURGH, under a succession of charters confirmed
and extended by Charles I., is governed by a provost, four
bailies, a dean of guild, a treasurer, and a council, to-
gether amounting to twenty-seven members. The ma-
gistrates have jurisdiction within the royalty, and for a
mile beyond its boundaries ; but the residence of the
sheriff-substitute in the burgh relieves them from exer-
cising any jurisdiction, except in trifling police cases.
There are eight incorporated trades, the smiths, weavers,
bakers, wrights, tailors, shoemakers, fleshers, and
coopers ; the fee of admission for a stranger, as a trade
burgess, is one guinea, and as a member of the guild £5.
The town-house, built in 166S, contains a hall for the
transaction of the public business of the burgh, the
sheriffs court-house, and the council chamber : the
under part of the building was formerly used as a gaol
for the town and county, but is now converted into
useful apartments connected with the courts. The new
gaol, opened in 1845, was erected by the county prison
board, at a very considerable expense, and is on an im-
proved plan. In the rear of the town-house are the
county-buildings, plain in their exterior, but internally
well arranged ; the hall is a spacious and handsome
apartment, and is embellished with portraits of John,
Earl of Hopetoun, by Raeburn, and of Sir Alexander
Hope, by Gordon. In connexion with Falkirk, Airdrie,
Hamilton, and Lanark, the burgh returns a member to
the imperial parliament ; the number of persons within
the boundaries, occupying houses of £10 per annum and
upwards, is about 100.
The PARISH is bounded on the west by the river Avon,
separating it from the county of Stirling ; and is about
five miles in length from east to west, and three miles
in breadth; comprising an area of 11,960 acres, of which,
with the exception of a moderate portion of land inac-
cessible to the plough, and under plantations, all are
arable. Towards the east and north-east the surface is
tolerably level, but towards the south is intersected by
a continuous range of hills of various elevation, the
highest of which, Cocklerue (Cuckold de roi) and Binny
Craig, are each about 600 feet above the level of the sea.
On the north side of the loch of Linlithgow, also, are
the Irongath or Bonnytoun hills, of inferior height, but
commanding fine views of the Firth of Forth and the
adjacent country. The lake is about a mile in length,
a quarter of a mile in breadth, and of considerable depth,
communicating with the Avon by a small rivulet called
the Loch burn : towards the centre it is deeply indented
by the site of the ancient palace, the grounds of which
form a kind of peninsula. The scenery of the lake is
strikingly beautiful, its shores rising into eminences
richly wooded, and being embellished with the gardens
and pleasure-grounds of the palace, whose stately and
venerable ruins form a j)romincnt feature. The Avon,
likewise, flows through a tract of country abounding in
picturesque scenery ; and the aqueduct that continues
the Union canal across the valley, and the viaduct of
the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway over the same
valley, add greatly to the beauty of the landscape. In
the lower districts the soil is a loam alternated with
gravel ; and in the higher, of lighter quality, resting on
a retentive clay : the system of agriculture is in the
most improved state, and the crops are generally abun-
dant. The farn)s vary from 125 to 500 acres in extent ;
the lands are well inclosed and drained, and the farm-
LINL
L I N L
buildings substantial and commodious. The cattle are
for the most part of the Ayrshire breed, especially on
the dairy-lands ; tliere are also many of the short-
horned kind. Few sheep are reared, but consideraiile
numbers are pastured : the horses are mostly of the
Clydesdale breed. The plantations, some of which are
recent, are well managed, and in a thriving state; and
the parish in general is well wooded. Limestone is
plentiful, and is extensively wrought ; coal, also, occurs
in thin seams in the southern district, but no mines are
in operation. At Kingscavil, Hillhouse, and East Binny
are extensive quarries of freestone : from the first was
taken the stone for the erection of the palace ; and in
the last is found a bituminous substance which is some-
times made into candies. On the lands of the Earl of
Hopetoun, in the southern part of the parish, a vein of
silver was formerly wrought ; but every attempt to re-
cover it has failed. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £21,384.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Linlithgow, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale. The minister's stipend is £304. 19. '2.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £11 per annum ;
patron, the Crown. Linlithgow church is supposed to
have been originally founded by David L in the twelfth
century as the chapel-royal. The present edifice was
built to replace a church consecrated in l'242,and burned
down in 1424. It is an ancient and venerable structure
in the pointed style of architecture, with a square em-
battled tower formerly surmounted by a turret in the
form of an imperial crown: the church measures ISO
feet in length and 105 in breadth; and the walls were
once decorated with statues, of which, however, only
that of the patron saint, St. Michael, is now remaining.
In the south aisle, dedicated to St. Catherine, James IV.
received the premonition of his defeat at Flodden Field,
already noticed ; and in an aisle adjacent lie interred the
remains of the Earls of Linlithgow, in leaden coffins.
The whole building, which is one of the finest specimens
of the kind in Scotland, displays elegant details ; it was
repaired and enlarged in 1813, and now contains 1100
sittings. There are also places of worship for members
of the United Presbyterian Church, the Free Church,
and Independents. The burgh school, under the patron-
age of the town-council, was formerly conducted by a
rector who had a salary of £30 per annum, and an assis-
tant with a salary of £1,5 ; but since the last appoint-
ment, it has been taught by a rector only. A school for
girls was founded by the late Mrs. Douglas. Dr. Henry,
the historian, bequeathed his library to the parish ; and
there is likewise a subscription library and public read-
ing-room. The incorporated trades give small annual
payments to decayed members : there are also numerous
friendly societies.
Traces of a Roman road, on the summit of a height
on the north side of the lake, are plainly discernible, and
near it was lately found an urn containing ashes ; at the
base of the hill of Cocklerue are vestiges of a Roman
station, and on the Boroughmuir 300 Roman coins were
discovered some years since. To the west of the town
are two eminences, one of which was in ancient times
the place for administering justice ; the plain below is
still designated Domesdale. On the eminence called
Friars' Brae, southward of the town, was a Carmelite
convent, supposed to have been founded in 1290. There
Vol. II,— 1S5
was likewise a monastery of Black friars, of which some
traces may be seen in the eastern portion of the town :
where was also the hospital of St. Magdalene for lazars,
subsequently appropriated by James I. for the enter-
tainment of strangers, and the site of which is now
covered by the Union canal. A tablet of stone, elegantly
sculptured in compartments, was many years since found
while digging a grave in the churchyard. In one com-
partment, the Saviour is represented in the attitude of
prayer, with the three Disciples asleep ; and in another
as saluted by Judas, and seized by the guards, while
healing the ear of Malchiis, with a figure of Peter sheath-
ing his sword.
LINLITHGOW-BRIDGE, a village, partly in the
parish and county of Linlithgow, and partly in the
parish of Muiravonside, county of Stirling, 1 mile
(W.) from the town of Linlithgow ; containing 633 in-
habitants. It is situated on the Avon, on the high road
from Linlithgow to Falkirk ; and is distinguished for a
battle, fought in 1526, between the faction of the Earl
of Angus, who had possession of the person of James V.,
then a minor, and the party who sought his deliverance
from the influence of the Douglases : the conflict took
place close to the village, which has given its name to
the engagement. The present bridge was built by Alex-
ander, Earl of Linlithgow, about the year 1650, as ap-
pears by a grant of its customs to Earl George, by
Charles II., in 1677- Near the village are the Avonfield
print-works and a paper-mill, at both of which a great
many hands are employed. There is a subscription
library in the village.
LINLITHGOWSHIRE, a county, in the south of
Scotland, bounded on the north by the Firth of Forth ;
on the east and south-east, by the county of Edinburgh ;
on the south-west, by Lanarkshire ; and on the west, by
the county of Stirling. It lies between 55° 49' and
56° 1' (N. Lat.) and 3° 18' and 3° 51' (W. Long.), and
is about twenty-one miles in length and twelve miles in
extreme breadth; comprising an area of 112 square
miles, or 71,680 acres ; 5675 houses, of which 5333 are
inhabited ; and containing a population of 26,872, of
whom 13,797 are males and 13,075 females. This
division of the country, sometimes called West Lothian
from its forming the western district of the ancient and
extensive province of Lothian, was at the time of the
Roman invasion inhabited by the British tribe Gadent.
It afterwards became a portion of the province of lalentia,
and the western boundary of the Roman conquests in
this part. No district of the province abounded more
with Roman works than this county. A Roman road
from the village of Cramond extended along the shore
of the Firth to Carriden ; where, indeed, the wall of
Antonine, of which a very considerable portion traversed
the district, is supposed to have also terminated. Upon
the departure of the Romans, great numbers of the
emigrants from the Irish coast, who had established
themselves in Cantyre, removed to these parts, and for
a long period retained possession of their settlements,
though much harassed by the Picts and others. After
the union of the two kingdoms under Kenneth II., they
became identified with the Scots : and in the reign of
David I., this district of the Lothians was erected into a
separate sheriffdom.
With respect to ecclesiastical matters, the county was
included in the archdiocese of St. Andrew's, and subse-
2 B
LINL
LINT
quently in the diocese of Edinburgh, of which it consti-
tuted the archdeaconry of Linlithgow. It is now in the
synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and comprises one
presbytery and twelve parishes. The civil affairs are
transacted at Linlithgow, which is the county-town and
a royal burgh, where all the courts are held ; the shire
contains also the royal burgh of Queensferry, the burgh-
of-barony of Bathgate, and the burgh-of-regality of
Borrowstounness, with some smaller towns and popu-
lous villages. Under the act of the 2nd of William IV.,
it returns one member to the imperial parliament. The
surface is for the most part pleasingly diversified with
gentle undulations, and is intersected nearly in the
centre by a range of eminences of moderate elevation.
In the east and south the land is generally level ; but
towards the west are some hills, though of inconsiderable
height, which are clothed with verdure, and crowned
with woods. The principal river is the Almond, which
has its source among the hills of Lanarkshire, and, in-
tersecting the county in a north-eastern direction, flows
into the Firth of Forth at the village of Cramond : it
is navigable for boats and small craft for a quarter of
a mile from its mouth. The river Aven, or Avon, after
forming for some distance a boundary between the
county and Stirlingshire, falls into the Firth to the west
of Borrowstounness. The only lake of any importance
is Linlithgow loch, about a mile in length and a quarter
of a mile wide, comprising an area of 154 acres. It is
beautifully situated among rising grounds richly wooded,
and embraces much picturesque and romantic scenery.
On the south bank are seated the town and palace of
Linlithgow, the gardens of which latter e.vtend westward
along its margin ; and at the north-west extremity is a
small rivulet called the Loch Burn, which, after a short
course, flows into the Avon.
About four-fifths of the land are arable, and the re-
mainder woodland, plantations, and waste. Though
various, the soil is in many parts extremely fertile ; in
the lower districts, a gravelly loam ; and in the higher
parts, chiefly clay resting on a retentive subsoil. Con-
siderable progress has been made in draining, and great
improvements have taken place in the system of agri-
culture ; the lands have been inclosed with fences of
thorn ; the pastures are rich, and the dairy-farms under
excellent management. The cattle are principally of the
Teeswater and Ayrshire breeds, and the horses chiefly of
the Clydesdale breed. There are not many sheep ; they
are the black-faced, with a few of the Leicestershire
breed, which appear to thrive well. The ancient forests,
which were very extensive, have mostly disappeared,
and have been replaced by modern plantations, adding
greatly to the general beauty of the scenery ; they are
of oak, ash, elm, beech, lime, sycamore, chesnut, and
larch, Scotch, silver, and spruce firs. A large portion of
the land is also laid out in gardens. The substrata are
mainly coal, limestone, and freestone. Ironstone is like-
wise found in abundance in some parts ; lead- mines were
formerly wrought in the Bathgate hills, and the ore con-
tained a considerable proportion of silver. The coal is
extensively worked, especially in the vicinity of Borrows-
tounness ; and there are large quarries of the limestone
and freestone, which latter is of fine texture. Marl, and
clay for the manufacture of bricks and pottery, are also
abunilant. In this county the seats are Binns Ihmse,
Hopetoun House, Duddingston House, Dalmeny I'ark,
186
Amondell, Kinneil, Houston House, Wallhouse, Lochcote,
Bonhard, Kirk Hill, Middleton, Champfleurie, Balbardie
House, Boghead, Polkemmet, Binny, Newliston, Dundas
Castle, Craigiehall, and various others. Of the palace of
Linlithgow, the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, which
was destroyed by fire in 1746, the walls, and some of the
principal apartments, are still remaining. Among the
principal manufactures are those of salt and of shoes ;
the spinning of cotton, and printing of calico, employ a
considerable number of persons, and there are extensive
tanneries, breweries, and distilleries. The chief com-
merce is the exportation of coal, of which large quantities
are shipped from Borrowstounness. Facility of com-
munication is afforded by turnpike and parish roads,
kept in excellent order : among the former are the great
north road to Edinburgh, the Edinburgh and Glasgow
road, and the road from Lanark and Glasgow to Queens-
ferry, where steamers convey passengers across the Firth
of Forth. There are also the Union canal, the Edinburgh
and Glasgow railway, and the Bathgate railway. The
annual value of real property in the county is £109,322,
of which £82,842 are returned for lands, £21,149 for
houses, £3561 for mines, £831 for quarries, and the
remainder for other kinds of real property. Numerous
vestiges remain of Roman roads, camps, altars, vases,
coins, and other memorials of that age ; also ruins of
ancient castles, Druidical remains, monasteries, and other
relics of antiquity.
LINTON, a village, in the parish of Prestonkirk,
county of Haddington, | a mile (S. W.) from Preston ;
containing, in 1841,775 inhabitants. It derives its name,
by which the whole parish was originally designated, from
its situation on the banks of the river Tyne, which in this
part of its course, obstructed by precipitous and over-
hanging rocks, once formed a hjnn, or waterfall, of great
beauty. This fall, since the recent cutting of the crags
to facilitate the progress of salmon up the stream, is now
scarcely perceptible, except after continued rains, or
sudden floods, when the cascade displays its wonted
grandeur. The removal of the obstructions has not
added to the quantity of the salmon, which are still of
small size and in small numbers ; but trout of large size,
eels, and flounders, are obtained in great plenty and of
excellent quality. The village is neatly built and well
inhabited ; the surrounding scenery, also, is agreeably
diversified. The principal approach is by the London
road, which passes for four miles through the parish,
crossing the river by an ancient bridge near the village,
which is inconvenient for the jiassage of carriages. A
post-office is established, and facility of intercourse is
afi'orded by good roads, and by the North-British railway,
which crosses the Tyne by a grand viaduct a little above
the old bridge, and has a station here. The opening of
the railway and the establishment of a corn-market have
added much to the imi)ortance of the village, which is a
rising place. The spinning of wool and the weaving of
blankets were formerly carried on to some extent, afford-
ing employment to many of the inhabitants ; but they
have been for a long time discontinued. The parochial
school, and a place of worship in connexion with the
United Presbyterian .Synod, are in the village ; there are
also a female parochial school, one or two libraries, and
two or three frieiuily societies, which last have con-
tributed to diminish the number of claims on the parish.
A little westward of the village is an upright stone, sup-
LINT
LINT
posed to point out the site of sepulture of some chieftain
who was killed in battle.
LINTON, otherwise WEST LINTON, a parish, in
the county of Peebles ; containing, with the village of
Carlops, 1515 inhabitants, of whom 550 are in the village
of Linton, 11 miles (N. E. by N.) from Biggar. This
parish, whose name is derived from the river Lyne, com-
prises 25,400 acres, of which 4000 are arable, 400 wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder hilly moor,
aCFording excellent pasturage for sheep. Its surface is
pleasingly varied, and the lands have a general elevation
of about 600 feet above the level of the sea ; the scenery
is diversified with wood and water, and from the higher
grounds are obtained some interesting and extensive
prospects over the adjacent country. The Lyne has its
source in the hills to the north ; it traverses the parish,
and flows into the Tweed. In the same range rise the
smaller rivers Esk and Medwin, the former of which
constitutes the eastern, and the latter the western,
boundary of the parish. There are every where springs
of excellent water, yielding an abundant supply. On the
lands of Rutherford is a spring called Heaven-Aqua, the
properties of which are similar to those of the water at
Tonbridge-Wells, in England ; it has been rendered easy
of access by the new line of turnpike-road which passes
close by the spring, and an elegant and commodious
hotel has been erected for the accommodation of persons
who visit the spot. Near Slipperfield is a fine lake,
about a mile and a half in circumference, and of great
depth, which abounds with pike and perch, and is fre-
quented by almost every variety of aquatic fowl. It is
situated in the centre of a wide tract of barren heath, for
the improvement of which considerable efforts have been
lately made.
The SOIL in the upper part of the parish is much
interspersed with patches of heath and moss of various
kinds, and of different degrees of depth. In the lower
parts is a rich loam, occasionally intermixed with sand;
in some places, a light dry soil well adapted for the
growth of turnips ; and in others, a sandy loam mixed
with clay and moss. The chief crops are oats, turnips,
and potatoes ; the system of agriculture is highly ad-
vanced, and all the more recent improvements in the
construction of agricultural implements have been ex-
tensively adopted. The farm houses and offices are sub-
stantially built, and well arranged ; and on all the farms
threshing-mills have been erected. Considerable atten-
tion is paid to the management of the dairy and the rear-
ing of live stock. About 350 milch-cows are l^ept on the
several farms, of the Ayrshire and Teeswater breeds,
with an occasional cross of the two ; 450 young cattle
are pastured, and some of them sold off annually to the
butcher. The number of sheep on the various pastures
is 9700, of which 3700 are of the Cheviot, and the re-
mainder of the black-faced, breed ; and about 180 horses
are kept for agricultural uses. There are very few re-
mains of the ancient woods that abounded in the parish,
which is situated in the immediate vicinity of Ettrick
forest ; the plantations are generally well managed, and
in a very flourishing condition. The substrata are mainly
limestone and coal, both of which have been worked to a
considerable extent. There is a very extensive limestone-
quarry, and lime-works are carried on at Carlops and at
Whitfield ; the average quantity of lime is estimated at
20,000 bolls annually. The coal is wrought at Carlops,
JS7
and also at Harlamuir and Coalyburn. Freestone is
quarried at Deepsykelicad ; and near the village is a hill
called Leadlaw from a supposition that it contained lead-
ore, frequent attempts to obtain which have been made
without success. Pebbles of great beauty are frequently
found, closely resembling, and in some instances nearly
equal to, the Cairngorum. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £7696.
The village of Linton is pleasantly situated on the > liM
banks of the river Lyne ; the place is irregularly built,
and many of the houses are of antique appearance. It
is inhabited by persons employed in hand-loom weaving
for the manufacturers of Glasgow, and in the various
trades requisite for the supply of the neighbourhood. A I
fair is held on the last Tuesday in June, for sheep, and is
well attended from the neighbouring districts. Fairs are
also held on the Friday before the first Monday in April,
and the Friday before the 25th of September, for the sale
of live stock, and the hiring of farm servants. There '
is a public show of stock annually in August ; and in
the winter a ploughing-match takes place, when prizes
are awarded to the successful competitors. The ap-
proach to the village has been greatly improved by a
nevv line of road lately formed, which has also facilitated
the intercourse of the inhabitants with the market-town
and other places in the vicinity. Ecclesiastically the
parish is in the presbytery of Peebles, synod of Lothian
and Tvveeddale, and in the patronage of the Earl of
Wemyss ; the minister's stipend averages £233, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per annum. Linton
church is a neat and substantial edifice, erected in 1776-
There is also a place of worship for the members of the
United Presbyterian Church. The parochial school is
well conducted ; the master has a salary of £34, with
about £35 fees, and a house and garden. A parochial
library has been established some years, and forms a
collection of more than 500 volumes of standard works
in the general branches of literature. Cairns are to be
seen in several parts of the parish ; and in one on the
lands of Temple, near Linton village, was discovered a
stone coffin of very rude formation, containing human
bones : in another, which is still remaining on Garvald-
foot moor, a Roman urn is said to have been found.
Stone coffins have at various times been dug up in the
parish.
LINTON, a parish, in the district of Kelso, county
of Roxburgh, 6 miles (S. E. by S.) from Kelso ; con-
taining 526 inhabitants. This place derives its name,
signifying "the town of the lakes," from its situation on
the north-VFest border of a lake of great extent called
Linton loch, now drained, and from another lake desig-
nated Hoselaw, in the eastern extremity of the parish.
The church appears to have been bestowed in the reign
of David I. upon the abbey of Kelso by Sir Richard
Cumyn, ancestor of John Cumyn who aspired to the
crown of Scotland ; and the lands of the parish were
granted in the reign of William the Lion to William de
Somerville, son of Roger, Baron of Whichnor in England,
as a reward for his having destroyed a ferocious animal
that committed great depredation in the neighbourhood.
He was afterwards made principal falconer to the Scottish
king, and sheriff of Roxburghshire. The new proprietor
resided in the castle of Linton, which he had founded,
and which afforded an asylum to his father, Roger de
Somerville, on the subsequent defeat of the English
2 B 2
LINT
LINT
barons who had extorted from King John the grant of
Magna Charta. Roger died in this castle, which con-
tinued to be the seat of his descendants till near the close
of the fourteenth century, when they removed to the
castle of Cowthally, in Carnwath. Linton Castle was
besieged by the Earl of Surrey in the reign of Henry VIII.,
and razed to the ground j and scarcely any vestiges of
the building are now to be traced : within the last half
century, a large iron door was dug out of the ruins,
which appears to have belonged to the dungeon. Walter
de Somerville, the third baron, was a faithful adherent to
the fortunes of Wallace, under whose banner he fought
against Edward I. for the defence of his country ; and
his son, John de Somerville, strenuously maintained the
cause of Bruce, after whose defeat at Methven he was
taken prisoner by the Enghsh. During the border war-
fare, this parish, forming part of the Dry Marches, was
the principal thoroughfare between the two kingdoms,
and consequently participated largely in the transactions
of those times, in which the family of Kerr of Graden
distinguished themselves. There are still some traces in
the parish of their ancient residence, which seems to have
been a strong fortress, surrounded by a moat.
The PARISH is about six miles in length and two in
breadth, and is bounded on the east by the county of
Northumberland. It comprises about 6500 acres, of
which nearly 5500 are arable, eighty woodland and
plantations, and the remainder rough pasture and
waste. The surface rises in gentle undulations from a
rich and fertile vale near the western boundary, and is
inclosed on the north by a range of hills, of which Kip-
law, Iloselaw, and Blakelaw are the principal. Linton
loch, the larger of the two lakes from which the parish
took its name, was nearly circular in form, and had an
area of about fifty acres ; it was surrounded by hills of
considerable height cultivated to their summit, except
on the west, where was a valley through which its su-
perfluous waters found their way into the river Kale.
The lake has, however, been drained, and the soil is
now under corn husbandry : beneath is a bed of rich
marl, which is wrought by the tenant to a good extent.
Hoselaw lake comprises a rectangular area of about
thirty acres, and is of an average depth of fifteen feet;
it abounds with perch and silver-eels, and is much re-
sorted to in summer by anglers. There are springs of
excellent water in various parts of the parish, and nu-
merous rivulets descend from the neighbouring hills.
The SOIL of the western district is various, consisting of
loam, clay, and gravel ; in the eastern portion the land
is of a lighter quality. The chief crops are wheat and
barley, with a due proportion of oats j the plantations
consist of fir, oak, ash, and elm, for which the soil seems
favourable. Lime is obtained from the county of Nor-
thumberland, whence also coal is brought for fuel ; a
small seam of coal was discovered in the parish, but
found incapable of being wrought with any profit. The
substratum is generally whinstone rock, in which crystals
are frequently discovered : and there is a quarry of free-
stone of excellent quality, but not worked to any great
extent. Considerable improvements have been made in
draining, and much waste land has been lately brought
into cultivation. The fences of thorn arc kept in good
order, and interspersed with hedge-row timber, which is
highly ornamental. The farm-buildings arc sul)stantial
and commodious, and the cottages of the labouring
J 88
class have an air of cleanliness and comfort. In general
the pastures are good ; and great attention is paid to
improvement in the breeds of cattle and sheep : the
former are principally of the short-horned kind, and the
latter of the Leicestershire. The agricultural produce
finds a ready market at Berwick ; the live stock is
chiefly sent to the markets of Edmburgh and Morpeth.
The principal landowner is Mr. Elliot of Harwood and
Clifton, to whom rather more than two-thirds of the
land belong, and whose seat, called Clifton Park, is in
the valley at the western extremity of the parish, in the
centre of a thriving plantation. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £5586.
Linton is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Kelso,
synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patronage of
Mr. Elliot : the minister's stipend is £239. 2. 10., with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £1'2 per annum. The
church, occupying the summit of a circular hill, and
approached by an avenue of stately trees, is of very
great antiquity, and has been put into a state of sub-
stantial repair within the last fifty or sixty years; it
affords accommodation to 200 persons, and though situ-
ated at a distance from the eastern part of the parish, is
easily accessible to the great majority of the parishioners.
The parochial school affords education to about forty
children ; the master's salary is £34, with £30 fees,
and a house and garden. There are several mineral
springs, one of which, on the farm of Bankhead, is
deemed efficacious in scorbutic complaints. Jasper, in
large masses, is frequently turned up by the plough in
different parts. The site of Linton Castle may still be
traced on the summit of a hill near that on which the
church is situated ; but it has been planted with trees.
On the summits of various other hills are remains of
round encampments, probably formed during the wars
of the border ; and in many places are tumuli, some of
which have been opened, and found to contain urns of
clay of circular form, inclosing human bones. Some of
them are supposed to be of Roman origin : and in parts of
the parish the tumuli are so numerous as to warrant the
conjecture that it must have been the scene of some
considerable battle. In repairing the church, a large
grave was discovered containing fifty skulls, many of
which showed marks of violence, and which are sup-
posed to be those of warriors slain in the battle of
Flodden Field. In the moss, about three feet beneath
the surface, has been found a Roman spear of brass.
LINTRATHEN, a parish, in the county of Forfar,
7 miles (\V.) from Kirriemuir; containing, with the vil-
lage of Bridgend and the hamlet of Pitnuidie, 981 inha-
bitants. This parish, which derives its name from a
Gaelic term signifying " rapid lynn", on account of a
waterfall near the church, is ten miles in length and five
in extreme breadth, and comprises an area of about
10,000 acres; about 3000 arc cultivated, above 1000
occupied by wood, and the remainder moorland. It is
situated in the district usually called the Braes of Angus,
consisting of that portion oi the county between the
Grampian range and the valley of Strathmorc. The
upper division is formed of part of the inferior Grampian
elevations, and the lower of sloping valleys, separated by
hills of moderate height. On the west the parish is
partly divided from (ilenisla parish by the Isla, a beau-
tifully-picturesque stream flowing for two miles of its
course between rocky banks, more than 100 feet high.
L I N W
LISM
and of singularly-diversified forms. In its progress the
river displays the two cascades of the Reeky Lynn and
the Slug of Achrannie, and increases the striking impres-
sion of the romantic scenery around by the fury of its ac-
tion in the rocky cavities into which it precipitates itself
at the latter fall. Tlie Melguin, rising in the mountains,
flows smoothly till it reaches the village, where its bed
becomes rocky, and whence, for about three miles, to
its confluence with the Isla, it rolls onwards in a series
of waterfalls that constitute some of the most attractive
features in the scenery. The loch of Lintrathen, situated
within a quarter of a mile of the church, is nearly cir-
cular in form, and highly picturesque : the ground on
the north and south sides is several hundred feet high,
and ornamented with plantations ; and at the western
extremity is the Knock of Formal, having an elevation
of 1500 feet, and covered with wood to the summit.
Trout are abundant in this water, as well as in the
rivers ; and perch also are taken, with a few pike.
The prevailing soil is a deep black loam, lying chiefly
on granite and trap. The lands are under the best sys-
tem of cultivation, and produce all the usual kinds of
grain, of good quality, though but little wheat is grown,
on account of the severity of the winters. Turnips,
also, and potatoes are raised to a considerable extent,
and the whole of the produce of the parish averages
annually in value £1'2,4S0. The six-shift course is
mostly followed ; wedge-draining has been successfully
practised, and, with the liberal application of lime and
bone-dust manure, has greatly increased the worth of
the land. Most of the farms are inclosed with stone
fences, and the buildings are of a superior character.
The cattle are very numerous ; they are of the Angus-
shire polled breed, with a few of the Teeswater. In
this parish the only natural wood is on the banks of the
rivers; but 1*200 acres of plantations, consisting of
larch and Scotch fir, with sprinklings of oak, ash, beech,
and plane, have been formed within the last forty or
fifty years. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £3838. The village, situated near the church,
is in a ruinous state; but the houses are e.vpected shortly
to be rebuilt. The fuel generally in use is peat, obtained
from the mosses, which however are nearly exhausted :
coal is sometimes procured from Dundee, whither, as
well as to Forfar and Kirriemuir, the produce of the
district is for the most part sent for sale. Ecclesiasti-
cally the parish is in the presbytery of Meigle, synod of
Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage of the Earl of
Airlie. The minister's stipend is £159, of which more
than a third is received from the exchequer; with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £12 a year. Lintrathen
church is a plain structure that will hold 400 persons :
it was built in 1802, and repaired in 1829 ; but is incon-
veniently situated near the southern boundary of the
parish, eight miles and a half from the opposite ex-
tremity. The parochial school affords instruction in
the usual branches ; the master has a salary of £30,
with a house, and £26 fees.
LINWOOD, a village, and for a time a quoad sacra
parish, in the parish of Ki lb arch an. Upper ward of the
country of Rknfrew, 2^ miles (W.) from Paisley; con-
taining 1126 inhabitants. This village, which has arisen
entirely since the introduction of the cotton manufac-
ture, is situated on the lands of Blackstone, and con-
sists of numerous well-built houses and neat cottages
189
inhabited by persons employed in factories. The prin-
cipal factory, originally erected in 1/92, and burnt
down in 1802, was rebuilt by the present company in
1805. It has a central range I70 feet in length and
sixty-one high, with a west wing 100 feet long and forty-
one in height, and an cast wing eighty feet in length and
about thirty high. The machinery is propelled by two
water-wheels and a steam-engine, together of sixty-
eight horse power ; and the numlier of persons employed
is on the average 400. There is also a mill belonging
to Mr. Henderson, sixty-seven feet in length and forty-
four feet in breadth, in which are 4000 spindles, put in
motion by a steam engine of sixteen-horse power, and af-
fording occupation to about forty persons. A school has
been established by the proprietors of the works, who allow
the teacher a salary of £20, with a school-house ; his in-
come, with the fees, amounting to about £60.
LISMORE and APPIN, a parish, in the district of
Lorn, county of Argyll; containing, with the quoad
sacra parish of Duror, 4193 inhabitants, of whom 1399
are in Lismore and 1102 in Appin, the former 7 miles
(N. N. W.) and the latter 10 (N. by E.) from Oban.
The name of the first of these two places, in Gaelic
Lios-Mor, " a great garden", is generally considered as
having been applied to the locality from the unusual
richness of its soil, it being situated in a part of the
country which is of comparative sterility. The ety-
mology of Appin is altogether uncertain. Many think
it probable that it has been corrupted from the appella-
tion Abb-fhon, " abbot's land", as the upper parts of the
district anciently belonged to the parish of Elean-Munde,
so called from St. Munde, who was an abbot in Argyll
in the tenth century. Some are of opinion, however,
that the name of Appin is derived from the word Appe-
nine, as descriptive of the mountainous features of the
surface. Lismore and Appin were formerly called the
parish of Kil-Muluag, or Kil-Maluag, from a saint who
lived in the seventh, or, as some imagine, in the
twelfth, century, and whose remains were brought to
Lismore for interment. The spot, indeed, where the
debarkation took place is still shown, and is named Port-
Maluag. Lismore was once the seat of the bishopric of
the Isles, and afterwards formed the head of that of Ar-
gyll, this county being erected into a separate see upon
a petition presented to the pope by John the Enghshman,
Bishop of Dunkeld, on which occasion the new bishop
fixed his residence at Lismore, where the ruins of his
castle are yet to be seen. The humble cathedral now
forms the parish church.
This Highland parish is in the district of Upper
Lorn, and is of prodigious extent. It consists of the
island of Lismore, one of the Hebrides, situated in the
arm of the sea generally designated Loch Linnhe, but
sometimes Linnhe-Sheilich ; the tract of Kingerloch,
belonging to the old parish of Lismore, and on the
western side of the loch ; and the extensive tract called
Appin, stretching from the coast of Loch Linnhe on the
west to Perthshire on the north-east, and upon the north
having the waters of Loch Leven, by which it is separated
from Inverness-shire. Loch Creran forms the south-
eastern boundary of the parish : the Lynn of Lorn, an
arm of the sea three leagues wide, runs on the south ;
and on the west is the sound of Mull. Lismore is ten
miles long, and one mile and a half in average breadth,
comprising 96OO acres; while Kingerloch is sixteen miles
LI SM
LI SM
long and four broad, and includes 40,960 acres. The
length of Appin, from south-west to north-east, is about
forty-eight miles, and the medium breadth ten miles ;
the number of acres is computed at 307,-00, making the
aggregate number in the parish 357,760, of which 4000
are cultivated, the same number occupied by wood, and
the remainder pasture and waste. The parish com-
prehends, in the most attractive combinations, every
description of Highland scenery, consisting of lofty hills
and mountains ; romantic glens and valleys, enlivened
and ornamented with picturesque waters and cascades ;
and several fine fertile plains. The sea-coast embraces
altogether a line of about eighty miles. That of Appin
measures forty-six miles, from the extremity of Loch
Creran, on the east, to the head of Loch Leven on the
north, and is in general sandy, often bold and exceed-
ingly irregular, and marked with many curvatures and
indentations forming convenient bays and harbours.
From the port and village of Appin the line is tolerably
straight to Keill, or Cuil, where it makes a sudden
flexure to the west, constituting a fine expansive bay ;
it then winds, with considerable irregularity, round
towards the north of the district, and assumes a pretty
uniform appearance at Loch Leven. To the south of
the village of Appin, the indentations and harbours are
very numerous. At the mouth of Loch Creran is safe
anchorage for small craft ; westward is the well-shel-
tered bay of Airds, where shoals of herrings are some-
times taken ; and a few miles to the north is the sound
of Shuna, formed by the island of that name and the
main land of Appin, and affording ample security for
shipping in the most stormy weather. The bay of Cuil,
already referred to, is bounded by a semicircular line
measuring a mile between its extremities, and has a fine
sandy beach : large draughts of herrings that visit the
bay are often brought to shore. To the north of this
is the bay of Kentailen, a small creek well defended by
the adjacent heights, which are crowned with wood.
The Lismore coast, twenty-four miles in extent, is also
bold, and the water deep even at the shore, except
towards the north-east, where the island is low and
sandy. At the northern extremity of the isle, on the
west coast, is Port-Ramsa, a spacious harbour with good
anchorage, protected by several small islands ; and a
little to the south-west of this is Loch Oscar, or Oscar's
bay, so called, it is said, from the circumstance of a
party of Fingallans, who came hither to enjoy the plea-
sures of the chase, having anchored their vessel in the
bay. The landing-place is still called Portnamurlach,
or Port-na-rnor-laoch, " the landing-place of the great
heroes ;" and in the vicinity is an eminence, whence the
female part of the company beheld the sport, and which
is yet designated Druini-nam-Ban-Fionu, or "the ridge
of the Fingalian ladies." The bay affords a secure
retreat for large vessels, protected by several islands,
among which the chief is Elein-Loch-Oscair, or " island
of Oscar's bay ;" but it is of dangerous entrance on the
nortli. Several smaller harbours, coraprending prin-
ci[^lly Salen, Killcliiaran, and Aclinacroish, are only fit
for l)oats. The navigation is highly hazardous in some
parts, especially at the rock of Carraig, between the
southern end of Lismore and the island of Mull : here,
also, is a most violent current ; but a lighthouse erected
about 1833, on the little island of Musdale, has proved
of great service in preventing accidents. The Kinger-
190
loch district embraces a coast of sixteen miles, which is
sandy, often bold and rocky, and contains a harbour
called Gerloch, or Loch Chorey, the most spacious in
the whole parish, being a mile long and half a mile
broad ; it has good anchorage for vessels at all seasons.
Most kinds of fish common to the shores of the county
are caught off this parish, including cod, ling, haddock,
whiting, lythe, mackerel, and flounders, with consider-
able quantities of salmon and herrings ; they are all
taken principally for domestic use, except the salmon,
many of which are sent to the south. Oysters are found
in Loch Creran, and the usual sorts of shell-fish on every
part of the coast.
The loftiest elevations in the interior of the parish
are the mountains of Glencoe, celebrated by Ossian,
and in the neighbourhood of which the country is wild
in the extreme, and uninhabited, consisting for the most
part of hill, moss, moor, and glen. These sublime and
commanding masses, piled in immense bodies one upon
another, in some places attain 3000 feet above the level
of the sea. They are accessible only among their lower
portions, where tolerable pasture is afforded for sheep ;
the summits, which are the resort of eagles, have never
been explored by any human being. The heights rise
almost perpendicularly, and with surpassing grandeur,
on each side of the glen, the deep narrow gorge and
solitary recesses of which are seldom warmed by the
rays even of the summer's sun. The hills of Ballichti-
lish, a beautiful range covered with rich verdure nearly
to their summits, attain an elevation of about 2000 feet
above the sea, and, in a few scattered trees still remain-
ing, exhibit relics, and define the western boundary, of
the ancient Caledonian forest. The Kingerloch coast is
marked by hills of less height, but much more abrupt
and rocky, and broken by many ravines opening into
pleasing valleys, and by some caves of inferior extent.
Several recesses, also, of this description occur on the
Lismore coast. The chief rivers in the parish are the
Coe and the Creran : the former traverses Glencoe, and
joins Loch Leven at Invercoe ; while the latter, having
passed through Glencreran, and received the Ure and
other tributaries, empties itself into Loch Creran at its
head. Kingerloch contains the smaller stream of the
Coinich ; and the parish is also watered by the Duror,
the Laroch, and the Leven, all of which produce salmon
and good trout. Lismore abounds in springs of beauti-
ful water, which find reservoirs in the numerous fissures
and caverns penetrating the great bed of limestone rock
whereof the island consists. There are also several lochs
in Lismore, of moderate dimensions ; some of them con-
tain fine trout, and one is well stocked with eels.
The climate of the parish is exceedingly moist, the
sleet and rain that fall here being considerable ; but
the mildness of its temperature, and the genial nature
of the soil in some parts, especially in Lismore, which
is considered to a great extent a grain country, favour
the operations of husbandry ; and the crojjs, though
not large, arc in general excellent. Appin, compre-
hending the districts of Airds, Strath of Appm, Duror,
Glencreran, and (ilencoe, is almost entirely a pastoral
district ; but there are some flat grounds adjacent to
the sea-shore, on which the soil is generally light and
gravelly, producing good crops of potatoes, barley, and
oats. The farms and houses here, which have a very
interesting and picturesque appearance, are, however,
LI S M
LI SM
soon succeeded by grazing tracts, stretching far into
the more hilly country, where the soil is frequently
clayey and mossy. The sheep are mostly the native
black-faced ; but the Cheviots have been lately intro-
duced, some of which are crossed with Leicesters. A
large number are always kept, the average being about
25,000 ; and, like the cattle, which are chiefly the High-
land breed, they are of a very good description. Many
fine horses are kept, and Lismore is celebrated for its
beautiful grey and dappled breed. Several improve-
ments have been introduced on the estates of the chief
proprietors within these few years, principally consisting
of draining, inclosing, and the reclaiming of waste lands;
and the rotation system of crops is practised to a limited
extent. The arable land in Appin and Kingerloch is
always let with large uncultivated tracts, at one given
rate per acre ; in Lismore, some farms, to which there
is no hill pasture, pay about £1. 10. per acre. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is returned at
£15,708.
The substrata in Lismore are entirely limestone. In
Appin, among the varieties of rock, slate is prominent,
and is extensively wrought on the farm of Laroch, near
South Ballichulish, at the foot of Glencoe. At the
works there, which have been in operation for about
fifty years, a fine compact and durable material is raised,
suited in every respect for roofing ; of a deep-blue co-
lour ; and having pyrites, called " diamonds " by the
quarrymen, wrought completely into its texture. The
total number of people employed, with the carpenters,
blacksmiths, and others, is about 300; they mostly live
on the estate, in neat well-built tenements with a por-
tion of ground attached, and are in corai'ortable circum-
stances. From five to seven millions of slates are raised
yearly, and sent to numerous sea-ports in Scotland and
Northumberland, from a harbour almost close at hand,
where there is a large wharf, to which the cargoes are
conveyed by tramroads on an inclined plane from the
quarries. There is also lead in several places ; but the
attempt to work it has proved unsuccessful. The wood
growing in Lismore consists of the hard species, com-
prising plane, beech, and ash : that district is said to have
been at one time covered by a large deer-forest. The trees
usually grow in clusters, and, being interspersed about
the island, supply an agreeable relief to the uniformity
of its scenery arising from the continuous verdant and
arable tracts. The wood in Appin is partly natural and
partly planted : among the former are oak, ash, birch,
and hazel ; and the latter comprises plane, beech, ash,
elm, and several kinds of fir, the whole interspersed with
beautiful hollies of rich green hue. The sea-shore of
Appin, and the lands immediately stretching from it,
are favourite localities for gentlemen's seats. Elegant
and pleasing mansions, mostly of modern erection, em-
bosomed in well- wooded valleys, and enlivened by neigh-
bouring rivulets and cascades, rise in various directions,
backed by lofty mountains and commanding in front
fine sea views. The chief are Kinlochlaich, Appin House,
Airds, Achnacone, Ardsheal, Ballichulish, Fasnacloich,
and Minefield.
The villages in the island are Clachan and Port-
Ramsa, the latter of which, a fishing-village, has a good
harbour ; those in Appin are Laroch, Port-Appin, Tay-
ribbi, and Portnacroish. The whole of them are small,
with the exception of Laroch, where the population,
191
consisting to a great extent of people engaged in the
slate-mines, amounts to about 500, and is gradually
increasing. A post-office is established at Appin, commu-
nicating daily with Inverary ; and a sub-office at Lismore
communicates twice a week with Appin. A sub-office,
also, at Kingerloch, communicates twice a week with
Strontian. The Kingerloch district is destitute of roads ;
those in Lismore are in tolerable order, but far inferior
to the roads in Appin. Much traffic is carried on in
pigs, poultry, and eggs, which were formerly sold at the
market-town of Oban, distant ten miles by land from
Appin, and seven by sea from Lismore. This description
of produce, however, is now chiefly sent to Glasgow by
steam-vessels, which pass on their way from Inverness,
and touch here twice a week in summer, and once in
winter. The sheep and cattle are disposed of principally
to drovers. A fair is held at Duror, in Appin, in the
month of April, and another in October; and cattle-
markets for receiving the stock from the various dis-
tricts, are held at the periods when the drovers are
passing through to the south-country markets. A fair of
minor importance, and only for local purposes, is held at
Lismore in October.
This parish is ecclesiastically in the presbytery
of Lorn, synod of Argyll, and in the patronage of the
Duke of Argyll. The minister's stipend is £'213, with a
manse, and a glebe of ten acres, valued at £17. 10. per
annum. There are two parochial churches. That at
Lismore, situated on the Appin side of the island, was
formerly the cathedral of the diocese, but presents no
features either of grandeur or of beauty. It is less than
sixty feet in length by thirty in breadth ; there are no
aisles, and it seems to have had neither transepts nor
nave. It was newly roofed in 1749, and accommodates
540 persons with sittings. Appin church, containing
350 sittings, was built in 1749, and enlarged in 1814;
it is conveniently situated in the Strath district, in
the midst of the incumbent's charge. There is also a
quoad sacra church at Duror, about nine miles from the
parish church of Appin, and to which the districts of
Duror and Glencoe are attached. Two missionaries,
surported by the Royal Bounty, officiate in Kingerloch,
Glencoe, and Glencreran : but these places are only the
parts of their charge belonging to this parish, their ser-
vices being shared with other parishes adjacent. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship in
Glencoe. An episcopal chapel is maintained in Glencoe,
and another at Portnacroish in Strath of Appin ; they
were till lately served by the same clergymen, who offi-
ciated alternately. A Roman Catholic chapel is situated
near the slate-quarry at South Ballichulish ; and there
was formerly a Roman Catholic seminary in Lismore,
instituted in 1801, but removed from the island in 1831.
Of the six parochial schools, two are in Lismore, and
four in Appin ; three of the latter, situated respectively
at Glencreran, Glencoe, and Duror, sprang from the
chief school in Appin. Gaelic and English reading, and
the usual elementary branches, are taught in all these
schools, and Latin and mathematics in some of the
schools if required. The master of the principal school
in Lismore has a salary of £17, a sum of £10 from
Queen Anne's mortification, and about £10 fees ; the
master of the second school receives £19 per annum,
and £12 fees. The master of the chief school in Appin
has a salary of £20, with £10 from Queen Anne's mor-
L I V I
LOAN
tification, and about £10 fees; and the three other masters
respectively £6, with £5 fees ; £18, with £8 fees ; and £8,
with £6 fees.
In this parish the relics of antiquity comprise the
remains of numerous castles, the chief of which is that
of Elein-an-Stalcaire, or " the island of the falconer,"
built by Duncan Stewart of Appin, who was constituted
its hereditary keeper, for the accommodation of King
James IV. when hunting. It is situated on a rock, in
the sound separating Lismore from Appin ; and was
new-roofed and floored in 1631. Castle-Coeffin, in Lis-
more, also a very ancient structure, covered with ivy, is
said to have been erected by a Danish prince after
whom the castle is named. Nearly opposite, on the
Kingerloch coast, is Castle-Mearnaig, sometimes called
the Castle of Glensanda, standing on a rock, and cele-
brated for its fine echo. There are also the castle of
Shuna, and those of Tirefoor and Achinduin in Lismore,
at the last of which the bishop of Argyll occasionally
resided. The other antiquities consist of obelisks, cairns,
tumuli, and the remains of religious houses, none of them
of much note. — See Glencoe, and Duror.
LITTLE COLONSAY.— See Colonsay, Little.
And all places having a similar distinguishing prefix, will
be found under the proper name.
LITTLE-MILL, a village, in the parish of Old Kil-
PATRiCK, county of Dumbarton; containing 136 inha-
bitants. This village is situated on the north bank of
the river Clyde. Messrs. Mills and Wood had a consi-
derable yard here for ship-building ; it was opened by
them in the spring of 1834, and they built in it several
steamers of the larger size : no trace of it is now to be
seen. About 50,000 gallons of whisky are annually pro-
duced in a distillery here. There is a small school.
LIVINGSTONE, a parish, in the county of Linlith-
gow ; containing, with part of the village of Blackburn,
about 1000 inhabitants, of whom about 140 are in the
village of Livingstone, 9,^ miles (\V. by S.) from Mid
Calder. This place derived its name from a personage
of consequence in early times, called Levin ; and the old
charter name of the parish was villa Levini (Levinstun).
Livingstone Peel, in the time of David I., was the baro-
nial residence of the family of Livingstone, whose de-
scendants were elevated to the peerage by the title of
Barons Livingstone, and of whom Alexander, the seventh
baron, was by James VI. in the year 1600 created Earl
of Linlithgow. This title, however, became extinct on
the attainder of James, the fourth earl, for his partici-
pation in the rebellion of 1715. Of the ancient castle
there were some remains till the middle of the last
century, consisting chiefly of the fosse and rampart ;
but they have entirely disappeared ; and the more mo-
dern mansion of the Livingstone family was taken down
by the present ])roi)riet()r, the I'^.arl of Rosebery, soon
after he purchased the lands. About half a mile north-
eastward of the castle, was once a building said to have
been a hunting-lodge of the kings of Scotland during
their residence in the palace of Linlithgow, and of which
the fragment of a square tower was remaining within
the last forty or fifty years.
The I'AUisH was formerly of much greater e,\tent than
at present, as it included the parish of Wliitl)urn, which
was separated from it in 1/30. It is now about seven
miles in extreme length from north-east to south-west,
and something less than one mile and a half in breadth,
192
comprising an area of 5800 acres, of which, with the ex-
ception of nearly 300 acres of woodland and plantations
and 200 acres of moss, the whole is arable and pasture.
The surface, though boldly undulated, scarcely rises into
hills of any striking height, except in the north-eastern
extremity, where the Dechmont-law, or Knightsridge hill,
attains an elevation of 686 feet above the level of the sea,
commanding an extensive and richly-diversified prospect.
The lower grounds are watered by the river Almond,
which in its course through the parish is but a moderate
stream turning some mills, though, when flooded, it fre-
quently bursts its banks, and expands into considerable
breadth. In general the soil is clay, much improved by
draining and manure ; the crops are favourable, and the
lands not under the plough afford good pasturage for
cattle, of the Ayrshire and Teeswater breeds, with occa-
sional crosses. The lands are well inclosed, and all the
more recent improvements in husbandry have been
adopted. The plantations consist of spruce, larch, and
Scotch fir, with an intermixture of the hard-woods : they
are well managed, especially those on the lands of the
Earl of Rosebery, the yearly thinnings of which are con-
siderable. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish is £4556. Limestone, coal, and whinstone are the
principal substrata ; but they have not been wrought to
advantage. Compact basalt is found near the base of
Dechmont-law ; and still nearer the base, on the eastern
side, is fine blue shale : the summit is greenstone. There
are several quarries of whinstone and sandstone ; and
near the village of Blackburn is a quarry of lakestone,
producing excellent stone for laying ovens ; it is regu-
larly wrought, and stones are sent from >t to all parts
of the country. Excellent clay for tiles is found at City,
and wrought to a considerable extent.
Blackburn House is a handsome mansion, pleasantly
situated in grounds embellished with thriving plantations.
The village of Livingstone has a public library containing
about 300 volumes, supported by subscription : at the
village of Blackburn, which is described under its own
head, the cotton manufacture is carried on to a consi-
derable extent. Facility of intercourse with the adjacent
district is maintained by good roads. Ecclesiastically
the parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Lin-
lithgow, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The minis-
ter's stipend is £188. 12., with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £18 per annum ; patron, the Earl of Rosebery.
Livingstone church, rebuilt in 1*32, and recently repaired,
is a neat structure containing 263 sittings. There are
also places of worship for members of the Free Church
and Independents. The parorhial school, a handsome edi-
fice built in 1844, is attended by about seventy children ;
the master has a salary of £34, w ith a commodious house
and garden, and the fees amount to tibout £35. There is
also a school at Blackburn, supported by subscription.
LOANIIEAD, a village, in the parish of Lasswade,
county of Edinburgh, 1^^ mile (W. by S.) from Lass-
wade ; containing 810 inhabitants. This is a rural and
pleasant village, situated a little east of the high road
from Liberton to Penicuick. Loanhead is a favourite
retreat in summer for families from the larger and more
busy towns around, particularly lOdinburgh, from which
city it is distant between four and five miles. It contains
a number of good houses and several handsome villas ;
and possesses the advantage, not usual in such small
places, of an excellent 6Ui)ply of water, brought in pipes.
LOCH
LOCH
In the neighbourhood are collieries, considerable paper-
mills, and a brewery ; employing a large part of the po-
pulation. Tliere is a Cameronian meeting-house ; and
the visiters have the benefit of a subscription library.
LOANHEAD, a village, iu the parish of Denny,
county of Stirling, If mile (S. S. W.) from the village
of Denny ; containing 74 inhabitants. This village is
situated iu the eastern portion of the parish, upon a
stream that flows into the river Bonny. It is chiefly
inhabited by persons employed in the collieries and in
the various manufactories in the neighbourhood. There
is a place of worship for members of the United Presby-
terian Church ; and a library, containing 500 volumes,
is supported.
LOANS, a village, in the former quoad sacra parish
of Troon, parish of Dundonald, district of Kyle,
county of Ayr, 71 miles (S. W. by W.) from Kilmarnock ;
containing ^OS inhabitants. This village is situated on
the turnpike-road from Ayr to Irvine, and is inhabited
chiefly by persons employed in the works in the imme-
diate vicinity,
LOCHALSH, a parish, in the county of Ross and
Cromarty, 9 miles (W. N. VV.) from Kintail; contain-
ing, with the village and former quoad sacra parish of
Plockton, asg? inhabitants. This parish, of which the
name is said to be of Danish origin, and of which little
of the early history is known, is situated at the south-
western extremity of the county, and is bounded on the
north by Loch Carron, and on the south by Loch Alsh.
It is skirted on the east by a lofty range of hills, and on
the west by the Atlantic Ocean and the narrow channel
which separates the Isle of Skye from the main land.
Lochalsh parish is about twenty-eight miles in extreme
length, and eight miles in average breadth ; and more
than one half of it is uninhabited. The surface is hilly
and mountainous ; but the hills are less rugged than in
the more northern districts, and of many of the smaller
hills, the lower acclivities are susceptible of cultivation,
and the summits clothed with a thin moss affording
tolerable pasture. About 1500 acres arc arable, 3000
meadow and green pasture, 2500 woodland, 800 moss,
and about 45,000 acres hill pasture, moorland, and
waste. The moors abound with grouse and other species
of game ; red-deer frequent the higher hills, and the hills
near the coast are visited by aquatic fowl of every va-
riety, in great numbers.
In the hollows between the hills, and on some of the
acclivities, the soil is tolerably fertile, producing favour-
able crops of oats, barley, and potatoes, of which last
great quantities are raised ; and within the last few years
the system of husbandry has made considerable progress.
Numbers of black-cattle and sheep are reared in the pas-
tures, and much attention is paid to the improvement of
the breed ; the dairies, also, are under good management,
the butter made here obtaining a decided preference in
the market. The cattle and sheep are sold to dealers,
who purchase them for the southern markets. During
the intervals of their agricultural pursuits, the inhabit-
ants are engaged in the fisheries, on the produce of which
they depend for a considerable portion of their subsist-
ence. The fish chiefly taken here are herrings and sythe
or cole-fish, which are found in great quantities in the
lochs ; and ling, cod, and skate are occasionally obtained
off the coast. The parish contains extensive remains of
natural wood ; and the plantations, which consist of firs.
Vol. II.— 193
interspersed with other kinds of trees, are generally in
a thriving state. There are neither mines nor quarries
of any kind in operation. Fairs, chieliy for black-cattle
and horses, are held in May, September, and November.
The only village is Plockton, which is described under its
own head. Ecclesiastically the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Lochcarron and synod of
Glenelg : the minister's stipend is £160. 17. 10., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £48 per annum ; patron,
the Crown. Lochalsh church, erected in 1810, is a neat
plain structure containing 650 sittings. A church was
built at Plockton by parliamentary grant in 1827, to
which a quoad sacra district was afterwards for a time
annexed. The parochial school is well attended ; the
master has a salary of £25. 13. 6., with a house, and an
allowance of £1. 7- 8. in lieu of garden, and the fees ave-
rage about £25 per annum.
LOCHANS, a village, in the parish of Inch, county
of Wigtown, 2^ miles (S. S. E.) from Stranraer; con-
taining 103 inhabitants. It lies in the southern extre-
mity of the parish, and is a very small village, of which
the population is agricultural.
LOCHARBRIGGS, a village, in the Old Church
parish of Dumfries, county of Dumfries, 3^ miles
(N. N. E.) from the town of Dumfries; containing 213
inhabitants. This place is situated in the extreme north
of the parish, and on the river Lochar, from which, and
from a bridge across that stream, it has its name. In
the vicinity is a quarry. From Locharbriggs to the sea
the distance is about ten miles.
LOCHBROOM, a parish, in the county of Ross and
Cromarty, 45 miles (N. W. by W.) from Dingwall ;
containing, with the former quoad sacra parish of Ulla-
pool, 4799 inhabitants. This place derives its name
from two considerable inlets, by which it is intersected
for some miles towards the east, and of which the larger
is situated in the north, and the smaller, or Little Loch
Broom, in the southern portion of the parish. It is
bounded on the west by the channel of the Minch, sepa-
rating it from the island of Lewis. The parish is from
forty to fifty miles in length, and from twenty to thirty
miles in extreme breadth ; but owing to the numerous
indentations of its coast, and the irregularity of the sur-
face, its extent has not been correctly ascertained. It is
divided into a number of promontories by lochs or inlets
from the sea, and in the interior the surface rises into
mountainous heights of considerable elevation, between
which are some rich and fertile valleys. The principal
mountains are, Stac, Cumhill-Mhor, and Big Rock, to
the north ; Ben-Deirg to the east ; Fannich in the south-
east ; and those of Strath-na-Sealg on the south-west.
Among the chief valleys are Strathceannard and Rhi-
dorch, in the barony of Coigach, the former watered by
the river Ceannard, and the latter by the small river
Ceannchruinn, which issues from the inland Loch Achall,
and runs into the bay of Ullapool. The larger and
smaller valleys of Loctibroom are watered respectively
by the rapid river Broom and the Little Broom, which
receive in their course various mountain streams. The
valley of the Laigh is watered by the Meikle, which issues
from Loch-na-Sealg, and by the small river Greenyard,
which forms part of the southern boundary of the parish.
All these streams abound with salmon, grilse, trout, and
other kinds of fish. The chief inland lakes are, Loch
Achall, beautifully situated in a richly-wooded vale ; and
2C
LOCH
LOCH
Loch-na-Sealg, a fine sheet of water more than seven
miles in length and a mile hroad, whose shores are
marked with features of picturesque character. The
coast is bold and precipitously rocky, rising into pro-
montories of considerable elevation ; the most conspi-
cuous are those of Mhor, Riff, Dunan, Duard, Ardcha-
duill, Handerick, and Stadaig. Off the coast are several
islands: the principal are, Tanara containing ninety-nine,
Martin forty-five, and Ristal nineteen, inhabitants ; and
the Summer islands, which, though uninhabited, afford
excellent facilities for wintering young cattle.
The SOIL in the valleys is generally fertile ; but, ex-
cept on the lands of Dundonnell, which have been greatly
improved during the present century by their proprietors,
little progress has been made in husbandry. Only a
comparatively small portion of the land is under culti-
vation, and the quantity of grain raised in the parish is
far from being adequate to the supply of the inhabitants.
The principal attention is devoted to cattle and sheep,
for which the hills afford good pasture, and of which
some thousands are annually reared. The cattle are of
the West Highland breed, and are of small stature ; the
sheep, originally of the native breed, were fifty years
since superseded by the black-faced, and these are in
their turn giving way to the introduction of the Cheviot
breed. But comparatively small remains exist of the
ancient woods with which the parish abounded. There
are plantations on the demesne of Dundonnell and a few
other spots, consisting of some fine specimens of oak,
ash, birch, geen, mountain-ash, and bird-cherry, with
thriving plantations of fir. The principal substrata are
old red sandstone, quartz, and gneiss, with veins of
granite : limestone is also found, but from the difficulties
of the ground and the scarcity of fuel, it is little used.
Dundonnell, the seat of Hugh Mc Kenzie, Esq., of
Ardross, is a handsome mansion, beautifully situated
near the romantic glen of Strathbeg, in grounds taste-
fully laid out in shrubberies and plantations by the late
proprietor. The only village is Ullapool, which is de-
scribed under its own head. There are various fishing
stations ; and during the season large shoals of herrings
frequent the bay of Loch Broom, and other bays in the
parish. The herrings are partly sent to Dingwall, but
great numbers are sold for curing to the agent of Mr.
Methuen, who is stationed at the isle of Ristal. Numer-
ous boats are engaged in this fishery, and find good
anchorage in the several bays, of which that of Loch
Broom affords safe shelter for vessels of the largest
burthen : at the isle of Tanara, also, is an excellent
harbour. Facility of communication is afforded by a
road from Dingwall to Ullapool, which passes through
the valley of Loch Broom ; but it is not at present in
good repair.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Lochcarron and synod of
Glenelg. The minister's stipend is £298. 10. 9-, with a
manse and glebe ; patron, the Marchioness of Stafford.
The church, situated at the head of Loch Broom, was
built in 1844-5 ; it is a neat structure containing from
700 to 800 sittings. A church ha.s been erected by
jjarliamcntary grant in the village of Ullapool, and the
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
The parochial school is well conducted, and affords in-
struction to about fifty children both in (iaelic and
English ; the master has a salary of £34, with a house
194
and garden, and the fees average £6 per annum. There
are also two schools supported by the General Assembly ;
four by the Gaelic Society of Edinburgh, who allow the
masters a salary of £20 each ; and a female school ;
together affording instruction to about .500 children.
Norman Mc Leod and Murdoch Mc Leod, both High-
land poets of some eminence, were natives of this parish.
The Rev. James Robertson, minister of Lochbroom in
1/45, a man of gigantic strength, and remarkable for his
stedfast loyalty, obtained, by his intercession with the
government, the pardon of several of his parishioners
who had taken part in the rebellion of that time.
LOCHCARRON, a parish, in the county of Ross
and Cromarty, 19 miles (N. by W.) from Glenshiel ;
containing, with the village of Janetown, I960 inhabit-
ants. This parish derives its name from an estuary in
its vicinity, called Loch Carron, which is so named from
the winding river Carron falling into it, the word in the
Gaelic language signifying "a winding stream". In
ancient times this place was the scene of dreadful con-
flicts among the neighbouring clans, and was successively
in the possession of various distinguished chiefs : the
famous Mac Donalds of Glengarry occupied the western
part, in the vicinity of Strome, but were expelled, after
several bloody feuds, by Lord Seaforth of Kiutail, who
seized upon the castle of Strome in the year 1609. So
late as the middle of the last century the people were in
a state of the greatest ignorance ; but their moral and
social condition has since been greatly meliorated by
education, and the labours of their religious teachers.
The PARISH is twenty-five miles in length, and varies in
breadth from six to ten miles. Its surface is diversified
by hill and dale, mountain and valley ; and the lower
grounds are watered by numerous rivulets and streams.
The climate is very rainy, on account of the mountainous
character of the country, and its proximity to the sea;
the parish is, however, remarkably pleasant in fine
weather, and abounds in attractive scenery. On the
eastern side is a beautiful glen, encompassed by irregular
hills, and gradually expanding into extensive tracts of
heath ; and the Carron, running through this valley,
with its silvery stream and verdant banks greatly en-
riches the interesting prospect. At a small distance,
from a lofty hill thickly wooded with ash, birch, and
alder, are seen Loch Dowal with its three islands, and, a
little further on. Loch Carron, resembling in the per-
spective a fresh-water lake. The finest view, however,
of Loch Carron, and of the wide range of neighbouring
scenery, is from an elevation in Lochalsh, above Strome
ferry, whence, towards the north-east, the waters of the
loch expand into a sheet apparently about twenty miles
in circumference, and deriving a peculiar interest and
beauty from the number of lofty hills by which it is
surrounded.
There are many varieties of soil, and the land is
divided between two j)roprictors. The number of acres
cultivated, or occasionally in tillage, is 1238 ; 1.500 acres
are occupied by wood, and it is said that about 200
might be |)rofitably added to the cultivated land in the
parish. The total yearly value of produce is about
£10,090, of which £1620 are derived from grain, £203.5
from potatoes and turnips, £2/50 pasture, £585 hay,
£3000 fisheries, and £100 incidentals. Considerable
ini|)rovemcnts liave been made in agriculture, encouraged
by the lengthening of the leases ; but the land is, per-
LOCH
LOCH
haps, let at too high a rate generally to allow of ex-
tensive changes on the part of the tenant. The prevail-
ing character of the strata is gneiss, intermixed with
quartz, red sandstone, and limestone, the last of which
is plentiful at Kishorn, and is used principally for agri-
cultural purposes. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £'2889. Janctown village is nearly a mile
in length, and has latterly become a thriving place,
having a population exceeding .500 : the hamlet of Strome
is also in the parish. The houses of the poor, though
built of stone and lime, are of an inferior description ;
they are covered with turf and heather, have mud tloors,
are without chimneys, and consist frequently of but one
apartment with a temporary partition, in which are con-
tained, also, the cattle belonging to the family. The
people living on the coast, who are employed in the
fisheries, and in husbandry only in part, are in a some-
what better condition than their inland neighbours,
whose circumstances are far from comfortable. The fuel
in use is dried moss, which is obtained without expense.
The roads are in good order ; and there is a regular
communication by carriers with Inverness, whence sup-
plies.are obtained for domestic consumption. In Jane-
town IS a post-office, where the mail arrives three times
a week ; and conveyances of all kinds visit the parish :
there is one annual fair, held at New Kelso on the first
Monday in June. A herring-fishery connected with the
parish employs many hands ; and the salmon and sea-
trout which in June, July, and August may be obtained
in the river Carron in large numbers, return a consider-
able sum to the fishermen. Ecclesiastically Lochcarron
is in the presbytery of Lochcarron, synod of Glenelg ;
and the patronage is vested in the Crown. The stipend
of the minister is £158, of which nearly a third is paid
from the exchequer ; and there are a manse, and a glebe
of seven arable acres valued at £7 a year, with pasturage
for six cows and 150 sheep. The church is a plain but
substantial building, erected in 1836, and capable of
accommodating between 700 and 800 persons. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
There is a parochial school, in which the classics and
all the ordinary branches of education are taught ; the
salary is £34. 4., with about £12 fees. A few chalybeate
springs are to be found. The only relic of antiquity of
any note is the ruin of Strome Castle.
LOCHEARNHEAD, a village, in the parish of Bal-
aUHiDDER, county of Perth, 3^ miles (N. E. by E.)
from the village of Balquhidder ; contaming 46 inhabit-
ants. This place stands at the western extremity of
Loch Earn, on the great military road from Stirling to
Fort-William ; and is a beautiful little village, having a
well-known inn, and a post-office ; but deriving its chief
interest and attraction from its situation at the head of
the loch from which it has its name. The loch is one
of the most delightful of the many lakes in Perthshire,
and has justly been described as a miniature and model
of the most splendid and varied scenery. It is in length
about nine miles, and in breadth one ; its depth is said
to be about 100 fathoms, a circumstance to which is at-
tributed its never freezing. The banks on both sides
are clothed in luxuriant verdure ; and the mountains
that surround it rise in majestic simplicity to an immense
height, terminating in bold and rocky outlines, and
having their sides diversified with precipices, and deep
hollows and ravines. Wild woods ascend in many places
195
along the surface of these heights ; and innumerable
torrents jjour from above, and, as they descend become
shrouded in trees, until they lose themselves in the waters
of the lake. On the south is 15en-Voirlich, or " the
Great Mountain of the Loch ", which attains an altitude
of 3300 feet, and from whose summit is a magnificent
prospect over the south of Scotland, stretching to the
eastern and western seas, and to the mountains on the
English borders. In the vicinity of the village, the
beauty and grandeur of the scenery seem condensed and
combined. On the north side of the lake is the modern
village of St. Fillan's ; and in the eastern extremity of
it, is a small but charming island, said to be artificial, and
which was once the rendezvous of desperate banditti,
who were surprised one night by the clan Macnab,
whom they had plundered of provisions, and all put to
the sword. At Lochearnhead is a place of worship for
members of the Free Church.
LOCHEE, a manufacturing village, and for a time a
quoad sacra parish, partly in the parish of Dundee, and
partly in the parish of Liff and Benvie, county of
Forfar, l^; mile (N. VV. by W.) from Dundee ; con-
taining 3693 inhabitants, of whom 2439 are in the parish
of Liff and Benvie. This village, which forms a popu-
lous suburb of the town of Dundee, is pleasantly situ-
ated on the turnpike-road to Newtyle. It is neatly built,
and principally inhabited by persons engaged in the
manufacture of the coarser kinds of linen-cloth, chiefly
for exportation. The weaving of these goods is carried
on to a very great extent, affording employment to nearly
2000 people ; and many of the inhabitants are occupied
in the spinning of flax, for which three mills have been
erected in the village within the last few years. In con-
nexion with these works is an extensive establishment
at Bullion, near Invergowrie, for bleaching and dyeing
yarn and cloth, and in which are a water-wheel of four-
teen, and a steam-engine of six, horse power. A post-
office under that of Dundee has been established in the
village ; and facility of communication with Dundee and
the principal towns in the district is maintained by good
roads. Lochee was separated, for ecclesiastical purposes
only, under act of the General Assembly in 1834, and
the parish thus formed was nearly two miles in length
and a mile and a half in breadth. The church, originally
erected as a chapel of ease, in 1829, at a cost of £2000,
raised by subscription of the inhabitants, is a neat
structure containing 1144 sittings, of which 100 are
free. The minister is appointed by the male commu-
nicants, and derives a stipend of £155 from the seat-
rents and collections. There are places of worship for
members of the Free Church and the United Presby-
terian Church. A parochial school was erected in 1837,
at an expense of £300, a portion of which was granted
by government, and the remainder raised by subscrip-
tion : it is partly supported by the Education Committee
of the General Assembly, who pay a salary of £12. 10.
to the master ; and partly by the fees.
LOCHFOOT, a village, in the parish of Lochrut-
TON, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 5 miles (W. by S.)
from Dumfries; containing 130 inhabitants. This place
has its name from its situation at the foot of Loch Rut-
ton. It is of very small extent, and chiefly inhabited
by persons of the agricultural class, whose number has
lately increased owing to the system of feuing. This is
the only village in the parish.
2 C 2
LOCH
LOCH
LOCHGELLY, a village, ia the parish of Auchter-
DERRAN, district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife, ■a^
miles (E. N. E.) from Beath ; containing 612 inhabit-
ants. This village is pleasantly situated iu the south-
west part of the parish, and near the loch from which
it takes its name ; the high grounds have an elevation
of more than 300 feet above the level of the sea, and are
cultivated to the very summit. A subscription library
is supported, and a savings' bank has been long esta-
blished here. Some of the inhabitants are employed in
the neighbouring collieries on the lands of Lord Minto,
and in quarries ; there are also some tile-works. The road
from Beath to Auchterderran passes close by the village,
and the Dunfermline branch of the Edinburgh, Perth,
and Dundee railway affords great facilities of communi-
cation. There is a place of worship for members of the
United Presbyterian Church ; also two schools attended
by about seventy children each, and the masters of
which are exclusively supported by the fees. NearLoch-
gelly was born Dr. James Brown, at one time professor
of natural philosophy in the university of Glasgow, who
died at Edinburgh in 1S3S : among the distinguished
persons who cultivated his acquaintance were Thomas
Brown, John Leyden, Dr. Chalmers, James Ivory, and
Henry Brougham. — See Auchterderran.
LOCHGILPHE.\D, a quoad sacra parish, partly in
the parish of South Knapdale, but chiefly iu that of
Kilmichael-Glassary, district and county of Argyll,
^4 miles (S. \V.) from Inverary ; containing 2*48 inha-
bitants, of whom 20*2 are in Kilmichael-Glassary. The
town of Lochgilphead derives its name from its situation
at the head of Loch Gilp, a branch of Loch Fine ; and
at the end of the eighteenth century comprised only a
few fishermen's huts, since which time it has rapidly
increased in extent and importance. It now consists of
several well-formed streets of substantial houses, of
handsome appearance ; and is paved. The scenery is
richly diver«^ified, and abounds with interesting and ro-
mantic features, including some good seats, the demesnes
of which are tastefully laid out, and embellished with
plantations. Its fine scenery, central position, and ready
communication with all parts, render Lochgilphead daily
more and more a place of resort. The inhabitants are
principally employed in the herring-fishery, which is
carried on to a very consideral)le extent ; cod, ling, and
other white-fish are also taken here in abundance.
About forty boats are engaged in the herring- fishery,
each having a crew of three men ; and more than 100
persons are occupied in preparing, curing, and packing :
the herring-fishery commences in June, and continues
till December. Lochgilphead harbour affords good an-
chorage, but little shelter from the south winds ; and
the small bays of Silvercraigs give protection to the boats
employed in the fishery. The princi|)al port, however, is
Ardris/aig, in the parish of South Knapdale, about two
^iiiiles to the soutii of Lochgilphead, at the extremity of
the Crinan canal, and where an excellent pier has been
constructed, on which is a lighthouse. The canal affords
a direct communication between Loch Fine and the
Western Ocean, avoiding the circuitous and dangerous
navigation round the Mull of Cantyre. This important
work was commenced in 1793, and completed in 1801,
at a tost of £180,000 ; it is nine miles in length, and
ten feet in depth, admitting vessels of iCO tons' liurtlien,
and has thirteen locks varying from ninety-six to 108
196
feet in length, and from twenty-four to twenty-seven in
breadth. The revenue of the canal, however, is scarcely
sufficient to defray the cost of maintaining it.
From its situation on the high road from Inverary to
Campbelltown, the town derives a considerable degree
of inland trade ; and a distillery has been established,
in which on an average * 6,000 gallons of whisky are
produced yearly» Here are likevvise a rope- work and a
gas-work. In front of the principal street, an area has
been inclosed for the cattle-markets and fairs that are
held annually in the village, and for the prize-shows for
cattle and sheep and the most approved specimens of
husbandry, which take place towards the end of Septem-
ber. There are branches of the Union Bank of Scot-
land and Western Bank of Scotland, a prison and court-
house, and other public buildings. The post-office has
a daily delivery from Inverary, Glasgow, and Campbell-
town, and a delivery three times a week from Kilraartin.
Facility of communication is maintained by good roads
and bridges, kept in excellent repair, and by the steamers
that frequent Loch Fine and the canal. The parish of
Lochgilphead is about five miles in length and three
miles in breadth, comprising an area of 9500 acres, of
which the far greater portion is hilly moorland, afford-
ing only pasturage for sheep and cattle. Its internal
economy is in every respect similar to that of the parish
of Kilmichael-Glassary. The principal mansions are,
A'chindarroch, a modern residence beautifully situated h^
on an eminence overlooking the Crinan canal ; Kilmory
House ; and Achnaba. The church, built at a cost of
£750, by parliamentary grant, in 1828, and enlarged by
the addition of galleries in 1834, is a neat plain structure
containing 506 sittings. The minister has a stipend of
£120, paid from the exchequer, with a manse, and a
small glebe ; patron, the Crown. There are places of
worship for members of the Free Church and others, a
female school under the patronage of the Orde family,
and other schools. — See Ardrissaig.
LOCHGOILHEAD and KILMORICH, a parish, in
the district of Cowal, county of Argyll, IO5 miles
(S. E. by E.) from Inverary ; containing 1018 inhabitants,
of whom 445 are in Kilmorich. This place, whose ori-
ginal name of Kil-nam-Bruthairank'tll, signifying in the
Gaelic language "the church of the brotherhood", was
probably taken from some religious establishment here
of which there are no authentic records, derives its pre-
sent appellation of Lochgoilhead from the position of its
church at the head of Loch Goil. The parish anciently
included not only Kilmorich, which is still comprised in
it, but also the greater portion of the parish of Kilma-
glass, now Strachur ; and prior to the Reformation it
was an archdeanery, the revenues of which were very
considerable. It is bounded on the cast by Loch Long,
and on the west by Loch Fine, and is about thirty-five
miles in length, varying from six to twenty miles in
breadth, and comprising a vast tract of which the exact
extent has not been ascertained, but of which it is cer-
tain that little more than the fiftieth part is arable.
The surface is boldly diversified with hills or mountains
of various elevation, forming the western extremity of
the Grampian range. These mountains, the height of
which has not been precisely comi)uted, tho\igh few are
sup]iosed to be less, and some are prol)ably more, than
2000 feet, are interspersed with rugged rocks and lofty
precipices of dreary aspect; but as they have been
LOCH
LOCH
grazed by sheep, some of them are clothed with verdure
almost to their summit. The rocks are perforated with
numerous natural caverns of singular appearance, in one
of which a laird of Ardkingjass, who had been defeated
by a powerful neighbour, concealed himself with some
of his followers for a whole year, during which time he
was supplied with provisions by his vassals. Among
the hills are some small valleys under cultivation ; and
along the coasts are also tracts of arable land, where the
soil is tolerably fertile. There are two inland lakes con-
taining trout of excellent flavour; in the rivers Goil,
Fine, and Long, also, are found trout of various kinds,
and, near the coast, sea-trout and salmon. The three
lochs contain fish of different descriptions, of which the
most common are haddock, whiting, cod of small size,
and, during the season, herrings. The herring-fishery
is the only fishery of any importance.
In the hills the soil is generally hght and thin ; in
the high glens, wet and spongy ; and in some other
parts, a deep moss. The crops are oats, bear, and pota-
toes ; but the parish is principally adapted to the pas-
ture of sheep and black-cattle, particularly the former,
which are of the black-faced breed. The black-cattle
are the Argyllshire ; but, from the mountainous charac-
ter of the country, only a few are reared : they are usually
disposed of when three or four years old. The greater
part of the wool is sent to the Liverpool market. The
district appears to have formerly abounded with wood,
and in the mosses are found numerous trunks of trees
of various kinds : the remainder of the woods that flou-
rished here consist chiefly of ash, alder, hazel, birch, and
oak, and are preserved with due care and attention. The
plantations, which on the lands of Ardkinglass are ex-
tensive, are principally elm, beech, plane, lime, larch, and
Scotch and silver firs. Limestone is obtained, but, from
the scarcity of fuel for burning it, is little used ; it is
found more advantageous to import Irish lime, and a
good deal has been imported of late years with very
satisfactory results. Near the head of Loch Fine is a
mine of lead, the ore of which was found to contain a
larger proportion of silver than any other in the Western
Highlands; but it has not been wrought. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £5602. The seats
are Ardgartain House, a modern structure ; and Drim-
synie House, also a modern mansion : Ardkinglass
Lodge, a handsome edifice on the site of the ancient
castle, the remains of which were converted into offices
for the mansion, was destroyed by fire a few years ago,
as the tradesmen'were just finishing some extensive re-
pairs. In this parish are, the village of Lochgoilhead,
in which the parish church is situated, and that of
Cairndow, in which is the church of Kilmorich, and
where a post-office has been established, as well as an
excellent inn for the accommodation of travellers. Fa-
cility of communication is afforded by the great military
road from Dumbarton to the West Highlands, which
passes for sixteen miles through the parish ; by the
Loch Goil steamer, in summer plying daily, and in win-
ter three times a week, between Glasgow and the head
of Loch Goil ; and by the ferry from St. Catherine's,
across Loch Fine, to Inverary, on which is a steam-boat
for the conveyance of passengers.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Dunoon, synod of Argyll.
The minister's stipend is £167. 9. 9., of which one-fourth
197
is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £37. 10. per. annum : patron, Jas. H. Callen-
dar, Esq., of Craigforth and Ardkinglass. The church,
situated at the head of Loch Goil, is an ancient structure
in good repair, containing 305 sittings ; the church of
Kilmorich, on the shore of Loch Fine, is a modem
structure, having been erected in I8I6, and contains
258 sittings. The minister officiates two Sundays at
Lochgoilhead, and on the third Sunday at Kilmorich.
The parochial school, at Lochgoilhead, is well attended ;
the master has a salary of £30, with a house and gar-
den, and the fees average £5 per annum. A school at
Kilmorich is supported by the Society for Propagating
Christian Knowledge ; and other schools for the instruc-
tion of poor children are maintained during the winter
by benevolent associations. There are some remains of
the ancient castle of Dunduramh, a strong but irregular
fortress in a low situation, accessible chiefly by sea ; also
of the castle of Carrick, a fortress of great strength,
built upon a rock entirely surrounded by the sea, and
accessible from the land only by a drawbridge. The
time of the foundation of this castle is not known ; but
during the feud between the houses of Argyll and Atholl,
it was burnt by the vassals of the latter : it was a
royal fortress, and the Duke of Argyll is still hereditary
keeper.
LOCHINVER, a village, in the parish of Assynt,
county of Sutherland, 14 miles (W.) from Assynt;
containing 75 inhabitants. It is situated on the western
coast of the county, at the head of the loch from which
it takes its name, and has some good houses and a few
shops. In its vicinity is an establishment for preserving
fish, meat, and vegetables fresh for sea use, and for
exportation. The loch serves as a good harbour, and
has the convenience of a pier : several creeks, also, afford
shelter and anchorage. An excellent road from the loch,
passing through the village of Assynt, intersects the
parish ; and there are various local roads within its
limits. At the mouth of Loch Inver is the small island
of Soya. There is a preaching-station in the village.
LOCHLEE, a parish, in the county of Forfar, 22
miles (N. W.) from Brechin ; containing, with the ham-
let of Tarfside, 622 inhabitants. This place derives its
name from the river Lee, which passes through a loch of
considerable size near its centre. The lands formerly
belonged to the Lindesay family, one of whom erected a
strong castle here in 1526, which continued for many
ages to be the residence of his descendants, and of which
the walls are still entire : Lord Panmure is the present
proprietor. In its full extent the parish is about fifteen
miles in length and seven in average breadth ; but the
portion of it which is inhabited comprises an area of
little more than half that compass. It is situated among
the Grampian hills, and is separated by the most ele-
vated part of that chain from the county of Aberdeen.
About 1000 acres of land are arable, fifty natural wood,
and the whole of the large remainder rough moorland,
heath, and waste. The surface is rocky and moun-
tainous, interspersed with spreading valleys and deep
glens. The loch already referred to lies in a cavity be-
tween the rocks and mountains which almost encircle
the waters ; it is nearly a mile and a half in length, and
about half a mile broad, and from its peculiar situation
has a strikingly romantic appearance. Of the moun-
tains that separate the parish from Aberdeenshire, the
LOCH
LOCH
highest are Mount Keen and IMount Battoch ; the former,
on the west, has an elevation of 4000, and the latter, on
the north-east, an elevation of nearly 3500, feet above
the level of the sea. The height of the mountains on
the south and north-west varies from '2000 to 3000 feet.
The river Lee receives the tributary streams of the Mark
and the Brany near the parish church, and then forms
the North Esk, which, augmented by various other rivu-
lets, falls into the German Ocean.
The SOIL generally is thin and light, and encumbered
with large boulders, but by the use of lime is in many
parts rendered fertile and productive ; the mountain
tracts, and parts of the valleys, are covered with heath
and peat-moss, affording the principal fuel of the parish.
The crops are oats, bear, potatoes, and turnips ; the ro-
tation system of husbandry is practised, and considerable
improvements have been made. A few of the lands have
been inclosed, and draining has been carried on to some
extent ; the farm-buildings are usually substantial, and
kept in good repair by the tenants. The declivities of
the hills afford pasturage for sheep, of which about 16,000
are on the average fed : 3000 lambs are annually reared.
The sheep are mostly of the black-faced breed ; and in
order to encourage the rearing of sheep, and the im-
provement of the stock by importations from the south,
an annual show has been established at Millden by Lord
Panmure, at which prizes are awarded by his lordship
to such of his tenants as produce the finest specimens.
The cattle and horses are both of the Angusshire breed :
of the former, the average number is less than 400, and
they are generally small ; of the latter, few more are
kept than are necessary for agriculture. In this parish
the woods consist exclusively of birch, with the exception
of a few ash and alder trees. The substrata here are
chiefly of primitive rock, interspersed with trap stone,
mica-slate, and limestone ; and, towards the summits of
the higher mountains, of granite. Lead-ore is also found ;
a vein was worked in 1728, but the produce was not
sufficient to pay the expense, and it has since that time
been discontinued. The annual value of real property in
Lochlee is £1331. Facility of comm\mication is main-
tained by a good road that passes through the parish :
there are many woodcu bridges, two of which cross the
North Esk, and three stone bridges, one of which was
built in 1830.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Bre-
chin, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage
of the Crown ; the minister's stipend is £1.58. 6. 7., with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £'iO per annum. Lochlee
church, built in 1803, and enlarged in 1824, is adapted
for a congregation of nearly 300 persons. There is an
episcopal chapel. The parocliial school affords ample
instruction ; the master has a salary of £34, and receives
also, as catechist, an appropriation of funds to that pur-
pose about a century since, producing 100 merks, six
bolls of meal, and ten acres of land, of which eight are
arable. Another school is endowed with £1,5 per annum
by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge ;
the master has likewise a house, garden, and six acres of
land, given to him rent free by Lord I'anmure, and the
school fees, amounting to about £1'2 per annum. There
is also a jiarochial library, containing a small but well-
chosen collection of religious pulilications. Alexander
Ross, parochial schoolmaster of Lochlee, was the author
of a pastoral poem of some merit, entitled The Fortunate
198
Burgh Seal.
Sheplierdess. In the parish are numerous tumuli, in one
of whii-'h was found the head of an ancient battle-axe.
Nearly opposite to the manse are the remains of the
old castle of luvermark, the residence of the Lindesay
familv.
LOCHMABEN, a royal
burgh, the seat of a presby-
tery, and a parish, in the ^^.^
countyof Dumfries, 8^ miles l^v
(E. N. E.) from Dumfries, and S^^'
68 (S. by W. ) from Edinburgh ; ^L i
the parish containing, with s\f"
the hamlets of Greenhill,
Heck, and Smallhoim, and
the villages of Hightae and
Templand, 2809 inhabitants,
of whom 1289 are in the
burgh, which contains also
forty-one persons in the adjoining parishes of Tinwald
and Torthorwald. This place is supposed to have de-
rived its name from the numerous lakes in the parish.
It is of very remote antiquity, and at an early period
formed part of the possessions of the ancient lords of
Annandale, whose baronial castle stood on an eminence
close to the town, called Castle hill, and surrounded by
a deep moat and fosse. The castle thus situated con-
tinued to be the residence of the Bruces, lords of Annan-
dale, till the end of the thirteenth century, and was the
birthplace of Robert Bruce, subsecjuently King of Scot-
land, who, after his accession to the throne, erected a
much larger fortress on a peninsula south-east of Castle
Loch, and in the completion of which the stones of the
former castle were used. This second castle was by far
the largest and the strongest of the border fortresses.
Including the outworks, it occupied an area of sixteen
acres. It consisted of three courts, inclosed with mas-
sive walls twelve feet thick, and was surrounded by a
triple fosse, in which was a spacious basin defended by
walls of hewn stone, affording to the boats belonging to
the garrison and the town secure shelter, either from the
weather, or the attacks of any enemy.
The town, which had arisen near the site of the castle,
is supposed to have been first erected into a royal burgh
by Robert Bruce, soon after his elevation to the throne ;
but from the inroads of the English, by svhom the town
was often plundered and burnt duriug the border war-
fare, all its ancient records were either lost or destroyed.
In 1463, an army led by the Earl of Warwick plundered
and burnt the town; and in 1479, the'Duke of Albany,
lord of Annandale, being accused of treason, was pub-
licly cited at the castle of Lochmabcii, and at the market-
cross of the burgh, to appear and answer to the charge.
In 1592, a sanguinary feud took place at Dryfe-sands, in
an adjoining parish, between the Maxwells of Nithsdalc
and the Johnstones of Annandale, the former of whom
were defeated with great slaughter : a number of the
Maxwells, in their fliglit from the field of battle, sought
refuge in the church of Lochmaben, which the John-
stones on that occasion burnt to the ground. The castle,
which had been annexed to the crown in 1487, was
maintained as one of the strongest frontier garrisons,
under the superintendence of the lords of Annandale,
till the iniion of the English and Scottish crowns in the
reign of James VI., after which time it was suffered to
fall into decay. The only remains are the shapeless
LOCH
LOCH
walls, from the surface of which the hewn stone has
heen taken for building materials, leaving merely the
internal rubble, which is firmly cemented into a solid
mass. Lochniaben Castle is still ranked among the
royal palaces, and Mr. Hope Johnstone of Annandale is
hereditary keeper. In 1612, James VI. granted to the
inhabitants a charter embodying all the privileges they
had previously enjoyed under the charters that had been
destroyed ; and in the same year, that monarch bestowed
the barony of the Four Towns of Lochmaben, with the
tithes and advowson of the church, upon John Murray,
whom in 1625 he created Earl of Annandale and Lord
of Lochmaben, and whose descendant, the Earl of Mans-
field, is the present proprietor of the barony.
The TOWN is situated between the Castle loch on the
south and the Kirk loch on the south-west. It consists
chiefly of one spacious street, in which are the church,
the town-house, and the market-cross ; of a street ex-
tending nearly at right angles with this, on the road to
Dumfries ; and of two narrow streets leading from the
principal street. A public library is supported by sub-
scription, and forms a valuable and well-assorted collec-
tion of literary and historical volumes. Neither any
manufacture nor trade is carried on, with the exception
of a few stocking-looms ; there are three good inns, and
some shops for the supply of the neighbourhood, but
so little traffic takes place that the town has all the ap-
pearance of a large rural village. The government is
vested in a provost, three bailies, a dean of guild, a
treasurer, and nine councillors : there are several incor-
porated guilds, into which the fees of admission are, for
strangers £1. 10., and for sons of burgesses iOs. 6d. ;
but they are very little regarded. The jurisdiction of
the magistrates is the same as in other royal burghs,
and the provost is ex officio a justice of the peace for the
county. Lochmaben is associated with Dumfries, Annan,
Kirkcudbright, and Sanquhar, in returning a member to
the imperial parliament ; the number of qualified voters
being forty. The town-hall, erected in 1/4,5, is a good
building with a tower and spire ; and underneath it is
the place formerly used as a gaol, consisting of two
rooms. In front of the town-hall is an arched weigh-
house and a market-cross. A market is held every alter-
nate week during winter for the sale of pork ; it is very
well attended, and the quantity disposed of during a
season is about 27,000 stones, which would sell for
about £6000 : all other produce is sent to the markets
of Annan or Dumfries. There is neither river nor canal
navigation. A road from Dumfries to Lockerbie passes
through the town, and there are excellent roads to Annan,
Moffat, Ecclesfechan, and Langholm : the Caledonian
railway, and the roads from Carlisle to Glasgow, and
from Dumfries to Edinburgh, pass within a few miles of
the town, and good roads lead from Lochmaben to these
great thoroughfares. The post-office in the town has a
tolerable delivery.
The PARISH is bounded on the east by the river Annan,
and on the north and north-west by the water of Ae. It
is about ten miles in length and three in breadth, com-
prising an area of 10,750 acres, of which 5500 are
arable, ninety woodland and plantations, and the re-
mainder, with the exception of 400 acres of waste, good
meadow and pasture. The surface is generally level,
with a considerable ascent towards the west, and is di-
versified by numerous lakes, of which the largest are the
199
Castle loch, 200 acres in extent ; the Broomhill loch,
eighty acres ; the Mill loch, seventy ; the Kirk loch,
sixty ; and the llightae loch, fifty-two acres in extent.
Their average depth is about fifty feet ; tiie water is
peculiarly soft, and they all abound with various kinds
of fish, among which are pike, perch, two species of
trout, one weighing from two to five pounds each, and
the other from twelve to fourteen pounds, roach, chub,
eels, loach, and minnow. In the Castle loch are found
also bream and greenback ; and in the Castle loch. Mill
loch, and Broomhill loch, a fish called the vendace, re-
sembling a small herring, but of more delicate flavour,
and which is not found in any other water in Scotland,
is very abundant. The vendace is remarkable for a thin
membrane on the top of the head, in the form of a heart,
of a brownish hue, and perfectly transparent, under
which the brain is distinctly visible ; it is from four to
six inches in length, of a bright silvery colour, inclining
to blue along the back, and dies immediately on its being
taken out of the water. This delicate fish has hitherto
defied all attempts at transportation from its native
waters : several of the landed proprietors in the neigh-
bourhood have with great care had some of them trans-
ferred into their pleasure-ponds, but they very soon died.
The fish are caught solely by the net, scarcely ever
having been known to take bait or fly. A club called
the Vendace Club, composed of the gentlemen of the
county, meets annually at Lochmaben in July or August,
for the purpose of enjoying a day's recreation in taking
these fish from the Castle loch, and dining in the evening :
at dinner the vendace forms the principal dish. The
loch is peculiarly adapted for a regatta, being free from
those currents which occur in rivers or estuaries : a
regatta club was formed in 1843, and has been attended
with considerable success, the novelty of such races in
the interior, and the beautiful wood and water scenery
around the town, attracting strangers from all parts of
the county. The chief rivers are, the Annan ; the water
of Ae, which, after bounding the north-western part of
the parish, unites with the Kinnel, and flows into the
Annan ; and the Dryfe, which separates a portion of
the parish from that of Dryfesdale, and runs into the
Annan at Halleaths.
Along the banks of the rivers the soil is a rich alluvial
loam, producing luxuriant crops of every kind, and in
many parts nine feet in depth ; to the west, or in the
upland portion, it is light, gravelly, and cold. The only
uncviltivated portions are some tracts of peat-moss,
which afford fuel for the inhabitants. Of late years the
system of agriculture has been gradually advancing, and
all the more recent improvements in husbandry have
been adopted ; the lands have been drained aud inclosed ;
bone-dust has been introduced for manure, and the
farm-buildings and offices are now generally substantial.
The dairies here are well managed, and great attention
is paid to the rearing of live-stock. Except on the dairy-
lands, where the cows are chiefly the Ayrshire, the cattle
are of the Galloway breed ; they are usually sold to
dealers when two years old, and fattened in the English
pastures for the London market, where they obtain a
ready sale. A considerable number of horses are reared
in the parish ; they are of good size, and by many judges
are preferred to the Clydesdale breed. Great numbers
of swine are fed on the different farms, and almost every
cottager feeds a couple of pigs. Few sheep are bred j
LOCH
LOCH
such as are reared are fed chiefly on turnips. The plan-
tations, which are mostly on the demesnes of the resident
landed proprietors, consist of oak, ash, plane, and horse-
chesnut. of which there are many stately specimens. In
this parish the substrata are principally red sandstone,
and whinstone ; the sandstone occurs in thin layers
easily separated, and is quarried for the roofing of farm-
buildings. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £7708.
The residences are, Elshieshields, a handsome castel-
lated mansion ; Hatleaths ; and Newmabis. Besides the
burgh, there are several villages in the parish, of which
the principal are Hightcie, containing 436, Greenhill
eighty-nine, Smallholm eighty-two, and Heck fifty-seven,
inhabitants. These villages, and the lands attached to
them, form the barony of the Four Towns of Lochmaben,
of which the Earl of Mansfield and his predecessors have
been superiors and proprietors since 1612. The lands
■were portioned out by Robert Bruce to his retainers, and
are held by Udal tenure, under the proprietors, against
whose encroachments on their peculiar privileges the
" tenants" have at times appealed to the sovereign, and
obtained redress. They are transferable by any of the
possessors, by enrolment in the rental-book of the pro-
prietor of the barony ; and neither charter nor seisin is
necessary to vest the owners in their right to perpetual
possession of their lands. A large tract of common in
which the tenants of the barony had an interest, with
the inhabitants of the burgh, was by mutual agreement
divided many years since ; and several portions have
been purchased by different proprietors, and greatly im-
proved : the largest portion was purchased by Mr. Bell
of Rammerscales. There is a handsome bridge across
the Annan, along which the Dumfries and Lockerbie
road passes.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Lochmaben, synod of Dum-
fries. The minister's stipend is £264. 19. 2., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum ; patron,
the Earl of Mansfield. Lochmaben church, which is at
the south extremity of the burgh, is a handsome and
substantial structure; it was erected in 1819, at a cost
of £3000, and contains 1200 sittings. There are places
of worship for members of the Free Church, Burghers,
and Cameronians. The parochial school, situated in the
burgh, is well attended : the master has a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees, averag-
ing about £25 ; also the interest of a bequest of £200
by Mr. Richardson, of Hightae, for teaching ten poor
children gratuitously. There is likewise a school at
Hightae, the master of which has a salary of £17. 2. 2.,
with a house and garden, and fees averaging £21; he also
receives the interest of £1.50 bequeathed by Mr. Richard-
son. Other schools in the parish are supported exclu-
sively by the fees. There are some remains of Roman
encampments, and part of the Roman road to Bodotria
may be traced. Rochall Mount, situated on the side of
a ridge of hills which overhangs the castle, is supposed
to have been anciently a station for administering justice,
and also a beacon for signals in times of danger ; it is
perfectly circular at the base, and terminates in a sharp
point. On the north of tiie parish are the remains of
Spedlin's Tower, once the residence of the Jardines of
Applegarth ; a massive tjuadrangular structure with
circular turrets at the angles. Its walls are of immense
200
thickness ; the entrance is on the north side ; and over
the circular gateway, near the summit of the tower, is
the date 1605, thought to be the time when it was last
repaired. In the Castle loch, ancient relics have been
found at various times, spear heads, pieces of armour,
and a gold ring without inscription ; and in a tract of
moss near the town, several silver groats of Alexander I.
of Scotland and Edward I. of England, and other coins,
have been discovered.
LOCHRUTTON, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirk-
cudbright, 4 miles (W. S. W.) from Dumfries ; contain-
ing 659 inhabitants, of whom 130 are in the village of
Lochfoot. This parish, which is situated in the eastern
portion of the stewartry, takes its name from a lake on
what was formerly the great road to Ireland, called in
the Gaelic language Rutton, or " the straight road." The
district is four miles and a half in length and three miles
in breadth, and comprises nearly SOOO acres, of which
about 6500 are arable, meadow, and pasture ; 250 wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder moss, moorland,
and waste. Its surface is boldly undulated to the south,
east, and west, rising towards the boundaries in those
directions into considerable elevation, but subsiding
towards the north into a rich and pleasant vale. The
lake from which the parish takes its name is about a mile
in length, more than half a mile in breadth, and abounds
with pike, perch, and eels ; in the centre is a small
circular island, partly artificial. The only river is the
Cargen Water, a small stream issuing from the lake, and
which, after receiving various tributaries in its course for
nearly two miles through the parish, falls into the broad
stream of the Nith below Dumfries.
In this parish the soil is generally a light shallow
loam, and the arable lands are under good cultivation ;
the crops are oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips, with
the various grasses. The farm-buildings are substantial
and commodious, and the various improvements in hus-
bandry have been adopted. A considerable number of
cattle and sheep are fed on the pastures, and sent to the
English markets ; and large quantities of oats and barley
are forwarded to Dumfries for sale. The principal sub-
strata are whinstone and granite : limestone is found,
but of very indifferent quality ; and a bed of shell-marl
has been discovered, which is used as a substitute for
lime. The Markland Well, a chalybeate spring supposed
to be efficacious in diseases of the stomach, is resorted to
during the summer and autumnal months. Lochfoot is
a small village, inhabited chiefly by persons engaged in
rural pursuits. There are a mill for oats and barley, and
one for dressing flax, both of which are driven by the
stream from the lake ; and to the latter mill is attached
machinery for carding wool and for savi'ing timber. The
great military road from Dumfries to Port])atrick passes
through the whole length of the parish. The annual
value of real property in Lochrutton is £3836. For
ecclesiastical purposes this place is witliin the bounds
of the presbytery and synod of Dumfries : the minister's
stipend is £182. 6. 4. with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £15 per annum ; patron, the Duke of Buccleuch.
Lochrutton church, a neat plain structure erected in 1819,
contains 300 sittings. The parochial school is attended
by aljout seventy children : the master has a salary of
£.50, with a house and garden, and the fees, averaging
£15 per annum; also the interest of a bequest of .■£62.
A small school situated at the extremity of the parish is
LOCH
LOCH
partly supported by a bequest from the Rev. George
Duncan, formerly minister. On a hill in the eastern ex-
tremity of the parish are the remains of a Druidical
temple ; and near the lake is still, tolerably entire, one of
the towers of the ancient castle of The Hills, a stronghold
of the Douglas family when lords of Galloway : in this
fortress Edward I. is said to have passed a night, on his
route from Caerlaverock to Kirkcudbright.
LOCHS, a parish, in the island of Lewis, county of
Ross and Cromartv, 1'2 miles (S. by W.) from Storno-
way ; containing 3653 inhabitants. This parish derives
its name from the great number of lochs by which it is
distinguished. Its history is involved in much obscu-
rity ; but some indications of its ancient state may be
obtained from the traditions of the old Shenachies, or
bards, who resided in Uig and Barvas, and whose tales
have been in many cases so faithfully transmitted as to
entitle them to the credit of authentic history, especially
when, as in the present instance, they are supported by
the evidence of several interesting antiquities. The strong
fort of Dun-Charloway, in the parish, is one of those
circular fortifications that are generally allowed to be
Danish. A tradition of the Highlanders states that this
fort, which was a place of abode as well as defence, was
once captured by the famous Donald Caum M'Cuil, well
known in the stories of Lewis ; and there is a portion of
the parish which still goes by the name of " Donald
Caum's shealing ". He is reported, indeed, to have
dwelt here. A very large part of the parish was formerly
uninhabited, and used, as several islands are at present,
for shealings, or summer pasturage for cattle ; and the
portion above mentioned, being appropriated to such a
purpose by this far-famed robber and chief, came thus to
be called by his name. On the island of St. Colm, at
the entrance of Loch Erisort, is still the ruin of an ancient
religious edifice, the ground surrounding which is the
only cemetery in the parish : it is uncertain what the
nature of this establishment was, but it furnishes evi-
dence of the early occupation of the island by a religious
fraternity.
The extent of the parish is variously stated; the lowest
estimate makes it eighteen miles long and about nine
miles broad, but its irregular form renders a correct
calculation extremely difficult. It is bounded on the
north by the parish of Stornoway and the river Creed ;
on the south by Loch Seaforth ; on the east by the
channel which separates Lewis from the main land of
Ross-shire ; and on the west by the hills of Harris and
of Uig. The surface is intersected by numerous mari-
time firths or inlets ; and a large part of it forms a
peninsula called Park, or the Forest of Lewis, from the
appropriation of the ground to red deer by the first Earl
of Seaforth, who constructed a large stone dyke across
the neck of the isthmus, for the security of the property.
The arms of the sea by which the peninsula is formed
are Loch Seaforth and Loch Erisort. The coast is bold
and rugged, rising considerably in the vicinity of the
headlands called Kilbag-head and Rhu-Rairnish ; the
other parts of the shore are much more equal, and
abound in sea-weed, the material for the manufacture of
kelp. In the interior the parish is almost a continued
flat covered with heath and coarse grass, but relieved
towards the south by a boundary ridge of lofty moun-
tains, interspersed with several fruitful valleys. The
climate is damp and rainy, and though not unfavourable
Vol. II.~201
to health, by no means beneficial to agricultural interests.
The chief rivers are the Creed and the Laxay. There are
also several fresh-water lakes ; the principal is Loch
Trialivall, which is distinguished for its sandy bottom
and its transparent water, the other lakes being usually
much discoloured by their mossy bed. Of the salt-water
lochs the chief are Seaforth, Erisort, Grimshadir, and
Shell, the first of which is famous for its scenery : it is
about twelve miles in length, and is intersected by nume-
rous bays, surrounded on all sides by thick, and some-
times gloomy foliage.
The SOIL throughout is mossy, being composed of de-
caj'ed vegetable matter, with gravel or sand, and is
almost incapable of profitable cultivation. Even in the
best parts it is poor ; in general it is a moss eight or ten
feet deep, producing nothing but the worst heath : there
are between '2000 and 3000 acres cultivated, or occa-
sionally in tillage ; and about 100,000 acres, or more,
are waste. A small copse of birch at Swordle is the only
wood. There are a few cultivated tracts, but none
strictly speaking arable, as no plough is used : the
crooked spade, the unscientific implement so well known
in the Highlands, is employed for turning the soil ; and
all the produce is not suflicient for the support of the
inhabitants. The live stock consists of black-cattle,
sheep, and horses, all of which are small in size, being
supported only on the heath of the moors. The annual
value of real property in the parish amounts to £2514.
The cottages in which the people live form detached
hamlets, each containing from ten to forty families ; the
houses are built chiefly of moss, and consist of but one
apartment for the family and the cattle, without any
division. There are, indeed, only three or four good
houses : these are of stone and clay, and occupied by
respectable farmers. The labour of the main part of the
population is distributed in husbandry, fishing, kelp-
making, and pasturing. Cod and ling are the fish that
chiefly visit the waters ; about sixty tons are taken
annually. The herring-fishery, formerly so prosperous,
has long failed, the fish having forsaken the shores since
the prevailing manufacture of kelp, through the loss, as
is supposed, of the beds of weed which afforded them
shelter. A few salmon, and considerable quantities of
small trout are taken in the rivers and fresh-water lochs.
The whole population are engaged in the season in the
manufacture of kelp, which is exported to Liverpool ;
and the females spin yarn, and make many articles of
wearing apparel. Mills are so numerous in the parish,
that one is to be seen on nearly every stream ; they are
constructed in the most simple and rude manner. No
roads have been made in any part, and all communica-
tion with the market-town of Stornoway is therefore
over the moors or by sea. There are several good
harbours, the chief of which are, Cromore, at the entrance
of Loch Erisort ; Loch Shell ; and Mareg, in Loch Sea-
forth : these have a depth of fifty feet, and afford pro-
tection to ships of the largest burthen.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Lewis and synod of Glenelg, and the
patronage is in the Crown : the stipend of the minister
is £158, of which about a fifth is received from the ex-
chequer ; and there is a commodious manse, built about
forty or fifty years ago, on the north side of Loch Eri-
sort. The church, occupying a small peninsula on the
farm of Kvise, was rebuilt in 1831, and is a plain struc-
2D
LOCH
LOCH
ture containing 716 sittings. At Carloway is a preach-
ing-station, where the clergj'man of the parish officiates
once a month from April to September ; but the com-
munication with it is much impeded by morasses and
rivers, and the want of roads and bridges. The mem-
bers of the Free Church have a place of worship. There
is a parochial school, the master of which has a salary
of £'28, with a slated dwelling ; no fees are charged,
owing to the poverty of the inhabitants. Of several
other schools, one is supported by Stewart Mackenzie,
Esq., of Seaforth ; the teachers of two are allowed £20
per annum each by the Gaelic School Society, and the
teacher of a fourth £15 by the Society for Propagating
Christian Knowledge. The late Angus Nicolson, of
Stornoway, bequeathed £100, the interest of which is
distributed among twelve of his poorest relatives. The
chief relic of antiquity is the circular fortification in the
district of Carloway, supposed to have been built by the
Danes. Its lower part was a place of residence, having
communication by a subterraneous passage with a neigh-
bouring hill ; and the height of the whole building, when
complete, was about twenty feet.
LOCHSIDE, a hamlet, in the parish of St. Cyrus,
county of Kincardine ; containing 66 inhabitants. It
consists of a small group of cottages, of which the occu-
pants are feuars and crofters.
LOCHTHORN, a village, in the Old Church parish
of Dumfries, county of Dumfries; containing 64 in-
habitants. This is one of a number of small villages, or
rather hamlets, in the parish, of no particular interest or
importance.
LOCHWINNOCH, a parish, in the Upper ward of
the county of Renfrew, 4 miles (N.) from Beith, and
12 (S. by E.) from Port-Glasgow, containing, with the
village of Howwood, 4*16 inhabitants, of whom 2681
are in the village of Lochsvinnoch. In the Gaelic lan-
guage, which, previously to the introduction of various
manufactures, was exchisively spoken throughout the
whole district, the name of this place signifies " the island
of the lake". It is derived from a very extensive lake
situated near the village of Lochwinnoch, and where,
during the internal hostilities that prevailed in the fif-
teenth and sixteenth centuries, the proprietor of the ba-
rony, Lord Sempill, erected on an island a strong peel
or castle, of which there are still some remains. The
Sempill family were vassals of the Stuarts of Renfrew,
afterwards Kings of Scotland, to whose fortunes they
stedfastly adhered. Robert Sempill was created a baron
by Alexander II., and his three sons zealously maintained
the interests of Bruce during the disputed succession to
the throne. John, the seventh lord, was one of the com-
missioners for procuring the liberation of James I., then
a prisoner at the English court. On the separation of
Renfrew from the county of Lanark, in 1406, Sir William
Sempill was made sheriff of the former, which was erected
into an independent county ; and he obtained from
James III. a grant of the barony of Castletown, now
Ca.stle-Semple. This barony passed from his descend-
ants, the last of whom, Lonl Hew, distinguished himself
at the battle of Cullodcn in 1/4.5, to the Macdowalls, of
Garthland, by purchase ; and from tlicm to its present
proprietor, Colonel Harvey.
The i-ARisii is about twelve miles in length from east
to west, and nine miles at its greatest breadth, compris-
ing 19,219 acres, of which about 9000 arc arable, 700
202
woodland and plantations, 300 water, 100 garden and
orcha.ds, and 9119 hilly moorland, pasture, and waste.
Its surface is extremely uneven, and towards the western
extremity rises into hills of great elevation, forming part
of the lofty range that extends along the coast from
Greenock to Ardrossan. Misty Law, which is within
the limits of the parish, rises to the height of 1240 feet
above the level of the sea, and its summit commands a
most magnificent prospect over twelve counties, embrac-
ing the Firth of Clyde, and the isles of Arran, Bute,
Ailsa, and others, with a richly-diversified view of the
surrounding country. The hill of Staik, which is a por-
tion of the western boundary of the parish, has an ele-
vation rather greater than that of Misty Law ; and in
the east of the parish is part of a tract of elevated table-
land stretching from Paisley to the western coast. There
are several beautiful valleys among the hills ; and in a
large valley which intersects the parish, and is most ex-
tensive and romantic, were formerly the three lakes of
Castle-Semple, Barr, and Kilbirnie, which in rainy sea-
sons frequently united their waters, and spread for miles
over the valley. The lake of Castle-Semple, and the site
of that of Barr, are vvithin this parish; and though the
first is so much contracted as to leave the castle, which
was erected on an island in its centre, now almost upon
its margin, yet it forms a large sheet of water, between
which and Kilbirnie is a large area of richly-cultivated
land. The Barr loch, situated near that of Castle-Semple,
has been drained to a considerable extent, and, except in
rainy seasons, when it still preserves the appearance of a
lake, produces luxuriant crops of oats and meadow-grass.
Throughout its whole length the vale affords a rich com-
bination of beautiful scenery and romantic objects : as
seen from the west, the venerable remains of Barr Castle,
for many generations the seat of the proprietors of the
neighbouring lands ; Garthland, formerly called Barr
House, the residence of the Macdowalls of Garthland,
the present proprietors ; the agreeable village of Loch-
winnoch ; the lake of Castle-Semple, with the ruins of
the ancient castle belonging formerly to the Sempill
family ; and the woods and pleasure-grounds of the
mansion of Colonel Harvey, present themselves in suc-
cession, and, with the flourishing plantations and wooded
eminences in the immediate vicinity, and the lofty hills
in the distance, contribute to render this interesting val-
ley one of the most pleasing and picturesque in the
country. The chief river in the parish is the Calder,
which has its source in the high lands on the borders of
Ayrshire, and flowing in a south-eastern direction, after
making a variety of cascades in its progress, winds round
the village, and falls into Castle-Semple loch. On its
issuing from the lake, it fakes tlie name of the Black
Cart, and forming a boundary between Lochwinnoch
and the parish of Kilbarclian, ))Mrsuos a north-eastern
course, and, uniting with the Wliite Cart at Inchinnan,
falls into the Clyde near Renfrew. The banks of this
river, as it approaches the village, are richly clothed with
natural wood and thriving plantations ; and throughout
the remainder of its progress, it adds greatly to the in-
terest of the valley. The small river Dubbs issues from
the north of the locli of Kilbirnie, and flowing through
a level tract of rich meadow land, falls into the lake of
Castle-Scmi)le.
The son, is generally light, but in some parts luxuri-
antly fertile ; in others, clay, which has been drained.
LOCH
LOCH
but not sufficiently ; and in sorae parts, sandy. The
principal crops are oafs, barley, and potatoes, with a
small portion of wheat, which has been lately introduced,
but with no great success ; and the meadows and pas-
tures produce good rye- grass and clover. Numbers of
sheep and cattle are reared for the neighbouring markets
of Paisley and Glasgow ; the cattle are chiefly of the
Ayrshire breed, and the cows on the dairy-lands are fine
specimens of that kind. The farm-buildings are usually
substantial and commodious, and roofed with slate.
Great improvements have been made in draming and
inclosing the lands ; the fences are generally of thorn,
though some of the old stone dykes are still to be seen.
The plantations are thriving ; and where there is suffi-
cient depth of soil, forest-trees of every kind attain a
stately growth. On the lands of Castle-Semple are nu-
merous ancient oaks, with beech, Scotch and Enghsh
elms, and plane-trees of large dimensions ; larch and
silver fir of extraordinary size ; and some of the largest
cedars of Libanus to be found in the country. Upon
the Garthland estate are some very fine plantations of
similar trees, but of more modern growth. The rocks
are of secondary trap, alternated with greenstone, basalt,
amygdaloid, porphyry, and, in some instances, green-
stone stratified with clay-slate, and crystallized free-
stone, in -which petrifactions of arborescent fern are
embedded. The hills of Misty Law and Staik are chiefly
of porphyry, intersected towards their summit with dykes
of greenstone. Carbonate of copper in small quantities
is found in the whinstone. Sulphate of barytes is pre-
valent in the trap rocks, varying from six to sixteen feet
in thickness ; and trap-tuffa is occasionally to be seen
embedded in the porphyry. Coal is found in the parish ;
the thickest bed, at Hallhill, is from six to ten feet, and
the others vary from two to three feet in thickness. It
has been wrought at Hallhill, but not to much profit,
producing only to the proprietors a gain of about £300
annually after all expenses are paid : there is a smaller
work at the western extremity of the parish, which has
been lately discontinued. Limestone is found, but not
to any great extent ; it is quarried at Howwood, and
abounds with organic remains, consisting mainly of
bivalves, coralloids, entrochi, and encrini. Similar quar-
ries were opened at Midtown and Garpel, but they have
been completely exhausted. Minerals of various kinds
occur throughout the district, chiefly of the zeolite spe-
cies ; many of them are very beautiful. Freestone of
excellent quality for building is quarried in several places,
chiefly for the use of the parish ; but the quarries are
only occasionally in operation. The annual value of real
property in Lochwinnoch is £17,888.
Among the principal seats is Castle-Semple 'House, the
residence of Colonel Harvey, a handsome mansion, on
the north side of the loch, erected in 1735, but by no
means upon a scale corresponding to the splendid de-
mesne in which it is seated. The grounds attached to
it comprise more than 900 acres, and abound with diver-
sity of character, and with every variety of natural and
artificial embellishment. The eminences which intersect
the demesne are richly crowned with wood to their sum-
mits ; and in several directions are noble avenues of
trees, and detached clusters scattered over the verdant
lawns : in every part, indeed, the greatest skill and the
most cultivated taste have been displayed in the improve-
ment of the grounds. To the north of the house are spa-
203
cious gardens, laid out with great beauty, and containing
long ranges of conservatories for plants, hot-houses for
the choicest fruits, a large pinery, and every requisite
for horticultural purposes. In front of the house is an
extensive flower-garden, surrounded with s-hrubberies of
rare plants ; and encircling a fish-pond is a border of
fragments of variou.s rocks, where there is every variety
of rock plants. The gardens are said to be among the
finest in Scotland. Garthland, the residence of Colonel
Macdowall, is beautifully situated near the remains of
the ancient castle of Barr, and surrounded by grounds
richly planted, and embracing much pleasing scenery.
Lochsyde House is in a demesne forming an interesting
feature in the scenery, and commanding extensive views.
Glenlora, erected in 1840, and Muirsheil, in 1843, are
also handsome mansions.
The VILLAGE consists of one principal street about
half a mile in length, and of one shorter street crossing
it at right angles. The houses, generally two stories in
height, and roofed with slate, are neatly built ; and there
are several houses of superior order, belonging to the
proprietors of the various works which have been esta-
blished in the parish, and to the introduction of which
is to be attributed the very rapid and progressive increase
of the population within the last fifty years. To the
north-west of the village is a bridge over the river Cal-
der, which is noticed in many ancient records ; it is of
great antiquity, and of elegant design, and was widened
and repaired in 1814. The linen manufacture established
at Paisley in 1707 induced the farmers of this parish to
cultivate the growth of flax for its supply ; and many of
their female domestics were employed in spinning yarn
for the weavers of that place, till, in 1740, a company
from that town built a factory here, and subsequently
one of greater extent, which afforded employment to many
of the inhabitants. The making of thread was introduced
here in I'll, and about twenty mills were erected for
the purpose ; but, in process of time, that trade began to
decline, and at present it is nearly discontinued. A
bleachfield belonging to the company of Paisley was es-
tablished here, into which the use of sulphuric acid was
introduced by Dr. Home, of Edinburgh : at Lonehead, a
second bleachfield was soon after begun ; and another,
at Burnfoot, was established by Mr. Hamilton Adams.
Bleachfields, also, were commenced by Mr. Wilson, of
Bowfield, and are still carried on with spirit ; and at
Midtown are similar works, constructed by Mr. Cameron,
in connexion with which a beetling- mill has been built
on the river Calder, for finishing goods for the market.
About fifteen weavers are employed in making goods for
home consumption ; and more than 200 are engaged in
weaving for the manufacturers of Paisley and Glasgow :
the principal articles were formerly muslins of different
kinds i but these have given place to the weaving of
China crapes, Angola shawls, silk cypresses, and various
stuffs of silk and cotton mixed. There is also a mill be-
longing to Messrs. Crawford, partly used for carding and
spinning wool, which is carried on in the upper part of
the premises ; in the lower part is a very spacious and
complete mill for grinding corn : this building, which is
substantial and handsome, was erected in 1814.
The cotton manufacture, however, at present consti-
tutes the staple trade of the place. The old mill, erected
by Messrs. Houston, Burns, and Co., in the year 1 788, is
situated on the north-west of the village, and the ma-
2D <2
LOCH
LOCH
chinery is put in motion by the waters of the Calder ;
the building is very extensive, five stories in height, and
contains 8140 spindles for yarn and water twist of vari-
ous sizes, affording constant employment to about 180
persons. The new mills, built by Messrs. Fulton and
Co., form a spacious and handsome building, not far
from the end of the high street ; and the works are
driven by the stream of the river Calder, together with a
steam-engine, added to the original building in 18^5. In
this establishment 25,'2'24 spindles are constantly at
work, which make on an average about 6000 pounds of
cotton-yarn every week, and give occupation to 350 per-
sons. A mill upon a smaller scale, employing eighty
persons, was built by Messrs. Caldwell and Co., at Bog-
head, near the village ; but it was burnt down by an ac-
cidental fire in 1813, and has not been rebuilt.
A post-office, and a branch of the Western Bank of
Scotland, are established in the village ; and excellent
roads to every part of the parish, and public turnpike-
roads kept in good repair, afford a facility of intercourse
with the neighbourhood. A canal from Glasgow to Ar-
drossan was begun about the commencement of the
present century, intended to pass along the side of Castle-
Semple loch, and was completed as far as Johnstone;
but it was then discontinued, and has not been since
resumed. There is, however, a railway from Glasgow to
Ardrossan, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, which runs through the
parish. Numerous shops in the village supply the dis-
trict with all kinds of provisions and articles of merchan-
dise ; and three fairs are held in the course of the year,
of which the Hill fair, so called from its being held on
the market hill, is chiefly for cattle, on the first Tuesday
in November, O. S. The May fair is on the second Tues-
day in May, O. S., and was formerly celebrated by a
procession of the trades ; but a few cattle only are sold.
On the first Tuesday in July a fair is held, at which the
farmers on the north side of Castle- Semple loch assemble
and parade the village, mounted on -their best horses,
which are showily caparisoned, and their riders also
decorated with ribbons, sashes, and other ornaments :
after the parade, races frequently take place. The
numbers attending upon these occasions, however, are
gradually diminishing; and the practice will probably
be soon discontinued. A few cattle are still sent to this
fair.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Paisley, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage
of the heritors: the minister's stipend is £277. 1.6., with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £19. 10. per annum.
Lochwinnoch old church, which was collegiate, was built
by Sir John Sempill, who was created Lord Sempill by
James IV.iand was killed at the battle of Flodden Field
in 1,513; it was amply endowed. The walls are still re-
maining; and the chancel, which was separated from the
nave by a screen, and subsequently inclosed, contains
the ashes of many members of the ancient family of
Sempill, and is still used as a place of sepulture for the
existing proprietors of the Castle-Semple estate. The
present parish church, a handsome edifice, was erected
in the year 1806, and has a fine ])ortico surmounted by
a neat spire. It is situated near the western lodge of
the grounds of Castle-Semple, surrounded on three sides
by a hir;h wall, and on the fourth inclosed by a parapet
wall with an iron palisade. It is adapted for a congrega-
tion of 1'2.5U persons; and the ground in which it stands
204
is well planted, and embellished with flowering shrubs
and evergreens. There are places of worship for the
Free Church and United Presbyterian Synod. At Bel-
trees is a preaching station in connexion with the Esta-
blished Church ; the number of sittings is 200. The
parochial school is well regulated ; the master has a salary
of £34, with £32 fees, and a house and garden. There
is a school at Beltrees, to the master of which £5 per
annum are paid by the parochial schoolmaster ; and a
school is held at Howwuod, the master of which has
a house and garden rent-free, and occasionally receives
a sum of money raised by subscription. A school has
also been established in the village of Lochwinnoch by
the proprietors of the new mill, who pay the master a
salary of £36 per annum for instructing the children
employed in their works, for which purpose they have
provided an excellent schoolroom. A parochial library
was established in the parish in 1823; and in 1833
another was opened, exclusively for religious purposes :
there is also a small library of religious books for cir-
culation among the children of the Sabbath schools.
William Brown, Esq., of Antigua, who died in 1835, be-
queathed to the Kirk Session the sum of £3300, to be
invested on heritable security, and the interest appro-
priated to the relief of the poor. There are five friendly
societies in the village of Lochwinnoch, and one in the
village of Howwood ; also a female provident society
and a female benefit society, the ladies connected with
which visit all the poor in their neighbourhoods, and
distribute clothing and fuel to such as are in need of
assistance.
The walls of the ancient peel erected on the island in
Castle-Semple loch, but the site of which, from the par-
tial draining of the lake, is now upon its margin, are
still remaining, and show the fortress to have been
an impregnable stronghold, well calculated for security
during the turbulent times in which it was raised. On
the opposite side of the loch are the remains of EUiston
Castle, the residence of the Sempill family previously
to the fifteenth century. It is a quadrilateral build-
ing, about forty-two feet in length, thirty-three in
breadth, and about thirty feet high ; the side walls are
six feet and a half, and the end walls about nine feet, in
thickness. Upon a headland westward of the village
are the remains of ]iarr Castle, which, with the excep-
tion of its roof, is still entire. It is a tower of oblong
form and of great height, crowned with battlements, and
strengthened with angular turrets ; the walls are pierced
with loop-holes for arrows, and also with port-holes
for cannon. It consists of four stories : the lowest,
which has an arched roof, apjicars to have been used for
the security of horses ami ( attle in case of hostile irrup-
tions ; the story immediately above it contains the ban-
quetiiig-hall ; and the others, various apartments for
the use of the family. On the public road to Dunlop
are the remains of Aurhinhathie Castle, said to have
been the residence of the ancestors of the brave Sir
William Wallace ; an opinion confirmed by the name of
the small barony in which it is situated, still called
Aucliiu1)athie-\Vallace. From the ruins, it is dillicult
to ascertain its original dimensions ; but the walls still
standing, and which are in good iireservation, inclose
an area about thirty feet in length and twelve feet in
breadth. Near the castle is a small eminence in the
midst of a morass, called IVallace's Knowc : here Sir
LOCK
LOG I
William Wallace is said to have defended himself against
a strong party of the English, and in the neighbourhood
he performed many memorable exploits. In the eastern
part of the parish was fought the battle of Mii inly Ices,
on the farm of Muirdykes, in the year 1685. The Duke
of Argyll, who had assembled in Holland a force of 1500
of his countrymen, refugees, being on his arrival in
Scotland surprised and captured at Inchinnan, the rem-
nant of his troops was placed under the command of
Sir John Cochrane, and attacked here by the forces of
James VII., which, after an obstinate engagement, called
the battle of Muirdykes, were repulsed with considerable
loss. Remaining masters of the field, Argyll's followers
intrenched themselves behind a natural defence till it
was dark, when, fearing a reinforcement on James's
side, they retreated towards Beith. The camp of Castle-
waws, not far from Muirdykes, is situated on the summit
of one of the highest hills on the south side of the loch,
and, on that part which is least precipitous, is defended
by a rampart of stones and turf. Within the intrench-
ment is a circular wall of the same materials, about
sixty yards in diameter. It was probably one of the
hill forts of the ancient Britons, of which there are
several in this part of the country, though by some it is
supposed to have been a stronghold thrown up by Sir
William Wallace in his wars with the English. Many
canoes have at various times been found in the loch :
between the peel and the north side of the lake, twenty
have been found buried in the mud, within the last half
century. Among the eminent persons connected with
the parish was Alexander Wilson, the poet, a native of
Paisley, who followed the occupation of a weaver in the
factories of Lochwinnoch. Many of his poems have
reference to incidents which happened in this parish.
Having, however, incurred a fine for a satirical poem,
he emigrated to America ; and, living in Philadelphia,
devoted himself to the study of natural history, and
published a work entitled American Ornithology. James
Latta, a native of this place, was the author of a Prac-
tical System of Surgery.
LOCKERBIE, a thriving town, in the parish of
Dryfesdale, district of Annandale, county of Dum-
fries, 11 miles (N. N. W.) from Annan, and 12 (E. N.
E.) from Dumfries; containing 1315 inhabitants. This
place derives both its origin and its name from an an-
cient castle situated on a hill between two lakes, and
which was the baronial residence of the Johnstones, a
branch of the family of Johnstone of Lochwood, ances-
tors of the present Marquess of Queensberry. The small
hamlet that arose round the castle gradually increased
under the liberal patronage of its proprietors, who
granted lands for building upon long and favourable
leases ; and its situation in the centre of an extensive
pastoral and agricultural district has contributed to
render Lockerbie a prosperous and flourishing town.
It stands on the turnpike-road from Glasgow to Carlisle,
and part of it is intersected by the Caledonian railway.
The town principally consists of one spacious and regu-
larly-formed street, extending more than half a mile
from north to south, and from the northern extremity
of which a similar street, of half that length, branches
off at right angles to the east. The houses are well
built, and of handsome appearance. No manufactures
have hitherto been established ; but all the handicraft
trades requisite for the wants of the adjacent district
205
are carried on to a great extent ; and there are nume-
rous shops, abundantly stored with merchandise of every
kind for the supply of the vicinity. Branches of the
Edinburgh and Glasgow Bank and the Western Bank
of Scotland have been opened in the town. The post-
office has a tolerable delivery ; and there are some ex-
cellent inns for the accommodation of the visiters who
attend the fairs and cattle-markets for which this place
is celebrated.
Fairs for lambs and wool, which are largely resorted
to by persons from many miles' distance, are held at
Lammas and Michaelmas. The former is on the '2nd of
August, O. S., except it happen on Saturday, Sunday, or
Monday, in which case it is postponed to the following
Tuesday. At this fair, which was formerly held at the
base of Lockerbie hill, from 70,000 to 80,000 lambs are
frequently sold to various dealers ; and so much has the
business of late years increased, that the whole of that
hill, the superiority of which was purchased from the
corporation of Glasgow by Lady Douglas, of Lockerbie
House, is now appropriated to the purpose. The Michael-
mas fair is held, with the same restrictions, on the 2nd
of October, and is also numerously attended. There
are markets for cattle, sheep, and horses on the second
Thursdays, O. S., of January, February, March, April,
May, July, September, October, November, and Decem-
ber, all of which are free of toll. Markets are also held
fortnightly during the winter for the sale of pork, in the
purchase of which £1000 are often expended in one
day ; and fairs for hiring servants take place in April
and at Michaelmas. At the northern extremity of the
town is the parish church, which, after having been
twice removed to a new situation, to protect it from
encroachments of the river Dryfe, was finally built on
its present site, which is well adapted for the convenience
of the parishioners. There are also places of worship in
the town for members of the Free Church and Anti-
burghers. The old tower of Lockerbie has been assigned
for the custody of prisoners previously to their commit-
ment to Dumfries ; but it is scarcely ever occupied.
LOGIE, a parish, in the district of Cupar, county
of Fife; containing, with the village of Lucklawhill-
Feus, 419 inhabitants, of whom 30 are in the village
of Logic, 4 miles (N. N. E.) from Cupar. This parish de-
rives its name from the situation of its church in a hol-
low surrounded by hills, of which the term Logic in the
Gaelic language is descriptive. It is about four miles
in length and little more than one mile in breadth, and
comprises 3343 acres, of which 2700 are arable, 300
acres meadow and pasture, and about an equal number
woodland and plantations. The surface rises into irre-
gular hills, the highest of which, called Lucklaw hill,
has an elevation of about 600 feet above the level of the
sea ; the general appearance of the parish is greatly
diversified, and the scenery enriched by plantations of
comparatively modern growth. In some parts, the soil
is little better than moorland ; and in others, especially
on the sides of the hills, a rich loam which, under proper
management, produces abundant crops. The system of
agriculture is in a very improved state, and the rotation
plan of husbandry prevalent ; the crops are oats, barley,
wheat, potatoes, peas, beans, and turnips. Cattle of the
Fifeshire breed are reared, with a cross of the Teeswater
occasionally ; and the sheep, few of which are reared,
are of the Cheviot and Leicestershire breeds. The plan-
LOGI
LOGI
tations are larch and Scotch fir, with some mixtures of
hard-wood. The farm-buildings, though commodious,
are inferior to some others in the county ; those of
modern erection are upon an improved plan. Consi-
derable progress has been made in inclosing the lands.
The substratum is chiefly whiustone, of which the hills
consist ; and in some parts of the parish porphyry is
found, of a reddish colour, principally among the hills.
The annual value of real property is £4013.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the limits of the
presbytery of Cupar, synod of Fife ; patron, the Crown.
The minister's stipend is about £1*0, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £12 per annum. Logie church,
built in 1826, and situated nearly in the centre of the
parish, is a neat and substantial edifice adapted for a
congregation of about 300 persons. The members of
the Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial
school affords a useful course of instruction ; the master
has a salary of £34, with £9 fees, a house and garden,
and also fifty raerks Scotch per annum, the proceeds of
a sum bequeathed by an ancient heritor. There is a
Sabbath school for the young, regularly taught under
the superintendence of the clergyman. In the parish
are the remains of a square tower, apparently erected as
a fortified residence ; but nothing either of its founder,
or its date, is recorded. John West, author of a Treatise
on Mathematics, and of several valuable papers on the
same subject, was the son of an incumbent of this parish:
he died a few years ago, an episcopal clergyman in the
island of Jamaica.
LOGIE, a village, in the parish of Logie-Pert,
county of Forfar, 4 miles (N. by W.) from Montrose ;
containing 332 inhabitants. This place is situated in
the extreme east of the parish, on the south side of the
North Esk, and but a short distance from that river.
It is the seat of a large manufacturing establishment,
comprising a flax-spinning mill and a bleachfield, the
property of a company at Montrose ; and about a mile
distant from these works, at the village of Craigo, are
others of a similar description, comprising also some
cloth-finishing machinery and an cdkali manufacture.
Both employ nearly the whole of the population in their
respective vicinities. The old church of Logie stands
close by the village, where are also a school, and a good
library containing suitable volumes for the working-
classes.
LOGIE, a parish, in the counties of Clackmannan,
Perth, and Stirling, 2 miles (N. E. by N.) from Stir-
ling ; containing, with the villages of Craigmill, Men-
strie, Blairlogie, Bridge-of-AUan, and Causewayhcad or
Causeyhead, 2200 inhabitants. Logie derives its name
from the (iaelic word lag or laggie, denoting " low or
flat ground ", the lands consisting principally of an ex-
tensive tract of perfectly level country. The parish is
situated on the northern bank of the Forth, which sepa-
rates it from the parishes of Stirling and St. Ninian's ;
and has a very irregular outline in this direction, on
account of the many bends of the river. Its extreme
length from north to south is about six and a half or seven
miles, and the greatest breadth six miles, comprising an
area of about 12,600 acres, of whicli ,'jOOO arc arable,
and 1260 occupied by wood. The Devon bounds the
parisli on the east, and after a beautifully-winding course
of about thirty miles through a great variety of romantic
scenery, falls into the Forth at Cambus, in the parish of
206
Alloa, nearly due south of the spot where it rises, only
a few miles off, on the north side of the Ochil hills.
The Ochil range, stretching along the northern boundary
of the parish, ascends abruptly from the plain to the
height of 2500 feet, and from Demyat peak commands
extensive and richly-diversified prospects. These em-
brace the Forth almost from its source in Loch Ard to
the German Ocean ; also the city of Edinburgh ; with
views of the adjacent lands, the romantic stream of the
Devon, the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey, and the
castle of Airthrey shrouded in sylvan beauty : on the
north and west, the bold outline of the Grampians bounds
the view, and forms a striking contrast to the wide-
spread tracts below. From the foot of the Ochils, which
have little wood, but are well clothed with pasture, the
land is a rich, well-cultivated, and fertile plain entirely to
the southern boundary of the parish ; and besides many
mountain streams and excellent springs, the lands are
watered by the Allan, which, as well as the Devon and
all the burns, contains a good supply of fine trout.
The soil of the carse land, which comprehends three-
fourths of the arable portion of the parish, is a deep,
rich, alluvial earth, occasionally mixed with gravel, but
for the most part formed solely of a strong tenacious
clay, varying in depth from three to six feet, and incum-
bent on a dark blue silt with sand, plentifully inter-
spersed with the shells of oysters, mussels, cockles, and
many other fish. On the Ochils the soil consists prin-
cipally of loam, gravel, and sand, and rocky deposits,
among which large boulders are sometimes found. All
kinds of grain and of green crops are raised ; the hus-
bandry is excellent, and nearly the same on the dry-
field portion as on the carse land, except that wheat is
not sown upon the former. The pasture on the hills
comprises about .5000 acres, and is grazed by upwards
of 4000 sheep, chiefly of the black-faced and the Che-
viot breeds ; the latter has been lately introduced, and
the wool of the former has been greatly improved by
a cross with the Leicester breed. Much attention is
shown to the live stock ; and the cows, which are the
Ayrshire, are of a good description. The strata vary
considerably according to the nature of the ground.
The Ochil hills consist of trap rock, comprising a large
proportion of amygdaloid, with agates, calc-spar, and
many other minerals peculiar to the trap formation.
The substratum immediately south of the Ochils is a
continuation of the Clackmannanshire coalfield ; but no
works have been formed, as it is concluded that in this
part the seams are too thin to be profitable. Ironstone
also exists in the jjarish ; and copper-ore has been
wrought at the vein of the Mine-house. Logie derives
much celebrity from its mineral spring, situated on the
estate of Airthrey, near the village of Bridge-of-Allan,
to which ])lace large numbers of visiters resort every
season for tlie benefit of the waters. The annual value
of real property in the Clackmannanshire part of the
parish is £6445, of that in the Perthshire part £3100,
and the Stirlingshire £5292.
The wood in the parish consists chiefly of plantations
of ash, elm, plane, beech, larch, oak, and fir, in the vici-
nity of Airthrey Castle, which stands on the brow of
the Ochil hills, and is the seat of Lord Abercromby,
grandson of the celebrated Sir Ralph Abercromby. A
saw-mill has been built on the s])()t, for prejiaring the
wood for transit to various parts of the country, where
LOG I
LOGI
it is used for palings, in farm houses and offices, and for
many other purposes. Airthrey Castle is surrounded by
a small but beautiful park, ornamented by an artificial
lake, and is the only mansion of note, with the exception
of Powis House, a neat and commodious modern struc-
ture. Independently of several small hamlets, the parish
contains the villages of Menstrie, Blairlogie, Craigmill,
Causewayhead, and Bridge- of- Allan. Craigmill is situ-
ated at the southern base of the Abbey -Craig, a remark-
able rock of greenstone 500 feet high, in which there is
an extensive quarry, affording a material employed for
several purposes, but especially adapted, on account of
its firm texture, and rough surface when broken, for
grinding wheat. Upwards of 300 pairs of millstones
have been made for preparing flour, and for the use of
distilleries, at a cost of from £12 to £20 per pair; but
they are not at present in much demand, those made in
France being now sold for a low sum. The French
millstones were originally the only ones employed, and,
at the period of the war, rose so much in price as to in-
duce the London Society for the Encouragement of Arts
to offer 100 guineas for the discovery of any stone in
Great Britain from which millstones could be manufac-
tured, capable of being substituted for those from France.
In consequence of this, Mr. James Brownhill, of the
Alloa mills, presented specimens made from this rock ;
they were approved, and he received the premium.
Afterwards, the stones from France still commanding
from £45 to £60 per pair, the native stones continued
in use till the peace, when the great reduction in the
price of the former rendered those here prepared scarcely
worth the cost of the labour. There is another village,
called Abbey, situated where the celebrated abbey of
Cambuskenneth once flourished ; but this, with the ba-
rony of the same name, in which it stands, has been
considered from time immemorial as belonging to the
parish of Stirling, though it has been claimed by the
parish of Logic. The commissary of Stirling and the
commissary of Dunblane each exercise jurisdiction over
it as belonging to their respective provinces. Great
facility of intercourse is presented by the Scottish Cen-
tral railway, which intersects the parish, and has stations
at Bridge-of-Allan and Stirling. The turnpike-roads
from Crieff, Alloa, Dollar, and Stirling all meet in the
parish, at the village of Causewayhead ; but the first has
long been in a very bad condition, and the others are
indifferent. The Forth also affords facility of communi-
cation, and is crossed by an elegant bridge lately con-
structed, in place of the old one, at Stirling, to which
place the river is navigable for vessels of considerable
size. There are regular steam-boats between Stirling and
the city of Edinburgh.
Logie is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Dun-
blane, synod of Perth and Stirling, and in the patronage
of the Earl of Dunmore : the minister's stipend is £263,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £24 per annum.
The church, built in 1805, is a neat edifice containing
sittings for 644 persons, and is beautifully situated at
the foot of the Ochil mountains. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship. Logie parochial
school affords instruction in Greek and Latin, and all
the ordinary branches of education ; the master has a
salary of £30, with £33 fees, and about eighty children
receive instruction in the school. Ou the Abbey-Craig
hill, the Scottish army under Wallace was posted the
207
night before the celebrated engagement of Stirling, Sept.
13th, 1297 : upon the summit were formerly the remains
of a fort said to have been erected Ijy Oliver Cromwell
when he besieged Stirling Castle. Large stones, set up
to commemorate battles, are to be seen in some parts ;
and spear-heads and other military relics have been
found, some of which, from the skill displayed in the
construction, are supposed to be of Roman origin. The
entire skeleton of a whale, between sixty and seventy
feet long, was discovered in 1819 in the alluvial subsoil,
and is now in the museum of Edinburgh University.
The first Earl of Stirling, born in 1580, an elegant
scholar and poet, and a great favourite of James VI.,
was the sixth Baron of Menstrie in this parish ; and
General Sir Ralph Abercromby, the hero of Aboukir,
was born at the family mansion at Menstrie, in 1734. —
See Cambuskenneth, Bridge-of-Allan, &c.
LOGIE, in the county of Forfar. — See the article
on the parish of Kirriemuir.
LOGIE-BUCHAN, a parish, in the district of Ellon,
county of Aberdeen, 2 miles (E. by S.) from Ellon ;
containing 7 13 inhabitants. The word Logie, expressive
of " a low-lying spot", was given to this place on account
of its applicability to the tract in which the church is
situated ; while the affix is descriptive of the position of
the parish in that part of the county called Buchan.
Logie-Buchan is separated on the east from the German
Ocean by the parish of Slains, and is intersected by the
river Ythan, which crosses it in the centre in an eastern
direction, and after dividing it into two nearly equal
parts, falls into the sea about three miles below the
church. This river, the Itima of ancient geographers,
and at one time celebrated for its valuable pearls, has four
small tributary streams here, two of which separate the
parish on the north from Ellon, Cruden, and Slains, and
two on the south from Ellon, Udny, and Foveran. The
length of that portion of the parish in the northern
quarter is three miles and three-quarters, and of that in
the southern five and three-quarters ; the breadth of the
whole varies from three-quarters of a mile to three miles.
The entire district comprises 6600 acres, the number of
which under tillage is 5900, and in plantation sixty ;
the remainder is uncultivated. The surface is in general
level, and the highest hills reach an elevation of only 130
or 140 feet above the sea. The principal feature in the
scenery is the Ythan, which enters the locality through
a range of rocks, where there is a fine echo, and an
opening called the " Needle's Eye" : beyond this point,
at which its breadth is not more than fifty yards, it
widens till it reaches the breadth of about 600 yards at
high water, and forms a noble basin. The river abounds
with various kinds of trout, also with salmon, eels, floun-
ders, and mussels; and pearls are still occasionally
found. It has a ferry opposite the parish church, where
its breadth at low water is about sixty yards ; and two
boats are kept, one for general passengers, and the other,
a larger boat, for the conveyance of the parishioners to
church from the northern side. A tradition has long
prevailed that the largest pearl in the crown of Scotland
was obtained in the Ythan ; and it appears that, about
the middle of the last century, £100 were paid by a
London jeweller to a gentleman in Aberdeen, for pearls
found in the river. The pearl-fishery was formerly con-
fined by patent, but this privilege was withdrawn by an
act of parliament of the reign of Charles I.
LOGI
LOGI
The SOIL, which in some parts is clayey, produces
oats, bear, turnips, potatoes, and grass for pasture and
hay. Many improvements in agriculture have been
introduced within the present century, including the
rotation of crops and other approved usages ; the scythe
has taken the place of the sickle in reaping, and most
of the old farm-houses with thatched roofs have been
succeeded by others, two stories high, built of stone and
lime, and covered with slate. Oats and turnips are the
principal crops : the former are of excellent quality,
chiefly in consequence of the great care taken in the
choice of seed ; the latter are much indebted to the
plentiful application of bone-manure. The influence of
steam-navigation on the interests of agriculture has been
here most powerfully felt ; and the facility of communi-
cation with the London market thus afforded has given
a decided impulse to the breeding and fattening of cat-
tle, which in general are crosses with the short-horned
breed. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £3178. A mansion has lately been built in the Eliza-
bethan style, on the estate of Auchmacoy, the property
of James Buchan, Esq., whose ancestors, from a very
early period, have been located here, and were conspi-
cuous in the political convulsions of several reigns, and,
with the other chief proprietors of the parish, advocated
the cause of the crown in opposition to the Covenanters.
Most of the inhabitants of the district are employed in
agricultural pursuits, a small brick-work recently esta-
blished being the only exception. The great north road
from Aberdeen passes through the parish, and the mail
and other public coaches travel to and fro daily. On
another road, leading to the shipping-port of Newburgh,
the tenantry have a considerable traffic in grain, lime,
and coal, the last procured from England, and being
the chief fuel. The river Ythan is navigable for lighters
often or twelve tons' burthen at high water. The market-
able produce of the parish is sent to Aberdeen. Logie-
Buchan is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Ellon,
synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of Mr. Buchan:
the minister's stipend is about £19'-^, with a manse, and
a glebe of six acres, valued at £12. 10. per annum. The
church was built in 178", and contains 400 sittings.
The parochial school affords instruction in the ordinary
branches : the master has a salary of £25. 13., with a
house, and £9. 7. fees ; he also partakes in the Dick
bequest.
LOGIE-COLDSTONE, a parish, in the district of
Kincardine O'Neil, county of Aberdeen, 9 miles (w.)
from Kincardine O'Neil ; containing 936 inhabitants.
This place comprises the ancient parishes of Logic and
Coldstone, united in 16 18, and the former of which de-
rives its name from a Gaelic term signifying a "hollow"
or " low situation ", wliich is faithfully descriptive of its
character. Of the name Coldstone, formerly Cohtane,
the derivation is altogether uncertain. The parish oc-
cupies a district between the rivers Don and Dee, from
both of which it is nearly equidistant ; it is bounded
partly (m the west by the river Deskry, separating it
from the parish of Strathdon, and is about six miles in
length and three miles and a half in breadth. Logie-
Coldstone is of very irregular form, inclosing within its
boundaries a detached portion of the parisli of Migvy;
and its superficial contents have never been duly ascer-
tained. About 3000 acres are arable, 900 woodland
and plantations, and tlie remainder hill pasture, moor-
208
land, and waste. The surface is diversified with numer.
ous hills, a range of which of precipitous height extends
along the western boundary ; the most conspicuous is
the hill of Morven, commanding from its summit an un-
bounded propect towards the east. On the north the
hills are less elevated, of more gradual ascent, and partly
under cultivation. Neither of the two great rivers above
mentioned intersects or bounds the parish : the river
Deskry, after forming a boundary for some distance,
flows into the Don ; and there are some small rivulets,
which, after intersecting various lands here, flow into
the Dee. At the south-western extremity of the parish,
and partly within its limits, is Loch Dawan, a consider-
able lake, nearly three miles in circumference. Lochan
Uaine, which takes its name from the green colour of its
water, is a small pond, on the farm of Nether Ruthven ;
and though apparently impure, the cattle drink of its
water in preference to any other. Of the numerous
springs, several of which possess mineral properties, the
most distinguished is a powerful chalybeate near the
church, called the Poll Dubh, signifying in the Gaelic
the " black mire ", and which is still resorted to by
many persons for its efficacy in the cure of scorbutic
complaints.
The SOIL is various ; in some parts, a deep rich loam ;
in others, light and sandy ; and on the slopes of the
high grounds, generally fertile ; producing favourable
crops of grain, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual
grasses. Of late years the system of husbandry has been
greatly improved, and considerable tracts of moor and
waste have been brought into profitable cultivation.
The lands have been inclosed ; the houses and offices
are usually substantial and well arranged ; threshing-
mills have been erected on most of the farms, and all
the more recent improvements in the construction of
agricultural implements have been adopted. The moors
abound with grouse, snipes, woodcocks, partridges,
hares, and game of every other variety ; ptarmigan and
white hares are found in abundance on the hill of
Morven, and great numbers of wild ducks and geese
frequent the lower grounds. There are some small re-
mains of ancient wood, consisting chiefly of dwarf
alder ; and roots of oak, fir, and hazel of large growth,
are often dog up in the mosses. The plantations are
principally fir and larch, for which the soil seems well
adapted, and which are both in a thriving state. The
rocks in the parish are of the granite formation ; but
there are no quarries. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Logie-Coldstone is £6258, the amount for the
district of Logic being £3178, and for the district of
Coldstone £3080. The seats are Corrachree and Blelack,
both of them neat modern mansions. Ecclesiastically
the parish is within the bouniis of the presbytery of
Kincardine O'Neil, synod of Aberdeen. The minister's
stipend is about £217, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £15 per annum ; alternate patrons, the Crown, and
the Farquharson family of Invcrcauld. Logie-Coldstone
church, rebuilt in 1780, is a neat plain structure, and
well adapted to the accommodation of the parishioners.
The parochial school is attended by about 100 children :
the master has a salary of £34, witii a house and garden,
and the fees average £25 per annum ; he has also a
porti(in of the Dick becjuest. There are several cairns
in the jjarisii, two of wliich, of large dimensions, have
given the name of Cairnmore to the farms on which
L O G I
LOG I
they are respectively situated. In the gable of one of
the offices on the farm of Mill of Newton is a sculptured
stone, originally erected on some ground in the vicinity
which is still called Tomacbar, or the " Hillock of the
Chair ". Within the last few years, part of a paved
road was discovered below the surface of a ploughed
field, on the lands of Blelack ; and near the spot is a
hollow called the Picts' Howe. On removing some of
the stones, layers of charred wood were found beneath
them.
LOGIE-DURNO, Aberdeenshire. — See Garioch,
Chapel of.
LOGIE EASTER, a parish, in the county of Ross
and Cromartv, .5 miles (S. S. W.) from Tain ; contain-
ing 1015 inhabitants. The name of Logie, so frequently
applied to designate Scottish parishes, is derived from
the Gaelic word laggie, which signifies a " hollow ", and is
used in the present instance in reference to the site of
the first church, the ruins of which are still to be seen.
The place is not remarkable for any events of historical
importance ; but there are many cairns remaining, the
ancient and ordinary memorials of bloodshed, and said
to have originated from a battle fought between the Danes
and the Scots, in which the latter were conquerors. This
parish is seven miles long and about three broad, and
is bounded on the north by Tain parish ; on the south
by Kilmuir Easter ; on the east by Nigg ; and on the
west by Eddertoun. The climate is usually mild, but
intensely cold when the wind sets in from the east,
which is, however, but seldom, as westerly winds are
most prevalent. The soil varies considerably in different
parts, consisting in some places of a light, sandy, un-
productive earth ; in others, of deep clay ; and in some
tracts, of a rich black mould. Wheat is the principal
grain raised, and it is of a very superior quality. The
most approved system of agriculture has become general
since the breaking up of the small farms ; the lands are
now let in large allotments, and exhibit the natural effects
of good cultivation. The population, however, has been
greatly diminished by the change.
The whole land belongs to four families, two of whom
are resident : the annual value of real property in the
parish is £3'297. There are several quarries of free-
stone ; and a manufactory for tiles employs about thirty
hands. A cattle-market is held at Blackhill in the
month of May, at which large numbers of cows are sold.
The mail-coach runs daily through the parish ; but the
roads, with the exception of a line of about three miles,
are in bad condition. Calrossie, the seat of the Ross
family, and Shandwick and Scotsburn, are very hand-
some mansions. Ecclesiastically the parish is within
the limits of the presbytery of Tain, synod of Ross, and
the patronage belongs to the Marchioness of Stafford :
the stipend of the minister is £237, with a glebe of
twenty-two acres. Logie Easter church, which is an
excellent and commodious building, capable of accom-
modating 700 persons with sittings, is situated on
Chapel hill, and was erected about thirty years since.
Near it is the manse, built about fifty or sixty years ago,
and commanding an extensive view of rich and beautiful
scenery. The members of the Free Church have a place
of worship. There is a parochial school, the master of
which has a salary of £35, with a good school-house and
about £6 fees. Another school, in the district of Scots-
burn, is called the Assembly school ; the master receives
Vol. II.— 209
£^0 per annum and some fees, and connected with it is
a small library. The language generally spoken in the
parish is Gaelic ; but the younger part of the population
can all speak English. Besides the funds periodically
raised for their relief, the poor have the interest of about
£100, the aggregate of various bequests.
LOGIE-PERT, a parish, in the county of Forfar,
about 5 miles (N. W.) from Montrose ; containing, with
the villages of Craigo, Logie, and Muirside, 1560 in-
habitants. This parish was formerly called Logie-Mon-
trose ; but, upon the annexation to it of the parish of
Pert about the year 16)0 or 16 15, it assumed its pre-
sent name of Logie- Pert. The word Lvgie, so frequently
used in Scotland, is of Gaelic origin, signifying a " flat
or low situation ", and is strikingly applicable to the situ-
ation of the old ihurch of Logie, in a hollow or piece of
low ground close by the North Esk river. The name
Pert is very old, and of uncertain derivation : the an-
cient church of Pert, like that of Logie, is still standing,
but both have fallen into disuse since the erection of a
central church for the accommodation of the united pa-
rish in the year 1775. The parish is about five miles
in length and three in breadth, and is bounded on the
north by the North Esk, which separates it from Kin-
cardineshire ; on the south by the parish of Dun, on the
east by the parish of Montrose, and on the west by the
parish of Strickathrow. The lower part lies along the
banks of the river, which here makes a beautiful curve;
the upper part is tolerably high, and generally with a
gentle declivity to the river, though a considerable por-
tion of it has a southern exposure. The North Esk,
sometimes called the North Water, gives the title of
Earl to the noble family of Carnegie, Earls of Northesk,
who formerly held a large tract of land in Pert and
its vicinity, on both sides of the stream : this property
now belongs to the Earl of Kintore and others. The
river takes its rise, like the South Esk, from the Gram-
pian torrents, and falls into the sea about three miles
north of Montrose ; it abounds with excellent trout and
salmon, and the fisheries yield a considerable revenue to
the different proprietors.
The SOIL in the lower part of the district is a fine
deep loam, and in the upper part generally a black earth
resting upon a subsoil of clay. About 3795 acres are
under cultivation ; 300 are waste, and 1100 are occupied
by wood, consisting mainly of larch, spruce, and Scotch
fir. Oats and barley are the grain chiefly grown, the
amount of wheat being small ; and potatoes and turnips
are produced in considerable quantities, with other green
crops. A good revenue is also derived from the dairy
produce, the greater part of which is disposed of at the
Montrose market. The system of husbandry here fol-
lowed is of the best kind ; and the crops, especially the
grain, are of excellent quality : the cattle are of the
Angus breed, and a few sheep are kept for the purpose
of consuming the turnips in the winter. The farm
houses and offices are in general in superior condition,
and some of them built even in a handsome manner.
There are but few thorn hedges, and scarcely any stone
fences, the inclosures being mostly formed of a strong
and moveable paling. The chief improvement recently
carried out has been extensive and effectual draining;
hardly any other improvement is required. Some lime-
works formerly in operation are now given up ; but
there is an excellent freestone-quarry on the estate of
3E
LOGI
LOG I
Craigo : the expense, however, of working it is so con-
siderable that few stones are sent out of the parish.
There are two large manufacturing establishments at
Logie and Craigo respectively, situated on the banks of
the North Esk, about a mile distant from each other.
The Logie works belong to a company at Montrose, and
comprise a bleachfield and flax-spinning mill, the former
of which has existed nearly eighty or ninety years, and
is at present employed in bleaching linen-yarns, to be
afterwards manufactured into different kinds of cloth for
the home and foreign markets : between forty and fifty
persons are engaged in bleaching, and the mill occu-
pies about 130 hands. The works at Craigo, which be-
long to Messrs. Richards and Co., of London, comprise
a flax-spinning mill, a bleachfield, some cloth-finishing
machinery, and an alkali manufacture : about 2S0 hands
are employed at these works. The annual value of real
property in Logie-Pert is £6206. Brushwood, which
abounds in the parish, is frequently used by the people
as fuel ; but the chief article of consumption is English
coal, procured at Montrose. Two fairs are held every
year for the sale of cattle and horses, one on the second
Tuesday in May, and the other on the third Thursday in
June. The Aberdeen railway, and two turnpike-roads,
pass through the parish. Tliere are two great bridges,
one of which, the old North-Water bridge, consists of
three arches, and was built above 300 years ago ; the
Marykirk bridge, a handsome structure of four arches,
was built by means of shares, in 1814, at an expense of
£7000, and has proved of great benefit in facilitating
the intercourse between the counties of Forfar and Kin-
cardine. The Aberdeen railway, also, has a bridge over
the same river, which, like the two preceding bridges,
connects the counties. Craigo House, built about sixty
years since, is a spacious and excellent mansion ; and
the house of Gallerj-, of older date, is romantically situ-
ated on the bank of the North Esk.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within
the limits of the presbytery of Brechin, synod of Angus
and Mearns ; patrons, the Crown, and St. Mary's
College, St. Andrew's, alternately. The stipend of the
minister averages £240, with a manse, and a glebe of
nine acres, valued at about £1 per acre. The present
church, which is situated in the centre of the parish,
was built in 1840, and is a plain substantial structure,
capable of accommodating about 700 persons with seats.
There is a parochial school, where the usual branches of
education are taught ; the master has the maximum
salary, with at least £1.5 fees, and a house and garden.
Unendowed schools have been built at each of the
mills, where the same instruction is given as at the
parochial school ; and there arc two small parochial
libraries, and two or three savings' banks, in the parish.
The poor have the interest of £189, left by the late
David Lyall, of Gallery. Among the antiquities are
three tumuli, on three laws of Craigo ; in which human
bones of an extraordinary size have been found, with
several urns and other relics. The late James Mill, Esq.,
author of Jiritish India, was a native of the parish : he
died in the year 1836.
LOGIEIIAIT, a parish, in the county of Perth; con-
taining, with the village of Ballenluig, part of that of
Aberfoldy, and part of the quoad sacra district of Ran-
noch, 'Z'j't'j Inhabitants, of whom I68 are in the village
of Logicrait, 8 miles (N. N. W.) from Dunkeld. This
210
place, frequently called Laggan by the inhabitants,
derives its name from the two words Logie and Rait or
Reite, the first signifying a " hollow", and the latter
" arbitration" or " settlement of differences", the Court
of Regality under the jurisdiction of the house of Atholl
having been formerly held in this village, where a large
court-house stood, containing a justiciary hall upwards
of seventy feet long, with galleries at the ends. King
Robert IIL is supposed to have resided occasionally at
a hunting-seat, or castle, in the vicinity of the village,
the ruins of which are still to be seen. The parish
consists of several distinct portions, some of which are
far distant from the main part. The principal lands of
the main part lie between the rivers Tay and Tummel,
the former running along their southern, and the latter
marking their northern and eastern boundaries : the
rest of the main part is east of the Tummel, and bounded
by the parishes of Dunkeld, Kirkmichael, and Moulin,
the first and last of which penetrate by narrow tracts to
a considerable distance. On the south of the Tay, a
detached portion of Logierait, stretching from the river,
near Aberfeldy, for about a mile, runs between the
parishes of Dull and Fortingal ; and two other sepa-
rate portions are situated towards the west, in the district
of Rannoch, beyond the parishes of Weera, Dull, and
Fortingal. On account of the very irregular boundary
line of the main part, and especially on account of the
detached portions, it is difficult to state the actual di-
mensions of the parish ; but, supposing the whole to be
compact and continuous, it has been estimated at twelve
miles in length, and five in average breadth. It con-
tains 27,411 acres, of which .5002 are under cultivation,
2899 occupied by wood, 15,533 moor, 768 common, and
the remainder other kinds of waste. The scenery be-
tween the two rivers, which in one part are about seven
miles distant, is richly varied and beautiful ; and a slop-
ing hilly ridge intersecting the district commands unin-
terrupted and picturesque views on each side, the bold
and imposing features of the rocky and mountainous
eminences in the adjacent parishes supplying a fine
relief to the softer scenery of the immediate locality.
The portion of the parish situated in Rannoch is skirted
on the north by the considerable loch of the same name ;
but, with this exception, there are no waters of conse-
quence besides the two rivers, and the stream which se-
parates part of Logierait from Dull, and is ornamented
near Aberfeldy with the celebrated falls of Moness.
The SOIL in the haughs and low grounds is partly
alluvial, and partly gravelly ; that of some of the slopes
is deeper, and of a rich loamy quality : the portion east
of the Tummel contains numerous springs, and is mostly
wet, resting on a clayey impervious sul)soil. The crops,
which in general arc fine, on account of the purity and
dryness of the climate and the kindly nature of the
soil, comprise wheat, barley, oats, and rye ; the last, how-
ever, sown in only small quantities. Turnips and po-
tatoes are also produced to some extent, with clover;
and lint is still grown, though l)earing but a small pro-
portion to the amount formerly raised. The six-shift
rotation is occasionally followed ; but the five-shift pre-
vails annmg the larger farmers, and the four-shift among
the cottars. The breeds of horses, shee]), and cattle arc
comparatively inferior ; improvements have, however,
recently been made, and Leicester sheep and Ayrshire
cattle are to be seen on some of the best farms. On
LOGI
LONG
the whole the husbandry is upon a good footing ; but
the advances made in many other districts are here im-
peded to a considerable extent by the minute subdivision
of the land, which, falling into the hands of inferior ten-
ants, is deprived of the advantage of an outlay of capital,
and often much exhausted in cropping. The recovery
of waste land, and draining and embanking, have, never-
theless, been actively carried on ; and much attention
has been paid to the erection of superior farm houses
and offices. The Duke of AthoU is superior, and prin-
cipal heritor : the annual value of real property in the
parish is £10,290. Veins of limestone cross the district
in one or two places ; but the substratum consists chiefly
of common stone, quarries of which are numerous. The
wood comprises several varieties of fir, with ash, elm,
beech, oak, poplar, plane, and other trees ; the largest
plantations are those of larch-fir, belonging to the duke.
There are several gentlemen's seats on the north of the
Tay, and on each side of the Tummel, all of which are
neat commodious structures.
The village of Logierait is ancient, and now almost
ruinous : the old prison in it belonging to the Regality
Court, where many of the rebels were confined after the
battle of Culloden, was taken down about thirty years
since. About 170 persons reside here ; and 300 in that
portion of the village of Aberfeldy attached to this parish.
Linen-yarn was formerly manufactured in the parish,
returning nearly £3000 annually ; but this branch of
trade has quite disappeared. There are six distilleries,
which produce yearly about 65,000 gallons of spirit from
32,500 bushels of malt, one-third of the barley employed
being of native growth : there are also eight meal-mills,
two mills for flax, two saw-mills, and a mill for potato-
starch. A good turnpike-road traverses Strath-Tay, and
is connected with the great road to Inverness on the
north, and with that to Breadalbane from Dunkeld on the
south, by two ferries, one on the Tay and the other on
the Tummel ; the passage on the latter being effected by
a fly-bridge constructed with two boats and a platform,
and adapted, by novel and ingenious machinery, to the
nature of the stream. There are several other ferries ;
and a post every day except Tuesday. The chief trade
consists in the exportation of whisky to the southern
markets, and potatoes to Dundee for Loudon ; the meal
obtained from the oats is sold in the surrounding districts.
A fair is held on the first Tuesday after the 12th of
May, for the sale of seeds, &c. ; but it has nearly fallen
into disuse in consequence of the farmers having dis-
continued the sowing of lint-seeds. A market, also, now
in a declining state, is held on the 22nd of August, for
the sale of horses and the hiring of shearers.
The parish is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of
Weem, synod of Perth and Stirling, and in the patron-
age of the Duke of Atholl. The minister's stipend is
£232, with a manse, and a glebe of several acres, valued
at £10 per annum. Logierait church was built in 1806,
and is conveniently situated within half a mile of the
junction of the Tay and the Tummel, and in the vicinity
of the principal ferries ; it affords accommodation for
1000 persons, and contains a monument to Major-
General Sir Robert Henry Dick, who served with ho-
nour in the peninsula and at Waterloo, and was mortally
wounded in the battle of Sobraon, in India, in 1846.
There is an episcopal chapel ; and a place of worship
for Baptists has been erected. The parochial school
211
affords instruction in the usual branches : the master
has a salary of £34, with a house and garden, and about
£6 fees ; also £5 per aniuim from the rents of the
bishopric of Dunkeld. Tfiere is likewise a free school
at Strath-Tay, affording a good education to nearly 200
children, endowed, under the will of the late Mr. D.
Stewart, a native of the parish, with six acres of land,
and the interest of £2500, for the support of a master
and assistant, and the supply of stationery and prizes,
besides an additional sum for the erection of school
premises : the master has a salary of £40, and the
assistant one of £20. The same benefactor left funds
which are becoming available, for the endowment of
an hospital at Edinburgh. There is a society called the
Atholl Wrights' Brotherly Society, instituted in 1812;
the Strath-Tay Farmers' Friendly Society was com-
menced in January 1826 ; and a savings' bank at Aber-
feldy, instituted in 1833, is open for deposits to a small
portion of this parish. The chief relic of antiquity is
the ruin of the castle or hunting-seat supposed to have
been occupied by King Robert. The Duke of Atholl
takes his title of Earl of Strathtay from this parish.
LOGIE-WESTER, in the counties of Nairn, and
Ross and Cromarty. — See Uruuhart.
LONGFORGAN, a parish, in the county of Perth ;
containing 1660 inhabitants, of whom 458 are in the
village of Longforgan, 2 miles (E. N. E.) from Inchture,
and 55 (W.) from Dundee. The name of this place, in a
charter of Robert Bruce's in 1315, granting the lands
and barony to Sir Andrew Gray, is written Lonforgund.
It appears to have obtained its prefix to distinguish it
from other places called Forgan in the neighbourhood.
The parish forms the eastern extremity of the Carse of
Gowrie, and is about nine miles in length, and of very
irregular figure, varying from a mile and a half to four
miles in breadth. It is bounded on the south by the
river Tay, which washes its shores for nearly five miles;
and comprises 8992 acres, whereof 7200 are arable,
1003 woodland and plantations, and 189 hill-pasture
and waste. The surface is greatly diversified, rising in
some parts into hills of considerable elevation, of which
those of Ballo and Lochton, parts of the Sidlaw range,
are the principal, the former being nearly 1000, and the
latter nearly 1200, feet above the level of the sea. From
the banks of the Tay the land rises gradually to the
Snabs of Drimmie, from which is obtained a rich pros-
pect of the luxuriant plains of the Carse of Gowrie. The
lower lands form a broad, level, and fertile tract in the
highest state of cultivation ; and the scenery is embel-
lished with extensive and thriving plantations, and with
gentlemen's seats, round some of which is timber of
ancient and stately growth. Numerous streamlets issue
from copious springs of excellent water, affording an
ample supply; and some of them are sufficiently powerful
to turn mills.
The SOIL in the lower grounds is chiefly clay with a
rich black loam ; but, in some parts of them, clay inter-
mixed with gravel of a reddish colour, which by good
management is rendered very fertile. In the upper dis-
tricts of the parish, the soil, though inferior in quality
to that of the carse land, is dry, and well adapted for
turnips, with the exception of some small portions which,
resting on a more compact clay, are moist and less pro-
ductive. The crops are wheat, barley, oats, peas, beans,
potatoes, and turnips. The system of agriculture at-
2E2
LONG
LONG
tained a highly-advanced state under the auspices of the
Carse of Gowrie Agricultural Society, which held its
meetings for the promotion of improvements in hus-
bandry in the village of Longforgan, but which has now
merged into the Perthshire Agricultural Association.
Tlie lands are inclosed partly with stone dykes, and
partly with hedges. Much benefit has been effected by
draining, and embankments have been raised to a con-
siderable extent for reclaiming land on the shores of
the parish. The farm-buildings are substantial and
commodious ; and on most of the farms are threshing-
mills, one of which is driven by steam. The cattle are
chiefly a cross of the short-horned breed, but not many
are reared, and very few sheep, as the lands are not well
adapted, except in the upper parts, for the pasture of
live stock : some horses are bred, but the greater number
are brought from other places. In this parish the woods
consist of oak, ash, elm, Spanish chesnut, beech, lime,
and plane-trees, of which fine specimens are found on
the lands of Castle-Huntly, Drimmie, Mylnefield, and
Longforgan. There are quarries of freestone at Kin-
goodie, and in the higher district of the parish. The
former, the property of Mr. Henderson, are near the
Tay, and have been wrought from a remote period ; the
stone is of a bluish hue, very compact and durable, and
susceptible of the finest polish. Great quantities of it
are raised, and sent to Aberdeen, Perth, Dundee, London,
and other places, about sixty persons being continually
employed ; and the lessees of the quarries have con-
structed docks, and provided other facilities for shipping
the produce, in which three boats are always engaged.
The stone of the other quarry, which is the property of
Lord Kinnaird, is of similar quality to that of Kingoodie,
though of a whiter colour. This quarry, however, from
which the stone for the erection of Rossie Priory was
raised, is not wrought to any very great extent, its situa-
tion precluding the facility for shipping off the produce.
The salmon-fishery in the Tay, which was formerly very
considerable, and afforded an abundant supply for the
inhabitants, and also for distant markets, has since the
prohibition of the use of the stake-net been discon-
tinued. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £13,.'S88.
Drimmie House, the seat of the Kinnaird family, was
destroyed by fire at the commencement of the last cen-
tury ; and Rossie Priory, the present residence of Lord
Kinnaird, was erected in its stead, at some distance from
the site of the old mansion, and within the parish of
Inchture, under which head it is described. Castle-
lliintly, the seat of George Paterson, Esq., to whose
ancestor it was sold in 1777, is an ancient and stately
mansion, built of stone from the quarries of Kingoodie
by the second Lord Gray of Fowlis. Its walls are ten
feet in thickness, and exhibit no marks of decay, though
the building has stood for nearly five centuries. The
round tower, which is nearly 120 feet high, commands
a most extensive and rich view, comprising the entire
Carse lands interspersed with handsome residences, the
river Tay for nearly the whole of its course till it falls
into the German Ocean, the opposite coast of Fife with
the Lomonds, part of the vale of Strathcarn, the Ochils,
and the lofty range of Sidlaw. Considerable additions
have been made to the castle ; but uniformity of charac-
ter has been preserved, and the whole forms one of the
most magnificent seats in the country. Mylnejield, the
212
seat of Mr. Henderson, is a handsome mansion sheltered
with stately timber ; and Lochton is also a handsome
house, pleasantly situated.
The village of Longforgan is neatly built and well
inhabited : about 150 of its people are employed in the
manufacture of coarse-linen for export, and a considera-
ble number of women and children are engaged in spin-
ning and winding the yarn. The nearest market-town
is Dundee, with which, and with other towns, a facility
of intercourse is maintained by good roads ; that from
Aberdeen passes through the parish, and from this princi-
pal road branch off two others, one leading to the quarries
at Kingoodie, and the other to Cupar. The Dundee and
Perth railway also affords great facilities of communica-
tion ; it intersects the parish, and is carried, by stupen-
dous works, over the immense freestone-quarries of Kin-
goodie. There is a small harbour at Kingoodie, where
lime from Sunderland, and coal from Dundee, are landed.
Fairs are held in Longforgan on the first Wednesday in
the months of June and October (O. S.) and the last
Monday in the month of April, for the sale of cattle,
agricultural produce, and other merchandise. Ecclesias-
tically the parish is in the presbytery of Dundee, synod
of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage of the Crown :
the minister's stipend is £268. 3. 4., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £13 per annum. Longforgan church
is a spacious and substantial edifice, well situated for
the convenience of the parishioners, and adapted for a
congregation of 1000 persons. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship in tlie eastern angle of
the parish. The parochial schoolmaster has a salary of
£34, with £16 fees, and a house and garden ; he receives
also £6. 6. from Mr. Paterson, and £2. 10. from Lord
Kinnaird, for the gratuitous instruction of poor children
on their respective estates : an excellent schoolroom has
been lately erected. A small library has been established,
which consists chiefly of religious works ; and a savings'
bank was opened in 1824, but it has not been much en-
couraged. At Dron are the ruins of a chapel that be-
longed to the abbey of Cupar-Angus founded by Mal-
colm IV., in 1164, for monks of the Cistercian order;
the remains consist chiefly of the east and west gables
of the building, the latter containing a large window of
elegant design, and are situated in a deep dell, on a
rocky eminence, at the base of which is a small rivulet
of beautifully limpid water. A silver coin of the reign
of Robert II. or Robert III. was found on a farm here
in the year 1826 ; the legend, Hobertiis, Dei Gratia Sco-
torinn Rex, is still legible, but every other part is com-
pletely obliterated.
LONGFORMACUS and ELLIM, a parish, in the
county of Berwick, 7 miles (\V. N. W.) from Dunse ;
containing 390 inliabitants. The name of Longformacus
has been variously written at different periods, and its
derivation is involved in much obscurity. In 1384, the
place is called Longfordmakehouse in a charter by the
Earl of Orkney to his cousin " James de Santae Clairo";
while in a charter of 1395, the lands of Lochirmackehous
are conveyed by the Earl of March to James Sinclair.
In 1505, the spelling had changed to Loehirmacus, which
variation it kept till about 1556, vvhen it assumed its
present form of Longformacus. The name of Ellim
has also been spelt differently, sometimes being written
Ellim, and at other times Ktm and Ellem: its derivation,
too, is uncertain, hke that of Longformacus. These two
LONG
LONG
parishes, on account of their proximity, were united on
the 18th of February 1712, when the population of
Longformacus was 200, and that of Ellim 100. There
are no striking historical events recorded ; but notice of
one or two severe conflicts is handed down by tradition,
having reference to this district, which, on account of
its situation, was involved in the border warfare. The
name of Main, or Man-slaughter, Law is given to a hill
in the neighbourhood, where a bloody battle is said to
have been fought in 1402, between the Earl of Dunbar
and Hepburn of Hailes ; and a large heap of stones at
Byrecleugh, called the "Mutiny Stones", about 240
feet long, marks the spot or vicinity of some early en-
counter the particulars of which are unknown. There
being a place here of the name of Otterburn, the suppo-
sition has been hazarded that this parish was the scene
of the contest between Douglas and Hotspur, fought in
the year 1388.
The PARISH is about twelve miles in length, from east
to west, and eight miles in breadth, containing 21,3.50
acres, of which 2200 are cultivated, 18,800 uncultivated,
and 350 under plantation. It lies at the extremity of
the county, and is bounded on the north by the Lammer-
moor hills, which separate it from the parish of Whit-
tingham, in Haddingtonshire : on the south it has the
parishes of Langton, Greenlaw, and Westruther ; on the
east, those of Dunse and Abbey St. Bathan's ; and on
the west, the parish of Lauder. A part of the parish,
about two miles long and one and a half broad, called
Blackerstone, which belonged to the old parish of Ellim,
is locally situated in, and insulated by, the parish of
Abbey St. Bathan's : this portion is eight miles distant
from the church. The surface of the parish, in its gene-
ral appearance, is hilly, being situated near the great
Lammermoor ridge ; it is mostly covered with heath,
and traversed by large flocks of sheep. But though the
hills are uncultivated, some of them are of great beauty,
such as the two Dirrington Laws, which are conical in
form, and one of which rises 1145 feet in height. The
most elevated part of the parish is Meikle Cese, or Sayrs
Law, in the line of division between Berwickshire and
East Lothian ; it is nearly 1500 feet high. The climate,
on account of the peculiar situation, and in many parts
lofty site, of the district, is cold and piercing, but by no
means unhealthy. The lands are watered by the rivers
Whitadder and Dye, the former of which cuts the
northern boundary of the parish at Duddy Law : the
Dye is a tributary to the Whitadder, and the Whitadder
to the Tweed ; and both are good trouting streams.
Though the farm-houses are generally in indifferent
repair, the system of husbandry is tolerably advanced ;
and the crops usually produced are barley, oats, turnips,
potatoes, rye-grass, and clover. Some of the grain and
of the potatoes is sent to the markets of Haddington,
Dunbar, and Berwick. Near the village of Longfor-
macus, plantations have been made to a considerable
extent, especially in the immediate neighbourhood of
the mansion-house, the seat of the principal heritor,
John Home Home, Esq., where are some very fine elm
and ash trees. On the lands of Blackerstone, also, at
the Retreat, planting has been extensively carried on.
The sheep pastured amount to about 9000 or 10,000,
two-thirds of which are of the Cheviot breed ; 100 scores
are the black-faced, and fifty scores half-Leicesters.
The cattle are the common breed of the county, but not
213
of so fine a description as those in the southern districts :
many calves are fed. There is a vein of copper-ore in
the place where the old church of Ellim stood ; it has at
different times been jjartially worked, but without suc-
cess. An English company, not many years ago, renewed
the attempt upon a larger scale ; but it was shortly
abandoned, the ore not being sufliciently rich and plen-
tiful to cover the expenses. A vein of superior quality,
however, is supposed to exist in the same neighbourhood.
The annual value of real property in the parish is returned
at £3788.
Longformacus is the only village. There are two
main roads running through the parish, one from Had-
dington to Coldstream, and the other from East Lothian
to Dunse ; but both are very indifferent. The cross-
roads, also, are in a bad state, as the money for their
repair, which is levied upon twenty ploughs, the esti-
mated number kept, is found altogether insufficient for
the purpose. The Duke of Roxburghe has a shooting
or fishing cottage here ; as has Lord Somerville, on
the Dye water ; the Earl of Wemyss, at the Retreat ;
and Mr. Smith, at Rigfoot. For ecclesiastical pur-
poses the parish is within the limits of the presbytery
of Dunse and synod of Merse and Teviotdale ; patron,
Mr. Home Home. The stipend of the minister is about
£222 a year, with a manse, which stands three-quarters
of a mile from the church, and was built about thirty
years ago. The glebe consists of twelve acres of excel-
lent land, and there is a right of pasturage for forty
sheep on the farm adjoining the old church of Ellim,
this right being in lieu of a glebe for that parish : the
minister has, however, commuted the privilege for £11
per annum. The church, a plain, long, narrow structure,
was built above a century and a half ago ; it has lately
been repaired, and is in good order, accommodating 200
persons with seats. The edifice is conveniently situated,
although, from the angles and curvatures of the bound-
aries of the parishes in this portion of the county, which
in many parts shoot into and intersect each other, the
congregations of this and neighbouring churches are
frequently composed of persons belonging to several
different parishes. There is a parochial school, in which
the usual branches of education are taught ; the master
has the maximum salary, with about £10 fees, and the
legal allowance of house and garden. The poor receive
the interest of £100. In the Lammermoor district are
several heaps of stones, or cairns, the evidences of an-
cient conflicts ; and on the sheep-farm of Byrecleugh,
belonging to the Duke of Roxburghe, is one, already
referred to, 240 feet long, of irregular breadth and height,
but where broadest seventy-five feet, and where highest
eighteen feet. The stones of this must have been brought
from a crag at least half a mile distant.
LONG ISLAND. This name is given to that district
of the Hebrides which extends from the island of Lewis,
on the north, to Barra, on the south ; and which com-
prehends Lewis, Harris, Benbecula, North and South
Uist, Barra, and several smaller isles ; being a space
about 166 miles in length, and in average breadth eight,
and containing 1202 square miles. The reason for so
many islands being included under this appellation is,
that the sounds between them are so shallow, the whole
appear as if they had once been a continuous ridge of
land ; and several of them are, indeed, separated only
by a channel which is dry at low water. The principal
LONG
LONG
passage from the east to the west side of the Long
Island is by the south of Harris, in which there is a
remarkable variation of the currents. — See Lewis, Har-
ris, &c.
LONGLEYS, a hamlet, in the parish of Cupar-
Angus, county of Perth, 3 miles (N. E. by E.) from
Cupar- Angus ; containing 56 inhabitants. It is situated
on the road from Cupar-Angus to Meigle, from which
latter place it is about a mile and a half distant.
LONGNIDDRY, a village, in the parish of Glads-
MUiR, county of Haddington, 4 miles (\V. by N.) from
Haddington ; containing 216 inhabitants. This village,
which is irregularly built, is situated within half a mile
of the Firth of Forth, and has a station on the line of
the North-British railway. It appears to have been
once of much greater extent than at present ; a conside-
rable portion of the site of ancient buildings is now in a
state of cultivation, and in the memory of persons yet
living there were several ranges of houses, the founda-
tions of which have been obliterated by the plough.
Part of the old mansion of the Douglases, here, is still
occupied by a tenant ; and near it are the remains of
the ancient chapel, called, from Knox's having preached
in it, John Knox's Kirk. — See Gladsmuir.
LONGO, an island, in the parish of Gairloch,
county of Ross and Cromarty ; containing 35 inhabit-
ants. This is a small island, of very irregular form, and
with considerable indentations ; lying at the mouth of
Loch Gairloch, a short distance from the main land.
LONGRIDGE, or Langrigg, a village, in the parish
of Whitburn, county of Linlithgow, 1| mile (S. by E.)
from Whitburn ; containing 225 inhabitants. It lies on
the high road from Wilsontown to Linlithgow. Between
this village and that of Fauldhouse is a valuable field of
blackband ironstone, called the Crofthead, lately disco-
vered ; it has led to great enterprise and industry in the
district, the aspect of which has in consequence remark-
ably iin])roved. In the neighbourhood of the village is
a good stone-quarry. One of two libraries in the parish
is at Longridge.
LONGSIDE, a parish, in the district of Deer, county
of Aberdeen, 6 miles (W. by N.) from Peterhead; con-
taining 2612 inhabitants. This place was disjoined from
Peterhead, and received a separate erection, in the year
1620, when a church was built on an estate called Long-
side, from which the parish was named. It is of an
irregular four-sided figure, and covers between thirty and
forty square miles, the length and breadth being each
nearly six miles. The parish comprises 16,3/0 acres, of
which 12,550 are cultivated, 3*0 planted, and the re-
mainder pasture and waste, mostly capable of improve-
ment. Its surface is cither level, or rises in very gentle
undulations, so that, during the overflowings of the river
Ugie, which runs through the parish from west to cast,
large portions of the land arc under water. The river
Ugie affords good trout-angling ; and after the union of
its two branches here, which have flowed separately for
ten or twelve miles from the west, it falls into the sea
near Peterhead, about four miles from the junction. The
SOIL is in general light and shallow, and is incumbent
upon a ferruginous stratum here called pan, of hard
consistence, and, when mixed at breaking up, detrimental
to the superior soil. The peat-moss, of which only five
tracts now remain, is disappearing by degrees through
the progress of agricultural improvement. The usual
214
kinds of grain, with the exception of wheat, are raised,
as Well as the ordinary green crops ; the whole amount-
ing in annual value to £56,100, of which the oats return
£31,200, and the turnips £10,500. The climate is
humid, cold, and variable, and unsuited to the more
delicate grain and vegetables ; but the farming is good,
and is carried on chiefly according to the five-shift course,
though the seven-shift is sometimes followed. Bone-
dust manure, bottomed with dung and light mould, is
plentifully applied to the turnip soils ; and among other
improvements, extensive draining, subsoil and trench
ploughing, and the formation of inclosures of stone dykes,
are conspicuous. Great attention is also paid to the
rearing of cattle, consisting of the native Buchan breed,
with occasional crosses with the Teeswater. Most of
the farmers belong to the Buchan Agricultural Associa-
tion, the premiums of which, for superiority in every
branch of husbandry, have excited a laudable spirit of
emulation, and proved highly beneficial. The farm-
buildings are in good condition, and each of them has
generally a threshing-mill attached.
The prevailing rock is a fine grey-coloured granite, of
firm texture, and capable of a high polish. Several
quarries of it are worked, supplying a material exten-
sively used for the more ornamental, as well as the sub-
stantial, parts of buildings. Of this stone, portions of
the Duke of York's monument, in London, were con-
structed, and also portions of Covent-Garden market,
and the walls of the new houses of parliament. Frag-
ments of quartz and felspar are abundant. The land
being chiefly under tillage, plantations are comparatively
rare ; the trees principally to be seen are Scotch fir,
spruce, and larch, and though inconsiderable in extent,
the plantations contribute to improve the scenery. The
landowners are numerous ; but two only are resident,
occupying the mansions of Cairngall and Innerquhomry,
which are modern edifices. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £5443. It contains the villages
of Longside and Mintlaw, two miles and a half distant
from each other, and both founded in the early part of
the present century ; in the former are 384 persons, and
in the latter 240. A flourishing manufactory of woollen-
cloth was carried on for some time ; but it was discon-
tinued in the year 1928. A distillery has been at work
about twenty years ; six meal-mills are in operation in
different places ; and the parish is well supplied with the
usual handicraft trades. There is a general post-oflice
at Mintlaw, with a sub-office at Longside ; and the parish
is intersected by the high road from Aberdeen to Fra-
serburgh, which passes through Miutlaw, and on which
the mail travels, and by that from Peterhead to Banff,
running from east to west, and crossing the other road
at Mintlaw. The farmers dispose of their dairy produce,
grain, and cattle chiefly at Peterhead and Aberdeen, for
exijortation to London ; the jiotatoes are mostly exported
to Hull. Coal is obtained from Peterhead, and is now
used to a considerable extent, the chief peat-mosses here
having been reclaimed by the operations of the plough.
Eleven fairs are held for cattle, sheep, and horses, as
follows : viz., two at Longside on the Wednesday after
the 12th of May, and the Tuesday after the "th of No-
vember ; three at Leuabo on the Wednesdays after the
25th of March, the 26th of June, and the 26th of No-
vember ; and six at Mintlaw on the Tuesdays after the
25th of February, the 14th of April, the 14th of June,
LONM
LONM
the 25th of August, the 7th of October, and the 14th of
December. The two fairs at Longside are also for the
hiring of servants.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Deer,
synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of the Crown :
the minister's stipend is £217, with a manse, andagk-be
of several acres, valued at £17 per annum. The old
church having been found insufficient for the accommo-
dation of the parishioners, the present edifice, a plain
and commodious building, was erected in 1836 ; it con-
tains sittings for 1000 persons, which are apportioned
among the heritors, and used by the tenants rent-free.
There is also an episcopal chapel containing 5.51 sittings,
erected in 1800 by subscription, at a cost of £429, for a
congregation formed at the time of the Revolution, of
which the Rev. John Skinner, well known as the author
of some theological works and several popular Scottish
songs, was minister for sixty-four years. The parochial
school aflFords instruction in Latin and mathematics, in
addition to the ordinary branches ; the master has a
salary of £31. 6., with a house, and £30 fees. There are
also parochial schools at Mintlaw and Rora, endowed ia
1829 by the heritors, from whom the master of each
receives £10 per annum ; and the fees of each are about
£16. The master at Mintlaw has likewise a free house,
given by the late Mr. James Mitchell, who left funds for
the support of a female school at Mintlaw, and of another
at Rora, and for the endowment of others in different
parishes.
LONGSTONE, a village, in the parish of Colinton,
county of Edinburgh, l^ mile (N. N. W.) from the vil-
lage of Colinton ; containing 86 inhabitants. This is a
small place, situated in the extreme north of the parish,
and a short distance south of the high road from Edin-
burgh to East Calder. The Water of Leith passes close
by the village, and very shortly enters the suburban
parish of St. Cuthbert.
LONMAY, a parish, in the district of Deer, county
of Aberdeen, 6 miles (S. E. by S.) from Fraserburgh ;
containing, with the village of St. Combs, 1919 inhabit-
ants. The name is supposed to have been derived from
a word in the Celtic language descriptive of the flat
marshy nature of the ground, now drained. The parish
is about nine miles and a half long, and varies in breadth
from half a mile to three miles and a half, containing an
area of 11,045 acres. It is bounded on the north-east
by the German Ocean ; on the north-west by the parish
of Rathen ; on the west by Strichen ; on the south by
the parishes of Deer and Longside ; and on the east by
Crimond. The sea-shore is flat and sandy, without bay
or headland ; and with the exception of two or three
moderate ridges, the interior of the parish consists of
two extensive plains, of which the northern contains the
estates of Cairness, Craigellie, Lonmay, Blairmormond,
and part of Inveralochy and Crimonmogate. The chief
portion of this division is well cultivated, and ornamented
with flourishing plantations of various kinds of trees :
the waters of Strathbeg loch cover several hundred acres
in the division. The southern plain, the surface of which
is higher and more unequal, comprehends part of Cri-
monmogate, and the estates of Park and Kinninmonth.
Two very extensive peat-mosses are situated in this dis-
trict, belonging to the properties of Kinninmonth and
Crimonmogate, and connected with other large mosses
in the parishes of Strichen and Crimond.
215
A branch of the river Ugie runs between Lonmay and
the parishes of Deer and Longside ; and the estuary of
the Moray Firth is considered as commencing at the
north-eastern boundary of the parish. The lake of
Strathbeg has nine-tenths of its extent within Lonmay,
and the other tenth in the parish of Crimond ; its ave-
rage depth is three feet and a half, and its greatest
depth about six feet and a half. The waters have sunk
considerably during the last thirty years, having been in
1817 four feet higher than at the present time. Upwards
of forty years ago, an attempt was made to drain the
loch ; but after great expense had been incurred, it was
rendered abortive by the open canals cut for the purpose
being blocked up by drifting sand. There are a few
small islands in the loch ; but its scenery is in general
barren and uninteresting. It contains, however, nume-
rous kinds of fish, among which are red and yellow
trout, perch, flounders, and very fine eels. In the sea
are found red and white cod, ling, haddock, soles, John-
dories, abundance of the finest turbot, also shell-fish,
sea-trout, shoals of dog-fish, and coal-fish ; the whales
called Finners are also occasional visiters, and there are
large quantities of herrings during the season.
The SOIL is generally light and sandy, of a dark hue,
and resting upon a hard bed of red sand with a large
admixture of iron-ore ; in some parts, however, the land
is clayey, and in a few places partakes of the nature of
loam. The number of acres cultivated or in pasture is
8175; in wood 280; and in waste, moss, moor, and
stony land, 2590 ; making the total of 11,045: nearly
900 acres of the land now waste are thought capable
of cultivation. Grain is raised to a considerable extent,
but the soil is best suited to raising grass and turnips.
A regular rotation of cropping has long prevailed ; that
which is most approved of is the seven-years' shift.
Much benefit has also been derived from the extensive
use of bone-dust manure, which answers for surface-
dressing the pasture and for sown grasses, but chiefly
for green crops. Near the coast, sea-weed is mixed with
compost, and employed for fallow ground. Large tracts
of land have been reclaimed from waste ; good stone in-
closures have been raised in the parish, and roads have
been constructed for local convenience. But the most
prominent feature in the improvements is the intro-
duction of trench-ploughing. The farm-steadings, also,
once very indifferent, have in some instances been placed
on a much better footing. The cattle were originally
the celebrated Buchan breed, with a kind produced by
crossing the Highland small-horned bull with the larger
native cow. These, however, were displaced by the
polled-cattle, which prevailed during the present century
till within the last twenty years, and always fetched the
first price in the London market. Crosses of the short-
horned are now preferred, numbers of which are sent to
London. The sheep, which are a mixed breed, carry a
tolerably fine fleece, and their mutton is well flavoured,
but not equal to that of the black or the white faced
Highland sheep, many of which are imported here, and
fattened for sale. On the estate of Crimonmogate are
some South-Downs and Lincolns, and a number of half-
bred English sheep. The small draught-horses formerly
in use, six or eight of which were joined to the plough,
have yielded to a very superior race, distinguished for
hulk and symmetry, and a pair of which are sufficient to
turn the soiL The horses for the saddle are also much
LON M
I. OTH
improved in their character, great pains having been
taken by some of the resident gentry to effect this object.
Considerable numbers of pigs are reared, some of which
are a cross of the Bedford and Westphalia, and the
Orkney and Chinese : pork and eggs are sent largely to
London. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £5443.
Among the mansion-houses, that on the estate of
Cairness holds a prominent place. The porch, supported
by four Ionic pillars, and the carved cornices, are of
granite obtained from the parish of Longside : the body
of the fabric is built of greenstone dug on the estate.
It was finished in 1799, at an expense of about £25,000.
Another elegant mansion, on the Crimonmogate property,
was erected a few years ago at a cost of upwards of
£10,000. The only village is St. Combs, situated at the
north-eastern extremity of Lonmay, by the sea-side, and
principally inhabited by fishermen : the main part of the
population are scattered over the parish. The manufac-
ture of kelp, formerly carried on to some extent, is now
at a very low ebb, in consequence of the free importation
of barilla ; about twenty tons were annually made, and
the rent of the kelp-shore averaged £50 per annum.
There are two annual fairs, one in spring and the other
in autumn, for cattle and sheep and for hiring farm-
servants. Thirteen boats are employed in the herring-
fishery, and about the same number for ordinary white-
fishing. The turnpike-road from Peterhead to Banff, by
Fraserburgh, traverses Lonmay for about a mile and a
half ; and that from Fraserburgh to Aberdeen, by Mint-
law, runs from north to south for nearly six miles through
the parish. A mail-coach passes daily to the south;
and there are two stage-coaches, one from Peterhead to
Banff, by Mintlaw, and the other between Peterhead and
Fraserburgh.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Deer and synod of Aberdeen ;
patron, Gordon of Buthlaw. The stipend of the minister
averages £'2'26, with a manse, erected in IS'24, and a
glebe valued at £18. 15. per annum. The church, which
was built in 1*87 upon a new site, is pretty conveniently
situated, though more than seven miles from the southern
boundary of the parish ; it contains 6S0 sittings, and is
in good repair. Originally the church stood by the sea-
side, near the village of St. Combs ; in 160/ it was re-
moved to the spot which is now occupied as a burying-
ground, where it remained till the present edifice was
erected. There is an additional parochial church at
Kinninmonth, in the south of the parish, built by volun-
tary contributions, and through the aid afforded by the
Church-extension committee of the General Assembly,
in consequence of an application made in March, 1S36,
to the presbytery of Deer for another place of worship
on account of the great distance of many parishioners
from the parish church. It accommodates about 400
persons, and a preacher is appointed, who has a cottage
near the church ; divine worship is regularly performed,
and the services are well attended. There is also an
episcopal chapel, built in 1797, the minister of which
is paid from the seat-rents ; it contains 342 sittings.
Three parochial schools are maintained, in all of which
the usual l)ranches of education arc taught ; and in the
chief school, in addition to these, instruction is given in
mathematics, navigation, and Latin. The salaries arc
£28, £13, and £10 a year, respectively; each of the
216
masters has in addition his fees, and a share in the Dick
bequest. At Crimonmogate is a Druidical circle : the
materials of Lonmay Castle, which was situated near the
sea, have been used in building farm-houses. There are
several chalybeate springs.
LOSSIEMOUTH, a village and sea-port, in the parish
of Drainie, county of Elgin, 3 miles (N. N. E.) from
Elgin ; containing 902 inhabitants. This place is situ-
ated at the mouth of the river Lossie, which, after a
course of about twenty-six miles from its source in the
hills of Dallas, empties itself into the Moray Firth, and
gives the name to this thriving little village. There has
been a large increase in the traffic and the population
since the introduction of steam-navigation. The portion
adjoining the sea is called Seatown or Fishertown of
Lossiemouth, and is peopled principally by fishermen and
seafaring persons, the former of whom, in connexion
with the fishermen of the adjacent village of Stotfield,
consisting together of about seventy men and twenty-five
boys, carry on the herring and white fisheries, employing
in both forty-five boats. In a late year the exports were,
4243 quarters of grain, 2000 barrels of herrings, 200
barrels of cod-fish, and three cargoes of plantation tim-
ber; and the imports, 4500 tons of English coal, 1000
tons of Scotch coal, 400 tons of bones and bone-dust,
140 tons of bark, and 150 tons of salt, besides various
other articles. The number of vessels that entered in
the same period was 106, registering 4816 tons ; and the
number outward-bound was forty-four, registering 1918
tons. Steam-vessels, plying between London and the
Moray Firth, used regularly to call here in .summer for
the conveyance of passengers, and for general traffic,
bringing various articles of merchandise, but chiefly
foreign and colonial produce, and taking away live stock,
agricultural produce, fresh provisions, salmon, and pic-
kled cod and herrings. They now call, it is presumed,
at Stotfield, in consequence of the formation there of the
new harbour mentioned below. The English coal im-
ported is carried to Elgin and the neighbouring country,
chiefly for family use ; the Scotch coal is for breweries,
distilleries, and other public works. The grain exported
is sent to different ports in the kingdom ; and the her-
rings to the London, Liverpool, and Irish markets, and
occasionally to Hamburgh and Stettin. The vessels
frequenting this port, which is within the jurisdiction of
the custom-house of Inverness, are of the smaller class,
seldom amounting to above seventy tons' register, on
account of the shallowness of the water, which rises only
to about nine feet at stream tides. A new and more
commodious harbour has, however, been constructed at
Stotfield, with outer and inner basins excavated from
the solid rock ; and this, at (jrdinary tides, will admit
vessels drawing fifteen feet of water. Considerable busi-
ness is nevertheless still transacted at Lossiemouth har-
bour. An excellent turnpike-road, on which there is a
daily post, runs from the village southwards to Elgin,
and another in a western course, through Duffus and
Kinloss, to Forres. A jjlace of worship is supported, in
connexion with the United Presbyterian Synod ; and
there is a school maintained by the General Assembly.
LOTH, a parish, in the county of Sutherland, 11
miles (N. E. by N.) from Golspie ; containing, with the
villages of Helmsdale and Port- (iowcr, 2526 inhabitants,
of whom 1764 are in the rural districts. The name
Lotli seems to be of Danish origin, like the names of most
LOTH
LOUD
parishes in the county of Caithness. In 1198, King
William the Lion, on his march into Caithness to reta-
liate upon Harold, Earl of Orkney, the cruel death he
had inflicted upon the Bishop of Caithness, passed
through this parish, which afterwards, from its situation
on the border of the county, participated largely in the
frequent hostilities that took place between the inhabit-
ants of the adjacent districts. During the turbulent
period that preceded the final establishment of legiti-
mate government, the place also suffered much from the
depredations of lawless fugitives, for whose concealment
it afforded ample facilities in the solitary recesses of the
Ord of Caithness, which here separates the counties of
Sutherland and Caithness. In 1.513, the Earl of Caith-
ness marched through the parish, with a band of his re-
tainers, to the battle of Flodden-Field ; and in 1679, a
body of Highland troops passed on their route to Caith-
ness, to support the claims of Campbell of Glenorchy to
the earldom. During the rebellions of 1/15 and 1745,
the inhabitants took up arms in support of the govern-
ment; and in 1746, the Earl of Cromarty, with a con-
siderable force, advancing to Caithness for the purpose
of raising recruits for the rebel army, burnt the mansion-
houses of Kintradwell and Crakaig, in this parish.
The PARISH is bounded on the south by the Moray
Firth, which is here forty miles in width, and on the
north by a ridge of hills. It is about eleven miles in
length, and varies from three-quarters of a mile to nearly
three miles in breadth. The surface towards the coast
is level, but rises by a gradual acclivity towards the hills
which form its northern boundary, and of which the
highest, Ben-Veallich, has an elevation of 1888 feet above
the level of the Firth. The principal rivers are, the
Helmsdale, which runs through the eastern portion of
the parish into the Moray Firth at the village of Helms-
dale ; and the Loth, a rapid stream flowing through Glen
Loth into the Moray Firth near the western boundary of
the parish. Both the rivers are subject to sudden swells;
but since the parliamentary roads were made in the
Highlands, no danger can arise to passengers in cross-
ing these rivers, as they have bridges erected over them.
The Helmsdale abounds with salmon of a superior de-
scription ; and near its influx into the Firth is a very
lucrative herring-fishery. From the western extremity
of the parish to Port-Gower, the coast is a level sandy
beach, merely interrupted occasionally by low rocks which
are covered with the tide ; but from that point to the
Ord, at the eastern extremity, is one continued chain of
rugged limestone rocks. Of the lands in the parish,
about 1200 acres are arable; and there are extensive
tracts of meadow and pasture of excellent quality, and
also of hill-pasture. The soil on the arable lands is
luxuriantly fertile, producing abundant crops of wheat,
barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips ; the system of hus-
bandry is improved. The farms are conveniently divided,
and under excellent management, and the smaller hold-
ings are also cultivated with industry and skill ; the
farm-houses and cottages are substantial and commo-
dious, and much of the waste land has been reclaimed.
The horses, cattle, and sheep reared are very superior,
and frequently obtain the highest prizes when exhibited
at the cattle-show^s. Limestone is found in abundance,
but the distance of fuel renders the burning of it more
expensive than the importation of lime from England.
The annual value of real property is £"2380.
Vol. II.— 217
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dornoch, synod of Suther-
land and Caithness : the minister's stipend is £162. 8. 7.,
with a manse, and a glebe of moderate extent; patron,
the Duke of Sutherland. Loth church, recently erected,
is a very handsome structure, situated nearly in the cen-
tre of the parish. At Helmsdale, also, is a church of
recent erection, in which divine service is now performed
by the incumbent of Kildonan parish. In the same vil-
lage is a place of worship for members of the Free Church.
The parochial school, situated at Port-Gower, is tolerably
attended ; the master has a salary of £34, with a house,
and an allowance of £2. 2. in lieu of garden, and the fees
average about £10 per annum. There are some remains
of the ancient castle of Helmsdale, once a hunting-seat
of the Sutherland family ; it is apparently of the four-
teenth century, and is memorable for the death of John,
the eleventh Earl of Sutherland, and his countess, who
were poisoned in 1567. The remains of several Pictish
towers have disappeared within the last century ; and
there were also formerly chapels dedicated respectively
to St. Ninian, St. John the Baptist, and others, of which
only the sites are left. There are numerous barrows and
cairns, in some of which latter have been found battle-
axes of stone, and other military weapons. — See Helms-
dale, &c.
LOTHIAN, EAST.— See Haddingtonshire.
LOTHIAN, MID.— See Edinburghshire.
LOTHIAN, WEST.— See Linlithgowshire.
LOUDOUN, or Loudon, a parish, in the district of
Cunninghame, county of Ayr, 8 miles (E.) from Kil-
marnock ; containing, with the village of Darvel, and the
burgh of barony of Newmilns, about 5550 inhabitants.
This place is supposed by some to take its name, the
first syllable of which signifies a " fire", and the second
a "hill", from a hill in the extremity of the parish,
which, on account of its commanding height, is conjectured
to have been used as a station for signal-fires. Others,
however, derive the name from the Gaelic term Lod-dan,
signifying "marshy ground", the land in the vicinity of
the river Irvine, on the south, having formerly possessed
this character. The parish approaches in figure to a
right-angled triangle, the greatest length being about
eight or nine miles, and the average breadth three. It
stretches on the east to the county of Lanark, and com-
prises 19,169 acres, of which 10,720 are in tillage, 3153
bent and moor pasture, 882 in plantations, and the rest
moss. The Irvine, rising in the north-eastern corner,
flows in a direction nearly south for about two miles,
separating Loudoun from Avondale parish in Lanark-
shire ; after which, sweeping round the towering hill of
Loudoun, it pursues its picturesque course to the west,
dividing the parish from that of Galston. The system
of agriculture is advanced, and the crops are of excellent
quality. Great improvements have been made within
the last few years on the Loudoun property, comprising
chiefly the erection of very superior farm-houses and the
construction of roads. Large tile- works have been in
operation some years ; and other works of the same
kind have lately been erected near the village of Darvel,
which are intended to supply tiles for public sale. The
coal formation is to be seen in almost every part of the
parish ; but it is so much disturbed by the trap rock as
to be in some places incapable of being worked : the
trap, of which the columnar trap composing Loudoun
2F
LOUD
LUCE
hill is a portion, forms part of a large trap-dyke running
through the whole Ayrshire coalfield in a north-west and
south-east direction. There are also several seams of
ironstone, some of them of considerable thickness ; and
these, as well as the coal, are expected shortly to be
wrought. Limestone is abundant, and is extensively
quarried ; a bed at Howlet burn, about six feet thick, is
wrought by mining, and is at present let to the Cessnock
Iron Company for smelting purposes. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £96/9.
Loudoun Castle was the seat of the ancient family of
Campbell, Earls of Loudoun, a title now merged in that
of the Marquess of Hastings, the present proprietor of
Loudoun. This fine baronial residence, which was mostly
rebuilt after its destruction by fire about the beginning
of the sixteenth century, has some old portions ; but the
larger and more splendid part of the structure was com-
pleted in 1811. One of the square towers, with its bat-
tlements of unknown antiquity, was destroyed when the
castle was besieged by Genera! Monk ; but another
tower, larger and higher, built in the fifteenth century,
still remains in good condition. There is an excellent
library containing upwards of 11,000 volumes. The
plantations around the castle comprise a great variety of
trees, some of them brought from America by John,
fourth Earl of Loudoun, who was governor of Virginia
in 1756, and who, during his military services in various
parts of the world, sent home every valuable kind of tree
he met with. He formed an extensive collection of wil-
lows, selected from England, Ireland, Holland, Flanders,
Germany, Portugal, and America ; and a laurel, brought
from Portugal, covers with its branches a space 140 feet
in circumference. In the grounds of the mansion is
also a yew-tree of great antiquity, still fresh and vigo-
rous, and under the shade of which, one of the family
charters, it is said, was signed in the time of William the
Lion ; as also one of the articles of the Union by Hugh,
third earl. The parish contains the villages of Newmilns
and Darvel, and the hamlets of Auldton and Loudoun-
Kirk ; the first of which is a burgh of barony, and, as
well as Darvel, has a large population, a great proportion
of whom are weavers. Another branch of manufacture
is wool-spinning, at a mill established in 1804, and be-
longing to a company of carpet manufacturers in Kil-
marnock : about twenty-five hands are at work. The
agricultural produce is sent for sale to Kilmarnock, and
coal is generally brought from pits three miles distant.
In 184" an act of parliament was passed authorising the
Glasgow and Ayrshire railway company to make a branch
of nearly three miles and a half to Loudoun-Kirk.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Irvine,
synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the
Marquess of Hastings : the minister's stipend is £191,
with a manse, and a glebe of sixteen acres, valued at £35
per annum. The church, situated in the village of New-
milns, is a splendid structure erected in 1844, with
sittings for 1'200 persons, and ornamented with a beauti-
ful steeple 133 feet in height. There is a place of wor-
ship at Newmilns belonging to the United Presbyterian
Synod, and another at Uarvel for Reformed Presbyterians.
The parochial school, also at Newmilns, affords instruc-
tion in the usual branches ; the master has a salary of
£34. 4., with a house and garden, £40 fees, and £10,
the interest of a be(|uest of £200. There arc schools at
Darvel and Auldton, the schoolrooms and dvvelling-
218
houses being provided by the Loudoun family ; and at
Newmilns are two female schools, one of them supported
partly by subscription. The parish has three libraries,
a masonic society, and two or three other friendly socie-
ties ; also three charities, one, amounting to £60 per
annum, for decayed burgesses of Newmilns, left by Mr.
James Smith, a native of that place ; another, a bequest
of £16 per annum for four old people, by Mrs. Crawfurd ;
and the third, a legacy by Mr. Brown, of Waterhaughs,
for the education and clothing of twelve children. The
principal remains of antiquity are, the foundations of a
Druidical temple, on the top of a hill the highest in the
parish except that of Loudoun ; the ruins of a castle burnt
by the Kennedys, probably in the time of James VI. ;
and a small ancient castle at Newmilns. In the east of
the parish is Wallace's Cairn, marking out the scene of
a conflict between Wallace and a party of English whom
he surprised on their way to Ayr with provisions ; and
at a pass, which is traversed by the road, the battle of
Loudoun Hill was fought in 1307, between Bruce and a
body of English troops under the Earl of Pembroke.
The parish is, however, chiefly remarkable for its con-
nexion with the ancient family of Campbell, long resi-
dent here, and of whom Lambrinus, father of James de
Loudoun, possessed the barony in the reign of David I.
The first earl, who was buried in the church of Loudoun,
was chancellor of Scotland in 1641, and acted a promi-
nent part in the transactions of that eventful period.
His grandson, the third earl, was also of some conside-
ration, enjoying the confidence of William III., and hold-
ing the office of an extraordinary lord of session. Flora,
Countess of Loudoun, only child of James, fifth earl, in
1804 married the Earl of Moira, who was raised to the
dignity of Marquess of Hastings in 1816, in acknowledg-
ment of his highly distinguished services. This lady, who
was the mother of the lamented Lady Flora Hastings,
died in 1840, and was succeeded by her only son, George,
sixth Earl of Loudoun and second Marquess of Hastings,
whose decease occurred in the year 1844, when his only
son, born in 1832, succeeded to the titles and estates.
Lady Flora Hastings, whose sufferings and wrongs ex-
cited so deep a sympathy throughout the whole nation,
was buried in the family crypt at the hamlet of Lou-
doun-Kirk, near Loudoun. — See Darvel, and New-
milns.
LOUISBURGH, a village, in the parish of Wick,
county of Caithness ; adjoining the burgh of Wick,
and containing 360 inhabitants. This village, which is
situated on the north bank of the river Wick, was built
on land leased for that purpose by the proprietor, and
received its appellation in compliment to Lady Dunbar,
whose Christian name was Louisa. It consists chiefly of
cottages inhabited by persons employed in the fisheries.
LOWTHERTOWN, a village, in the parish of Dor-
nock, county of Dumfries ; containing 195 inhabitants.
This is an improving village, which has sprung up within
the last few years, and has its name from the proprietor,
named Lowthcr, by whom the land on which it is built
is feued. It is situated in the eastern part of the parish,
and consists of a large group of cottages inhabited chiefly
by i)crsons engaged in agricultural pursuits.
LUCE, NEW, a village and jjarish, in the county of
Wigtown ; containing 652 inhabitants, of whom 278 are
in the village, 9 miles (li. N. E.) from Stranraer. This
place formed part of the ancient parish of Glenluce, but
LUCE
LUCE
was separated from it in the year 1646, since which time
the original parish has in contradistinction been generally
designated Did Luce. New Luce, the northern portion,
is bounded on the east by the river Tart, which divides
it from the parish of Kirkowan, and on the west by the
river Luce, which separates it from the parish of Inch.
It is about ten miles in length, and varies from five to
six miles in breadth ; but from the great irregularity of
the ground, the number of acres cannot be ascertained
with any degree of accuracy. The surface, for some
breadth along the banks of the Luce, is tolerably level,
but rises abruptly towards the east into highlands, inter-
spersed with rocks, or covered with heath and moss.
The principal rivers are the Luce, the Tarf, and the Cross-
water. Of these, the Luce has its source in the hills on
the confines of Ayrshire, and running southward along
the borders of the parish, and through Glen Luce, falls
into the bay of Luce. The Tarf rises in the hills at the
northern extremity of the parish, and after flowing in a
winding manner along the boundary of the parish, bends
to the east, and joins the river Bladenoch. The Cross-
water has its source on the confines of Ayrshire, and pass-
ing southward with a very devious current through the
northern portion of the parish, changes its course to the
west, and flows into the Luce near the church. Salmon,
par, and fresh-water trout are found in the Luce and
the Crosswater in tolerable plenty ; the fishery on the
former river produces a considerable rental to the pro-
prietor, but that on the latter is not appropriated.
Along the banks of the rivers the soil is pretty fertile,
and the arable lands are chiefly to be found there.
These however bear a very small proportion to the other
lands in the parish, scarcely producing grain in sufficient
quantity for the supply of the inhabitants ; and the
farmers place their chief dependence on the rearing of
black-cattle and sheep, for which the hills afford pasture.
The system of husbandry has, nevertheless, been much
improved within the last few years ; many of the farms
have been iuclosed ; and buildings of more substantial
character, and better adapted for the comfort of the
tenants, have been erected. The black-cattle, though
generally small, are of a good description, and, when
removed to richer pastures, soon fatten ; considerable
numbers are sent for sale to the Glenluce and Stranraer
cattle-markets. The sheep are chiefly purchased by
dealers for Glasgow and Liverpool. There are but a few
small patches of land under plantation ; though the soil
is well adapted for the purpose, and such trees as have
been planted are all in a thriving condition. The rocks
in the parish are of the transition class : lead-ore was
many years since wrought ; and it is in contemplation to
renew the search under the auspices of the Earl of Stair,
the principal landed proprietor. The annual value of real
Yl/X pi'operty in New Luce is £3050. The village is pleas-
antly situated near the influx of the Crosswater into the
Luce ; it is neatly built, and contains three good inns,
\ and several shops well stored with various kinds of wares
I for the supply of the neighbourhood. The inhabitants
of the village are chiefly employed in handicraft trades.
Facility of communication is afforded by the road leading
from Glenluce to Curloch in the parish of Ballantrae,
by other good roads which intersect the parish, and by
bridges over the streams. Ecclesiastically this place is
within the limits of the presbytery of Stranraer and synod
of Galloway. The minister's stipend, including an allow-
219
ance for communion elements, is £1.58. 6. h., of which
£88 are paid from the exchequer ; with a manse and
glebe valued together at £40 per annum : patron, the
Crown. New Luce church, which is situated in the
village, is a neat plain structure erected in 1816, and
containing 400 sittings, without galleries. The parochial
school is attended by about fifty children : the master
has a salary of £^5. 13. 4., with a small dwelling-house,
and the fees average £5 per annum ; he also receives the
interest of a becjuest of £50 for the gratuitous instruction
of poor children. A late Earl of Stair bequeathed £.300,
the interest of which is annually divided among the poor.
There are several cairns in the parish, in the removal of
some of which sepulchral urns were found ; and on a
small eminence near its north-eastern extremity are two
upright stones, upon one of which is the figure of a cross,
rudely sculptured.
LUCE, OLD, or Glenluce, a village and parish, in
the county of Wigtown ; containing '2448 inhabitants,
of whom 890 are in the village, 10 miles (E. by S.) from
Stranraer. This parish anciently included New Luce,
the two places together forming the parish of Leuce or
Glenluce, which was divided in 1646 into two parts, one
called New, and the other Old. The abbey of Glenluce,
situated in the deep valley of the river Luce, was founded
in 1190 by Roland Macdoiiald, Lord of Galloway, and
Constable of Scotland, and was the abode of Cistercian
monks who came from Melrose. It was converted in
1602, by James VI., into a temporal barony, in favour of
Lawrence Gordon, abbot of the place ; and on the death
of Lawrence, it was bestowed by royal charter on his
elder brother John, Dean of Salisbury, who, dying in
1619, was succeeded in the barony by his son-in-law Sir
Robert Gordon, the historian. Subsequently it was an-
nexed to the see of Galloway ; and at the close of the
seventeenth century, being again made a barony, it con-
ferred the title of Lord Glenluce upon Sir James Dal-
rymple of Carrick, whose son became Lord Glenluce and
Earl of Stair. Thomas Hay had been appointed com-
mendator of the abbey, in 1560, by a bull from the Pope ;
and from him Sir James Dalrymple Hay of Park, the
present proprietor of the abbey, is descended.
The PARISH is ten miles long and eight miles broad,
and contains 40,350 acres. It is bounded on the north
by New Luce ; on the south by the bay of Luce ; on
the east by Mochrum and Kirkowan ; and on the west
by Inch and Stonykirk. Except in the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the bay, the surface is irregular and hilly.
Besides a considerable number of perennial springs, the
water of which, issuing from rock, is unusually clear and
cold, there are several small lakes, and the two rivers
Luce and Pooltanton, the former of which is here about
thirty feet wide. It runs for twenty-one miles from its
source in Ayrshire, and empties itself into the bay almost
at the same place as the stream of Pooltanton. In each
of these rivers salmon and sea-trout are taken. The soil
varies to a considerable extent, but that which most pre-
vails is of a gravelly or .sandy nature, and is light and
dry ; the best land is found in the southern parts, and
in the vicinity of the river Luce. In some places the
soil contains large mixtures of moss, clay, or loam, and
runs to the depth of two or three feet. The annual
crops are as follows : 400 acres of wheat, 1350 of oats,
454 rye-grass, 259 meadow-hay, 60 of peas and beans,
467 of potatoes, and 160 of turnips. About 10,000
2 F2
LUCK
LUMP
^dOi
acres are uncultivated, and between 300 and 400 are
occupied by wood. Within the last thirty or torty
years the agricultural appearance of the parish has under-
gone a total change. Large quantities of waste land
have been brought into cultivation ; and the increase of
dairies, supplying plenty of manure, together with the
prevalence of the green-cropping system, has produced
the most beneficial effect. In those parts which are suited
for pasture, especially among the moors, cattle of the
Galloway breed are preferred ; the sheep most esteemed
are of the black-faced breed, with horns, and producing
long coarse wool. In the south are some superior
dairy-farms, where more than 6000 stone of cheese are
made every year. The farm-buildings are in general
commodious, and in good condition. The subsoil of the
parish is gravelly or sandy, except in the heavier soils,
and extends to a very considerable depth. The rocks
are the ordinary greywacke, intermixed with quartz, and
granite is found in almost every direction. A greywacke
quarry in the vicinity of the village has been wrought
for some years, to the great advantage of the parish.
The annual value of real property in Old Luce is
In the parish are three castles, viz., the castle of Park,
the former residence of the Hays ; Castle Synniness ; and
Carsecreuch, once the residence of the Earls of Stair :
but of these seats one only is entire. Genoch and
Balkail are modern mansions. The village is situated
upon the road leading from Newton-Stewart to Stran-
raer. There are two corn-mills, two carding- mills, a
dye-mill, and a flax-mill. Cattle-markets are held near
the village, from April to December, on the first Friday
in each month ; and a fair in the month of May : there
is a regular post in the village, and the mail from Dum-
fries to Portpatrick runs through the place every day.
Within two miles of it is a harbour in the bay, suited to
receive small craft bringing coal and lime; but no larger
vessels can approach this part of the shore. Ecclesiasti-
cally the parish is within the bounds of the presbytery
of Stranraer, synod of Galloway, and the patronage is
vested in the Crown : the stipend of the minister is
£15S, of which nearly half is received from the exche-
quer ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per
annum. Old Luce church, erected in 1814, is a com-
modious edifice, and situated close to the village. The
members of the United Presbyterian Church have a place
of worship. The master of the parochial school has a
salary of £'i'). 13., with a house and garden ; and his
fees average between £30 and £40. There are several
other scho(jls, of which two are connected with dissenters,
and one is supported by the Hay family. The chief
remains of antiquity are the abbey ruins ; the chapter-
house is still in good condition, and its arches are dis-
tinguished by antique figures of white freestone. The
celebrated characters connected with the parish have
been, John (lordon, Dean of Salisbury, eminent for
numerous literary works ; Sir Robert (iordcm, the histo-
rian ; and the Rev. Robert Mc Ward, a theological and
controversial writer in the reigns of Charles I. and
Charles II.
LUCKENSFORD, a handct, in the parish of Incii-
INNAN, Upper ward of the county of Rknfkew, '2i
miles (W. N. W.) from Renfrew; containing r.H inhul>it-
ants. It lies on the high road from Renfrew to Port-
Glasgow.
220
LUCKLAWHILL-FEUS, a hamlet, in the parish of
LoGiE, district of Cupar, county of Fife, 1 mile (E. by
N.) from Logic ; containing 79 inhabitants. This is a
small place situated in the neighbourhood of the Luck-
law hill, which rises to a considerable height, and from
which is an extensive prospect of the counties of Fife,
Perth, Angus, and Mearns.
LUGTON, a village, in the parish of Dalkeith,
county of Edinburgh, ^ a mile (N. W.) from Dalkeith ;
containing 230 inhabitants. The barony of Lugton was
taken, in 1633, from the old parish of Melville, and an-
nexed to Dalkeith parish. The village is situated on
the high road from Dalkeith to Edinburgh, and on the
banks of the North Esk, over which river is a bridge,
built in 1765, and widened in 1816, when, also, the
approaches to it were improved. The inhabitants of the
place are chiefly colliers, and a school has been esta-
blished for their children.
LUMPHANAN, a parish, in the district of Kin-
cardine O'Neil, county of Aberdeen, 2f miles (N. by
W.) from Kincardine O'Neil ; containing 964 inhabitants.
This place is celebrated as the scene of the death of the
famous Macbeth, who, after reigning for seventeen
years, was killed here by Macduff on the 5th of Decem-
ber, 1056. Memorials of the event still remain in
" Macbeth's Stone ", standing on the brae of Strettum,
upon the farm of Carnbady, where the usurper was
wounded ; and in the cairn forming the place of his
sepulture on the Perk hill, about a mile from the church.
Lumphanan once formed a part of the barony of O'Neil,
which belonged in the thirteenth century to the Dur-
wards, of whom Allan de Lundin, named Doorward or
Durward from his office in the king's court, erected an
hospital at Kincardine O'Neil dedicated to God and the
Blessed Virgin, and conferred upon it the patronage of
Lumphanan church, with other rights. The hospital
was in 1330 incorporated with the cathedral establish-
ment of Aberdeen. In 1296, Edward I., having received
the homage of many persons of distinction after the
battle of Dunbar, advanced from Aberdeen on the 21st
of July to this place, with an illustrious retinue, and re-
ceived the written submission of Sir John de Malevill,
acopy of which is preserved in Her Majesty's exchequer.
The wooden castle named the Peel- Bog is said to have been
the place where the business was transacted.
The PARISH is situated between the rivers Dee and
Don, and is six miles in length from north to south, and
four miles from cast to west, comprising 7620 acres, of
which 2770 are arable, 550 wood, and the remainder
uncultivated. Its surface is varied with high and low
grounds, in the latter of which the soil is loamy, deep,
and fertile, but on the sides of the hills thin and sandy.
There are large tracts of moor and moss, and some
marshy lands : the shallow loch of Auchlossan covers
250 acres. The jjroduce of the parish comprises several
kinds of grain and various green crops, cultivated in a
superior manner, in some places under the seven, and
in otiiers under the six, shift course. The cattle are of
the pure Aberdeenshire breed, unchanged by the ad-
mixtures and crosses adopted in so many other parts.
Within the last thirty or forty years the improvements
in agriculture have been numerous, consisting cliiefly in
the recovery of waste land, the draining of marshes, the
inclosure of farms by fences, and the erection of sub-
stantial and commodious farm-steadings. The climate
LUNA
LUNA
is early, and the crops of oats, bear, and barley are in
general heavy. The average rent, of arable land is about
£1 per acre, and the annual value of real property in
the parish amounts to £'2741. The rocks consist prin-
cipally of granite. The woods are chiefly larch and
Scotch fir. There are five seats of proprietors, all of
them modern buildings, namely, Auchinhove, Findrack,
Glenmillan, Pitmurchie, and Camphill. The turnpike-
road from Aberdeen to Tarland runs through the parish
from east to west ; and the military road formed about
the year 1746, and the road formed from Alford to Kin-
cardine O'Neil by the parliamentary commissioners for
Highland roads and bridges, traverse it from north to
south. The produce is usually sent for sale to Aberdeen ;
but corn and cattle markets are held at Camphill, in the
parish, on the second Monday of each of the winter and
spring months.
Lumphanan is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of
Kincardine O'Neil and synod of Aberdeen, and in the
patronage of Sir John Forbes, of Craigievar, Bart. : the
minister's stipend is £154, with a mause, and a glebe of
seven acres and a half, valued at £10 per annum. The
church was erected in 1762, and contains 3S3 sittings.
The parochial school, in addition to the ordinary branches,
affords instruction in Greek, Latin, and mathematics ;
the master has a salary of £27, with a house, and
£12. 12. fees, and participates in the benefit of the
Dick bequest. There is also a school at Camphill, the
master of which receives the interest of £150, left by
James Hunter, Esq., of Darrahill. A parochial library
at Tillyching, established in 1814, contains upwards of
400 volumes. Among the remains of antiquity is the
Peel-Bog, a circular earthen mound, situated in a marshy
hollow near the church, and measuring forty-six yards
in diameter, rising about twelve feet above the level of
the ground, and surrounded by a moat. It is supposed
to have been formed in the thirteenth century ; and the
wooden castle on its summit was a residence of the
Durwards, who possessed a large extent of territory in
this county. The wooden fort was succeeded by one of
stone, called Haa-ton House, the residence of the pro-
prietor of the neighbouring estates ; but this, in the
march of agricultural improvement, was razed to the
ground about the year 1780. Remains of a strong build-
ing called the Houff are still visible ; it was once a
stronghold of considerable antiquity, but afterwards con-
verted into a burial-place for the family of Duguid, of
Aucliinhove.
LUNAN, a parish, in the county of Forfar, 7^
miles (N. by E.) from Arbroath ; containing 272 inha-
bitants. The name of this place is derived from two
Gaelic words signifying " the river of the lakes ", sup-
posed to have been applied from the circumstance of
the river Lunan rising in a lake near Forfar, and run-
ning through two other lakes in its course to the bay of
Lunan, in the German Ocean, here. In ancient times
the parish was called Lonan, LAunan, and Inverlunan.
The names of several places in the district render it pro-
bable that King William the Lion had frequent inter-
course with Lunan. He is said to have built the struc-
ture called Redcastle, situated in an adjoining parish,
near the influx of the Lunan into the sea, and which he
is thought to have used as a hunting-seat; while in the
parish of Lunan are places styled Hawkshill, where he
may have kept his hawks ; Courthill, where he may
221
have kept his court ; Cothill, where his cattle were ; and
the Castle Knap, which was his prison. The roof and
part of the walls of Redcastle were taken down in 1749 ;
a statue of King William was then removed from its
pedestal, and owing to the inattention or unskiHulness
of the workmen it fell to the ground, and was broken
to pieces. Some lands in the parish of Lunan were
formerly called the Kirklands of Inverlunan, and were
appended to the abbey of Arbroath. They were con-
veyed in 1544 to Lord John Innermeath and Elizabeth
Beaton, his wife, by the commendator and chapter of
Arbroath, upon the payment of an annual feu-duty ; and
in 1587 they passed to the crown by the annexation act.
The feu-duties were subsequently, with other estates be-
longing to the abbey, erected into a temporal barony in
favour of James, Marquess of Hamilton, from whom
they passed to the Earls of Panmure. Being forfeited
in 1715, they were bought by the York Buildings' Com-
pany ; not long afterwards repurchased by the Earl of
Panmure ; and sold at length, in I767, to the ancestor
of the present owner. It also appears, from the chartu-
lary of Arbroath, that the whole lands in the parish
were abbey lands, the rental of which, or, perhaps, the
feu-duties payable to the abbey, amounted in the fif-
teenth century to fourteen bolls of wheat, 102 bolls of
bear, and 134 of meal.
The PARISH, which is of oblong form, is one of the
smallest in the county, being only two miles in length,
and averaging but one mile in breadth. It contains
1950 acres, and is bounded on the north by Marytown
and Craig parishes, on the south by the river Lunan, on
the east by the ocean, and on the west by the parish of
Kinnell. At the extreme northern boundary it reaches
an elevation of about 400 feet above the level of the sea,
to which height the surface rises from the shore, at first
abruptly, but afterwards more equably. The aspect of
the parish from the south is interesting, and somewhat
imposing ; but upon a nearer approach, the want of
frees, and of verdant fences on the cultivated lands, pro-
duces considerable disappointment. There is a mile and
a half of coast, formed by Lunan bay, which measures
altogether about five miles in its margin, and is con-
sidered one of the most beautiful in Scotland. At each
extremity of the bay, rugged and precipitous cliffs rise
to a perpendicular height of between 100 and 150 feet;
and after a storm or a high spring-tide, numbers of fine
shells, and sometimes pieces of pebble, onyx, and jasper,
are found on its yellow sands. In a northern direction,
near the boundary of the parish, is Buckie Den, com-
mencing from the shore with a wide opening, but nar-
rowing for about half a mile into the land ; it is a ro-
mantic spot, watered by a rivulet, and almost covered
with wild shrubs, interspersed with cowslip and poly-
anthus.
Near the coast the soil is sandy, and upon the high
grounds shallow and moist, but in other parts rich and
fertile : the number of acres under cultivation is 1345 ;
about 400 are waste, ninety acres common, and fifteen
planted with Scotch fir. The yearly value of the grain
raised is estimated at £4160, of the potatoes and turnips
at £824, and of the hay and pasture at £910. The
system of husbandry is advanced, and the crops pro-
duced are excellent ; the improvements have been nu-
merous ; the crops have been doubled since the adop-
tion of the modern method of agriculture, and the farm
LUND
LUND
buildings and offices, though still needing improvement,
have been much bettered. The cattle are the Angus,
the black-polled, and a cross of the Angus with the
Teeswater, which last breed is found very profitable.
The annual value of real property m the parish now
amounts to £1964. The means of communication are
considerable ; Lunan is intersected by the coast-road
between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, which is kept in good
repair, and there are other convenient roads in tolerable
repair. The bay is deep and well bottomed, and forms
a safe shelter for vessels, except with east winds, to
which it is entirely exposed. A salmon-fishery at the
mouth of the river is estimated to produce £420 per
annum. For ecclesiastical purposes the parish is
within the bounds of the presbytery of Arbroath, synod
of Angus and Mearns ; and the patronage is vested in
the Crown: the stipend is £158, of which a third is
received from the exchequer. Lunan church, which
was very ancient, was taken down, and a new church
erected upon its site in the year 1844 ; it is situated in
the south-eastern portion of the parish. The manse,
built in the year 1783, and enlarged in 1827, stands on
high ground about a mile from the church, to the north-
east ; the glebe consists of eight acres, valued at £15
per annum. There is a parochial school, where the
classics, mathematics, and ordinary branches of educa-
tion are taught ; the master's salary is £31, with about
£25 fees, and a bequest of fifty merks for teaching six
poor children. In the south-western part of the parish
is the mound of Arbikie, with a ridge of land seven
yards in breadth and about 120 yards in length, and a
parallel range of tumuli extending SOO yards in length ;
the ridge and mound are supposed to have formed sepul-
chres of the conquered, and the tumuli, sepulchres of
the dead of the conquerors, in some great battle fought
in the neighbourhood. The venerable Walter Mill, the
last of Scotland's martyrs in the cause of the Reforma-
tion, for upwards of forty years discharged the pastoral
duties of the parish.
LUNANHEAD, a village, in the parisli and county of
Forfar, 1^; mile (E. N. E.) from Forfar; containing 191
inhabitants. It is situated in the northern part of the
parish, and near the chief source of the river Lunan,
whence the name of the place. The loch of Restenneth,
in the neighbourhood of the village, was drained about
the commencement of the present century ; but the
powerful springs conducted by the drain through the
moss, still form the principal head of the Lunan. This
stream flows with a clear current eastward for about
twelve or fourteen miles, and falls into the sea at Red-
castle, giving name to a fine bay.
LUNASTING, county Shetland. — See Nesting.
LUNDIE and FOWLIS, two districts, constituting
a parish, the former in the county of Forfar, and the
latter in the county of Perth ; containing 734 inhabit-
ants, of whom 286 are in Fowlis or Foulis, and 448 in
Lundie, 6 miles (N. W.) from Dundee. Of these two
ancient parishes, united by a decree of the High Com-
missioners in 161S, Lundie derives its name, in the
Gaelic J,i»n-De, signifying " the pool of God," from a
very extensive lake which formed its chief feature : the
other district, which is often distinguished by the adjunct
Easter from the parish of Fowlis Wester, in the same
county, is said to have derived its name from tlie family
of Fowlis, who came over from France and settled in
222
this country. Lundie is bounded on the north by the
Sidlaw hills ; it is about three miles in length and two
in breadth, and comprises 4000 acres, of which 2500 are
arable, 140 water, and the remainder meadow and hill
pasture. Fowlis is bounded on the north by Lundie, and
is about three miles in extreme length, and rather more
than one mile in average breadth, comprising an area of
2400 acres, of which nearly 1500 are arable, 160 wood-
land and plantations, 260 meadow and pasture, and the
remainder moor and waste. The surface of Lundie is
gently undulated in the central parts, and bounded on
the west, north, and east by hills of considerable eleva-
tion, of which the Sidlaws rise to the height of SOO feet
above the level of the sea. At the base of these hills
are four lakes, from which, though much diminished in
their extent by draining, the river Dighty issues in two
streams, flowing through the valley to which it gives
name. Of these lakes, that of Lundie, formerly covering
100 acres, is now reduced to little more than eight ; the
Long loch is about half a mile in length and one-quarter
of a mile broad, and the Pitlyal and Balshandie lakes
are of small size. There was formerly a lake of some
extent in Fowlis ; but it was drained long since for the
sake of the marl, and little more of it remains than a
reedj' marsh frequented by various kinds of aquatic
fowl. The other lakes abound with perch, pike, and eels.
The higher grounds command extensive and interesting
views of the surrounding country ; and from the sum-
mit of Blacklaw, the only hill of any eminence in Fowlis,
is obtained a richly-diversified and beautiful prospect.
The glen of this district, a thickly- wooded and deep
ravine extending southward from the church, contains
much romantic scenery.
The SOIL is generally a deep black loam, well adapted
for all sorts of grain ; but on the higher grounds is
thin and sharp. In the lower parts are considerable
tracts of marshy land, the greater portion of which has,
however, been reclaimed by draining, and is now under
profitable cultivation. The chief crops are oats and
barley, with a moderate quantity of wheat, and the
usual green crops ; the system of agriculture is greatly
improved. The lands are partly inclosed with fences of
thorn, but in general with stone walls; the farm-build-
ings and offices are substantial and well arranged, and
all the more recent improvements in the construction of
implements have been adopted. The pastures are rich,
and much attention is paid to the management of the
dairy-farms, and to the breed of live stock ; the cattle
are of the Angus breed, occasionally crossed with the
Teeswater, and the sheep of the Cheviot and Leicester-
shire breed, with a few of the black-faced kind : the
produce of the dairies finds a ready sale in the mar-
ket of Dundee. In the lower parts of the parish the sub-
stratum is chiefly common grey freestone ; the hills are
mostly of trap. The annual value of real property in
Lundie is £3261, and in Fowlis £3270. There is no
regular village, the population being exclusively agricul-
tural, with tlie exception of a small number who are
employed in the several trades re(|uisite for the supply
of the parish. Facility of communication with the
neighbouring towns is afl'orded by the Dundee and
Cupar-Aiigiis t>irni)ike-road, which intersects tiic pa-
risli ; and by the Carse of (iowrie road, from which
Fowlis is not more than a mile distant. Fairs are held
at Lundie in June and August, for the sale of cattle.
L us S
LUSS
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Dundee, synod of Angus and Mearns : the
minister's stipend is £201, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £9 per annum ; patron, the Earl of Camper-
down. Lundie church is a plain neat structure in good
repair, and contains 330 sittings. The church of Fowlis
is a very ancient structure, having been erected about
the year IH^, in fulfilment of a vow, as is traditionally
said, for the safe return of her husband from the crusades,
by a lady of the Mortimer family ; it is a remarkably
fine specimen of the richest style of Norman architec-
ture, in the most perfect state of preservation, and
abounding in interesting details : there are about 300
sittings. A parochial school is supported in each dis-
trict; the masters have each a salary of £30, with a
house and garden, and fees averaging about £'25 per
annum. A subscription library, of which the school-
master has the superintendence, is established at Fowlis,
and contains about 600 volumes. Admiral Viscount
Duncan, who signalised himself by his intrepidity during
the mutiny of the Nora, and by his brilliant victory over
the Dutch fleet off Camperdown, was a native of Dundee,
and one of the chief proprietors of this parish ; he died
in 1804, and was interred in the churchyard of Lundie.
In a handsome mausoleum adjoining Lundie church are
the remains of Sir William Duncan, Bart., M. D., and
his lady, daughter of Sackville, Earl of Thanet. The
Earl of Camperdown, son of the gallant admiral, and
proprietor of Lundie, was promoted from being Viscount
Duncan of Camperdown to be Earl of Camperdown, of
Lundie and of Gleneagles, at the coronation of his late
Majesty, William IV. : he also bears the inferior title of
Baron Duncan of Lundie. conferred on his father with
the viscounty. In the church of Fowlis are the remains
of Lord Gray, of whose ancestors and family it has been
the burial-place for many generations.
LUNDINMILL, a village, in the parish of Largo,
district of St. Andrew's, county of Fife; containing
499 inhabitants. This place takes its name from an
ancient family who were its proprietors from the reign
of David I. till it passed by marriage to Robert, son of
W^illiam the Lion, King of Scotland. A tower of their
castle is still preserved in the modern mansion of Capt.
Erskine Wemyss, the present proprietor. The village,
which adjoins that of Largo, lies on the high road from
Kilconquhar to Leven ; and south and east of it are the
" Standing Stones of Lundin ", three huge coarse stones
of a triangular form, measuring si.\ yards high above,
and probably as much below the ground. They are
supposed to be Druidical remains, or of Roman origin,
or to indicate the sepulchres of Danish chiefs.
LUNGA, an island, in the parish of Jura and Colon-
SAV, district of Islay, county of Argyll. This island,
which is separated from Scarba, on the north, by the
small firth of Bealach-a-Churahain-Glais, is about three
square miles in extent, of rugged surface, and abounding
in slate.
LUSS, a village and parish, in the county of Dum-
barton ; containing lOS'J inhabitants, of whom 309 are
in the village, 9 miles (N. f}. E.) from Helensburgh. The
name of this parish is derived from a Gaelic word signi-
fying a "plant" or "herb," and probably applied from
the circumstance of the river of Luss, or rather the valley
through which it flows, being once overspread with shrubs.
The most remote historical facts connected with the place
223
relate to St. Mackessog, a native of Lennox, who was a
bishop and confessor, and suffered martyrdom here in the
year .520 : he was buried in the church, which was dedi-
cated to him ; and from him, also, a cairn in the southern
part of Luss was afterwards called Curnnin-Clwasog. In
the thirteenth century, when Haco of Norway made a
descent upon Scotland, he conducted part of his fleet
up Loch Long to Arrochar. From this spot the boats
were dragged across an isthmus ; and being floated on
Loch Lomond at Tarbet, they sailed to Luss, and carried
devastation and slaughter through the parish and its
neighbouring islands. The estate of Luss fell, about
the fourteenth century, into the possession of the family
who have ever since retained it. In the beginning of
the twelfth cent\iry, Alwyn, second Earl of Lennox, had
made the lands over, by charter, to Malduin, Dean of
Lennox ; and his descendants, who were styled ile Luss,
had held them till the fourteenth century, when they came
into the hands of Colquhoun, of Colquhoun, through
his marriage with the sole heiress. The descendants of
this union kept the property till about the beginning of
the last century, when it came, by the marriage of the
heiress, to Grant of Grant, ancestor of the present pro-
prietor. Sir James Colquhoun, Bart. Robert, the younger
brother of Sir Humphrey Colquhoun, in 1395 obtained
the lands of Camstraddan and Achingahan by charter,
and thus was ancestor of the family of Camstraddan ;
but the father of the present proprietor purchased the
estate of Camstraddan, and by re-annexing it to the estate
of Luss, became owner of the whole parish.
The PARISH is about eight miles and a half long, and
varies in breadth from two and a half to five miles. It
is bounded on the north by the parish of Arrochar ; on
the south and south-west by the parishes of Bonhill
and Row ; on the east by Loch Lomond ; and on the
west by Row, and, for a very short distance. Loch Long.
The parish was formerly of larger extent, comprehending
in its boundaries Arrochar, the lands of Auchindennan,
Cameron, Stuckrogert, TuUichewen, and the lands of
Buchanan. The last-named district was separated in
1621, and Arrochar in 1658; the others were joined
to the parish of Bonhill about the year 1650. The
lands, however, of Caldanach, Conglens, and Prestel-
loch, once belonging to Inch-Cailloch parish, are now
annexed to Luss. With few exceptions, the surface
throughout is hilly and mountainous. The least ele-
vated land lies along the Loch Lomond from the
southern extremity of Luss to Ross-Dhu ; some of this
is perfectly level, and the rest is a continuous tract of
slopes and acclivities gradually rising till they merge in
the ascent of the abrupt and lofty mountains. Among
the chief mountains are Ben-Cornachantian, Aich, Dhu,
and Corafuar, which rise nearly 3000 feet above the
level of the sea, and are broken in every direction by
fissures and glens of the wildest and most romantic
kind. Of the numerous streams, the Froon runs into
Loch Lomond nearly opposite the southern extremity of
Inch-Murin, the largest of its islands : this river takes
its name from, or gives it to, Glen-Froon, through which
it runs, and which was the scene of a sanguinary battle
fought in the year 1603 between the clans of Colqu-
houn and Mac Gregor. The rivers Luss and Finlass
rise at a small distance from Glen-Finlass, which is
parallel with Glen-Froon, and separated from it by a
range of mountains : these two streams, diverging from
L U SS
LUTH
■y
tU
their source, fall into the loch about three miles from
each other. On the extreme northern boundary of the
parish is Glen-Duglass, at the opening of which to the
lake is the ferry of Ruardinnan. All these glens run
in an eastern line ; and their several rivulets flow
into the same great reservoir. Loch Lomond, which is
twenty-four miles long. The eastern boundary of the
parish embraces about eight miles of its shore. Its
e.vtrerae breadth is in the part near Ross-Dhu, which is
almost eight miles wide ; and the islands contained in
it that belong to Luss are, Inch-Tavanach, Inch-Cona-
gan, Inch-Lonaig, Inch-Moan, Inch-Galbraith, and Inch-
Friechlan. Some of these islands are naked rocks ;
others are covered with wood, or supply peat to the
poor; and one, converted into a park for about 150
deer belonging to the proprietor of the parish, is cele-
brated for its vast number of ancient yew-trees. This
loch, so famous for its unrivalled scenery, exhibits the
finest views from the top of Inch-Tavanach, Inch-
Murin, and the northern point of Benbui. Loch Long,
already referred to, is a large estuary of the sea, extend-
ing from the Firth of Clyde northward between the
counties of Dumbarton and Argyll.
The SOIL of the parish is light and gravelly, mixed in
some places with rich loam ; a great portion of the land
is waste, and many hundreds of acres are covered with
wood. The average rent of good arable land is £^ per
acre. Agriculture has not made very rapid advances,
and the farm-buildings are still in rather an inferior
condition ; but much encouragement has been lately
given by the formation of a society in the parish,
which distributes prizes annually for improvements
in husbandry and the breeding of cattle. The sheep
are the black-faced and the Cheviots ; Highland cattle
are pastured on the hilly grounds, and the cows are
in some parts the Ayrshire, and in others a cross-
breed between these and the Highland. With regard
to the geological features of the parish, the rocks in the
south-east are the conglomerate or red sandstone ; the
mountains comprise clay-slate with all its varieties, and
quartz is often found in the vicinity of the clay-slate, as
well as crystals of cubical iron pyrites. There is a free-
stone-quarry, the produce of which is used in the parish ;
and at Luss and Camstraddan are extensive slate-quar-
ries, from which superior roofing-slates are obtained,
and sent to the neighbouring parishes, and, by the river
Leven, to Dumbarton, Paisley, Glasgow, Port- Glasgow,
and Greenock. About fifty men are employed in the
works, which yield two varieties, viz., the light and the
dark blue, the latter bringing the highest price in the
market. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £4'21.'5. Ross-Dhu House, the seat of Sir James Col-
quhoun, built about seventy or eighty years ago, stands
on the promontory of the same name. It is surrounded
liy several hundreds of acres of the best land in the
parish, beautifully laid out in pasture and plantations,
the scenery of which derives variety from the ruins of
part of the old family mansion, and a roofless chapel still
used as a cemetery for the family.
The village of Luss, romantically situated about thir-
teen miles from Dumbarton, on the margin of the lake,
i.s a central spot from which much of the beautiful
scenery in tliis part of the county can be visited ; it is
crowded with pleasure parties during summer, and there
is an excellent inn. A good turnpike-road leads to
2'i4
Helensburgh, and the post-road from Dumbarton along
Loch Lomond to the Highlands traverses the whole
length of the parish. Several branch roads supply
further facilities of communication ; and a post-oHice is
established in the village, with a daily delivery from
Dumbarton and Inverary. There are three bridges
across the Froon, on three respective lines of road ; also
a bridge over each of the rivers Finlass, Luss, and Du-
glass. Water communication is afforded by Loch Lo-
mond, by which access may be had to every part in the
vicinity of its shores. A fair is held at the village on
the third Tuesday in August, for the sale of sheep and
lambs.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dumbarton, synod of Glas-
gow and Ayr, and the patronage is vested in Sir James
Colquhoun ; the stipend of the minister is £234, and he
has a manse, and a glebe of nine arable acres, with two
or three occupied by wood. Luss church, built in 1771, is
a plain building in good repair, containing 500 sittings.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship. There is a parochial school in the village, the
master of which receives a salarj' of £34. 4. ; he has a
house, and his fees average £1'2. Another school is
situated at Moorland, four miles south of the village, the
master of which has £15, with fees, and a house lately
built by the proprietor of the parish. A girls' school-
mistress receives a similar amount for teaching in an-
other part of the parish. There are two libraries, one
of which has been long in existence, and contains about
100 old volumes, mostly in Greek and Latin ; the other,
a circulating library, containing eighty volumes, chiefly
of practical divinity, was instituted a few years ago by
the incumbent. The chief relic of antiquity is the cairn
of St. Mackessog, called Carn-ma-Cheasog ; and traces
exist of an old fortification at Dumfin, traditionally
represented as a stronghold of the celebrated Fingal.
LUTHERMUIR, a manufacturing village, in the
parish of Marykirk, county of Kincardine, 65 miles
(N. N. E.) from Brechin ; containing 967 inhabitants.
This place, formerly a barren tract of uncultivated moor-
land on the banks of the river Luther, has within the
last few years risen into importance through the intro-
duction of the linen manufacture into this part of the
country, and is now become an extensive and populous
village. At present, however, only about 200 persons
are employed in this manufacture, which was till lately
carried on to a much greater extent, but has experienced
considerable depression : the branch pursued is hand-
loom weaving for the houses of Montrose and Brechin,
who supply the yarn. The remainder of the population
are occu|)ied in iigriculture ; the neighbouring lands
have been brought into cultivation, and the district is
progressively improving. A handsome school-house, with
a dwelling for the master, has been erected by Sir John
P'orbes, Bart., and the heritors, and is supported by the
Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, who allow
the master a salary of £15 per amium ; the fees average
about £22, and the master has also three acres of land
rent Iree, given by Sir J. Forbes.
LUTIIRIK, a village, in the parish of Ckicich, dis-
trict of Ciii'AR, county of Fike, 3 miles (N. W. by N.)
from Cupar ; containing 163 inhabitants. This village
is pleasantly situated within a mile of Brunton. The
inhabitants arc mostly employed in hand-loom weaving
L Y N E
L Y N E
for the manufacturers of Cupar and Newburgh j the
articles woven are Osnaburghs, brown and white sheet-
ings, dowlas, &c., of which the quantity annually pro-
duced here, and at Brunton, averages about 177,'200
yards. An agent of one of the principal houses resides
iu the village, and supplies the greater part of the mate-
rials. Forty persons are employed in weaving, of whom
twelve are females; and about twenty females are en-
gaged in winding. There are likewise in the village a
brewery, a bakehouse, and mills for meal and barley ;
several persons are occupied in the various handicraft
trades requisite for the supply of the district, and there
is a small inn. The river Motray flows through the vil-
lage ; and on an eminence in the immediate vicinity is
the parish church.
LYBSTER, a village, and for a time a quoad sacra
parish, in the parish of Latheron, county of Caith-
ness, 13 miles (S. W.) from Wick ; containing 2699
inhabitants, of whom about 460 are in the village. This
village, which is situated near Amherst bay, on the
eastern coast, was originally planned by Lieut. -Gen.
Sinclair, of Lybster House, who in 1802 granted certain
portions of his lands on building-leases ; and within the
last twenty or thirty years it has rapidly increased in
extent. It contains many well-built houses, and, from
the improvements which have been made by the present
proprietor, Temple Frederick Sinclair, Esq., promises to
become a place of importance. The inhabitants are
principally employed in the herring-fishery ; and for the
protection of the numerous boats, a harbour has been
provided at the cost of the proprietor, affording shelter
for more than 100 boats, and capable of receiving vessels
of 100 tons' burthen. This was eflfected by a stone pier
300 feet in length being carried along the bank of a
small river that flows into the sea at this place ; and
within the last few years a number of vessels of 100
tons have landed, and taken in, their cargoes here
during the summer and harvest months. An excellent
county road leads to the harbour ; and a bridge sixty
feet high, with a deep ravine behind, gives the scene
an air of the picturesque. A post-office is established
in the village of Lybster. Facility of communication is
afforded by the great north road, which extends along
the coast, and by steam-boats plying weekly from Wick
to Aberdeen and Leith. The former ecclesiastical parish
was separated from Latheron, under act of the General
Assembly, after the erection of a church here in 1836 :
the church was built by subscription, at an expense of
£830, and is a neat and substantial structure containing
800 sittings, but is now closed. There is a place of
worship for members of the Free Church, commenced
in the summer of the year 1845.
LYNCHAT, a village, in the parish of Alvie, county
of Inverness ; containing 73 inhabitants. This is a
very inconsiderable place, consisting only of a group of
cottages built on the Belleville property, and inhabited
by persons engaged in agriculture.
LYNE and MEGGET, a parish, in the county of
Peebles, 5 miles (w.) from Peebles; containing 17.5
inhabitants. The district of Lyne, though consisting
only of two farms, is, from being the site of the parochial
church and manse, regarded as the head of this extensive
parish, which comprehends also the suppressed parish
of Megget. This latter is nearly fifteen miles distant
from Lyne, and locally separated by the intervening
Vol. II.— 225
lands of Manor and the river Tweed, but notwithstanding
annexed to it under an act of the presbytery, both for
ecclesiastical and for civil purposes. Lyne is about three
miles and a half in length, and almost three in breadth ;
while that portion of the parish which was formerly the
parish of Megget, situated at the southern extremity of
the county, is about six miles in length, and more than
five in breadth. The whole comprises 17,850 acres, of
which 910 are arable, about thirty in woodland and
plantation, and the remainder chiefly aiTurding pasturage
for sheep and cattle.
The surface of the lands of Lyne is for the most part
gently acclivous, but in some places diversified with a
range of hills of considerable elevation, extending in a
direction nearly parallel to the river Lyne, from which
the hills recede towards the north, leaving at the eastern
extremity a wide tract, very fertile, between them and
the stream. The river has its source near the confines
of Tweeddale, and after watering the district, and dividing
it from Stobo, falls into the Tweed a little below its
limits. There is also a small rivulet, which for some
distance forms a boundary between Lyne and Peebles
parish. The scenery is generally pleasing, the hills
being covered with verdure ; but there is a deficiency of
timber, and few plantations have been made. In this
district the soil is gravelly ; it produces fair crops, and
the lower grounds are exceedingly fertile. The surface
of the lands in the Megget district is ahnost all hill, with
very little intervening level. The hills extend in two
parallel ranges from east to west, having between them
a vale about a quarter of a mile in breadth, watered by
the Megget. This stream rises near the western extre-
mity of the district, and, after receiving numerous tri-
butaries from the hills in its progress, flows into a beau-
tiful sheet of water at the eastern extremity of the
district, called St. Mary's Loch, which abounds with
fish, and is much frequented by anglers. Even the vale,
though in some places producing good crops, has for the
most part a soil but ill adapted for arable operations :
the hills have a soil in some portions shallow and dry,
but in general deep and wet, affording excellent pasturage
for sheep.
The crops raised in the parish are oats, barley, wheat,
peas, potatoes, and turnips. The system of agriculture
is much improved, and most of the tenants are connected
with local associations formed for the purpose of distri-
buting rewards for the promotion of husbandry among
the successful competitors. Draining has been generally
practised where requisite ; much waste land has been re-
claimed and brought into cultivation, and embankments
have been constructed to preserve the lower lands from
inundation. The principal farm houses and offices are
substantially built and commodiously arranged ; the
lands are inclosed chiefly with stone dykes, but there
are some few fences of thorn ; six good cottages of stone,
roofed with slate, have been built in the Magget district
for the use of the shepherds. Great attention is paid to
the rearing of sheep and young cattle. About 9000
sheep are pastured, and about 150 head of cattle; the
former are of the Cheviot and black-faced breeds in
nearly equal numbers, and the latter are usually a mix-
ture of the Ayrshire and short-horned breeds. The
sheep are in very high repute, and the pastures are con-
sidered superior to any in this part of the country. The
substrata of the parish are chiefly whinstone and slate ;
2G
U AC D
M A C H
\
but little of either is quarried, except for the supply of
the lands on which they are found. Facility of inter-
course with Glasgow, Hawick, and other places is main-
tained by roads kept in excellent order, and by good
bridges, two of which cross the stream that separates
the district of Lyne from the parish of Stobo. The
annual value of real property in Lyne and Megget is
£30'21.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Pee-
bles, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patron-
age of the Earl of Wemyss and March ; the minister's
stipend is £153. 9. 1., with a manse, and a glebe valued at
£25 per annum. The church is an ancient and venerable
edifice of the later English style of architecture, and a
portion of the original building has been parted off, and
adapted for a congregation of 100 persons ; it was tho-
roughly repaired in 1S30, without any deviation from its
original character. A chapel of ease has been erected in
the JMegget district of the parish, to which a good school-
room is attached ; but the distance of the chapel from
the manse, which is at least fourteen miles, and, when
the Tweed is flooded, and a circuitous route through
Peebles becomes necessary, twenty miles, is a serious
inconvenience to the incumbent. The parochial school,
situated at Lyne, is well conducted, and is amply suffi-
cient for the children of the district ; the master has a
salary of £'25. 13, with from £10 to £15 fees, and a house
and garden. There is also a school at Megget, which,
however, on account of the difficulty of access to it, is
kept open only during the summer half-year ; the master
receives a salary of £7 from the heritors, with the in-
terest of Mr. Mitchelson's bequest, mentioned below,
and is supplied with board and lodging by the parents
of the scholars in succession. At Megget are the re-
mains of two ancient towers, probably places of security
in case of sudden incursions of the English, to which
this place, situated so near the border, was peculiarly
exposed ; or they might be watch-towers, from which
signals of approaching hostilities were displayed for the
purpose of raising the country. At Henderland are the
remains of a chapel and burying-ground ; and about a
quarter of a mile westward of the church at Lyne are
distinct traces of a Roman camp, the form of which is
clearly marked out ; and also of a road that led to it.
The area has been frequently cultivated, and various
Roman coins are said to have been discovered by the
plough. The Rev. Mr. Mitchelson, minister of Lyne
and Megget about a century since, bequeathed £50, the
interest to be appropriated to the promotion of literary
and religious kaowledge among the parishioners.
M
MACDUFF, a royal burgh of barony, and a sea-
port, in the parish of Gamrie, county of Banff, 1 mile
(E.) from IJariir; containing 2228 inhabitants. This
place, which is situated on the eastern bank of the river
Doveron, at its influx into the Moray Firth, and nearly
opposite to the town of Ranff, was in the early part of
last century an inconsiderable fishing-village called
Down. It derived its present appellation from its pro-
prietor, James, 8ec(md Earl of Fife, by wh(mi it was
226
greatly extended and improved, aud who, in 1783,
obtained from George IH. a charter erecting it into a
royal burgh of barony, upon which he conferred the
family surname. The town is neatly built on the accli-
vity of a hill rising gently from the shore ; it consists
of numerous streets, and towards Banlf is an elegant
bridge of seven arches : the streets are lighted with gas.
A public library is supported by subscription ; and in
the immediate neighbourhood is a mineral spring, called
the Well of Tarlain, which is much resorted to, and
with which are connected facilities for sea-bathing. A
bathing-house has been lately built, on a scale commen-
surate with the wants of the increasing number of sum-
mer visiters : it contains vapour, tepid, and cold and
warm plunge baths, fitted up with much comfort and
convenience. The surrounding scenery is enriched with
the plantations in the grounds of Duff House, of which
the town commands an interesting view. The manu-
facture of ropes, sails, and twine, which last is made
into nets, is carried on to a considerable extent ; and
the curing of herrings and other fish affords employ-
ment to many of the inhabitants. There is also an es-
tablishment at which the grinding of flour, meal, and
bones, and the sawing of timber, are prosecuted on an
extensive scale, by steam power. The North of Scot-
land Bank has a branch here.
The trade of the port consists largely in the exporta-
tion of cattle, grain, and fish, and the importation of
lime, coal, timber, and bones for manure. The number
of vessels belonging to the port is fifteen, of 1036 tons'
aggregate burthen, and mostly engaged in trading to
Leith, London, and the Baltic. The number of vessels
that annually enter the port is 200, averaging an aggre-
gate burthen of 11,000 tons ; and the yearly amount of
shore dues averages £300. Macduff harbour, which is
the private property of the Earl of Fife, by whom it was
constructed at a great expense, is easy of access, and
one of the best in the Moray Firth ; it affords safe an-
chorage for vessels of any burthen, and good shelter
for the numerous boats engaged in the herring-fishery,
of which this place is a principal -station. An act for
improving the harbour was passed in 1847. A market
for provisions of all kinds is held on Tuesday ; and the
inhabitants have also facility of access to the market at
Banff, held on Friday. The burgh, under its charter,
is governed by a provost, two bailies, and four council-
lors, triennially elected by the resident burgesses, whose
qualification is the tenure of lands within the burgh.
The magistrates hold bailie-courts for the trial of civil
causes to a trifling amount, and of jjctty offences ; they
act without an assessor, and their jurisdiction is exer-
cised in but few instances. Macduff is included within
the parliamentary boundaries of Banff. The town-hall is
a plain building, to which a small gaol is attached. A
penny-post has been established here under that of
Banff; and facility of intercourse is maintained by good
roads, and, for the conveyance of produce, by the har-
bour. There is a church, situated on an eminence, a
neat structure with a spire, and containing S58 sittings :
the minister is ajjpointed by the Earl of Fife, and has a
sfi|)cnd of £120, and a manse and glebe. The members
of the Free Church have also a place of worship ; and
one of the parochial schools is here.
MACHAR, NEW, a parish, in the district and
county of Abkkdeen, 10 miles (N, W. by N.) from Aber-
M A CH
M ADD
deen ; containing 1262 inhabitants. This parish, which
derives its appellation from its having been disjoined
from Old Machar, comprehends certain lands named
Straloch, in the county of Banff, though entirely sur-
rounded by the county of Aberdeen. These lands are
separated from the main portion of the parish by a
branch of the parish of Udny, uniting itself to that of
Fintray ; this division of Udny has for several years
been annexed quoad sacra to New Machar, and the
lands of Straloch are now rated and politically attached
to the county of Aberdeen. The parish measures ten
miles in length from north-west to south-east, and its
average breadth is two miles and a half; comprising
8390 acres, of which 55*0 are arable, 958 pasture, and
810 occupied by plantations, chiefly of larch and fir,
with an intermixture of hard-wood. It is bounded on
the south by the river Don, and is for the most part
situated between hills of moderate elevation, gently
sloping, and inclining from north-west to south-east ;
while the intermediate surface is agreeably diversified
by little hills, some of which are cultivated, and the
others under wood. A rivulet, crossing the parish in a
southern direction, and turning several corn-mills in its
course, falls into the Don near the bridge of Dyce ; and
in the south-east end of the parish are two lochs. Of
these, one is situated in a rugged and uninviting district ;
but the other, anciently called Loch Goul, and now the
Bishop's loch from some of the bishops of Aberdeen
having resided in a humble dwelling on a small island
here, is stretched out in the midst of beautiful scenery,
and is extensive and well-wooded.
The son. near the river Don is a loam, resting on
gravel ; and in the middle portion the land is of the
same kind, but of far inferior quality. In the northern
tract are some parts capable of good cultivation, lately
reclaimed by draining ; but the soil in this quarter is
mostly indifferent, interspersed occasionally with loam,
and resting on clay. The produce consists chiefly of
barley, bear, oats, and the usual green crops, grown
generally under the five or seven shift rotation. Within
the last twenty years the improvements carried on here
have been very considerable, comprising principally
draining and liming ; and not only much waste land
has been reclaimed, but that in tillage also has been
greatly improved. The farms vary in size from forty-
five to 200 acres, and the rent of land is averaged at £1
per acre : the annual value of real property in the parish
is £5227. The cattle are the Aberdeenshire horned and
dodded, or crosses with the short-horned and Here-
ford breeds. In this parish the rocks principally found
are granite and limestone ; the former is especially
abundant in the southern part. The mansion of Park-
hill is a spacious modern residence, surrounded by
ornamental plantations, with a rich lawn beautifully
diversified with wood and water, and commanding a fine
view up the valley of the Don, bounded by the noble
elevation of Bennochie. Straloch, also a superior struc-
ture finely situated, was once the property and residence
of the geographer Gordon ; and the mansion of Elrick
is a neat and comfortable residence, .skirted by thriving
wood.
A post-office has been established ; and the Aberdeen
and Banff turnpike-road runs through the parish from
north to south, and joins the Peterhead turnpike-road
not far from the old bridge of Don. The Aberdeenshire
227
canal passes within half a mile of the southern boundary
of the parish. The produce of the district is sold at
Aberdeen, whence coal is brought to this place, for the
use of those able to purchase it ; but turf and peat are
burnt by the labouring classes, procured from an exten-
sive range of moss lying between this parish and Bel-
helvie, and called " Red moss". A cattle-fair has been
established, at which, however, but little business is
done. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery
and synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Fife: the minister's sti|)cnd is £217, with a
manse, and a glebe of nearly twenty acres, valued at
£17 per annum. New Machar church was built iti 1791,
and contains between 600 and 700 sittings. The mem-
bers of the Free Church have a place of worship. The
parochial school affords instruction in the usual branches;
the master has a salary of £30, with a house, and £5
fees. There are two parochial libraries, one confined to
religious works, and the other comprising nearly 500
volumes in miscellaneous literature. A savings' bank,
also, has been some years established, in which the
deposits are not less than £1200. Remains exist of
several ancient chapels ; and the ground of one, called
St. Colm's, is still used as aburyinsj-place. A portion of
land in the parish is designated Kings-Seat, from the
circumstance, according to tradition, of King Malcolm
Canmore having sat down to rest upon a stone still re-
nfeining on the property, near which is a well called
Betteral well. Robert Gordon, the eminent geographer
and antiquary, was born in the parish in 1580 : at the
earnest request of King Charles, he constructed an atlas
of Scotland, which was published in 1648, and went
through several editions. Dr. Thomas Reid, the well-
known metaphysician, was minister here from 1737 till
1752.
MACHAR, OLD.— See Aberdeen, Old.
MADDERTY, a parish in the county of Perth,
6 miles (E.) from the town of Crieff; containing, with
the hamlet of Bellyclone, the burgh-of-barony of Craig-
of-Madderty, and the village of St. David's, 634 inhabit-
ants. A religious house was founded here in the year
1200 by Gilbert, Earl of Strathearn, and his countess
Matilda, and dedicated to the honour of God, the Virgin
Mary, and St. John the Apostle and Evangelist. It was
called luch-Effray, and took its name from its situation
on an eminence surrounded, or nearly so, by the river
Pow, and from the nature of the institution ; the Latin
appellation was insula inissurum, or "the island of masses".
David I. and Alexander III. conferred upon it many
valuable privileges and immunities, and it was esteemed
one of the richest abbeys in the kingdom. The abbot
Mauritius was present with Robert Bruce at the battle
of Bannockburn, and is reported to have had with him
the arm of St. Fillan, to which relic much importance
was attached as to the issue of the conflict. James
Drummond, son of David, Lord Drummond, having be-
come possessed of this monastery by favour of the com-
mendator Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway, was
styled Lord Incheffray, and afterwards, in 1607, was
created Lord Madderty by King James VI., who erected
the estate into a temporal lordship. The title, however
was forfeited in 1715. The extensive buildings of the
establishment have at different times supplied stones for
various purposes ; but there are still a few remains,
which, with si-x or seven acres of land in the vicinity,
2 G 2
M ADO
M A D O
belong to the Earl of Kioaoull, who, in consequence of ,
this property, possesses the right of patronage to twelve
parishes formerly attached to the abbey.
The PARISH comprises 3430 acres, of which 28'20 are
under cultivation, 450 in plantations, and the remainder
waste. The climate is wet and cold ; and much of the
land is still marsh and moor, requiring thorough drain-
ing, which has been carried on to a considerable extent
in some parts for several years. The Pow, which rises
in the Red moss, about a mile eastward, runs through
the parish in a canal or cut about twenty-four feet wide
and six deep, dug about a century ago in order to
straighten its course. A part of the stream takes an
eastern direction, and falls into the river Almond, while
another part travels westward, and empties itself into
the Erne at InnerpefFray. The latter portion has the
appearance almost of stagnant water, from the gentleness
of the declivity ; and on account of the adjacent lands
lying so low, they occasionally suffer much from inun-
dations. In 1846 an act was passed, for repealing "an
act" of 1696 "in favour of the heritors adjacent to the
Pow of luchaffray" ; and for more effectually draining
and improving lands near the said stream. The man-
sion-houses are Dollerie and Woodend. The village of
Craig has become nearly extinct ; and in its place has
sprung up the village of St. David's, consisting of about
fourteen feus. At this village a school has been erected
within the last few years, by the proprietor. Lady PrestAi
Baird, consisting of commodious and ornamental pre-
mises. It is intended for the instruction of children in
sewing and knitting, and in the first rudiments of edu-
cation, preparatory to admission (of some of the scholars)
into the parochial school ; the teacher receives a salary
of £10 per annum, a free house, and other perquisites.
In the parish is also the hamlet of Bellyclone. A turn-
pike road runs through the district ; the inhabitants
communicate principally with Crieff, but the dairy pro-
duce is generally sent to Perth. The annual value of
real property in Madderty is £3.500. It is ecclesiastically
in the presbytery of Auchterarder, synod of Perth and
Stirling, and in the patronage of the Earl of Kinnoull ;
the minister's stipend is about £2'25, with a manse, and
a glebe of nine acres valued at £11 per annum. The
church is a plain edifice erected in 1 668. Madderty
parochial school affords instruction in the usual branches;
the master has a salary of £34. 4., with a house and
garden, and £12 fees.
MADDISTON, a village, in the parish of Muiii-
AVONSiDE, county of Stirling, 2 miles (W. by S.)
from Linlitiigow-Bridge ; containing 1 64 inhabitants.
This is the principal village in the parish, and is pic-
turesquely seated on the slope of a hill, and on each
side of a stream, over which is a bridge. In the ad-
joining lands considerable ([uantities of iron have been
wrought, and the Carron Company have still works in
the vicinity ; the iron is of fine quality, but dispersed
over a great bulk of ore. The facilities of communica-
tion are ample ; the Edinburgh and Stirling road, the
Union canal, and the Edinburgh and Glasgow and the
SlariiuMuan railways, pass conveniently to the village.
MAUOES, ST., a parish, in the county of Pkrtii, 6
miles {]■:. by S.) from Perth ; containing, with the vil-
lages of Cot-Town and Ilawkstonc, 327 inhabitants.
This parish is suppos('d to have derived its name from
St. Modoch. The relics of antiquity calculated to throw
228
light on its early history are few. One of the several
Druidical temples, however, to be seen in this part of the
country, stands here ; and there is yet remaining in the
churchyard a pillar of grey sandstone, after the model of
those pillars termed Runic, which are supposed to be of
Danish origin, but which many are rather inclined to
think were raised at the first introduction of Christianity,
to commemorate that event. It is considered highly
probable that St. Modoch, a Gallic missionary to Scot-
land in the third or fourth century, visited this parish,
and that, having made converts, a church dedicated to
him was built in the place where the present church
stands. In the village of Hawkstone is a large stone
upon which it is believed the hawk of the peasant Hay
alighted, after it had traversed in its flight the land to be
consequently assigned to him, as a reward for the services
he is said to have performed at the battle of Luncarty.
This relic is always called "the hawk's stone", and
stands upon the verge of what is known to have been
the original property of the Hays of Errol.
The PARISH, which is among the smallest in Scotland,
contains 1152 acres. It is situated in that division of
the county called the Carse of Gowrie, and is bounded
on the north by Kinfauns parish, on the south by the
river Tay, on the east by the parish of Errol, and on the
west by that of Kinnoull. The surface principally con-
sists of three successive level tracts, each rising a little
above the other : the first, commencing at the margin of
the river, has all been recovered within the last half cen-
tury, and some of it very lately ; and is four or five feet
below high-water mark. The second level is six or seven
feet higher; the third is elevated about fourteen feet
above the second, and is much more extensive than either
of the others. After this the ground ascends gradually
to its highest elevation, sixty-two feet above the high-
water mark of the river, and then gently slopes north-
ward till it becomes level with the large flat upon the
southern side of the ridge, and with the rest of the rich
and fertile tract called the Carse of Gowrie. The scenery,
which from some points is comparatively uninteresting,
changes its character if viewed from the elevated parts
of the neighbourhood, especially from the summit of
Inchyra hill, a variety of objects appearing in different
directions to grace and beautify the prospect. The am-
ple stream of the Tay, receiving into its basin on the
opposite side the waters of the Earn ; the spreading
buildings of Newburgh on one side, and on the other
the town of Aberncthy, the ancient capital of the Picts,
resting on the slope of a range of rugged hills ; Pitfour
Castle, with its lands and plantations ; and the church
spire of St. Madoes, almost concealed by venerable foli-
age, combine to form a scene of no ordinary interest.
The Tay is in this part about one mile broad, and at
high water seventeen feet deep. In the winter of 1838
it was visited by the wild swan, a circumstance which
had not occurred before for forty years.
The soil varies considerably in different parts. On
the higher grounds it is a dark loam, incumbent on light
sand or clay, and running sometimes to a depth of three
feet. The flat land Ixirdering on the higher grounds is
in some ])arts a rich alluvial loam, of a clayey nature,
and producing all kinds of crops in abundance ; other
parts arc a strong clay. The level in the immediate
vicinity of the Tay consists of eighty acres of land mostly
reclaimed since 1820, and is a rich loam, yielding the
M A D O
MAIN
heaviest crops without manure. Of the whole lands
about 1059 acres are under tillage, sixty in pasture, and
thirty-three occupied by wood ; the crops comprise
wheat, oats, barley, beans, potatoes, turnips, and hay,
the grain being chiefly sent to Perth, and the potatoes
to London. Wedge or furrow draining, introduced into
these parts within the last five-and-twenty years, has
been practised to a considerable extent and with great
success, especially in those soils distinguished by a tena-
cious clay. Among the materials used for the construc-
tion of the drains have been turf, wood, and broken
stones, each tried separately ; but nothing has been
found to answer so well as tiles, which are now coming
into general use, through the ample supply of them pro-
vided at the extensive kilns built by Sir John Stuart
Richardson, Bart., the proprietor of the parish. About
eighty-five acres of land have been at different times re-
claimed from the Tay by embankments ; and it is sup-
posed that many acres more may be converted into pro-
ductive fields. A considerable quantity was recovered
in 18'26, by an enterprising farmer, at a cost of £1530.
In 1833, eighteen acres were gained at an expense of
£1200, by the proprietor. The plantations consist of
every species of wood, among which are some very fine
planes and elms ; the trees are in a flourishing condition,
and vary in age from about twenty to seventy or eighty
years. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £4182.
The prevailing substratum throughout the district is
the old red sandstone formation. In all the more level
grounds it is covered with an alluvium so thick that the
rock is scarcely to be reached ; but in the higher parts,
where the strata have been accidentally disturbed and
thrown up, its character is distinctly seen. It lies in
beds varying in thickness from one to three feet, with
thin layers of clay between them ; and a quarry has
been opened in the parish, in which numerous highly
interesting organic remains have been discovered, con-
sisting of various species and parts of fishes. These
prevail most in the deeper beds, and in those of a brec-
ciated character. The great number of scales and dis-
severed parts which have been found in the quarries
here and in the neighbourhood, have been proved by
the discovery of a very beautiful and complete fossil
specimen in 1836, to belong to the genus Holoptychius :
the specimen is now in the British Museum, and the
species is called Holoptychius NobiUssimus, after the dis-
coverer, the Rev. Mr. Noble, then minister of the parish.
Pitfour Castle is the residence of the proprietor of the
parish ; it is a spacious mansion of quadrangular form,
and surrounded by rich and extensive lands, plantations,
and gardens, all tastefully disposed and in excellent con-
dition. There are two villages, Hawkstone and Cot-
Town, each having a small population. Facilities of
communication are afforded by the railway from Perth
to Dundee, which passes through the northern parts of
the parish. Roads for local convenience intersect the
parish in every direction ; the road from Perth by Dun-
dee to Aberdeen traverses its northern boundary, and
the road from Perth to Errol also runs through the pa-
rish. A pier and harbour, constructed a few years ago
by the proprietor, opposite the junction of the Tay and
the Earn, have proved of great advantage ; here coal,
lime, and manure are received, and large quantities of
potatoes exported. There is a valuable salmon-fishery,
229
the rent of which, paid to the proprietor of the parish,
is £1000 : the hands employed in it are during the win-
ter months engaged in the manufacture of flax and hemp,
which they receive from the Dundee merchants.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Perth and synod of Perth
and Stirling ; patron. Sir John Stuart Richardson. The
stipend of the minister is about £208 ; with a manse,
built in 1804, and repaired in 1829; and a glebe of
twenty-seven acres, and about two acres of garden, va-
lued at £80 per annum. St. Madoes church, a plain
but comfortable building erected in 1*98, contains 410
sittings. There is a parochial school, in which the usual
branches of education are taught, with Latin and Greek
if required ; the master has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and about £10 fees. The children receiving
instruction in this school belong principally to the neigh-
bouring parishes of Errol, Kinfauns, and Kinnoull.
There is also a subscription library of 200 volumes, the
terms of which are 4|rf. per quarter ; and the poor have
the interest of £500, arising from a bequest, made two
centuries ago, of only 200 merks, which by good ma-
nagement accumulated. The chief relic of antiquity is
the stone monument in the churchyard, seven feet in
length and about three in width ; it is a great curiosity,
and beautifully carved with numerous emblematical de-
vices on both sides, in a state of high preservation.
From the sign of a cross on one side, it is supposed, as
already observed, to be connected with the introduction
of Christianity into the parish. The Rev. Archibald
Stevenson, one of the leading men of the Church in
the last century, was minister of St. Madoes.
MAIDEN-SKERRY, an isle, in the parish of North-
MAViNE, county of Shetland. It consists of a high
rock, the upper part of which has never been trodden by
man. In the summer season it is occupied by the largest
kind of gulls, called the black-backed, which nestle upon
it in vast numbers, undisturbed.
MAINLAND ISLE, county of Shetland ; contain- "i-
ing 16,141 inhabitants. This is the largest island of
the district, about sixty miles in length, and in some
places sixteen in breadth, projecting into the sea in many
irregular promontories, and indented by numerous bays
and harbours. The interior or middle part is hilly and
mountainous, and full of bogs and mosses ; but the
greater part of the coast is arable, producing chiefly oats
sown in April, and barley about the middle of May.
The hills are mostly covered with heath, and afford pas-
turage for cattle and sheep. The island is almost bare
of trees, and hardly any shrubs are to be seen, except
juniper and small roan trees and willows in the more
sheltered valleys. It would, however, appear to have
been formerly covered with wood, as trees of consider-
able size are occasionally dug up in the mosses, some of
which are at a great depth beneath the surface ; and
it is generally observed that their tops lie towards the
west, as if they had been overthrown by a storm or in-
undation from the east. There are appearances of va-
rious kinds of metallic ores : at Sandlodge a copper-
mine was wrought for some time ; and iron-ore is in
considerable quantity. The island is divided into the
eight parishes of Delting, Dunrossness, Lerwick, Nesting,
Northmavine, Sandsting and Aithsting, Tingwall, and
Walls and Sandness, all of which are described under
their respective heads.
MAIN
MAKE
r^ MAINS and STRATHMARTINE, a parish, in the
county of Forfar ; containing, with the villages of Bal-
dovan and Kirkton, 2110 inhabitants, of whom \29r> are
in the Jlains district, 2 miles (N. N. W.) from Dundee.
The original name of the old parish of Mains was Strath-
dighty, descriptive of it as a valley watered by the river
Dighty. The name of the other parish, which is a con-
tinuation of the same valley, is said to have been derived
from a stone erected on the north side of it, in comme-
moration of some valorous exploit performed by a hero
of the name of Martine in the ancient days of chivalry.
These parishes were joined in the year 1/99. The united
parish is six miles in length, varying from one mile to
three miles in breadth, and comprising 7063 acres, of
which 6 ISO are arable, 450 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder moor and waste. Its surface is one
continued vale of pleasing appearance, bounded on each
side by rising grounds, whose highest point is not more
than 400 feet above the level of the sea. The only river
is the Dighty, which has its source in two lakes in the
parish of Luiidie, and flows with equable stream through
the whole of the vale into the sea near the mouth of the
Tay, in the parish of Monifieth. On the banks of this
river, the largest river in the immediate vicinity of Dun-
dee, are numerous works connected with the manufac-
tures of that town ; and thus, not only the adjacent
scenery has been deprived of much of its natural beauty,
but the fishing has been greatly injured, and the quality
of the water rendered unfit for domestic use. Several
small rivulets intersect the parish, forming tributaries
to the Dighty ; but they are usually dry in the summer
months. Near the castle of Mains, a spring of excellent
water issues from a crevice in a rock, and flows with
undiminishing abundance even in the driest times, afford-
a valuable supply for the inhabitants of that portion of
the parish.
In general the soil is a black loam, and very fertile ;
the crops are extremely favourable, and with the excep-
tion only of a few patches of moor, and some rocky ele-
vations, the whole is in a state of profitable cultivation.
The produce consists of oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and
turnips. The system of agriculture is greatly improved;
the lands are well drained, and inclosed with stone dykes
and hedges of thorn ; and the farm houses and offices,
though inferior to those in some other parishes, are still
commodious and in decent repair. A very large extent
of waste land has been reclaimed and brought into cul-
tivation, and the appearance of the parish has been im-
proved by the flourishing plantations formed on the
higher grounds. The wood cons^ists partly of oak, beech,
and other kinds of forest-trees, of which the beech seems
best adapted to the soil ; and there are several trees
of venerable growth, especially one near the castle of
Mains, of very stately dimensions, supposed to be about
two centuries old. A portion of the wood is larch, and
there is a good deal of thriving fir in the parish. The
easterly winds seem rather adverse to the growth of
the forest-trees that have been planted. The principal
substrata are grey-slate and trap rock, of which the
higher grounds mainly consist, and which are quar-
ried to a considerable extent for the roads and inclo-
sures, the stone being of good quality for every pur-
pose. Baldovan House and Strathtnartinc are both
handsome modern mansions. From its proximity to
Dundee, and the facilities alTurdcd for the manufactures
230
of that place by the Dighty, a great proportion of the
inhabitants of this parish are employed in works esta-
blished by the Dundee proprietors on the banks of the
river ; on which, within the limits of Mains and Strath-
martine, are four bleachfields, two of which are very
extensive, and six mills for washing yarn and preparing
it for the loom. There are likewise three flnur-mills,
five mills for meal, a saw-mill, and several threshing-
mills, all put in motion by the water of the river, with
the exception of one of the flour-mills, partly worked by
steam. The annual value of real property in Mains is
£7770, and in Strathmartine £4686. The agricultural
and other produce is sent to the market of Dundee, with
which frequent intercourse is kept up ; and facility of
communication is afforded with other places in the vi-
cinity by three turnpike-roads, which pass for more than
eight miles through the parish, and by a railway from
Dundee to Newtyle. There are not less than nine
bridges over the Dighty. Fairs are held on the first
Tuesday after July 11th, on the 26th of August, and the
15th of September, for cattle, sheep, and horses, and for
hiring farm servants.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Dundee, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patron-
age of the Crown : the minister's stipend is £217. S. 4.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £35 per annum.
The church, erected in 1800, is conveniently situated,
and is adapted for a congregation of 900 persons. The
parochial schools of both the old parishes are continued,
and afford a good course of education ; the masters have
each a salary of £34, with a good house and garden,
and the fees average annually at Mains £40, and Strath-
martine £30. A school for females is supported by an
endowment assigned by the Dowager Lady Ogilvy ; and
there are two others in the parish, chiefly for teaching
children to sew. The poor have the interest of accumu-
lated capital realizing £20 per annum, and are eligible
for admission in case of sickness into the Dundee in-
firmary, for the benefit of which a yearly collection is
made at the church of this place. The principal remains
of antiquity within the limits of the parish are some
vestiges of a Roman camp in the Stratimiartine district,
supposed to have been occupied by a portion of Agricola's
army, and which, probably, was afterwards a stronghold
of Sir William Wallace. This latter opinion is corrobo-
rated by a tradition, that that gallant defender of his
country's honour pitched his tent on Clatto hill, from
which the moor in this place takes its name. There are
also two obelisks in the parish ; but the history of their
erection is not clearly ascertained. Claverhouse, the
residence of the well-known Dundee, was situated here ;
and near the site of the old mansion, an edifice in the
form of an ancient ruin has been erected by his descen-
dant, Mr. Webster.
M.VINS OF ERllOL, a hamlet, in the parish of
Errol, county of Pkrtii ; an inconsiderable place, con-
taining 62 iulial)itauts.
MAKERSTOUN.B parish and village, in the district
of Kklso, county of Roxburgh ; containing 355 inha-
bitants, of whom 79 are in the village, 5 miles (W. S. W.)
from Kelso. This place is stipposed to have derived its
name from its original i)roprict()r, Machar, or Machir.
The parish is beautifully situated on the river Tweed,
which forms its southern boundary, dividing it from
Roxburgh. It is nearly four miles in length from east
M A NO
M A N O
to west, varies from two to three miles in breadth from
north to south, and comprises 2892 acres, of which 25*4
are arable and pasture, and 318 woodland, plantations,
and roads. The surface has a considerable rise towards
the north, where it attains an elevation of 47 1 feet above
the level of the sea; and the lands are agreeably diver-
sified with thriving trees. In the southern part the soil
is a dry loam, exceedingly fertile ; but it is less produc-
tive towards the north, being chiefly a thin clay. The
substratum is generally gravel and sandstone. The
crops are wheat, barley, oats, peas, turnips, and potatoes,
of which two last there are on the average 400 acres ;
the plantations include the different kinds of trees usually
grown in this part of the country, and there are some
good meadows and rich pastures. Nearly all the land is
the property of Sir Thomas and Lady Makdougall Bris-
bane : the remainder belongs to the Duke of Roxburghe.
The farms are tolerably extensive, the farm-buildings
commodious, and the system of agriculture greatly im-
proved. Coal is obtained for fuel at a moderate cost.
The turnpike-road from Kelso to Edinburgh passes
through the eastern part of the parish. The annual
value of real property in Makerstoun is £3*29. On the
north bank of the Tweed is the seat of General Sir
Thomas M. Brisbane, an ancient mansion with additions
of modern date, beautifully situated in a richly-wooded
demesne embellished with timber of venerable growth :
Sir Thomas has here an extensive observatory, furnished
with astronomical instruments of the first order. Eccle-
siastically the parish is in the presbytery of Kelso, synod
of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patronage of the
Duke of Roxburghe: the minister's stipend is £219. 14. 7-,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per annum.
Makerstoini church, built on a new site in 1S07, is
nearly in the centre of the parish, and affords accom-
modation to 200 persons. The parochial school is well
attended, and affords a useful education ; the master
has a salary of £34, with £28 fees, and a house and
garden. A sum of £27 has been bequeathed for poor
women above seventy years of age, the interest of which
is annually distributed among them ; and the interest of
a legacy of £20 is also appropriated to the relief of the
poor.
MANOR, a parish, in the county of Peebles, 2^
miles (S. W.) from Peebles ; containing about 240 inha-
bitants. This parish, the name of which is of very un-
certain derivation, is nine miles in length from north-
east to south-west, and about three miles in average
breadth. It is bounded for nearly two miles by the
river Tweed, and comprises 17,030 acres, of which 14,800
are hilly moorland affording tolerable pasture for sheep,
1630 arable and in cultivation, 400 woodland and plan-
tations, and the remainder waste. The surface is varied,
consisting chiefly of one continued valley, inclosed on
either side by a lofty range of hills, and broken by two
detached hills of considerable elevation, one of which is
wholly, and the other only partly, within the limits of
the parish. The hills on both sides of the vale are of
steep ascent, and in some places prdject boldly towards
the margin of the stream called the Manor Water, which
flows through the whole extent of the parish. Dollar
Law, the highest point in these ranges, is 2840 feet
above the level of the sea, and commands an extensive
prospect over the Lothians, the county of Berwick, and
the English border; the other hills vary from 1500 to
231
2000 feet in height. The Water has its source in the
mountains towards the south boundary of the parish,
and, after a winding course, flows into the Tweed about
two miles above Peebles. Salmon ascend the stream
about October to deposit their spawn, and considerable
numbers are destroyed by poachers during the winter.
Formerly it abounded with yellow and dark-coloured
trout of excellent quality, and was much frequented by
anglers ; a few salmon and sea-trout are still taken in
the autumn, and par are found in great abundance.
The SOI L in the plains, and lower portions of the hills,
is a rich loam and clay, but of no great depth, and in
other parts light and thin, intermixed with sand and
clay, with some alternations of loanl resting on gravel.
In the higher lands is a considerable portion of moss,
with which, also, most of the pastures are slightly inter-
spersed. The crops are oats, barley, wheat, peas, pota-
toes, and turnips. The system of agriculture is in an
advanced state : the lower lands have been drained, and
considerable portions of waste made fertile ; the farm-
buildings are substantial and conveniently arranged, and
the lands are well inclosed. In this parish the average
number of sheep pastured is 7400 ; they are of the black-
faced breed, with a cross of the Cheviot : the cattle, of
which about 300 are pastured, are chiefly of the short-
horned breed. The plantations have been very much
improved and extended of late ; they are well managed,
and in a thriving condition. The substrata are princi-
pally greywacke and clay-slate ; the former has been
quarried to a small extent, and a few minerals have
been found embedded in the seams. Rich specimens of
galena have been met with, in boulders, in the channel
of the Manor Water ; and in one part of the parish a
vein has been discovered : an attempt to work the ga-
lena was made some years since, but was abandoned.
Barns is a handsome modern mansion, finely situated on
the banks of the Tweed ; and Hallyards is an ancient
mansion, pleasantly seated in the valley. The nearest
market-town is Peebles, with which, and with other
towns in the neighbourhood, facility of intercourse is
afforded by good roads.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Peebles, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the
patronage of the Earl of Wemyss : the minister's sti-
pend averages about £155, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at above £30 per annum. Manor church, an
ancient edifice, and inconveniently situated, is in good
repair, and is adapted for a congregation of at least 200
persons. The parochial school affords a good course of
instruction, and is well attended ; the master has a
salary of £34 per annum, with £14 fees, and a house.
Near the farm of Cademuir are the remains of an ancient
circular camp, supposed to be of British or Danish
origin. It appears to have been surrounded with four
intrenchments, between which are regular intervals of
about twelve paces. The ramparts are fifteen feet in
breadth at the base, and about the same height, and are
intersected by a road fifteen feet wide, leading to the in-
terior circle ; one half only of the lines is remaining, and
there are no traces of the corresponding semicircles. In
a commanding situation upon a hill called Chester Hill
are the remains of a camp with a double intrenchment
of loose stones, the outer one of oval form ; the area of
the inner inclosure is circular, and has a regular descent
towards the centre. Several intrenchments on a smaller
MARK
MARK
scale are to be seen in the parish. There are likewise
remains existing of strongholds belonging to various
chieftains, which appear to have formed a continued
chain of fortifications extending from one extremity of
the barony to the other ; the first of the series was at
Mauorhead, and the last at Barns, which communicated
with Needpath Castle, on the Tweed. Dr. Adam Fer-
guson, author of the History of the Roman Republic, lived
for many years at Hallyards. In 1845, Messrs. Cham-
bers, of Edinburgh, who are natives of the neighbouring
parish of Peebles, erected a gravestone in the churchyard
here over the remains of David Ritchie, the original of
the " Black Dwarf" of Sir Walter Scott ; the misan-
thrope spent the greater part of his life in Manor parish,
and his hut is still in good preservation, and an object
of curiosity to tourists. Sir Walter used to pay fre-
quent visits at Hallyards, and thus became acquainted
with Davie.
MANSFIELD, a village, in the parish of New Cum-
nock, district of Kyle, county of Ayr, 1 mile (N. E.
by E.) from New Cumnock ; containing 122 inhabitants.
This village is situated a short distance north of the
river Nith, and of the high road from New Cumnock to
Kirkconnel, and is the seat of a considerable colliery.
The coal formation here is an isolated basin, in which
six seams of coal have been ascertained, in the whole
about forty feet in thickness ; the uppermost seam is a
fine cannel coal, two feet and a half thick, and is much
in demand for making gas. Lime-kilns, on an excellent
plan, have been erected by Sir Charles G. S. Menteath,
Bart. A railway, nearly three miles in length, has been
laid down to the boundary of the counties of Dumfries
and Ayr, to facilitate the transport of the coal and lime
to suitable markets. A mill for carding wool was erected
some time since by Mr. Hunter, at which most of the
home-spun wool is carded. The meadow-lands around
the village have latterly been much improved ; in its
neighbourhood is Mansfield Hall, the property of Sir
Charles Menteath.
MARCH OF LUNANBANK, a hamlet, in the parish
of Inverkeillor, county of Forfar, 5 miles (N.) from
Arbroath ; containing 6.') inhabitants. It lies on the
south side of the Lunan water, a very short distance
from its banks, and on the road from Rcdcastle to Dun-
nichen. There are stone-quarries in the vicinity.
MARCHFARM, a hamlet, in the parish of Kirk-
i.NNER, county of Wigtown ; with 61 inhabitants.
MARESTONE, a hamlet, in the parishes of Aber-
LE.MNO and Rescobie, county of Forfar, 2^ miles
(N. E.) from Forfar ; containing 26 inhabitants. The
hamlet is an inconsiderable place, on the high road from
Aberlemno to Forfar.
l^ MARGARET'S (ST.) HOPE, a village, in the parish
of St. Peter, island of South Ronaldshay, .South
Isles of Orkney ; containing 260 inliabitants. This is
a considerable place in the north of the island, having a
safe and pleasant roadstead opening into Water sound,
which separates the island from that of Hurray. It is
an excellent fishing-station, and the inhabitants are
chiefly engaged in taking and curing cod, ling, and
herrings. There are a post-office, and several inns, in
the village ; and in the neighbourhood of it is the paro-
Pchial school, built about IHl.'i.
MARKINCH, a parish, in the district of Kirkcaldy,
county of FuE; containing, with the villages of Coal-
232
town of Balgonie, Dubbieside, Balcurvie, Burns, Haugh-
Mill, IMilton, Thornton, and Windygates, and part of Star
quoad sacra and Woodside, ."596.5 inhabitants, of whom
1315 are in the village of Markinch, 7 miles (N.) from
Kirkcaldy. This place is supposed to have derived its
name, signifying in the Celtic language "the island of
the forest", from the site having been at a remote period
surrounded by water, of which there are still evident
traces, notwithstanding that the land has been drained,
and partly covered with buildings. The parish is about
six miles in length, and varies from two to five miles in
breadth, comprising an area of sixteen square miles, or
10,200 acres, of which nearly 8500 are arable, 800 wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder meadow, pas-
ture, and waste. The surface is pleasingly diversified,
sloping gradually towards the south and east from the
Lomond hills, by which the parish is skirted on the
north. It is divided into four distinct valleys, inclosed
by ranges of low hills, and watered by as many streams,
which unite towards the east ; the principal rivers are
the Leven and the Orr.
The soil is various. On the north bank of the Leven
is a gravelly and clayey loam, dry and fertile ; but a wet
loam, sand, and clay prevail in the district between the
Leven and the Orr, and also in the southern and eastern
portions of the parish. The crops are wheat, oats, barley,
potatoes, and turnips, with a small portion of peas, beans,
and flax. The system of agriculture is in an improved
state ; the lands are well drained, chiefly by means of
furrow drains ; and the farm-buildings are generally sub-
stantial and commodiously arranged. Bone-dust has
been introduced for manure, and lime is used upon most
of the lands. The hills afford good pasture for the cattle,
usually of the Fifeshire breed. In this parish the planta-
tions are chiefly around the seats of the several proprie-
tors, and are of the more ornamental character ; they are
in a thriving state, and add greatly to the beauty of the
scenery. The substrata are mainly sandstone of every
variety, abounding with organic remains. Ironstone is
found in different parts, but though containing eighty
per cent of ore, the working of it has long been discon-
tinued. Coal is abundant on the lands of Balbirnie and
Balgonie, and is extensively wrought at both places.
The coal in the former lies at a depth of twenty-five
fathoms, and occurs in three seams, of which the upper-
most is eighteen inches in thickness, the middle seam
fifty-four, and the lowest twenty-four inches ; the coal
on the lands of Balgonie occurs in two seams, at a depth
varying from twenty-five to thirty-five fathoms, the upper
seam nine feet six inches, and the lower seven feet, in
thickness. The mines at the village of Thornton were
discontinued in 1743, but re-commenced in 1785, when
powerful steain-cngincs were erected ; they are still in
extensive operation. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £16,081. lialfoiir Castle, once the family
seat of the Balfours, situated near the confluence of the
Orr and the Leven, has been the property of the Be-
thunes for nearly five centuries. To the west of it is the
ancient castle of Baliiotite, now falling to decay. The
oldest portion is the keep, a square tower eighty feet in
height, crowned with battlements, and having circular
projecting turrets at the angles; and connnunicating
with it is a house of three stories, erected by the first
Karl of Leven, to which a wing was added by one of his
successors. The estate was purchased in 1823, for the
MARK
M A R N
sum of £104,000, by the late James Balfour, Esq.,
brother of the late General Balfour of Balbirnie ; and the
former gentleman's second son, to whom the property
has been bequeathed, purposes to restore the castle.
Balbirnie House, about a mile westward of the church, is
a handsome modern structure, erected by General Bal-
four ; it is ornamented in the principal front with a
noble Ionic portico, and situated in a park of 200 acres,
richly wooded. Kirkfurthar, the seat of George John-
stone Lindsay, Esq., is an ancient mansion. There were
formerly other resident proprietors of note in the parish,
of whose houses scarcely any traces are now left.
f-'J/v ' The village of Markinch is built partly on the southern
acclivity of the hill of that name, which has a height of
about 100 feet, extending in a ridge from east to west for
300 yards. On the northern side, the precipitous ascent
is cut into terraces twenty feet in breadth, rising above
each other to an elevation of ten or twelve feet, and sup-
posed to have been formed by the Romans under Agricola.
The water-power afforded by the Leveu and the Orr, the
abundance of coal and freestone in the neighbourhood,
and the facilities of communication, have greatly en-
couraged the establishment of manufactures in the pa-
rish. Among these are the Rothes paper-mills, erected
in 1806 by Mr. William Keith, and now the property of
Messrs. Tullis and Company : the chief articles manu-
factured here are brown and grey wrapping-papers, and
twenty men and ten women are engaged. The Auchmuty
mills, belonging to the same firm, for the making of cart-
ridge, coloured, printing, and writing papers, afford oc-
cupation to about 100 persons, one-half women, and
produce about 500 tons of paper annually. The Bal-
birnie mills, established in 1816 by Messrs. J. Grieve and
Company, for coarse and fine wrapping-papers, give em-
ployment to thirty persons, of whom fourteen are women;
and the quantity annually produced averages 250 tons.
The woollen-manufactory at Balbirnie-Bridge was erected
in 1835, by Mr. Drysdale, for the weaving of plaidings,
blankets, and shawls, principally for the Glasgow mer-
chants : in this factory are ten power-looms employing
twenty-seven persons, and four hand-looms employing
ten persons, of whom a considerable proportion are
females. The linen-manufacture (of silesias, and holland
for window-blinds) was till 1810 confined to about fifty
persons, who sold their webs to the merchants of Auch-
termuchty and Kettle ; but since that time the weaving
of dowlas, sheetings, and towellings has been introduced
by Mr. Robert Inglis, and the number of persons em-
ployed has increased to nearly 900, who work in their
own houses, and of whom many live in the adjoining pa-
rishes. The spinning of flax and tow is extensively carried
on at Milton of Balgonie, and in the village of Haugh,
which see. There are also bleachfields at Rothes and
Lochty ; the former affording occupation to 1 10 persons,
of whom eighty are women and children ; and the latter
employing about 100 persons. At Cameron-Bridge is a
very extensive distillery ; and at Thornton are some
vitriol-works, connected with a similar establishment at
Glasgow. There are stations at Markinch and Thornton
of the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway ; and an
act was passed in 1846 for the construction of a railway
from Markinch to Anstruther Easter, to be called the
East of Fife railway.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Kirkcaldy, synod of Fife.
Vol. II.— 233
The minister's stipend is £267. 17-, with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £30 per annum ; patron, the Crown.
Markinch church, a very ancient structure with a lofty
tower and spire, situated on an eminence in the village,
was partly rebuilt, and enlarged, in 1806, and contains
1360 sittings. Churches have been built at Milton and
Thornton, and there are places of worship for members
of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church.
The parochial school is numerously attended ; the master
has a salary of £34, with a good house and garden, and
the fees average about £70 per annum. There are nine
other schools, two of which, on the Balgonie estate, have
endowments, one of £10 per annum, with a house and
garden, and the other of £5 only ; a school at Balbirnie
has simply a house and garden for the master, and a
female school in the village is supported chiefly by a sub-
scription of some ladies. About two miles from the
mouth of the Leven are the remains of some ancient
fortifications, the origin of which is not distinctly known ;
and in the westward portion of the parish have been
found, at various times, Roman relics consisting of
military weapons and other antiquities. On the highest
point of the ridge near the village, at an elevation of
eighty feet, are the remains of Maiden Castle, a quadri-
lateral intrenchment, supposed to have been one of the
strongholds of Macduff, Thane of Fife ; and to the east
of the village is Dalginch, another of his castles, from
which there is said to have been a subterraneous com-
munication with the former. The latter, now called
Barnslee, is the residence of Mrs. Paston.
MARNOCH, a parish, in the county of Banff, S^
miles (S. W. by S.) from Banff ; containing, with the
village of Aberchirder, 2691 inhabitants. This parish
was originally called Aberchirder, a name taken, as is
supposed, from the estate of Sir David Aberkerder,
Thane of Aberkerder, who lived about the year 1400, and
was proprietor of a large part of the parish ; he paid
revenue to the see of Moray, and eventually his daughter
was married to Sir Robert Innes, brother to Sir John
Innes, the latter of whom was bishop of Moray for seven
years previously to 1414. The village is still called by
the ancient name of Aberchirder, which is said to signify
"the head or opening of the moss", and to have been
used on account of the situation of the estate at the edge
of an extensive moss. The term now applied to the pa-
rish is derived from Saint Marnoch. The parish is
situated on the northern bank of the river Doveron,
along which it extends for about six miles, some of the
extreme points, however, being eight miles apart. In
breadth it extends from the stream five or six miles, with
a fine southern exposure ; the whole comprising thirty-
four square miles. On the borders of the river are some
fine haughs ; its banks are distinguished for their richly-
diversified and beautifully-picturesque scenery, and in-
clude a variety of objects that invest the landscape with
the highest interest.
The estate of Ardmellie, ornamented with a number of
large trees, and the mansion-house, situated in the midst
of well-cultivated grounds, and commanding an exten-
sive view of the valley of the Doveron, commence the
series of varied spots receiving from, and communicating
to, the winding course of the stream a pleasing and im-
pressive effect. In this part abruptly rises the well-
wooded hill of Ardmellie, the highest ground in the pa-
rish; at whose foot, on the bank of the river, which here
2 H
M ARN
MART
receives the burn of Crombie, stands the manse. The
church occupies an eminence at a little distance ; it was
once surrounded by a Druidical circle, now only marked
by two remaining stones. The churchyard, at the mar-
gin of the stream, is rendered especially interesting by
the ruin of the old church, and several superior monu-
ments. Among these, one, conspicuous for its richly-
carved ornaments, is to the memory of " Reverendus et
pius Geo. Meldrum de Crombie et quondam de Glass
praeco "; he was minister of Glass, and laird of Crombie
in this parish, and died in 169'2, aged seventy-six. At-
tached to the monument is a finely-executed half-length
figure of him in stone, represented wearing a cap, and in
his full canonicals, with a book in his hand. At a short
distance from this spot, the river displays several wind-
ings ; and a little further is a bridge of two arches, built
in 1806, below which the scenery derives interest from
the ancient mansion of Kinairdij. This is a structure of
very singular appearance, somewhat similar to a tower,
situated on a promontory at the confluence of the burn
of Kinairdy with the Doveron, and once the property,
with a large portion of land in the vicinity, of the Crich-
tons of PVendraught. The property of Kinairdy subse-
quently passed into the hands of David Gregory, Esq., one
of whose sons was the inventor of the telescope that bears
his name. Therivcrafterwards pursues its beautiful course
towards the church, manse, and village of Inverkeithny,
on the opposite bank, about two miles distant. Here is
Chapelton, on the Marnoch side, where it is thought a
place of worship once stood. At a little distance ap-
pears the handsome modern mansion of Netherdale, with
gardens and grounds finely laid out, and flourishing beech
hedges : this property completes the striking line of the
course of the Doveron in this locality. The surface in
the centre of the parish, from east to west, consists of
several hills and undulations, mostly crowned with
thriving plantations, and having intervening straths well
cultivated, and v\atered by small rivulets.
The SOIL is in general damp and mossy ; in some parts
it is dry, and in the southern portion it generally pro-
duces early crops. On the hill of Crombie are extensive
mosses, supplying plenty of peat. Agriculture has made
considerable advances during the last quarter of a cen-
tury; in which period, by draining, by the cultivation of
waste land, and other improvements, the rental of the
parish has been increased to the extent of one-third : the
annual value of real property is now £7898. Improve-
ments have also taken place in the breeds of cattle,
through crosses with superior stock. Granite of ex-
cellent quality occurs in two localities ; it is extensively
quarried, and blue limestone is found on the estate of
Ardmeilie. In addition to the mansions already noticed,
there is an old building at Crombie, the property of the
Earl of Seafield, situated in the western quarter of the pa-
rish ; it consists at present of only three stories, but it was
formerly much higher, and appears to have been a place of
some strength. The house of Auchinloul, on the largest
property in Marnoch, and situated near the middle of
the parish, was once the residence of General Alexander
Gordon. He entered the Russian service as a cadet,
under Peter the Great, and for his valour in the wars
carried on against Charles XII., King of Sweden, was
raised by the emperor to the rank of major-general :
after his return to his native country, he wrote the his-
tory of his patron. Being involved, however, in the
'^34
troubles of 1715, by taking part with the Highland clans
at Sheriffmuir, and by other acts, he was attainted for
treason and compelled to escape to France ; but having
remained there for several years, he returned, and died
here at the age of eighty-two. The mansion consists of
three sides of a square, one of which was built by the
general ; and is a large plain building, much improved
by the present proprietor. It has a handsome quadri-
lateral range of oflRees, with hot-houses and a conserva-
tory, as also fine gardens, and grounds ornamented with
belts of plantations ; and is much indebted for its plea-
santness to its commanding situation. The mansion-
house of Cluny, on the east, is an elegant edifice built of
granite, to the grounds of which is attached some thriving
wood.
The only village is Aberchirder, which see. There are
regular markets for hiring servants at Whitsuntide
and Martinmas; a weekly grain-market on Mondays
during the winter ; and an annual market for cattle and
horses, called Marnoch fair, on the second Tuesday in
March. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery
of Strathbogie, synod of Moray, and in the patronage of
the Earl of Fife : the minister's stipend is £'220, with a
manse, and a glebe of seven acres and a half, valued at
£21 per annum. Marnoch church is a very plain build-
ing, erected in the earlier part of the present century.
There are places of worship for members of the Free
Church, Episcopalians, Baptists, the United Presby-
terian Church, and Roman Catholics. The parochial
school affords instruction in the usual branches : the
master has a salary of £34, with a house, and from £15
to £25 fees ; also about £53 from Dick's bequest, Bruce's
legacy, and his office of session-clerk. There is an ex-
tensive library for parochial use.
MARTIN, an island, in the parish of Lochbroom,
county of Ross and Cromarty ; containing 45 inhabit-
ants. This is a small island, situated in Loch Broom,
on the western coast of the county, and close to the
main land of the parish, from which it is separated by a
narrow channel. It is about five miles north-north-west
from the village of Ullapool.
MARTIN'S, ST., a parish, in the county of Perth,
5 miles (N. N. E.) from Perth ; containing, with the
villages of Caroline-Place and Guildtown, and the hamlet
of Cairnbeddie, 107 1 inhabitants, of whom 750 are in
the rural districts. It comprises the ancient parishes
of St. Martin and Cambus-Michael, which were united
soon after the time of the Reformation ; and is cele-
brated as having been the residence of the usurper Mac-
beth, of whose castle of Cairnbeddie there are still some
vestiges remaining. The site of this stronghold was a
circular mound nearly in the centre of the parish, about
eighty yards in diameter, and surrounded by a moat
thirty feet wide ; and on levelling the surface during the
process of agricultural improvements, within the last
thirty or forty years, great numbers of horse-shoes of
small size, and fragments of swords and other arms, were
discovered. Not thinking himself sufficiently secure in
the castle of Cairnbeddie against the insurrections of that
troublesome period, Macbeth afterwards removed his re-
sidence to the castle of Dunsinnun Hill, in the adjoining
parish of Collace, in which he fortified himself against
the assatdts of Malcolm III. He was at length killed
at Ltimphanan in Aberdeenshire, after the battle of
Dunsinnan, in 1057- About a mile from the castle of
MART
MARY
Cairnbeddie is a spot still called the " Witches' stone ",
where the usurper, as recorded by the dramatist, is said to
have held an interview with the witches, who assured
him of safety " till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane ".
The PARISH is bounded on the west by the river Tay,
and is of irregular form, varying greatly in breadth,
and comprising about 7000 acres, of which, with the
exception of about 1000 acres in plantations, the greater
portion is arable and the remainder meadow and pasture.
Its surface is boldly undulated, without rising into hills
of any striking elevation ; and most of the acclivities are
ornamented with plantations of fir, which, together with
the coppices of wood along the banks of the Tay, add
much to the pleasing appearance of the scenery. The
river Tay is navigable to Perth for vessels of consider-
able burthen ; it abounds with salmon and trout, and
the fisheries are very valuable. There are several rivu-
lets ; the largest is the burn of St. Martin's, which in-
tersects the parish from west to east, giving motion in
its course to some corn and lint mills, and receiving the
waters of a tributary stream near the church. Trout
are found in most of the smaller streams. In general
the soil is a black mould lying on a tilly bottom, but
along the banks of the Tay of richer quality, resting on
a substratum of gravel ; the crops are, grain of every
kind, with potatoes and turnips, and the usual grasses.
The system of husbandry has been greatly advanced
under the auspices of an agricultural society established
here some years ago, and there is now scarcely an acre
of waste land in the parish. Several small hamlets,
indeed, which existed in different parts, have been alto-
gether razed by the plough, and their sites brought into
cultivation. The lands have been well drained, and in-
closed with fences kept in good order ; the farm-build-
ings have been rendered substantial and commodious,
and all the more recent improvements in the construc-
tion of agricultural implements are adopted. The planta-
tions are generally under careful management, and in a
thriving state ; and there are some considerable remains
of natural wood. Limestone is found in the north of the
parish, near the Tay, but it is not extensively worked ;
whinstone and freestone are every where abundant, and
the latter is of excellent quality, and largely wrought for
building. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish is £580,5. St. Martin'.s House, a handsome modern
structure, is situated in a richly-planted demesne.
Many of the inhabitants are employed in the manu-
facture of coarse linen cloths, chiefly for exportation ;
and several are engaged in the various handicraft trades
requisite for the supply of the surrounding district. A
savings' bank was lately established, under that of
Perth ; and a library, also founded within the last few
years, is supported by subscription. Facility of commu-
nication is maintained by the great turnpike-road from
Edinburgh to Aberdeen, which passes through the
eastern portion of the parish, and by other good roads
that intersect it in various directions. The villages are,
Guildtown, in the west, built in 1S19; and Caroline-
Place, in the northern district, founded in 1825, and
named in honour of Caroline, Queen of George IV. :
they consist of well-built houses to each of which is
attached a portion of garden-ground. For ecclesias-
tical purposes the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Perth, synod of Perth and Stirling. The
minister's stipend is £19'2. 7. 8., with a manse, and also
'235
a glebe, including the old glebe of Cambus-Michael, and
valued at £28 |)er annum ; patron, the Crown. The old
church, built in 1773, and which was both inconvenient
and unsafe, was taken down, and a handsome and sub-
stantial structure erected in 1S42, which is well adapted
to the accommodation of the parishioners. It contains
an elegant monument of marble to the memory of William
Macdonald, Esq., of St. Martin's, one of the original
members and secretary of the Highland Society of Scot-
land, whose representative, William Macdonald Farqu-
harson Macdonald, Esq., is now proprietor of more than
half the parish. St. Martin's parochial school, for which
a handsome building has been erected at a cost of £300,
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £34, with
a house and garden, and the fees average about £25 per
annum. There is also a private school at Guildtown,
the master of which is provided with a house and garden
rent free by the Guildry of Perth. Very distinct vestiges
exist of the Roman road leading from Bertha, through
the northern part of the parish, towards the neighbour-
ing parish of Cargill, in which it appears in its primitive
state. At Friarton, in the parish, was a monastic settle-
ment, connected with the abbey of Scone.
MARY, ST., Orkney — See Ronaldshay, South.
MARY'S ST., a hamlet, in the parish of Holm,
county of Orkney ; containing 34 inhabitants.
MARYBURGH, in the county of Inverness. — See
Fort-William.
MARYBURGH, a hamlet, in the parish of Cleish,
county of Kinross, 3 miles (N. N. W.) from Kinross;
containing 39 inhabitants. It is situated in the south-
eastern part of the parish, and on the high road from
North Queensferry to Kinross. The Kelty water flows
at a short distance south of the hamlet ; and in the
neighbourhood is a bridge which crosses that stream,
called Kelty bridge. A school is supported by Sir
Charles Adam, who supplies the master with a house
and garden rent free, and pays him a salary of £15, in
addition to the fees, which average £30. A school for
teaching girls to sew is also kept, by the wife of the
master, to whom Miss Adam pays £5 per annum.
MARYBURGH, a village, in the parish of Fodderty,
county of Ross and Cromarty ; containing 403 inhabit-
ants. This village is of very recent formation, and im-
proving in population and extent. To its erection, and
to that of the village of Keithtown, may be ascribed the
late increase in the inhabitants of the parish. There is a
place of worship for members of the Free Church.
MARYCULTER, a parish, in the county of Kin-
cardine, 7| miles (S. W. by W.) from Aberdeen ; con-
taining 991 inhabitants. The name of this place has
been derived from the Latin words Mari/e Cultura, on
account of the dedication of the church to the Virgin
Mary ; but some Gaelic scholars are of opinion that the
latter part of the name may be traced more correctly to
the compound word cul-tira, in the Gaelic signifying
" the back of the land ". The parish was a settlement
of the Knights Templars ; but very little of its ancient
history is now known. It is of an oblong form, six
miles in length and two in breadth, extending from the
river Dee to the Grampian mountains, and containing
between 8000 and 9000 acres. Maryculter is bounded
on the south by the parish of Fetteresso, on the east by
that of Banchory-Devenick, and on the west by the pa-
rish of Durris. In general the surface is rocky and stony,
2 H2
MARY
MARY
with much hilly and mossy ground ; and the rushy
moors and heath, with only here and there a green hill,
give to the district an appearance of wildness and sterility.
An exception, however, may be made of that part in the
vicinity of the river, where some small haughs and dales
are to be seen. In the parish are many good springs.
The river Dee flows on the north side of the parish, and
has an ancient ford opposite the manse. There is no
mill upon it throughout its entire course, it being subject
to great and sudden floods, of which a remarkable in-
stance happened on the 17th of September, 1768, and
another on the 4th of August, IS'ig.
The SOIL near the river is sometimes thin and sandy :
in the midland grounds it is deeper and blacker, resting
in parts on a subsoil of clay ; while in the southern
quarter it is swampy, turfy, and mossy. About 3300
acres are under cultivation, 4200 in waste, and S50 in
plantations : some hundreds of acres of the waste land
are considered capable of profitable tillage. No wheat
is raised, but other white crops are grown ; and of the
green crops, turnips form a prominent part, and are pro-
daced of excellent quality by the application of bone-dust
and of guano. Improvements in agriculture have been
carried on to a considerable extent, and, notwithstand-
ing the untoward nature of the soil, are still in progress :
the manure in general use is dung, much of which is
obtained from Aberdeen. The native cattle are small,
but good, and are almost all black, without horns : the
rest of the cattle are a cross with the Teeswater. The
horses are poor, though improving in breed ; and few
sheep are reared. A considerable number of swine, of
the Chinese and Berkshire cross breed, are exported
to London, and hams are also forwarded. The rocks in
the parish consist chiefly of granite, and masses of gneiss
are to be seen in different parts ; the granite is quarried,
but to a very small extent. The annual value of real
property in Maryculter is £4,513. The mansion-houses
are Maryculter, Kingcausie, Ileathcote, and Auchlunies.
They are all pleasantly situated, and ornamented with
gardens and with wood ; the two first are in the imme-
diate vicinity of the Dee, and their scenery is much
improved by their contiguity to this stream. The
mansion of Heathcote is built in the villa style, and is
of recent date ; Auchlunies is an ancient edifice, much
adorned by its elegant grounds. The parish has good
roads, several miles of which run parallel with, and
sometimes nearly touch, the river. There are five salmon-
fisheries ; but they have been for some time in a very
declining state.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery and synod of Aberdeen ; patron,
the Crown. The stipend of the minister is £\''i, with
a manse and suitable offices, and a glebe of about ten
acres, worth £'2. 8. per acre. Maryculter church was
built in I"''/, and is in good repair ; it will accommodate
about 460 persons with sittings, and is conveniently
situated. There is a Roman Catholic chapel, forming a
distinct portion of a building used as a seminary for the
education of youth for the priesthood ; the average num-
ber of scholars is thirty. This institution is on tlie ])r()-
perty of Hlairs, given not many years ago to the (church
of Rome by Mr. Menzies of I'itfoddels. A parochial
school is .supported, in which the usual hraiiclu's of edu-
cation are taught ; the master has a salary of £.jO, with
a house, and about £10 fees. There are also two or
'236
three private schools, on a small scale, entirely supported
by the fees; and a savings' bank, instituted in 1823.
Numerous cairns still remain in the parish, in which
human teeth and bones have been found ; but they are
not entitled to notice.
MARYHILL, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in
the parish of Bauony, suburbs of the city of Glasgow,
county of Lanark ; containing 3233 inhabitants, of
whom 25.52 are in the village of Maryhill. This district
was for all ecclesiastical purposes separated in 1834
from the Barony parish, within which, however, it is
now again included ; it is about three miles in length
and two in breadth, and consists of a large village and
a rural district. Part of the population are employed
in power-loom weaving and calico-printing, for which
latter there is a printfield in the village, and another
established in the immediate neighbourhood, the two
concerns being separated merely by the river Kelvin.
A large foundry has also been established in the village,
and there are ship-carpenters, colliers, and other opera-
tives. The place has a post-office with a delivery twice
a day, and contains an excellent public library. Its
natural beauties are also considerable : Maryhill is di-
vided from the adjoining parish of East Kilpatrick by
the beautiful stream of the Kelvin, and is skirted in the
same direction by the grounds of Garscube, the seat of
Sir Archibald Campbell, Bart., whose family, particularly
the late Lady Campbell, have proved liberal patrons of
the poor of Maryhill. As it flows past the village, the
river passes under a stupendous aqueduct erected for
the Forth and Clyde canal. The village was named
Maryhill in memory of her mother by the late Miss
Graham, of Gairbraid, from whose ground it was feued,
and who during her long life proved a great benefactor
to it. Ecclesiastically the place is in the presbytery of
Glasgow and synod of Glasgow and Ayr : the minister
is appointed by the managers and subscribers. The
church was erected in 1826, at an expense of £1455,
partly by subscription, towards which Lady Grace
Douglas contributed £500 ; it originally contained only
542 sittings, to which, by the erection of a gallery, 400
were added in 183*. A parochial school is maintained;
the master has a salary of £12. 16. 8., with a large
schoolroom and comfortable dwelling-house, and fees
amounting to £70 or £80. There is an infants' school,
supported by J. C. Colquhoun, Esq., of Killermont ; and
the various schools in the district altogether afford in-
struction to more than 300 children.
MARYKIRK, a parish, in the county of Kincar-
dine ; including the village of Luthermuir, and con-
taining 2387 inhabitants, of whom 147 are in the village
of Marykirk, 6 miles (N. N. W.) from Montrose. This
parish, of which the ancient name, Abcrlullinott , or as
in some documents Ahcrliithnfl, was in use till the
beginning of the last century, is about seven miles in
extreiric length from east to west, and varies greatly ia
breadth. It is bounded on the south by the river North
Esk, which separates it from the county of Forfar ; and
compri.ses 9320 acres, whereof nearly 7000 are arable,
570 meadow and pasture, 1530 woodland and planta-
tions, and the remainder water and waste. The surface,
which slopes gently to the borders of the North Esk, is
tolerably level ; and the oidy hills are the almost parallel
ridges of Kirkton hill and Balmaleedie, which extend
for nearly two miles in a north-eastern direction, but
MARY
MARY
attain no considerable degree of elevation. The river
Lutlier, rising in the Grampian hills, intersects the pa-
rish for about five miles ; and there are numerous excel-
lent springs affording an ample supply of water.
In some parts the soil is light and sandy ; along the
banks of the Luther, a deep rich mould ; and in other
places, a wet and retentive clay, which has been greatly
improved by good management, and rendered fertile.
The crops are oats, barley, turnips, and potatoes, with a
few acres of wheat. The rotation system of husbandry
is prevalent ; and the lands have been drained, and in-
closed partly with hedges of thorn and partly with stone
fences : the farm-buildings, erected of stone and roofed
with slate, are substantial and commodious ; and on
most of the farms are threshing-mills. Considerable
attention is paid to the improvement of the live stock,
consisting mainly of cattle of the polled or Angus breed,
of which several hundred head are annually reared.
From 300 to 400 pigs, also, are generally fattened every
year. The woods comprise the usual kinds of timber,
but there are few trees of ancient growth except on the
lands of Inglisraaldie, where are some more than a cen-
tury old ; in general the wood is not above seventy
years of age : the trees are in a thriving condition. Sal-
mon, grilse, sea- trout, common trout, and eels are con-
tained in the streams, but not in any great quantity ;
the salmon and grilse are found chiefly in the North
Esk. The substratum is mostly sandstone of the old
red formation ; a bed of limestone of coarse quality
traverses the parish from east to west, and on the higher
grounds are trap and conglomerate rocks. The quarries
are not extensive, the expense of working, and of drain-
ing off the water, rendering them scarcely of any advan-
tage to the owners. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £7988.
Kirkton Hill is a handsome house, built on the site of
the former ancient structure ; it is finely situated, com-
manding some interesting views, and the grounds are
embellished with flourishing plantations. Balmakewan,
which has also been rebuilt, is a good mansion on rising
ground near the North Esk, of which it has a pleasing
prospect ; and is surrounded with a well-planted de-
mesne. Inglismaldie is an ancient mansion at present
unoccupied, but in good repair ; the lands attached to
it are embellished with some timber of thriving growth.
Thornton Castle is a castellated building, part of which
was erected in 1,530 ; it fell into a state of dilapidation,
but has been restored with a strict regard to the original
design. Hatton, the property of the Honourable Gene-
ral Arbuthnott, is now a farm-house. The prevailing
scenery and general aspect of the parish are of pleasing
character. There are two handsome bridges over the
North Esk ; one of them of great antiquity, on the road
from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, and which has been re-
paired and beautified ; and the other near the village,
of four circular arches of equal span, erected in 1813.
The village of Marykirk is neatly built and pleasantly
situated : a post-office is established, which has a daily
delivery. At Caldhara, on the river Luther, is a mill
for the spinning of flax, in which about 100 persons are
employed ; and the weaving of linen is carried on upon
a large scale in the village of Luthermuir, about four
miles distant, which is described under its own head.
There are also several corn-mills, and mills for sawing
timber for agricultural uses. Salmon-fishing is pursued
237
to a small extent, employing five or six men, and the
aggregate rent is £40 per annum. An annual fair for
cattle, horses, sheep, and wool is held on Balmakelly
moor, on the last Friday in July. Facility of communi-
cation is afforded by the Aberdeen railway, and by roads
kept in good repair. For ecclesiastical purposes the
parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Fordoun
and synod of Angus and Mearns ; the minister's stipend
is £231. 13., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £8 per
annum. ; patron, Alexander Crombie, Esq. Marykirk
church, situated in the village, is a neat structure erected
in 1806, and containing 638 sittings. There are places
of worship for dissenters. The parochial school is
generally attended by about fifty children ; the master
has a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and nearly
four acres of land, and the fees average £20 per annum.
There is also a school at Luthermuir. The parochial
library, consisting of about 200 volumes, chiefly on reli-
gious subjects, was presented by Patrick Taylor, Esq.
MARYTOWN, a village, in the parish of Forgan,
district of St. Andrew's, county of Fife; containing
232 inhabitants. This is a small place, which has lat-
terly increased in population from its contiguity to
Dundee.
MARYTOWN, a parish, in the county of Forfar, %
2^ miles (W. S. W.) from Montrose ; containing about
400 inhabitants. This place is supposed to have derived
its name from the dedication of its church to the Virgin
Mary, or from the existence here, at some ancient period,
of a religious establishment in honour of that saint : on
the confines of the parish is a spring which still retains
the appellation of Marywell. The parish consists of the
estates of Old Montrose and Dysart, distant from each
other about half a mile, and divided by an intervening
portion of the parish of Craig. It is three miles in length
from north to south, and one mile and a half in average
breadth. Marytown is bounded on the north by the
river South Esk, and the basin of Montrose, commonly
designated the Back Sands, and on the south-east by the
sea ; comprising 2180 acres, of which 2080 are arable,
about seventy woodland and plantations, and thirty in
natural pasture. Its surface is broken by a small ridge
of hills, of which the highest point, Marytown Law, has
an elevation of nearly 400 feet above the level of the
sea. The summit of this eminence seems to be of arti-
ficial structure, and is supposed to have been raised as a
beacon, or to have been the spot where the great family
of Montrose in feudal times dispensed justice to their
vassals. One of the most extensive and beautiful views
in this part of the kingdom is to be obtained from the
summit of Marytown Law, embracing to the north the
richly-fertile vale extending from Montrose to Brechin,
enlivened by the picturesque windings of the South Esk,
and thickly studded with elegant seats and pleasing
villas. The basin and harbour of Montrose, with the
town, are seen at one extremity of the vale, and to the
west the town of Brechin ; while in the back ground
appear the Grampian hiUs, with part of the county of
Kincardine, and to the east the view terminates with a
prospect of the sea. The South Esk abounds with sal-
mon and sea-trout ; and in the month of May great
numbers of smaller trout, called sraouts, are found in its
stream. Vast numbers of aquatic fowl frequent the
Back Sands of Montrose during the winter ; among
these are wild geese, ducks, sea-gulls, curlews, and he-
MARY
M A UC
rons. In the parish generally are partridges and hares
in abundance, and pheasants in moderate numbers.
On the lands of Old Montrose the soil is a strong
loamy clay, of great depth, and admirably adapted for
the growth of wheat ; on the lands of Dysart the soil is
of much thinner and lighter quality, but rendered fertile
by the improvements that have been made of late years.
The system of agriculture is in the most advanced state,
and the six-shift course generally prevalent ; the crops
are oats, barley, wheat, peas, beans, potatoes, and turnips.
The lands are well drained, and inclosed in the higher
parts with stone dykes, and in the lower with hedges of
thorn i the farm-buikiings, also, are substantial and
commodious. A considerable portion of land has been
recovered from the Back Sands, and brought into pro-
fitable cultivation ; and all the more recent improvements
in implements of husbandry are in use. A great num-
ber of cattle are fed during the winter for the butcher ;
and a tolerable number of horses are reared, chiefly for
agricultural purposes : the breed of these, and also of
the cattle that are reared, has been much improved
through the encouragement afforded by the agricultural
association in the county. The principal substratum is
trap rock of a coarse quality ; and several quarries are
worked, mostly for dykes for inclosures, or to furnish
materials for the roads. A fishery is carried on in the
South Esk, the produce of which is estimated at about
£100 a year. The annual value of real property in
Marytown is £4438. The nearest market-town is Mon-
trose, where a ready sale is found for the agricultural
and other produce of the parish, and from which place
every requisite supply of articles necessary either for the
farm or for domestic use can be procured. Facility of
communication with the neighbouring towns is main-
tained by the Aberdeen railway, and the turnpike-road
from Montrose to Forfar; and lime and coal maybe
easily obtained by the river.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Bre-
chin, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage
of the Crown. The minister's stipend is £198. 6. 9.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per annum.
Marytown church, erected in 1*91, and repaired within
the last twenty or thirty years, is a neat plain structure
adapted for a congregation of 300 persons. The mem-
bers of the Free Church have a place of worship. The
parochial school affords a good course of instruction ;
the master has a salary of £30 per annum, with £10 fees,
and a house and garden. Tlicre are also two Sabbatli
schools, and a parochial library in which are more than
'200 volumes of standard works, chiefly on religious
subjects, and about 100 pamphlets. Bonnytown, now
forming part of the estate of Old Montrose, was formerly
the property of the Wood family ; and the foundations
of the ancient castle where they resided, and of the moat
by which it was surrounded, are still traceable.
MARYTOWN, a village, in that part of the parish
of KiRuiEMUiR which formed the quoad sacra parish
of Log IK, county of Forfar; containing -iO'i inhabit-
ants. The village is chiefly inhabited by persons em-
ployed in the linen manufacture, and in agriculture.
MAKYWELL, a village, in the ])arish of St. Vi-
gean's, coimty of Forfar ; containing 138 inhal)itants.
The village is of i-inall extent, and mostly inhabited by
persons employed in manufactures connected with the
coarse-linen trade,
238
MASTERTOWN, a village, in the parish and district
of Dunfermline, county of Fife, 1^ mile (N.) from
Inverkeithing ; containing 145 inhabitants. This vil-
lage, which is but of small extent, is situated on an
eminence in the south part of the parish, commanding
a view of the Firth of Forth and the adjacent country ;
and is neatly built, on the lands of Pitreavie. An hos-
pital was founded here in 16*5, by Sir Henry Wardlaw,
proprietor of the estate, who endowed it for four poor
widows, each of whom has an allowance of six bolls of
oatmeal, and 40*'. in money, annually.
MAUCHLINE, a manufacturing town and a parish, fO
in the county of Ayr, 85 miles, (S. E. by S.) from Kil-
marnock, and 11 (E. N. E.) from Ayr ; containing, with
the villages of Haugh and Auchmillan, 2156 inhabitants,
of whom 1336 are in the town, 90 in the village of
Haugh, 35 in that of Auchmillan, and the rest in the
rural districts of the parish. This place derives its
name from the Gaelic magh, a meadow, and Unn, a lake,
which together are descriptive of its most prominent
features. The town is situated on the south side of a
hill that intersects the parish, and at no great distance
from the river Ayr. It was formerly a burgh of barony,
and still retains something of its original character,
being governed by a baron-bailie in conjunction with
the county magistrates. Mauchline is neatly built and
well inhabited. A public library is supported by sub-
scription, and a certain portion of the funds is annually
appropriated to the augmentation of the collection.
The inhabitants are principally engaged in weaving,
and in the manufacture of shoes, and snuff-boxes of
wood. The manufacture of snuffboxes affords employ-
ment to about 140 persons, and the articles produced are
of admirable workmanship and of a great variety of ele-
gant patterns ; the weavers work at their own dwellings
for the manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley, and many
of the inhabitants are occupied in the various trades re-
quisite for the supply of the neighbourhood. A wooUen
manufacture is carried on in the village of Haugh, where
is a mill for that purpose, which gives employment to
thirty persons, chiefly in spinning yarn for the carpet
manufactory of Kilmarnock. There are also a corn-mill,
a lint-mill, a saw-mill, and a mill for grinding reaping-
hooks, all set in motion by the Ayr. A post-office is
established ; and facility of communication is afforded
by excellent roads, of which the turnpike-road from Ayr
to Edinburgh, and that from Glasgow to London, inter-
sect each other in the town. At Barskimming is an ele-
gant bridge over the river, consisting of one arch a hun-
dred feet in span and ninety feet high. There is a station
at Mauchline of the Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle
railway : at Ballochmyle is a grand viaduct on the line.
Fairs arc held on the first Thursday after the 4th of
February, for cows and horses and for hiring servants ;
on the second Thursday in April, for cows, and general
business; the first Wednesday after the 18th of May,
and the third Wednesday in June, for cows and horses;
the first Wednesday in August, for cows and horses and
the hiring of shearers ; the first Thursday after the 26th
of Scptemljcr, or on that day if it be Thursday, for cows,
horses, ewes, and lambs ; the first Thursday alter the 4th
of November, and on the fourth Wednesday in Decem-
ber, for cows and horses. A horse-race takes place on
the last Thursday in April. There is a small prison for
the temporary confinement of petty offenders.
M A U C
M AXT
The PARISH has been reduced in extent by the sepa-
ration from it of the parishes of Sorn and Muirkirk, and
part of Tarbolton. It is situated nearly in the centre of
the county, and is about eight miles in length and from
two to four miles broad, comprising 7206 acres, of which
500 are woodland and plantations, and the remainder
arable in good cultivation, with a moderate portion of
meadow and pasture. The surface is level, with the ex-
ception of a lofty ridge which intersects it in part from
east to west, and terminates in a hilt in the parish of
Tarbolton. The river Ayr, in part of its course, flows
between precipitous banks of red freestone about fifty
feet in height. Along it are numerous caverns cut out
of the rock, and in other parts its sides are richly wooded,
presenting some pleasingly-picturesque features. Near
Barskimming it receives the waters of the Lugar ; and
after a course of ten miles further, it falls into the Firth
of Clyde at Ayr. Loch Brown is a fine sheet of water,
covering about sixty acres of ground, and frequented by
aquatic fowl ; it was long in contemplation to drain this
lake, but it has been preserved for the supply of the
mills to which it gives motion. There are numerous
springs affording an abundant supply of water ; some
of them are supposed to possess mineral qualities, but
they have not been yet analysed.
The soil is various, but chiefly of a clayey nature inter-
spersed with light sand, and in some parts a rich loam.
It is well adapted to the culture of trees, several of which
have attained a luxuriant growth. The crops are, grain
of all kinds, potatoes, turnips, and carrots ; the system
of agriculture is improved, and the rotation plan of hus-
bandry generally adopted. Furrow-draining has been
practised to a considerable extent, and the lands are in-
closed with hedges of thorn kept in excellent order ; the
farm-houses are roofed with slate, and the offices well
arranged and commodious. The plantations are of
larch and other fir, ash, oak, beech, &c. ; they are care-
fully managed, and in a thriving state. On the lands of
Barskimming are some larch-trees of remarkably fine
growth ; and in the churchyard is a stately ash, fifteen
feet in girth, and apparently of great age. The substrata
are chiefly limestone, ironstone, coal, and white and red
freestone ; the three first appear in beds of inconsiderable
thickness, and are not wrought. Of the red freestone
the strata are more than forty feet in depth, and are ex-
tensively quarried for building purposes ; the white
freestone is exceedingly compact and durable, and is
employed chiefly for paving and similar uses. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is £7'i72. Bal-
lochmyle is a handsome mansion in the Grecian style,
and chiefly of the Ionic order ; Netherplace is a spacious
castellated mansion in the Elizabethan style, pleasantly
situated in a well-wooded demesne ; and Kingincleugh
Cottage is also a good residence.
Mauchline is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Ayr,
synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the
Marquess of Hastings : the minister's stipend is £230.
19. 11., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per
annum. The church is a handsome and spacious edifice
in the later English style, with a square embattled tower
crowned by angular turrets. It was erected in 18'29, to
replace the old church, which, being much dilapidated,
was taken down ; the interior is elegantly arranged and
well lighted, and is adapted for a congregation of 1100
persons. There is a place of worship for the United
239
Presbyterian Church. The parochial school affords a
useful education ; the master receives a salary of £34,
with £40 fees, and a house and garden. There is also a
school at Crosshands ; the master has a house and gar-
den given by the Duke of Portland. Eight friendly
societies are maintained in the town, two of which have
been established many years, and possess considerable
funds ; and all of them have contributed to keep down
the number of applications for parochial relief. A sav-
ings' bank was founded in 1815. A skirmish took place
at Mauchline Muir, between the King's forces and the
Covenanters, in 1647, when the former were defeated ;
and their military chest is said to have been many years
afterwards discovered, hidden in the ground. The only
remains of an ancient monastery that existed here, sub-
ordinate to the abbey of Melrose, consist of a tower in
the village, to which has been attached a building con-
verting it into a residence called Mauchline Castle, for
some time the abode of Gavin Hamilton, Esq., the friend
of Burns. The poet for nearly nine years occupied the
farm of Mossgiel, in this parish, and while here published
the first edition of his works, by the advice and under
the patronage of Mr. Hamilton. Mauchline in part
confers the title of Baron on the Marquess of Hastings :
the dignity was created in the year 1633.
MAUL, ELAN AN, isles, in the parish of Assynt,
county of Siitherland. These are two very small
islands situated on the western coast of the county, and
attached to the farm of Culkin-Drumbaig ; the shores
are bold and rocky, and dangerous of approach except
in fine weather.
MAXTON, a rural parish, in the district of Melrose,
county of Roxburgh; containing, with the village of
Rutherford, 459 inhabitants, of whom 110 are in the
village of Maxton : the centre of the parish is about
seven miles distant from each of the three market-towns
of Melrose, Jedburgh, and Kelso. This place appears to
have derived its name from its proprietor, Maccus, who
in the early part of the twelfth century possessed the
manor, which in ancient records is called Maccuston and
Mackiston. A carucate of land in the parish was granted
to Melrose abbey, about the beginning of the thirteenth
century, by Robert de Berkely, whose daughter Alice
was married to Hugh de Normanville ; but the barony,
being subsequently forfeited by William de Soulis, was
granted by Robert I. to Walter, Lord Steward of Scot-
land, who gave the patronage of the church, with some
contiguous lands, to the abbey of Dryburgh, to which
the church seems to have been an appendage till the
Reformation. The ancient village of Maxton is said by
some to have been very populous, and to have been able
to furnish many armed men ; but with greater proba-
bility it is supposed to have been only the occasional
rendezvous of the numerous troops which subsisted on
the borders by continual depredations on their southern
neighbours. That it was, however, of much more impor-
tance than it is at present, is evident from the founda-
tions of buildings which are frequently discovered in the
progress of cultivation ; and the shaft of the ancient
cross still marks the site of what was perhaps the prin-
cipal street, though now containing only a few miserable
cabins.
The PARISH is pleasantly situated on the banks of the
river Tweed, which forms its northern boundary for
more than three miles. It is four miles in length, and
MA XT
M A XW
nearly three in breadth in the broadest part, diminishing
in other parts to about one half; and comprises 4514
acres, of which 3836 are arable, 668 woodland and plan-
tations, and ten acres an irreclaimable bog. The surface
is undulated, and rises in a gentle acclivity from the
river ; it is diversiBed with numerous flourishing trees,
and the country around embraces much interesting
scenery. In the southern and higher parts the soil is
thin and wet, but in the north of better quality, con-
sisting of a light and dry earth resting on freestone and
gravel, and a rich loam on a substratum of clay, and
bearing heavy crops of wheat, barley, and oats, with
peas, beans, turnips, and clover. The bed of the Tweed
is a reddish sandstone, which is quarried, also, in the
steepest of its banks, and is of good quality for building.
Masses of whinstone are likewise found on the banks of
the river, and in other parts of the parish, of great
hardness, and well adapted to the formation and repair
of roads. The four, five, and six shift courses of hus-
bandry prevail, according to the several qualities of the
soil ; and agriculture in general is in a very improved
state. The plantations consist principally of ash, elm,
larch, and oak, which thrive exceedingly well, and Scotch
fir, which thrives for a short time, but seldom forms
profitable timber. Great improvements have taken
place in draining, inclosing, and fencing the lands ; lime
and bone-dust are much used, and considerable facilities
for obtaining the former have been afforded by the im-
provement of the roads. The farm houses and offices,
also, are substantially built and commodious. Consi-
derable advantage is derived to Maxton from its proxi-
mity to the several markets of Jedburgh, Kelso, and
Melrose, and from the facility of intercourse which it
enjoys. The cattle are chiefly the short-horned breed ;
and the sheep the Leicestershire, with a few of the Che-
viot, and a cross between both : much attention is paid
to their management, and to the improvement of the
stock. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £45.^6.
Maxton is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Selkirk,
synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patronage of
Sir W. H. Don, Bart. ; the minister's stipend is £211.
1.5. 10., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per
annum. The church, romantically overhanging the
Tweed, is part of a very ancient structure dedicated to
St. Cuthbert ; the time of its original foundation is un-
known, but it was modernised and repaired in 1812, and
gives accommodation to a congregation of 150 persons.
The parochial school affords a useful education, but the
children of the peasantry, from the early age at which
they are employed in agriculture, derive but partial be-
nefit from it ; the master has a salary of £30 a year,
with a house and garden. The poor receive the interest
of a sum bequeathed for charitable uses, amounting to
about 32.V. per annum. In the north-east of the parish
are the remains of an ancient fortification of semicir-
cular form, nearly 160 feet in diameter, and situated on
the summit of a cliff impending over the Tweed, by
which it is defended on that side, being secured on the
others by deep trenches and ramparts. It is called
Ringly Hall, but the origin of the name is unknown,
neither has it been ascertained by whom the fortification
was made. C)n its east side was an entrance ; and at
no great distance, but in the parish of Kr)xburgh, is a
tumulu.s with which it appears to have been connected.
240
The English, in one of the border skirmishes, are said
to have occupied this station, while the Scots took up
their position in a deep ravine on the other side of the
Tweed ; and the former, having forded the river to
attack the latter, sustained a signal defeat, and many of
them were slain. The spot where they were buried was
the cemetery of the church of Rutherford, a small parish
which, after the dissolution of its church, was annexed
to Maxton. There was an hospital connected with the
church ot Rutherford, for the reception of strangers and
the maintenance of infirm poor. It was dedicated to
St. Mary Magdalene, and was granted by Robert I. to
the canons of Jedburgh, which grant was confirmed to
that body by Robert II. No remains exist of any of
the buildings ; the site has been ploughed up, and the
gravestones in the cemetery have been broken, and used
as materials in the construction of drains. Vestiges of
a Roman camp, on the west side of which are the re-
mains of a Roman road, are still to be traced on the
declivity of a hill near Lilliards Edge : the road, in some
parts tolerably perfect, passes by the western boundary
of the parish, and crosses the river Teviot near the
mouth of the Jed, and the river Tweed near Melrose.
About a mile westward of the site of the ancient village
of Rutherford are the ruins of Littledean Tower, once a
place of great strength, and the residence of the Kerrs,
of Littledean, by whom it was finally deserted during
the last century ; they occupy an elevated site on the
bank of the Tweed, but are rapidly disappearing.
MAXWELLHEUGH, a village, in the parish and
district of Kelso, county of Roxburgh; containing
90 inhabitants. This place, which is of very great an-
tiquity, and now a suburb of the town of Kelso, formed
part of the parish of Maxwell, long since united to that
of Kelso. There anciently stood here, south of the
river Teviot, and nearly opposite to Roxburgh Castle, a
Maison Dieu for the reception of pilgrims and of the
diseased and indigent ; and its site is chiefly the ground
on which the present village is built. David I. granted
to the establishment a carucate of land in Ravendene ;
and it appears that in 1296 Nichol de Chapelyn, the
guardian of the house, did homage to Edward I. It
belonged to the monks of Kelso, together with the
chapel of Harlow, which stood at a farm called Chapel,
about a mile from Maxwell. In 13S9, Richard II. of
England granted to Allan Ilorsle and his heirs the vills
of Maxwell and Softlaw ; and Robert II. bestowed on
John de Maxwell the lands of Softlaw, in the barony of
Maxwell. The church of Maxwell was a rectory, and,
when the monks were in possession, was valued at £11.
16. 8. ])er annum. The village is charmingly situated
on the south bank of the Tweed, opposite to the eastern
extremity of the town of Kelso, and on a gently-rising
eminence ; hence the affix of " heiigh " to the name. It
is surrounded with wood ; and the prospect from the
village, and from the ascent to it, is very beautiful, em-
bracing almost every description of scenery. In the
neighbourhood are excellent bridges across the Tweed
and Teviot. The Earl of Morton had a residence in this
suburb in the time of Kli/.abeth.
MAXVVKLLTON, a village in the parish of East
KiLniiinic, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 2^
miles (VV. S. W.) from Blantyre ; containing 334 inhabit-
ants. It is situated in the north-eastern part of the pa-
rish, about a quarter of a mile from the church at Kirk-
M A X W
M A Y B
ton village, and not much more than half a mile east-
ward of the village of Kilbride. A school here is sup-
ported by Sir William Maxwell, Bart.
MAXWELLTOWN, a burgh of barony, in the parish
of Troqueer, stewartry of Kirkcudbright ; adjoining
the town of Dumfries, and containing 3230 inhabitants.
This place, originally the small village of Bridge-End,
was erected into a burgh of barony in 1810, in favour
of its superior, Marmaduke Constable Maxwell, Esq., of
Nithsdale, in honour of whom, upon the occasion, it
assumed its present name. The town, which .since that
time has greatly increased in extent and population, is
pleasantly situated on an eminence on the western bank
of the Nith, opposite to the ro)'al burgh of Dumfries, to
which it forms an interesting suburb, and with which it
is connected by two bridges over the river. It is in-
cluded in the parliamentary boundaries of that burgh.
The more ancient portion of the town is irregularly built,
consisting of indiiferently-formed and narrow streets,
the houses of which possess neither uniformity of cha-
racter nor pretension to neatness ; but the more modern
portion is handsome, its streets regular and spacious,
and the houses of very superior appearance. In the
year 1833 the inhabitants adopted the general police
act, for paving, hghting, and cleansing the streets, &c.;
and the aspect of the town has thus been much im-
proved, and the comfort of the population enhanced. In
the environs, which are very pleasant, are four nurseries,
two of them having hot-houses for raising grapes and
other fruits, which are produced in great perfection.
A manufactory for damask which is celebrated for the
beauty of its texture, and the elegance of its patterns,
gives employment to several of the inhabitants ; and a
waulk-mill, a dye-house, a brewery, and two rope- walks,
have long been established. Two iron-foundries, also,
have been lately erected ; but though both are in full
operation, they scarcely afford a supply of articles ade-
quate to the demand. The market for butchers' meat
is amply supplied, and for some time it took precedence
of that of Dumfries. A branch post-ofRee under that of
Dumfries has been established ; and facility of commu-
nication is maintained by the public road from London
to Portpatrick, and that to Glasgow and Edinburgh by
Thornhill and Elvanfoot, both of which pass through
the town. The government is vested in a provost, two
bailies, and four councillors, elected annually by the
proprietors of subjects in the burgh of the yearly rental
of £5 or upwards. The magistrates hold courts for the
determination of civil actions to a limited extent, and
for criminal cases as occasion may require, in both of
which they are assisted by the town-clerk, who acts as
assessor : their civil jurisdiction is, however, much les-
sened by the small-debt courts held here by the sheriff;
and their criminal jurisdiction is confined to the smaller
offences. The court-house is a plain building, but has
sufficient accommodation. for transacting the public bu-
siness of the burgh, and for holding the several courts ;
and below it is a gaol for the confinement of delinquents
till their committal to the gaol of Kirkcudbright. A
chapel, to which an ecclesiastical district having a popu-
lation of igS'i was for a time annexed, was erected here
within the last few years ; it is a neat building con-
taining about 1000 sittings. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship with 800 sittings. A
school has been erected, the master of which has a salary
Vol. II.— 241
of £9. 12. from an endowment by the heritors, and £4
the interest of a bequest, in addition to the fees ; and
there are two other schools, supported wholly by the fees.
In these three schools about 2.50 children are taught.
MAY, an island, in the parish of Anstruther
Easter, county of Fife ; containing 22 inhabitants. It
is a small isle, lying at the mouth of the Firth of Forth,
about six miles south-east-by-south from Crail, the
nearest part of the coast ; and is a mile in length
and three-quarters of a mile in breadth. The island
was formerly the property of General Scott, of Balcomie,
and afterwards of his daughter, the Duchess of Port-
land, from whom it was purchased, with the right to
the duties, by the Commissioners of Northern Lights,
for the sum of £60,000. It has had a lighthouse at
least since the year 1635 ; but a more commodious edi-
fice was erected in 1816, and the light, which is fixed, is
seen at the distance of twenty-one nautical miles. There
was at one time a village, at which divine service was
performed once a month ; but at present the only inha-
bitants are the lighthouse-keepers and their families.
The pasturage for sheep here is of the finest kind, and a
well supplies excellent water ; the island, however, is
much exposed to cold bleak winds : it is visited by im-
mense numbers of various kinds of sea-fowl. There are
ruins of a religious house that belonged to the priory of
Pittenweem ; and in the chapel of it, which was dedi-
cated to St. Adrian, who is said to have been killed upon
the island by the Danes in S70, or 8/2, that saint is
supposed to be buried. In January 1*91, a melancholy
accident occurred at this place. For two evenings no
light was exhibited, and the weather was so tempestuous
that no boat could be put off from the shore to ascertain
the cause. On the third day the storm abated, and a
boat was manned from Crail, the crew of which upon
landing were assailed by a strong sulphureous smell ;
and on proceeding directly to the lighthouse, they found
the door closed, and that no one answered to their call.
Forcing an entrance, they discovered the keeper, his
wife, and five children all suffocated to death, and a
sixth child, an infant, sucking the dead mother. In an-
other room were two men almost expiring, who were
providentially recovered by the timely assistance ren-
dered to them ; two cows in a byre under the building
were dead. It was supposed that this lamentable dis-
aster was caused by burning coal having been blown
among some refuse which lay at the bottom of the light-
house.
MAYBOLE, a market-
town and parish, in the dis-
trict of Carrick, county of
Ayr, 9 miles (S.) from Ayr,
and 12 (N. E.) from Girvan ;
containing 702* inhabitants.
This place, the name of which
is of very doubtful origin,
appears to have been the
chief seat of judicature for
the district of Carrick, and
to have been the residence of
the Earls of Cassilis, in those
times denominated Kings of Carrick, and of the prin-
cipal families of the district : the town still retains
many vestiges of its former importance. It was erected
into a burgh of baronv in 1516 by charter of James V.,
2 I
1-
Bur^h Seal.
M A YB
M A YB
which conferred on the inhabitants the privilege of a
weeJily market, the right of election of bailies and other
officers for the due administration of affairs, and all
other liberties and immunities appertaining to a free
burgh. There are several streets of neat houses, and
the town is paved, lighted, and supplied with water by
the corporation ; the approaches have been improved
by the formation of good roads in different directions,
and some of the streets have been widened : the ad-
jacent scenery is interesting. A public library is sup-
ported by subscription, and there is also a circulating
library. An agricultural association called the Carrick
Farmers' Society has been long established, and holds
meetings in the town to award premiums for improve-
ments, and for the exhibition of stock, when, among
other prizes, are voted two pieces of plate annually given
by the Marquess of Ailsa and Sir Charles D. Fergusson
of Kilkerran.
The inhabitants are principally employed in weaving
for the manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley, which is
not confined to the town, but is practised in every small
hamlet throughout the parish ; and it is calculated that,
on an average, from £500 to £700 are weekly paid to
the weavers by the agents of the manufacturers who
supply them with work. There are some good shops
for the sale of merchandise ; and the various trades con-
nected with an extensive agricultural and manufacturing
district are carried on here. At Dunure is a small fish-
ing harbour, where cargoes of lime and bone-dust are
landed in vessels from Ireland ; but the fisheries have
their chief market at Ayr. The post-office has a delivery
twice a day. The market is on Thursday, chiefly for
butter, eggs, and fowls, the grain raised in the parish
being generally sent to Ayr ; and four fairs are an-
nually held, called the Candlemas, Beltane, Lammas,
and Hallow E'en fairs : they were formerly amply fur-
nished with stores of all kinds, but are now mostly
limited to the hiring of servants. Under the charter of
James V. the burgh is governed by two bailies, and a
council of burgesses seventeen in number, who supply
vacancies, as they occur by death or resignation, from
their own body ; the bailies and the subordinate officers
of the corporation are elected annually. The magistrates
exercise jurisdiction within the burgh, and hold weekly
courts for the determination of civil suits to any amount
and the trial of petty misdemeanors, in which the town-
clerk acts as assessor ; they also exercise a summary
jurisdiction in a court for the recovery of debts not ex-
ceeding six shillings and eight pence. The town-house
is an old building, ill adapted to its purpose ; and at-
tached to it is a small prison, equally unsuitable, used
for the confinement of prisoners pjeviously to their com-
mittal to the gaol of Ayr.
The PARISH is nine miles in length and about five in
extreme breadth. It is bounded on the north, and
partly on the east, by the river Doon, which separates
it from the parishes of Ayr and Dalrymple ; on the east
by the parish of Kirkmichael ; on tlic south by the river
Girvan ; and on the west by the parish of Kirkoswald
and the Firth of Clyde. The surface, in general undu-
lating, is towards the north-east intersected by a lofty
ridge called Hrown-Carrick Hill, which commands an
extensive an<l richly- varied prospect over the river Doon,
the sea, and tlie si)acious tracts of fertile country around,
including the districts of Kyle and Carrick, the town of
242
Ayr, and other interesting objects. The rivers are the
Doon c.nd the Girvan ; the former appears to have changed
its ancient course, and to have made for itself a shorter
and more direct channel previously to its influx into the
sea. There are various springs of pure water, affording
generally a good supply, one of which, called the Well
Trees Spout, discharges about 1000 imperial gallons per
hour ; there are also some chalybeate springs, formerly
in repute, but not at present much regarded. The soil
is various : that of the arable lands is of a light dry
quality, and abundantly fertile ; in other places there is
a strong clay, and in some parts moss and moorland.
In this parish the number of acres is estimated at 20,681,
of which 16,684 are arable, 95.5 in woods and planta-
tions, about 600 meadow, and '2400 hilly pasture and
moor. The crops are wheat, oats, beans, barley, pota-
toes, and turnips ; the system of agriculture is advanced,
and a considerable portion of the moorland has been
lately reclaimed and brought into cultivation. Great
progress has been made in draining the land. The farm
houses and offices on the larger farms are in general
substantial and commodious, but on the smaller many
of the buildings are inferior ; the lands are inclosed
chiefly with hedges of thorn, and various improvements
in agricultural implements have been rapidly growing
into common adoption. Considerable numbers of young
cattle are fed on the hills ; they are now almost exclu-
sively the Ayrshire, which have been found to answer
better than the Galloway, formerly fed in the parish.
There are also a few sheep ; they are chiefly of the Che-
viot and black-faced kinds, but on some farms the
Leicestershire have been lately introduced. The sub-
strata are mainly sandstone, limestone, ironstone, and
shale ; the sandstone is of a reddish colour, and in some
instances passes into conglomerate. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £20,742.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Ayr, synod of Glasgow and
Ayr ; and the patronage is in the Crown. The stipend
of the incumbent averages about £300, with a manse
built in 1806, a small but comfortable residence ; and a
glebe comprising several acres, valued at £30 per annum.
The church, erected in 1S08, is a substantial edifice
adapted for a congregation of about 1300 persons ; and
its distance from many parts of the parish rendering ad-
ditional accommodation necessary, two other churches
of the Establishment have been erected, one at Fishcrton,
on the coast, and the other at the west end of Maybole,
affording together sittings for 1100 persons. There are
places of worship for the Free Church and United
Presbyterian Church ; also a small place of worship for
Wesleyan Methodists, seldom or never used. The pa-
rochial school affords a good course of instruction, and
the master, who has an assistant, receives a salary of £34,
with a money equivalent for a house and garden, and an
allowance of £5 to be distributed in prizes among the
scholars; the fees average about £100. There are va-
rious other schools in the parish, of which one is sup-
ported by subscription, and two have each a free school-
room. A savings' bank has also been established.
There are still some remains of the ancient collegiate
church of this place, which was endowed for a rector
and three prebendaries, and of which the revenue at the
dissolution of the cliaptcr was granted to the Earl of
Cassilis, by whose family, and by others who contributed
ME A R
M E A R
to the preservation oF its remains, it is used as a place
of sepulture. A portion of some conventual buildings
is likewise remaining, and the orchards attached to them
are yet to be traced. These relics have been lately sur-
rounded with walls, and the inclosure tastefully planted
by subscription of the inhabitants. Remains also exist
of various ancient castles scattered throughout the pa-
rish. Of the castle of Maybole, the ancient baronial
residence of the Earls of Cassilis, the principal part is
still in good preservation ; and there are considerable
portions left of those of Newark, Greenan, DundufF,
Dunure, and Kilhenzie. Of the others, there remain
only slight fragments of the dilapidated walls. On the
farm of Trees are the vestiges of an encampment;
and several more are to be seen in different parts, one
of which, near the castle of DundufF, is in very tolerable
preservation. In the Provost's house, now the Red Lion
inn, a meeting for discussing the Roman Catholic and
the Reformed doctrines took place between Quintin
Kennedy, Abbot of Crossraguel, who had in bis chapel
of Kirkoswald proclaimed himself ready to defend the
mass against all objectors, and the celebrated Reformer,
John Knox : it was continued for three days. Dr.
Macknight, author of the Harmony, and the Truth of the
Gospel Histories, was for some time incumbent of this
parish.
MEADOWMILL, a village, in that portion of the
parish of Tranent which formed part of the quoad
sacra parish of Cockenzie, county of Haddington ;
containing \10 inhabitants. This village, of recent
origin, occupies a site memorable as the scene of the
battle of Prestonpans, and as the spot where Col. Gar-
diner was killed, while endeavouring to rally a body of
infantry that had been engaged in the conflict. It is
inhabited chiefly by persons employed in agricultural
pursuits ; and the children of the village receive instruc-
tion in the free school attached to Stiell's Hospital,
which is situated a little to the south. The hospital, a
handsome and capacious building, was erected in IS^l,
at an expense of £3000, and contains arrangements for
the maintenance and education of a limited number of
boys and girls.
MEARNS, THE.— See Kincardineshire.
MEARNS, a parish, in the Upper ward of the county
of Renfrew, 7 miles (S. W. by S.) from Glasgow ; con-
taining, with the village of Newton and part of Busby,
3077 inhabitants. This place, in ancient records called
Meirnes, Morness, and Mearuis, appears to have derived
its name from the appellation common to all districts
inhabited chiefly by herdsmen : from a remote period
the lands have been principally pasture, and distin-
guished for the abundance and excellence of the produce
of the dairy. The barony is said to have been the pro-
perty of the Maxwells prior to the year 1'245; but no
authentic notice of that family occurs previously to the
time of James II., when, on the downfall of the Douglases
in 14,55, they acquired considerable possessions in this
part of the country. In the reign of James VI., one of
the Maxwells, being ordered by that monarch to confine
himself within the limits of Clydesdale, was for disobe-
dience to that injunction attainted in parliament, and
the barony transferred to the Maxwells of Pollock.
There are still some remains of the ancient castle of
Mearns, the seat of the Maxwell family, but now the
property of Sir Michael Robert Shaw Stewart, consisting
243
chiefly of a square tower, lately covered with a roof, the
summit of which is within the battlements.
The PARISH is nearly seven miles in length and about
three miles and a quarter in breadth. It is bounded
on the north by Eastwood ; on the south-east by the
parishes of Eaglesham and Carmunnock, the latter in
the county of Lanark ; on the south-west l)y the parishes
of Fenwick and Stewarton, in Ayrshire ; and on the
north-west by Neilston. The surface is elevated, and
broken by numerous bold undulations ; but there are no
hills of any considerable height. The soil is light, dry,
and warm, incumbent on a stratum of decomposed rock,
e-xcept in some few tracts where the substratum is clay,
chiefly in the lower lands : by far the greater portion is
in pasture. Of the land in cultivation, the fertility has
been much increased by the facility of obtaining an
abundant supply of manure ; the crops are oats, bear,
barley, wheat, beans, and peas, with potatoes and turnips.
The pastures are rich, and the dairy-farms are managed
with skill and success -, the cows are of the best species
of the Ayrshire breed, and the butter produced here ob-
tains a decided preference in the markets of Paisley and
Glasgow. The scenery is generally of pleasing cha-
racter, in some parts highly picturesque and romantic.
It is enriched with thriving plantations, chiefly of Scotch
fir, spruce, and larch, for which the soil seems well
adapted. In the south are several lakes ; the principal
are Brother loch, Little loch, Black loch, and Long loch,
the last on the confines of the parish of Neilston.
There are numerous houses belonging to resident pro-
prietors, some of which are on the highest eminences,
and others in the deep valleys that intersect the hills.
Upper Pollock, the seat of Sir Robert C. Pollock, is an
ancient mansion, situated on rising ground, commanding
a richly-diversified prospect ; and attached to it was
formerly a chapel, which since the Reformation has
fallen into ruins. Southfield is a handsome residence,
beautifully seated in a demesne enriched with woods and
plantations. Caplerig was once a preeeptory of Knights
Templars. The chief villages are Newton and Busby,
both of which are described under their own heads ; the
former is within half a mile of the church, and the latter
on the eastern confines of the parish. The printing of
calico, for which there are spacious establishments at
Wellmeadow and Hazelden, affords employment to about
300 persons ; there is an extensive cotton-factory at
Busby, and a bleachfield at Netherplace. A fair is held
at Newton, but it is very inconsiderable, chiefly a plea-
sure-fair. A branch post has been established under
the office at Glasgow ; and the road from Glasgow to
Kilmarnock, passing through the parish, affords every
facility of intercourse with neighbouring parts. The
annual value of real property in Mearns is £16, .5.59. It
is ecclesiastically within the bounds of the presbytery of
Paisley, synod of Glasgow and Ayr : the minister's sti-
pend is £262. 18. 4., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £20 per annum ; patron. Sir Michael Robert Shaw
Stewart. The church, a very ancient structure, was
repaired and enlarged in 1813, and contains 705 sittings.
There are two places of worship for members of the
United Presbyterian Church, one in the village of New-
ton and one at Busby. The parochial school is attended
by about 100 scholars; the master has a salary of
£34, with a house and garden, and the fees average £63.
There are also schools at Busby and other places.
2 I 2
M E 1 G
MELD
MFXKPHIN, a hamlet, in the parish of Methven,
county of Perth, 1 mile (S.) from Methven; containing
56 inhabitants. This is a very small place lying in the
south part of the parish.
MEGGET, county of Peebles. — See Lyne.
MEIGLE, a parish, and the seat of a presbytery, in
the county of Perth ; containing 7-S inhabitants, of
whom 271 are in the village or town of Meigle, 5 miles
(N. E. byE.) from Cupar-Angus. The etymology of the
name is doubtful : it has been conjectured that, the
church and manse being built on a plain between two
marshes or " gills ", the whole district took the appella-
tion of Mid-giUs, gradually changed into Meigle. The
only historical memorial of any interest connected with
the place is the monument of Vanora, the reputed wife
of the renowned King Arthur, who hved in the sixth
century. She was captured in a battle which he fought
with the Picts and Scots, and sent as prisoner to a
strong place at Barry-hill, about two miles and a half
from this parish : having there formed an illicit con-
nexion with Mordred, a Pictish king, she was ordered
by Arthur, when he received her again, to be torn in
pieces by wild beasts. The parish is four miles and a
half long and from one to two broad, and contains above
.3000 acres. It lies in the centre of the great level of
Strathmore Proper, which reaches from near Perth to
Brechin, a distance of forty miles ; and the parish is
even throughout, with the exception of a gentle eminence
on which Belmont Castle is situated. On the north and
north-west rise the Grampians, and on the south and
south-east the Sidlaw hills. The river Isla and the
Dean water unite about half a mile north-west from the
town : in the former, common white trout, pike, and a
few salmon are taken ; in the Dean are perch and pike,
and its red trout are much esteemed for their excellent
flavour.
The SOIL iu general is a fine black mould ; but in
some parts the ground partakes of the nature of sand
and clay. There are '2726 arable acres; 100 acres iti
pasture, a small part of it in its natural state ; and 178
acres occupied by wood, consisting of most of the trees
usually grown, and which are regularly thinned and
pruned. The best system of husbandry is followed ;
and being well cultivated, the land bears excellent green
and white crops of every description. Since the period
of the commencement of agricultural improvements in
Scotland, tiie appearance of the parish has undergone
an entire change, the barren and rough ground having
been all reclaimed, and fenced with hedge-rows. The
chief disadvantage is the deficiency of roads. In this
parish the rocks are mostly red sandstone, of which
two quarries are wrought for building : marl has been
obtained in considerable (piantitics. The annual value
of real property in Meigle is .£.')442. Belmont House,
a seat of Lord Wharncliffe's, built upwards of seventy
or eighty years ago, on the site of the old mansion of
Kirkhill, is a quadrangular edifice, retaining part of the
ancient tower ; the interior is handsomely fitted up,
and contains a superior library : there is a fine park,
with excellent lawns and gardens, and an observatory.
The other mansions are Meigle House, Drumkilbo,
Potenti), and Caerdean.
Meigle is an ancient, but inconsiderable and meanly-
built, town, pleasantly situated on a rivulet of the same
name, in the centre of the parish, at the intersection of
244
two turnpike-roads. The regular weekly market has
for some time been discontinued, but there is a tryst
every fortnight for the sale of cattle ; and two fairs are
held, one on the last Wednesday in June, the other on
the last Wednesday in October, for cattle, horses, and
for general traffic ; both which are well attended. A few
persons in the parish are employed in weaving coarse
hnen, and there is a mill for dyeing and dressing
cotton-cloth for umbrellas. The fuel chiefly used is coal
brought from Dundee. There is a post-office here, and
about six miles of turnpike-road run through the parish.
A bridge has been erected by subscription over the Isla,
connecting Meigle with Alyth ; and there is a very
ancient bridge over the Dean, connecting it with Airlie,
in the county of Forfar : the bridges and roads are
generally in good repair. The railway from Perth to
Forfar passes at a short distance from the town, and
has a station called the Meigle station, where the line is
joined by the Dundee and Newtyle railway.
For ecclesiastical purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Meigle and synod of Angus
and Mearns ; patron, the Crown. The stipend of the
minister is £238, including about £3. 8., vicarage-tithe
on yarn ; and there is a manse, built in 1809-10, with a
glebe of about five acres and a half, worth £1" a year.
The church, a plain structure, erected about the year
I78O, comprises two aisles of the former edifice ; it is in
tolerable repair, and seats 7 00 persons. This benefice
was formerly annexed to the see of Dunkeld ; several of
the bishops resided here, and two of them were buried
in the church : the greater part of the stipend of Dun-
keld is still paid out of this parish. There is an epis-
copal chapel, and the members of the Free Church have
a place of worship. The parochial schoolmaster receives
a salary of £36. 7- '2., including £2. 2. 85. in lieu of a
garden, and has a house ; his fees amount to about £16.
The ruin of the famous sepulchral monument of Vanora
is distinguished by a variety of sculptured figures, con-
sisting of a centaur, a huge serpent fastened to a bull's
mouth, and wild beasts tearing human bodies to pieces.
There is a tumulus in Belmont park called Belliduif,
which tradition asserts to be the spot where Macduff
slew Macbeth ; and about a mile distant is a block of
whinstone, twenty tons in weight, called Macbeth's Stone.
The correct opinion, however, is that Macbeth was slain
at Lumphanan, in Aberdeenshire.
MEIKLEOUR, a village, in the parish of Caputh,
county of Picrth, 2^ miles ( \V. by S.) from Cupar-
Angus i containing 1 10 inhabitants. It lies in the east-
ern extremity of tlie parish, a short distance north of
the river Isla, and about five miles eastward of the
church. Meikleour is a small place, the property of
Lady Keith. On an adjoining moor arc vestiges of a
Roman station.
MEIKLEWARTHILL, a hamlet, in the parish of
Rayne, district of Garioch, county of Aberdeen,
3 miles (N. E. by E.) from Old Rain ; containing 156
inhabitants. This village is situated in the eastern part
of the parish, and though small, is the largest in Rayne,
consisting of about forty dwellings. A cattle market is
held annually. There is an unendowed school at Mei-
klewartliill.
MELDRUM, a burgh of barony and a parish, in the /^
district of (iarioch, county of Aherdekn ; containing
1873 inhabitants, of whom 1102 are iu the burgh, I7
MELD
M EL R
miles (S. S. E.) from Turriff, and 17| (N. N. W.) from
Aberdeen. This place was anciently called Bethelnie,
and is supposed to have derived that appellation, signi-
fying in the Hebrew language "the House of God",
from the early erection of a church, which at that time
was the only religious edifice within a very extensive
district. Its modern name, which is of Celtic origin,
implying "the ridge of a hill", appears obviously to
have been derived from the general acclivity of the sur-
face, which towards its northern extremity attains a
considerable degree of elevation. The town is situated
on the turnpike-road from Aberdeen to Banff, and con-
sists of several irregularly-formed streets ; the houses
are mostly well built, and many of them of handsome
appearance. The cotton manufacture is pursued to
some extent, there being two establishments belonging
to the manufacturers of Aberdeen, in which a number
of persons of both sexes are employed in hand-loom
weaving, under the superintendence of agents residing
in the town. The knitting of worsted stockings also
affords occupation to many of the females, and there are
a distillery and a brewery ; the different handicraft
trades requisite for the supply of the neighbourhood are
carried on here, and there are shops for the sale of
various wares. Meldrum was erected into a burgh of
barony by charter of Charles H., in 16/2, in favour of
James Urquhart, Esq., and continued for some time to
be governed by two baron-bailies nominated by the su-
perior ; but there is at present neither any public magis-
trate nor any regular police. The town-hall is a hand-
some building surmounted with a spire. A weekly mar-
ket, which is abundantly supplied with provisions of
every kind, is held on Saturday : a market for cattle
and grain is held every alternate week during the winter
and spring; and there are fairs for hiring farm-servants
in May and November. The post-office has four de-
liveries daily ; and facility of communication is afforded
by the turnpike-road from Aberdeen and Banff, which
passes through the town, and for five miles and a quar-
ter through the parish.
The PARISH is about seven miles and a half in extreme
length, varying in breadth from two to five miles, and
comprising an area of 7474 acres, of which 5774 are
arable, .'500 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
moor and waste. Its surface is diversified with hills of
no great elevation, of which a range extends across the
parish from the north to the north-west. Several small
rivulets flow in various directions, and give motion to
some corn-mills. In the southern portion of the lands
the soil is a strong rich loam, superincumbent on a bed
of clay, and in the northern parts of a thinner and
lighter quality. The crops are oats, bear, and a small
proportion of wheat, with potatoes and turnips. The
system of husbandry is improved ; the lands have been
drained, and inclosed partly with stone dykes and partly
with fences of thorn. The farm-buildings are substantial
and commodious, and well adapted to the extent of the
farms. Such has been the progress of improvement
that the prize of the Aberdeenshire Agricultural Society,
for the best cultivated farm in the county, was awarded
to the tenant of Bethelnie, in this parish. The cattle
reared in the pastures are of the Old Aberdeenshire
breed, with a few of the Teeswater ; the sheep are of
the South-Down, the Leicester, and the native breeds.
In this parish the plantations are chiefly ash, elm, oak,
24,5
plane, beech, and the various kinds of fir, all of which
are in a thriving state. The substrata are mostly whin-
stone, limestone, and hornblende-rock, of which last de-
tached masses are occasionally found : the limestone
was formerly wrought, but the workings have been dis-
continued. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £4999. Meldrum House, the seat of B. C.
Urquhart, Esq., superior of the burgh, is a spacious and
elegant mansion, completed in ] 840, and beautifully sit-
uated in a demesne enriched with ancient timber and
with thriving plantations of modern growth.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Garioch and synod of
Aberdeen. The minister's stipend is about £224, with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £28 per annum ; patron,
Mr. Urquhart. Meldrum church, an ancient structure
erected in 16S4, and repaired and reseated in 1810, is
centrically situated, and contains 700 sittings. There
are places of worship for members of the Free Church
and United Presbyterian Church, and an episcopal cha-
pel. The parochial school is well attended : the master
has a salary of £28, with an allowance of £6 in lieu of
a dwelling-house, and the fees average about £14 per
annum ; he has also the interest of a bequest of £200
for the gratuitous instruction of poor children. The
ground-floor of the town-hall has within the last few
years been set apart as a schoolroom, for the instruction
of females in the usual branches of a religious, moral,
and industrial education. On the lands of Bethelnie
were some vestiges of a Roman camp, which have been
levelled by the plough ; and on the site of the original
church is a burying-ground, in which is the sepulchral
vault of the Meldrum family. There are some remains
of an ancient chapel on the farm thence called Chapel-
house, with a well inclosed by masonry. Near it was
found within the last few years a rudely-formed stone
coffin containing an urn, with a human skull and some
bones; and on the same farm were discovered two similar
urns, placed under a kind of pavement.
MELLERSTAIN, a village, in the parish of Earls-
TOUN, county of Berwick, 4i miles (E.) from Earls-
toun ; containing 173 inhabitants. It is situated in
the eastern part of the parish, on the west side of the
river Eden ; and in the vicinity is Meilerstain House,
a large modern mansion beautifully situated, the seat of
the Baillie family. A school is chiefly supported by
George Baillie, Esq., who allows the master a school-
house and dwelling-house, and pays him the interest of
a bequest.
MELROSE, a market-town and parish, and anciently
a burgh of barony, in the district of Melrose, county
of Roxburgh ; including the villages of Darnick, Eildon,
Gattonside, Newstead, Newtown, the Blainslies, and
more than half the town of Galashiels ; and containing
5331 inhabitants, of whom 893 are in the town of Mel-
rose, 13 miles (N. W. by N.) from Jedburgh, and 37
(S. E. by S.) from Edinburgh. This place derived its
ancient name, Mullross, of which its present is only a
slight modification, from the Gaelic words Mull or Moel,
bare, and Ross, a promontory, descriptive of its position
on a peninsula formed by the river Tweed, and which
at that remote period was literally a barren and rugged
rock. In the beginning of the seventh century, a society
of Culdees established themselves here from lona,
and a monastery was founded on a commodious site,
M EL R
MELR
which is now, in contradistinction to the present town,
called Old Melrose. A monastery of greater extent was
built five centuries after in a more convenient part of
the parish, to which were transferred the remains of the
former establishment, and where are yet preserved the
ruins of the venerable abbey, so remarkable for their
beauty. During the seventh century, Oswald, the Saxon
King of Northumbria, at that time an exile among the
Picts, who occupied the district to the north of the river
Forth, was converted to Christianity by the Culdees of
this place, and on his restoration to his kingdom pre-
vailed upon certain of the monks to visit his dominions
for the conversion of his subjects ; he appointed Aidan
to the bishopric of Lindistarn, and built churches and
planted missionaries in this parish and various other
parts of his territories. The church at Old Melrose,
over which was placed one of Aidan's disciples, flou-
rished in peace and security for more than two centuries,
and produced many eminent characters, of whom St.
Cuthbert, who was afterwards Bishop of Lindisfarn, and
St. Boswell, who gave his name to a neighbouring parish,
were the chief. In 839, the peninsula of Old Melrose
was taken by Kenneth II., who laid waste the country
as far south as the river Tweed ; and the monastery,
which was then destroyed, was never afterwards restored.
It became the temporary residence of a few monks from
Girwy, and ultimately was only a chapel dedicated to
St. Cuthbert, having attached to it the privileges of a
sanctuary, the road to which, called the Girthgate, may
be traced over the moorlands. During the interval be-
tween the decay of the Old and the foundation of the
New Melrose, a religious establishment was formed on
a site nearly central to both : this, from the colour of
the stone with which the church was built, was termed
the Red Abbey, and the field where it stood is still called
the Red Abbey stead.
In 1136, the magnificent abbey referred to above,
and of which the ruins are so celebrated, was founded
by David I. in honour of the Virgin, for monks of the
Cistercian order brought from Rivaulx, and then first
introduced into Scotland. It appears to have been pro-
gressively enriched, and the character of the buildings to
have been improved to a height of elegance and magni-
ficence to which, at the time of its foundation, it had no
pretensions ; but there are no records of its history to
show by what means, or under whose auspices, it attained
that perfection in its architectural character which has
rendered it conspioious as one of the most splendid
ecclesiastical remains in the kingdom. Notwithstanding,
however, that it made this progress during the whole
period in which it flourished, it suffered very severely at
different times. The English army, in its retreat iinder
Edward II. in 13^^, plundered and despoiled it to so great
an extent that Robert Bruce felt compelled, four years
afterwards, to grant the sum of .£2000 sterling for re-
storing it and reb\iilding those parts which had been
destroyed. In 1384 it was burnt by the English under
Richard II. Sir Ralph Evcrs and Sir Bryan Layton
sacked it in 1545 ; and again, in the same year, the
structure fell a prey to the Earl of Hertford, while Queen
Mary was an infant. It was sadly defaced in 1560, at
the period of the Reformation ; and lastly, it was ruth-
lessly bombarded by Cromwell from the (iattonside hills.
On its dissolution at the introduction of the Reformed
religion, the abbey was annexed to the crown by a sta-
'ii6
tute which provided that the sovereign should not have
power to alienate it ; but this was rendered nugatory by
subsequent acts of parliament, and grants of different
portions of the property were made to individuals fa-
voured by the court. The whole is now the property of
the Duke of Buccleuch. The revenue of the establish-
ment was stated iu 1561 at £1/58 Scots, and nearly 200
chalders of wheat, barley, oats, and meal, besides payments
in capons, poultry, butter, salt, peat, and other articles.
The monks received annually for their own consumption
sixty bolls of wheat and 300 casks of ale ; while for the
service of the mass eighteen casks of wine were allotted j
for the entertainment of strangers, thirty bolls of wheat,
forty casks of ale, and twenty casks of wine ; and a con-
siderable sura was set aside for the nourishment of the
sick and infirm. The number of monks seems latterly
to have varied from sixty to 100, with an equal number
of lay brethren : in 1520 there were eighty monks ; in
1540, seventy, and sixty lay brethren; and in 154'2 the
number of monks was 100.
The REMAINS of Melrose Abbey are situated about
three miles westward of the peninsula on which the old
church was built, and in the most picturesque part of
the vale between the Eildon hills and the heights of
Gattonside, a quarter of a mile to the south of the river
Tweed. They consist chiefly of the ruins of the church,
a stately cruciform structure 258 feet in length and ISO
feet in breadth, with part of a central tower eighty-four
feet high. The nave, choir, and transepts, with part of
the cloisters, are still remaining, and exhibit a gradation
of style from early to later (or perpendicular) English,
but are principally decorated English ; the conventual
buildings have totally disappeared, and slight traces only
of their extent and situation are to be perceived. The
nave is separated from the aisles by elegant ranges of
pillars, supporting deeply-moulded and richly-sculptured
arches in the most finished style; and the transejjts and
choir are of the same character, elaborately embellished,
and lighted by windows enriched with tracery, the prin-
cipal of which are of lofty dimensions. The grand east
window has been particularly admired for its sur-
passing elegance, and is in the later English style, mea-
suring fifty-seven feet in extreme height, and twenty-
eight in breadth ; the south transept window is also re-
markable, but is characterised rather by majesty than
by the light elegance of the east window, than which it
is rather loftier, though rather narrower. The principal
buttresses terminate with pinnacles of the finest taber-
nacle work, and these, as well as the windows ranged
along the sides of the edifice, are ornamented with
figures admirably carved, and with niches highly sculp-
tured ; but the statues placed in the niches were demo-
lished in the year 1649. In the interior are some good
ancient monuments. Under the east window stood the
high altar, beneath which Alexander II., who died at
Kerrera, \ipon an expedition to the Western Isles, in
1249, was buried ; and a large marble stone is pointed
out as the monarch's tomb, though some suppose it to
be that of St. Wahiave, the second abbot of Melrose,
whose death occurred in 1158. Here, also, according
to the best historians, was deposited the heart of the
great king Robert Bruce, after an unsuccessful attempt
to carry it to the Holy Land; the body having been
interred in the abbey of Dunfermline. Michael Scott,
who flourished in the thirteenth century, and whose dis-
M ELR
MEL R
coveries in chemistry and other sciences led to the belief
that he was a wizard, was buried in this monastery ; as
were, too, many of the renowned family of Douglas,
after they became lords of Liddesdale. Among these
may be named William Douglas, knight of Liddesdale,
for his valour called the "Flower of Chivalry," who bar-
barously murdered the gallant Sir Alexander Ramsay,
and was himself killed while hunting in Ettrick Forest,
in 1353 ; William, first Earl of Douglas, who was
wounded at the battle of Poitiers in 1356, and who died
in 1384 ; and James, second Earl of Douglas, who fell
at the battle of Otterburn. Their tombs, occupying
two crypts near the high altar, were defaced by Sir
Ralph Evers and Sir Bryan Layton, when they made
their incursion into this part of the country, which has
been already referred to ; but the sixth Earl of Angus,
descendant of the Douglases, amply revenged this in-
sult at the battle of Ancrum-Moor, in which both the
English leaders were slain, and their forces were totally
routed. In conclusion, the remarkable fact may be
mentioned, with regard to these far-famed remains, that
they were but little known as an object of interest to
the tourist until the publication of the Lay of the Last
Minstrel, which caused numbers to resort to them ;
while the prominent figure they occupy in The Monastery
and The Abbut, in which the abbey is designated " St.
Mary's" and the town of Melrose " Kennaquhair", gave
additional charms to the district, previously described by
Scott only in poetry.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated on the banks of the
Tweed, over which is a handsome suspension-bridge for
foot-passengers and single horses ; but the place is not
remarkable for any peculiarity of character distinguish-
ing it from a large rural village. It is in the form of a
triangle, with small streets leading out at the corners,
and contains several elegant modern houses ; many of
the houses are of early date, and evidently built in part
of materials from the abbey. The bridge leads to the
antique and rustic village of Gattonside, surrounded by
gardens and orchards ; and the scenery near the town
is generally of the most beautiful description, attracting
numberless visiters during summer. Melrose has a
station of the Edinburgh and Hawick railway. The
inhabitants are principally employed in trades requisite
for the supply of the district, and in agricultural pur-
suits : the manufacture of linen formerly occupied a
considerable number of persons in connexion with the
commercial establishments of Galashiels, but it has long
since declined. In the centre of the town, near the
south entrance to the abbey, is an ancient cross, for the
maintenance of which half an acre of land is appropri-
ated ; but the chief object of attraction is, of course, the
ruin of the monastery. A subscription library, contain-
ing a good selection, is supported, and there are smaller
libraries in the adjacent villages ; also two branch banks
established in the town, some friendly or benefit societies,
and two excellent inns. The market-day is Saturday.
Three fairs are annually held, one in the beginning of
June, called, from the old style, the May fair, one at
Lammas, and one at Martinmas ; they are all great
cattle-markets, and are numerously attended, and the
Lammas fair has attained such celelDrity for its sheep as
to rival the celebrated fair of St. Boswell's, in the ad-
joining parish. The regality of the burgh is vested in
the ducal family of Buccleuch, whose bailie is the prin-
247
cipal officer, and exercises jurisdiction in matters origi-
nating in the fairs of Melrose and St. Boswell's, over
both which parishes his jurisdiction as bailie of the
barony extends. No record of criminal cases has been
preserved ; the only delinquencies cognizable by the
bailie or his deputy have been such as subject the
offender to a fine of five shillings. Melrose is the head
of the district, and has a fiscal, acting under the justices
of the peace, who hold a court here on the first Saturday
in the month.
The PARISH, which is one of the largest in the county,
extends ten miles in length, from the summit of the
central of the Eildon hills to Upper Blainslie, and four
miles and a half in breadth, from the river Gala to the
Leader; comprising an area of forty-five square miles.
It is bounded on the north by the parish of Lauder, on
the east by the parishes of Mertoun and Earlstoun, on
the south by those of St. Boswell's and Bowden, and on
the west by Galashiels and Stow. The Tweed, which
enters the parish from the south-west, forms a boundary
between it and the parish of Galashiels for some dis-
tance, and then flows through Melrose parish. In its
course it receives the streams of the Gala, the Allan,
and the Leader : the Allan, a beautiful stream, issues
from an opening in the Langlee hills, and flows for five
miles through the parish, in many parts concealed by
overhanging woods. The surface is boldly diversified
by the Eildon hills, which are partly within the parish,
and by the heights of Gattonside, which, with the Lang-
lee and Ladhope hills, form a ridge extending from the
Leader to the Gala river. Of these elevations, the
Eildon hills are seen from the north with peculiar effect;
the two highest summits alone are then visible, and ap-
pear with majestic grandeur, towering above the level of
the adjacent country. The view from the Eildon hills
is magnificent, commanding the windings of the Tweed
through the vale of Melrose, with its banks thickly stud-
ded with villas, and the south front of the venerable
abbey embosomed in woods : to the south is seen the
whole of Teviotdale, bounded by the range of the Cheviot
mountains, at the eastern extremity of which are Flodden
hill and two other eminences of conical form. The
valley of Melrose is supposed at some remote period to
have been a lake, and the substratum of water-sand is
still found by digging a few feet below the surface. The
climate of the vale, sheltered by surrounding heights, is
extremely mild, but the upland parts of the parish are
exposed to severe northern gales.
The SOIL is various. In the south, a strong clay adapted
to the growth of wheat is prevalent. On the banks of
the river the land is light and dry, favourable to all
kinds of grain. In the northern parts it is generally
mixed with sand, resting on a substratum of gravel, but
in some places clayey and wet, and in others a moss,
under which marl is found. Fogs are very prevalent,
and frequently assume a variety of picturesque forms ;
from the south of the Eildon hills, the vale of Teviot some-
times appears a continuous sheet of mist, above which
are seen only the summit of Ruberslaw and the shaft of
the Waterloo pillar. Of the land, about 1 1,500 acres on
the north side of the Tweed are in tillage, and '600 in
pasture ; while on the south side of the river the lands,
consisting of one-third of the parish, are wholly under
cultivation. About 1 '200 acres are in plantations; the
only natural wood is a few scattered trees, chiefly
M E L R
M E L V
birch, on the banks of the river Allan. The system of
agriculture is improved, and the crops in general are
favourable; the farm-buildings are substantial, commo-
dious, and in good repair, and the inclosures and fences
are kept in proper order. Considerable advances have
been made in draining and planting, and a large portion
of waste land has been reclaimed and brought under
profitable cultivation. The principal breeds of sheep
are the Leicestershire, the Cheviot, the half-bred, and
the black-faced; the common breeds of cattle are the
Tees water, the Ayrshire, and the Highland breeds, with
an occasional admixture of other kinds. The salmon-
fisheries of the Tweed, formerly very lucrative, are much
reduced ; the fish appear to be intercepted by the fisher-
men of Berwick, and few are taken in this parish. The
chief fuel is, coal, the thinnings of the plantations, and
peat from the mossy districts. The annual value of real
property in Melrose is £"20,671.
The parish is divided amongst numerous proprietors,
of whom fifty hold lauds each to the annual value of £,iO
and above ; and within its boundaries, and chiefly near
the Tweed, are numerous villas and handsome mansion-
houses, among which is Abbotsford, the seat of the gifted
Sir Walter Scott, Bart., whose memory will ever be che-
rished by his country, and by the admirers of literary
genius throughout the civilized world. These residences
are principally built of sandstone, of coarse pudding-
stone from the neighbouring quarry-hill, and of grey-
wacke, which abounds in the parish. The far-famed
mansion of Abbotsford, " a romance in stone and
lime," occupies a slip of level ground at the foot of an
overhanging bank on the right side of the river, and
looks out upon a beautiful haugh on the opposite bank,
backed with the green hills of Ettrick Forest. It is in
the south-western part of the parish, and about two
miles distant from the town of Galashiels. The house,
the garden, pleasure-grounds, and woods, were all the
creation of the late proprietor ; and thousands of the
trees which adorn the demesne, and appear in beautiful
clusters around the mansion, were planted by his own
hands : the name, also, is recent, having been adopted
by Sir Walter from an adjoining ford over the river. Re-
sembling no other building in the kingdom, the house
has a peculiar but picturesque and imposing appear-
ance ; and its walls have been enriched with many an
antique carved stone, procured from old churches, castles,
and seats in different parts of Scotland, in the course of
their demolition or decay. The interior contains the
innumerable curiosities in the collection of whicii Sir
Waiter Scott displayed so refined a taste ; and even were
Abbotsford destitute of attractions in respect of scenery,
there would be suflicient in the relics here arranged, the
arnioiir, the paintings, the books, and the furniture, to
ensure the prolonged visit of the tourist. But the
rarities and the architecture of the mansion are not more
worthy of the stranger's notice than are the beautiful
features of nature which the spot presents to his view.
The sweeping amphitheatre of wood in which the house
is seated, the banks of the meandering Tweed graced for
miles with ranges of forest-trees, the numberless serpen-
tine walks through the woods, and the ravines, bowers,
waterfalls, and mountain lakes, that enrich the vicinity,
all unite to form a scene of surpassing loveliness. Nor
does Abbotsford possess slight interest for tiiosc who
can regard with feelings akin to veneration the abode of
248
one of the master-spirits of our literature. In addition
to the town of Melrose, there are several villages within
the limits of the parish, of which Darnick, Gattonside,
and Newstead are less than a mile from the town, Eildon
about two miles east-south-east, Newtown about three
miles to the south-east, the Blainslies seven miles to the
north, and the newer and larger part of the very flou-
rishing town of Galashiels four miles to the west.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Selkirk, and synod of Merse
and Teviotdale. The stipend of the incumbent averages
about £2.50 : the manse was built in 1813, and is in
good repair, and the glebe comprises four acres of land,
worth about £11 per annum. Melrose church, erected
in 1810, is situated on Wear hill, a little westward of
the town. John Knox, nephew of the celebrated re-
former, was the second incumbent after the Reformation.
The episcopal chapel of the Holy Trinity, at Melrose,
was built by the munificence of the Duke of Buccleuch,
and consecrated on St. Bartholomew's day (August 24th),
1S49, by the Bishop of Glasgow, assisted by the Bishop
of Edinburgh. It is in the early English style, and
combines simplicity and beauty ; the seats are all open,
and will contain about 200 worshippers. There are a
Free church at Melrose, and two places of worship for
the United Presbyterian Church, one of them in the
town, and the other in a romantic dell through which
the Bowden rivulet flows into the Tweed. In the dis-
trict of Ladhope is a church belonging to the Establish-
ment, and another belonging to the Free Church. The
parochial school affords an excellent education to nearly
eighty children ; the salary of the master is £30 per
annum, with a house and garden, and the fees amount
to about £44. The school-house was built with money
arising from funds bequeathed by Bishop Fletcher, to
whose memory there is a tablet in the wall of the edifice.
At Langshaw is a small school with an endowment of
£3 per annum ; and there are six schools in the villages,
for each of which a comfortable school-house has been
built by the villagers. On the side of the Eildon hills is
a tumulus of artificial construction and of large dimen-
sions, supposed to have been the site of a pagan altar ;
the road leading to it, through a ravine named the Hax-
algate heugh, is called the Haxalgate. A stone appear-
ing to be part of a Roman altar was dug up lately in the
parish, and is now in the possession of the Urygrange
family ; it is inscribed to the god " Silvanus", by Curius
Doniitianus, of the XX. legion, " pro solute sua et suortim".
In the walls of several houses in the town are inserted
stones sculptured with religions devices, and the letters
J. H. S., thought to have been removed from the ruins
of the old abbey.
MKLVICII, a village, in that part of the parish of "
RiCAY which is in the county of Sutherland ; contain-
ing S.'iS inhabitants. This village is pleasantly situated
on the western bank of the river Ilalladale, near its
influx into the bay of Bighon.se, and on the turnpike-
road from Thurso to Tongue. It is principally inhabited
by persons engaged in the fisheries, which are carried on
here to a considerable extent. The place is neatly built,
and the surrounding scenery is pleasingly varied, and at
many points boldly romantic ; the hills command exten-
sive prospects, embracing nearly the whole of the valley
of Strath-IIalladalc, and tlie beautiful windings of the
river from which it takes its name. The fish taken off
M EN M
MENS
this part of the coast are herrings, cod, ling, turbot,
haddock, skate, whiting, flounders, mackerel, sand-eels,
and smelts ; and in the river, salmon are caught in large
numbers. Bighouse bay affords secure shelter to the
boats employed in the fisheries. In the village is a
commodious inn. A branch office under the post-office
of Thurso has been established, at which the mail calls
daily ; and a school, to which a small library is attached,
has been founded under the patronage of the General
Assembly.
MENMUIR, a parish, in the county of Forfar, 4^
miles (N. W. by W.) from Brechin ; containing, with the
hamlet of Tigerton, 732 inhabitants, of whom 641 are
in the rural districts. This place is of remote antiquity,
and derives its name, signifying in the Celtic language
" the great moss", from the marshy nature of the lands,
which appear to have been originally one extensive tract
of bog. The ancient Caledonians, previously to their
battle with Agricola at the foot of the Grampians, are
supposed to have been encamped at this place ; and ex-
tensive remains are still to be seen in the parish of the
rudely-formed but strong fortress which on this occasion
they may have occupied. There are two nearly conti-
guous hills called Caterthun on the south side of the
river Westwater, forming the eastern extremity of a
range of heights parallel with, and nearly at the foot of,
the Grampians ; one is termed the White, and the other
the Brown, Caterthun. The White Caterthun is crowned
with the fortress thought to have been occupied by the
Caledonians, consisting of an immense pile of loose
stones, inclosing an elliptical and level area 150 yards
in length, and seventy yards in transverse diameter.
On the eastern side of the area are the remains of a
quadrilateral building, surrounded with a stone dyke and
a fosse that may be distinctly traced. Around the ex-
ternal base of this intrenchnient is a deep ditch, below
which, at the distance of 100 yards, are traces of an-
other, encircling the hill. On the summit of the Brown
Caterthun is a fortification of round form, consisting of
concentric ramparts of earth, from the colour of which
the hill takes its name ; and on the declivity of the hill,
which is inferior in elevation to the other, is a rampart
extending to the White Caterthun, with which it appears
to have been connected as a place of retreat. A church
was founded at Menmuir in the early part of the seventh
century, by St. Aidan, to whom Oswald, King of North-
umbria, whose subjects he had been powerfully instru-
mental in converting to Christianity, granted the Holy
island of Lindisfarn, of which he became bishop, and
where he laid the foundation of a see that was subse-
quently removed to Durham. In the reign of James II.,
the proprietor of the lands of Balnamoon, in this parish,
joined the Earl of Crawfurd at the battle of Brechin, to
revenge the death of Douglas ; but, a misunderstanding
arising between him and the earl, he drew off a large
portion of the forces, and, joining the loyalists under
the Earl of Huntly, decided the contest in favour of the
monarch.
The parish lies in the north-eastern portion of the
county, and is about five miles in length and nearly three
in average breadth, forming in the southern part of it a
section of the fertile vale of Strathmore. Towards the
south and east the surface is generally level, but in the
north hilly and almost mountainous ; to the north-east
are the Caterthuns, from which the range of heights
Vol. II.— 249
already mentioned, called the Menmuir hills, extends
for nearly three miles towards the west. The principal
streams arc, the Cruick, which flows in gentle windings
through the whole of the southern district into the
Westwater in the parish of Strickathrow ; the West-
water, part of the northern boundary of the parish ; and
the Pelphrie burn, which, having its source in the parish
of Fearn, flows eastward along the remainder of the
northern boundary of Menmuir, and falls into the West-
water. The soil along the banks of the Cruick is rich
and fertile, and in the lower grounds generally it is pro-
ductive ; the prevailing quality is a sandy clay, alternated
with gravel and loam. On the higher grounds and hills
is much heathy moor. The crops are chiefly oats, bar-
ley, peas, potatoes, and turnips, of which the lands pro-
duce sufficient for the supply of the district. The system
of husbandry is improved, and much of the waste land
has been drained and brought into profitable cultivation.
Great attention is paid to the management of the dairy-
lands, and large quantities of butter and cheese are sent
to Brechin and other markets. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £.5615.
The only seat is Balnamoon House, a handsome man-
sion, erected by James Carnegy Arbuthnott, Esq., the
principal landed proprietor ; and the hamlet or village
of Tigerton, of recent origin, is the only village. The
weaving of linen is carried on ; the articles chiefly ma-
nufactured are sailcloth and duck, coarse plaidings, and
some linen of finer quality for domestic use. There are
several corn-mills on the Cruick, in one of which large
quantities of pot- barley are prepared for the London
market. Facility of communication is maintained by
the great road to Brechin, and other roads, and by
bridges over the river Cruick and the Westwater. Ec-
clesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Brechin and synod of Angus and Mearns.
The minister's stipend averages about £180, of which a
small part is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse,
and glebe : patron, Alexander Erskine, Esq., of Balhall.
The church built in I767 was taken down, and a hand-
some and substantial structure erected in 1842, contain-
ing ample accommodation for the parishioners. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship on
the borders of the parish. Menmuir parochial school
affords instruction to about 100 children ; the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and
the fees average £16 per annum. On the removal of
the wall of the old churchyard, two sculptured stones
were found, on one of which were two equestrian figures
in coats of mail with spears and round shields, having
behind them a man on foot bearing a crook ; and in
another part of the same stone were figures of a deer
and an eagle. Upon the other stone was an equestrian
figure only. About a mile northward of the church is
a cluster of barrows, supposed to have been raised over
the remains of those who were slain in a battle between
the Picts and the Danes.
MENSTIIIE, a village, in the parish of Logie, county
of Clackmannan, 5 miles (E. N. E.) from Stirhng ; con-
taining 518 inhabitants. This place lies on the road
from Logie to Alva, and at the foot of the Ochils ; it is
the largest village in the parish, and in a flourishing
condition. Menstrie has a woollen-manufactory employ-
ing about fifty hands, in which, among other articles,
serges and blankets are made : and at Dolls, in the
MERT
M E RT
f^
vicinity, is a distillery. There is an excellent supply of
water, affording an inducement for the establishment of
works ; and a good trade is already carried on. Men-
strie House was formerly the patrimonial property of
the family of Alexander, Earls of Stirling. The church
is situated about two miles from the village. A school
is partly supported by an allowance from Lord Aber-
. cromby.
■V MERRYSTON, a village, in the parish of Old
MoNKLAND, Middle ward of the county of Lanark,
2^ miles (W. by S.) from Airdie ; containing 676 inha-
bitants. It is situated a short distance north of the
high road from Airdrie to Glasgow, and on the banks of
the Moukland canal ; and is one of the numerous villages
whose increasing population is engaged in the mines and
manufactures of this rich mineral district. The place is
also called Marystown.
i; MERRYSTON, WEST, a village, in the parish of
Old Monkland, Middle ward of the county of Lanark,
1^ mile (N. E.) from Baillieston ; containing 493 inha-
bitants. This village, like the preceding, is situated on
the banks of the Monkland canal, and owes its late
increase in extent, and in the number of its inhabitants,
to the flourishing condition of the mines and manufac-
tures in its vicinity.
MERTOUN, a parish, in the county of Berwick,
45 miles (E. S. E.) from Melrose ; containing 7'^2 inhabit-
ants. This parish is about six miles long and between
two and three broad, and comprises 7000 acres. It is
situated in the south-western extremity of the county,
and bounded on the south and west by the river Tweed,
on the north by Earlstoun parish, and on the east by
Smailholm and Makerstoun. The surface embraces se-
veral fine slopes and undulations, especially in the west-
ern quarter, where the scenery is very beautiful : the
prospect from Bemersyde hill, over which one of the
public roads passes, is striking and magnificent, com-
prising wood and water, hills, and fertile fields. In the
south, also, the lands are diversified by good inclosures,
verdant hedge-rows, and flourishing plantations : the
venerable ruin of the abbey of Dryburgh, viewed from
the opposite side of the Tweed, whose banks are of red
earth and unusually steep, is a fine object in the scenery;
and a suspension-bridge here, a colossal statue of Sir
William Wallace on a neighbouring hill, and the Temple
of the Muses, a circular building erected by the Earl of
Buchan on an eminence near the end of the bridge, en-
liven and beautify the district in a very interesting
manner. The windings of the Tweed add peculiar force
to the general impression of the scenery. There are
scarcely any springs in the parish, and the farmers are
occasionally much inconvenienced from a want of water
for their cattle.
The SOIL bordering on the Tweed is a sharp loam,
resting upon gravel ; in the other parts of the parish,
with few exceptions, it is a stiff clay, having a cold tilly
subsoil. About .500 acres are occupied by wood, and
3460 are sown with wheat, oats, barley, and peas, of
which the barley is the most considerable in quantity ;
turnips are also produced, and, since the introduction of
bone-dust manure, have been of very fine growth. There
is no common land ; and it is supposed that of what is
in pasture .{00 acres might be cultivated with a profit-
able application of capital. Improvements to some ex-
tent have been made within the last few years, consisting
250
principally in draining and liming; but the surface-
water is not so regularly and completely removed as
good husbandry requires, some of the farmers neglecting
to cleanse the ditches and to keep them in a fit state to
receive the drainage. The farm houses and offices are
generally convenient buildings ; and a corn-mill upon an
extensive scale has been erected, the machinery of which
is of a superior kind, and suited to every description of
grain. In this parish the sheep are the best Leicesters ;
the cattle are the short-horned breed, and great attention
is paid to their improvement by annual purchases from
the breeders in the south. The rocks on the banks of
the Tweed consist of freestone of a reddish colour, very
durable, and taking a fine polish ; but although the
quality is so choice and the supply inexhaustible, no
quarry has been wrought for many years, owing to the
great expense necessary for this purpose. The annual
value of real property in Mertoun is £6429.
The chief mansions of this delightful parish are, Mer-
toun House, an elegant residence near the church, the
seat of Lord Polwarth ; Dryburgh House, the seat of
Sir David Erskine, a plain old mansion in the immediate
vicinity of the abbey, and having excellent orchards and
woods ; and Bemersyde, an ancient but pleasant house
belonging to the Haig family, three-quarters of a mile to
the south of Old Melrose in the adjoining parish. There
are two small villages, Bemersyde and Dryburgh ; but
the parish is not intersected by any turnpike-road. The
parish roads are for the most part good, and adapted for
local convenience. Over the Tweed is the suspension-
bridge already referred to, from which there is a direct
road to the village of Lessudden, south of the river,
where a post-office has been estabhshed ; but this bridge
is only constructed for foot passengers and single horses,
and there is still a great want of a bridge for carriages in
the southern part of the parish. For ecclesiastical
purposes Mertoun is within the bounds of the presbytery
of Lauder and synod of Merse and Teviotdale ; patron,
Hugh Scott, Esq., of Harden. The stipend of the mi-
nister is £'252, with a manse, built in I767, and a glebe
of fourteen acres, valued at £14 per annum. The church
belonged to the canons of Dryburgh till the Reformation.
The present building was erected in 1658, and repaired
in 1820. It is pleasantly situated in the midst of a
grove, but stands inconveniently both for the minister
and the parishioners, being a mile distant from the
manse and about the same distance from the centre of
the parish. The edifice is in good repair and well fitted
up, with a pew assigned to every tenant. There is a pa-
rochial school, in which the classics, the mathematics,
and the usual branches of education are taught ; the
master has a salary of £30, with about £9 fees, and the
allowance of house and garden. The chief relic of anti-
quity is the abbey ; but the remains, though deeply
interesting, are not extensive. The nave of its church
is nearly demolished, nothing being left but the founda-
tions of the pillars ; the most considerable part is the
north transept, attached to one of the ])illars that sup-
ported the tower. The refectory has fallen down, and
the gable ends alone are now to be seen : in one of these
is a curious radiated window, almost enveloped and ob-
scured by ivy. The statue of Wallace, though not an
antiquity, is yet worthy of notice on account of its being
the workmanship of a common stone-mason who had
never learned sculpture. — See Dryburgh.
METH
METH
METHELNIE, in the county of Aberdeen. — See
Meldrum.
/O METHILL, for a time a quoad sacra parish, com-
prising the villages of Methill and Kirkland, in the pa-
rish of Wemyss, and Dubbieside, or Innerleven, in the
parish of Markinch, district of Kirkcaldy, county of
Fife j the whole containing 1513 inhabitants, of whom
about 500 are in the village of Methill, 1 mile (\V. by S.)
from Leven. This village, situated on the northern shore
of the Firth of Forth, was formerly noted for the manu-
facture of salt, which was carried on here to a very great
extent, but since the removal of the duty has been alto-
gether discontinued. The harbour is safe and commo-
dious, and was much frequented ; but the pier was greatly
damaged by a violent storm, and upon the abolition of
the duty on salt, lay for some time neglected. It has,
however, been restored of late at an expense of nearly
£2000 ; the village has much improved, and from its
pleasant situation, and the facility of intercourse which
it possesses with the neighbouring markets, it is likely
to recover its former prosperity. The church, erected
at an expense of £1030, and adapted for a congregation
of more than 800 persons, was closed on the Disruption
of the Church of Scotland.
(^ METHLICK, a parish, in the county of Aberdeen,
4 miles (N. by W.) from Tarves ; containing 1737 inha-
bitants. This parish is said to derive its name from two
Gaelic words signifying "the vale of honey". The
church was anciently dedicated to St. Devenick, who
flourished about the latter end of the ninth century, and
in honour of whom an altar was founded in the cathe-
dral of Aberdeen, of which see the church of Methlick
was made a prebend in the year 1362, the rector residing
at Aberdeen and officiating in the cathedral, and his place
here being supplied by a vicar. The parish is intersected
by the river Ythan ; two-thirds of it are situated on the
northern side, in the district of Buchan, and the remain-
ing portion on the south side of the river, in the district
of Formartine. A detached part on the east, of small
extent, is separated by a tongue of land belonging to
Tarves parish, and is called Little Drumquhindle, or In-
verebrie, the latter term from its situation at the junction
of the brook Ebrie with the Ythan. It is also sometimes
named the Six Ploughs, on account of its measurement
in ancient times by so many ploughs. The length of the
parish is about eight miles, from north to south, and its
breadth, exclusive of the detached portion, five miles ;
comprising between 14,000 and 15,000 acres, of which
more than 2500 are in plantations, and the remainder
arable and pasture, with a large proportion of moss and
moor. The lands north of the river Ythan, which flows
from west to east between well-wooded banks, are mostly
cultivated, with the exception of the hills of Balquhin-
dachy, Belnagoak, and Skilmoney ; the southern portion
is particularly picturesque and beautiful, the lands in
this quarter, which are finely undulated, comprehending
the ornamental grounds of Haddo House. The river is
not navigable ; but it constitutes an important feature
in the scenery, and affords not only good salmon and
trout fishing, but much amusement to the young in
seeking for pearls, for the abundance and value of which
the Ythan was once so celebrated. The brook of Ebrie
divides Methlick on the east from the parish of Ellon ;
besides which the lands are enlivened by the burn of
Kelly, and by that of Gight, called also the Black water
251
and the Little water, running along the western boun-
dary. Upon a point of the latter stream the parishes of
Methlick, Fyvie, and Monquhitter all meet ; and at the
distance of not more than a mile and a half, on the same
water, the parishes of New Deer, Monquhitter, and
Methlick also form a union.
The soil of the land stretching for about a mile and a
half from each side of the river is the best in the parish,
being a yellow loamy earth on a gravelly or rocky bot-
tom. In the other parts it is poorer, light, and moorish,
of dark hue, and not so capable, from the peculiar cha-
racter of its subsoil, of profitable cultivation. There is a
great extent of peat-moss, which, though gradually yield-
ing to the plough, still affords an ample supply of fuel.
The grain raised comprises chiefly various kinds of oats ;
and some small quantities of bear are grown : sown
grasses, turnips, and a few potatoes, form the remainder
of the produce. The five, six, and seven shift courses
are all in operation, but the first of these principally on
the small farms and crofts, which are numerous ; the
land is in general under good cultivation, and partly in-
closed with stone dykes. The farm-houses are mostly
slated buildings of one floor; the tenements of the
crofters are roofed with thatch. There are upwards of
200 tenants, all of them under the Earl of Aberdeen,
who is the sole proprietor of the parish j the best land
averages in value from I6s. to £1. 5. per acre, and the
total annual value of real property in Methlick is returned
at £4233. The sheep reared by the farmers are very few
in number, but in the grounds of the earl upwards of
1000 are generally kept, chiefly the black-faced and
Cheviots : the cattle are numerous, and consist, in about
equal numbers, of the Aberdeenshire breed and of a
cross between that and the Teeswater. The prevailing
rocks are gneiss and sienite, and a quarry of limestone
was formerly in operation at Inverebrie, but the working
of it has been discontinued.
Besides the extent of land brought under the plough
within the present century, amounting to more than
2000 acres, great additions have been made to the plan-
tations, nearly an equal number of acres having been
covered, within the same period, chiefly with larch and
Scotch fir. A very large portion of the wood is in the
grounds of Haddo House, which comprise an extensive
area. This mansion, the seat of the Earl of Aberdeen,
is comparatively a modern structure ; the old edifice was
besieged for three days in 1644 by the Marquess of Ar-
gyle, at the head of the Covenanters, and was taken on
the 8th of May, and reduced to ruins. The park is or-
namented with two lakes, a portion of one, however,
being in the parish of Tarves ; they are beautifully em-
bosomed in wood, and enlivened by swans and a variety
of choice water-fowl. Near the mansion rvms the water
of Kelly, which, at its junction with the Ythan in this
parish, is said to have produced some pearls of great
value ; one of the crown jewels is reported to have been
found here, and presented to King James VI. in 1620,
by Sir Thomas Menzies, of Cults. In the grounds is an
obelisk erected by the present earl to the memory of his
brother. Sir Alexander Gordon, who fell at Waterloo
acting as aide-de-camp to the Duke of Wellington. The
noble proprietor derives the title of Baron Haddo,
Methlick, Tarves, and Kellie, chiefly from this parish ;
the first property of the family was the barony of Meth-
lick, of which Haddo was a part.
2K2
M ETH
METH
The facilities of communication are pretty good : there
are commutation roads leading to New Deer, Fyvie, Ellon,
Meldrum, and Tarves ; and a mail-gig runs daily be-
tween Methlick and Aberdeen. To the latter place the
dairy-produce is sent for sale ; grain is also forwarded
thither, and to Inverury and Newburgh. From the two
last-mentioned towns, bones and English lime are
brought for manure ; and Scotch lime from the kilns of
Udny, Aquhorthies, and Barrack. Two annual fairs are
held, for cattle, and as feeing-markets for servants ; one
early in May, and the other, called Dennick's fair, which
is of great antiquity, at the end of November. Ecclesi-
astically the parish is in the presbytery of Ellon, synod
of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of the Earl of Aber-
deen ; the minister's stipend is £160, with a manse, and
a glebe of six acres of arable and grass land. INIethlick
church, situated on the southern bank of the Ythan, was
rebuilt in I7SO, and repaired in 1S40; it contains 600
sittings, and adjoining the edifice is the burial-place of
the Gordon family. The parochial school affords in-
struction in Latin, Greek, and mathematics, in addition
to the usual branches : the master has a salary of £.28,
with a house, and £23 fees ; he also shares in the Dick
bequest, and receives a few pounds a year from Moir's
bequest for teaching ten poor children, and an annual
gift of £0 from the earl. The poor are entitled to the
interest of £653. 6. 8. bequeathed for their benefit. Dr.
George Cheyne, an eminent physician, was born in this
parish in 1671 ; and Dr. Charles Maitland, who largely
promoted the practice of inoculation in Great Britain,
and who was sent to Hanover by George II. to inoculate
Frederick, Prince of Wales, was also a native, and was
buried here in 1748.
METHVEN, a parish, in the county of Perth ;
containing, with the village of Almond -Bank, and the
hamlets of Balwherne, Bellstown, Bragrum, Gibbiestown,
Glack, Meckphin, Scrogiehill, and Wood-end, 2446 in-
habitants, of whom 935 are in the village of Methven, 6
miles (\V. by N.) from Perth. The name of this parish
is derived from the Gaelic word Mendhan, signifying
" middle", and has reference to the situation of Methven
in the middle of Strathmore, which e.xtends from Stone-
haven on the east to Dumbarton on the west, and is
here bounded on the north by the Grampians, and on
the south by the ridge of the Ochil hills. The historical
notices of the parish reach back to the year 9*0, when
Colenus, reputed the seventy-ninth king of Scotland, is
said to have been killed in this neighbourhood by Rohard,
Thane of Methven, for violating his daughter. The lands,
before 1323, belonged to the Mowbrays, whose ancestor,
Roger Mowbray, a Norman, came over to England with
William the Conqueror. To one of this family, Sir
Roger Mowbray, belonged the baronies of Kelly, Eck-
ford, Dalmeny, and Methven, lying severally in the shires
of Forfar, Ro.\burgh, Linlithgow, and Perth. These
lands, however, were confiscated by Robert I., for the
adherence of Mowbray to Baliol and the English interest;
and Eckford, Kelly, and Methven were given to the
king's son-in-law, Walter, eighth hereditary lord high
steward of Scotland, whose son, Robert, was afterwards
king (the second of the name) in right of his mother,
Margery Bruce, daughter of Robert I.
The lordi-hip of Methven was granted by Robert II. to
Walter Stuart, Earl of Atholl, his second son, after whose
forfeiture it remained in the crown for a considerable
252
time. It was part of the dowry lands usually assigned
for the maintenance of the queen dowager of Scotland,
and, together with the lordship and castle of Stirling, and
the lands of Balquhidder, was settled on Margaret, eldest
daughter of Henry VII. of England, and queen dowager
of James IV. In the year 1524 she married Henry
Stewart, for whom she procured a peerage from her son,
James V., in 1528. On this occasion the barony of
Methven was separated from the crown, and erected into
a lordship in favour of Henry Stuart and his heirs male,
the queen resigning her jointure of the lordship of Stir-
ling. The Stewarts, Lords Methven, however, very
shortly became extinct. It was in the right of Margaret,
as eldest daughter of Henry VII., that James VI. of
Scotland, her great-grandson, succeeded to the English
crown on the death of Queen Elizabeth in 1603 ; she
died at the castle of Methven in 1540, and was buried at
Perth, beside the body of King James I. In 1584, the
lordship of Methven and Balquhidder was conferred on
Lodowick, Duke of Lennox; but it was purchased from
Charles, the last duke, in 1664, by Patrick Smythe of
Braco, great-grandfather of the late Lord Methven : the
duke dying without issue in I672, his honours fell to
Charles II., as nearest male heir, the king's great-grand-
father and the duke's being brothers. While the estate
was in the crown, various lands were granted in feu to
different persons ; and the feu-duties are now paid to
Robert Smythe, Esq., successor to the late Lord Methven,
as proprietor of the lordship. Among the other events
connected with the parish is the defeat in this part of
Robert Bruce, soon after his coronation in 1306, by the
English army under the command of Aylmer de Valence,
Earl of Pembroke. The first religious establishment here
was a collegiate church founded in 1433, by Walter
Stewart, Earl of Atholl, who largely endowed it with
lands and tithes ; it consisted of a provost and five pre-
bendaries. An aisle that was connected with it is now
the burial-place of the ancient family of Smythe.
The mean length of the parish is five miles, and its
breadth between three and four ; containing 10,700 acres.
It is bounded on the north and east chiefly by the river
Almond ; on the south by a small stream called the Pow,
which separates it from the parishes of Madderty, Findo-
gask, and Tibbermore ; and on the west by the parish of
Fowlis Wester. The surface consists of hollows and
rising grounds, and from the good cultivation it receives,
and the several flourishing plantations, presents a pleas-
ing, and in some parts a picturesque appearance. The
Almond, the only river, crosses a small portion merely of
the parish, but runs for a considerable distance along
the boundary ; it receives numerous streams from the
steep and rugged mountains near which it passes, and
after a bold and rapid course joins the Tay two miles and
a half above Perth. About 260 acres of natural wood
ornament the vicinity of this river ; it consists chiefly of
oak, and is regularly cut and thinned as a coppice. The
prevailing soil is clay ; there are also considerable tracts
of loamy and gravelly earth, with moorish soil resting
upon till. About 8600 acres are cultivated or occa-
sionally ill tillage : the natural wood and the plantations
cover 1 750 acres ; 2.">() acres are moorland, and 100 moss.
All kinds of grain and of green crops are produced ; the
land is in general of tolerable quality, and subjected to
the most improved system of husbandry. Bone-dust and
guano are employed as manure for turnips ; but lime is
METH
MI DD
the manure principally in use, and, as it is liberally ap-
plied, great advantages are derived from it. Potatoes,
especially the Perthshire-red sort, are extensively culti-
vated for the London market; and mangel-wurzel is
raised in considerable quantities. Improvements have
been for some time gradually advancing. Towards the
north, a tract of 1000 acres, which fifty or sixty years
ago was a common, is now divided and fenced, and in a
high state of cultivation; and the extensive drainage that
has been carried on, and the plantations that have been
formed, within the present century, have much improved
the appearance of the parish, increased its productive
powers, and ameliorated the severity or insalubrity of
the climate. The annual value of real property in Methven
now amounts to £! 0,600.
The rocks belong to the old red sandstone or trap
groups. In the line of the river Almond they are gene-
rally of a bright red colour, spotted with grey, but too
soft and friable for building purposes, containing large
proportions of clay and lime. At the bridge of Lynedoch,
however, they are of a pale grey colour, thick-bedded and
fine-grained, remarkably hard, and well suited for archi-
tectural use. Several trap-dykes, of the greenstone class,
cross the country, and the stone is quarried for roads
and causeways. Among the seats in the parish is Bal-
gowan, a residence of the late venerable Lord Lynedoch's ;
and near the river is Lynedoch House, another mansion
of his lordship's, romantically situated, and celebrated
for the beautiful scenery by which it is surrounded.
The chief seat, however, is Methven Castle, standing upon
an eminence in the midst of a park, where it is said that
Bruce was defeated by the Earl of Pembroke. It is an
ancient baronial building, finished in 1680, and subse-
quently improved and enlarged by several proprietors.
In the adjacent grounds is an oak of gigantic stature and
great beauty, called the Pepperwell Oak ; the trunk mea-
sures seventeen feet and a half in girth at three feet above
the ground, and the solid contents of the tree amount to
700 cubic feet. The chief villages are Methven and Al-
mond-Bank, near the latter of which, at Wood-end, is a
weaving establishment fitted up with power-looms, and
employing a considerable number of persons. The popu-
lation of the village of Methven are chiefly occupied in
hand-loom weaving, the work being supplied by resident
agents employed by Perth and Glasgow houses. The
north road from Perth to Glasgow, via Crieff, passes
through Methven. There is a sub-post, connected with
the post-office at Perth ; and markets are held on the
first Thursday in May, and fourth Thursday in October,
chiefly for the sale of cattle.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Perth and synod of Perth
and Stirling ; patron, Robert Smythe, Esq., of Methven
Castle. The stipend of the minister is £274, with a
manse, an elegant edifice built in 1S30, and a glebe of
fifteen acres of good land, valued at £30 per annum,
besides ten acres of moor. Methven church, built in
1782, is a large, substantial, and convenient edifice, con-
taining 1100 sittings : an aisle was built at the expense
of the patron in IS'i.'i, when there was also added a
beautiful spire, nearly 100 feet high, with a public clock.
Here are places of worship for the United Presbyterian
Synod and the Free Church. A parochial school is
maintained, in which Latin and practical mathematics,
•with all the ordinary branches of education, are taught;
253
the master has the maximum salary, with a house, and
fees amounting to about £2.5 or £30 a year. There is a
school at Almond-Bank, supported by Mr. Smythe ; also
a school in the village of Methven supported by the
United Presbyterian congregation. A public subscrip-
tion library here is in a flourishing condition. As a
curiosity, may be mentioned a noble and venerable ash
known by the name of the Bell-tree, which stands in the
church-yard, and is supposed to be coeval with the first
religious establishment in the parish. It measures twenty
feet in circumference at three feet and a half from the
ground, and a few years ago exhibited much magnificent
foliage, which, however, has latterly manifested symptoms
of the withering hand of time. From the estate of Lyne-
doch, General Sir Thomas Graham took his title of
Baron Lynedoch in the peerage of the United Kingdom,
to which dignity he was raised on the 3rd of May, 1814,
in reward of his eminent services in the peninsular war,
and particularly his brilliant victory at Barrosa, March 6,
1811. His lordship died on the 1 8th of December, 1843,
in the ninety-fourth year of his age.
MEY, EAST and WEST, townships, in the parish of
Canisbay, county of Caithness ; one containing 262,
and the other 149, inhabitants. These places lie in the
northern part of the parish, partly on the shore of the
Pentland Firth, and derive their name from the early and
luxuriant verdure on what is called the Bank-Head, in
the spring months. The bay here abounds with lobsters,
and a few boats are engaged in that species of fishery.
On the coast are some curious rocks known as the Men
of Mey, near which is one of two ferries in the parish to
the Orkney Islands, the other being at Huna Inn. The
loch of Mey, situated a little eastward of the Ratter burn,
is a fine sheet of water, about three miles in circum-
ference. The village lies on the main road from Huna
to Castletown ; it is about eighteen miles north-north-
west of Wick, and has a post-office. The population of
both townships are chiefly fishermen.
MID or MIDDLE CALDER.— See Calder, Mid.
— And all places having a similar distinguishing prefix, will
be found under the proper name.
MIDDLEBIE, a parish, in the district of Annan-
dale, county of Dumfries, 2^ miles (N. E. by E.) from
Ecclesfechan ; containing, with the villages of Eagles-
field, Kirtlebridge, and Waterbeck, 2150 inhabitants, of
whom 1482 are in the rural districts. This place, which
consists of the united parishes of Middlebie, Penner-
saughs, and Carruthers, derives its name from a Roman
station in the old parish of Middlebie, which formed the
central post between the stations of Overbie or Upperbie
in the parish of Eskdalemuir, and Netherbie in the
county of Cumberland. The station, situated at Birrens,
is considered one of the most perfect and interesting
remnants of Roman antiquity in Britain, and is identified
with the Blatum Bulgium of Antonine. It occupies an
eminence on the north bank of the Mein near its con-
fluence with a smaller stream, and is of quadrilateral
form, surrounded by five ramparts of earth and four
fosses. Parts of it have been damaged by the inunda-
tions of the river, but the praetorium is still in good pre-
servation. Within the area have been found a statue
of the goddess of the Brigantes, and also of Mercury,
with a votive altar dedicated to the latter, numerous in-
scribed stones, and various other relics of Roman an-
tiquity. Nearly adjoining was a less important camp.
M I DD
M IDD
which, being situated ou the lands of a small proprietor,
has been completely destroyed.
The PARISH is partly bounded on the south-east by
the Kirtle Water, and is about nine miles in length and
four and a half in breadth ; comprising an area of 30,000
acres, whereof nearly JOOO are arable, 350 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder (of which 2000 might be
made arable) pasture, moor, and waste. Its surface,
though generally level, is diversified with gently-rising
hills of moderate height, which, towards the eastern and
north-eastern boundaries, attain almost mountainous
elevation, and are finely contrasted with intervening
valleys of great fertility and in a high state of cultiva-
tion. The Kirtle has its source among the hills near the
north-eastern boundary of Middlebie, and, flowing south-
ward, intersects it in part of its course for some distance,
and then forms its boundary for the remainder of its pro-
gress in connexion with the parish, running through
much romantic scenery. After passing through the pa-
rish of Kirkpatrick-Fleming, it falls into the Solway
Firth at Kirtle-foot, in the parish of Graitney. The
river Mein has its source within the parish, and after
constituting a portion of its western boundary, joins the
Annan at Mein-foot, in the adjoining parish of Hoddam.
There are also several small rivulets, which, as well as
the larger streams, abound with trout ; and the parish
contains numerous springs of excellent water.
The SOIL is various, but generally fertile; in most
places, clay alternated with loam and gravel ; and in the
higher districts, of inferior quality, but well adapted for
pasture. The crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and
turnips, with the usual variety of grasses. The system
of husbandry is in a very advanced state, having been
greatly accelerated in its progress by the encouragement
of the landed proprietors. Much waste land has been
improved by draining, and brought into profitable culti-
vation by a liberal use of lime, of which abundance is
burnt in the parish. The lands have been inclosed ; and
the farm-buildings, formerly of inferior order, have been
generally bettered : they are now substantial and well
arranged, more especially on the lands of the Duke of
Buccleuch, the principal landed proprietor. On the hills
there is excellent pasture for cattle and sheep, of which
considerable numbers are reared. The cattle are mostly
of the Galloway breed, but the cows on the dairy-lands
of the Ayrshire ; the sheep are usually the white-faced.
Large numbers of sheep are bought in the autumn, and,
when fattened in the pastures, sold in the following
spring to dealers for the English markets ; whither, also,
many young oxen arc sent. Swine are fed by tlie cot-
tagers, and great quantities of bacon are forwarded to
Newcastle ; it finds a ready sale, and returns a con-
siderable profit. The plantations consist chiefly of the
various kinds of fir, interspersed with the other usual
trees ; they are mostly well managed and in a thriving
state, and though not extensive, add much to the beauty
of the scenery. The principal substrata are sandstone
and limestone. It is supposed that coal, also, may be
found at a considerable depth below the surface ; and
though some attempts have been made without success,
they have tended rather to increase the probability of
its being eventually wrought. The limestone is of ex-
cellent quality, and is extensively (piarried for u.se in
farming, and also for building ])urposes ; it has con-
tributed greatly to promote the improvement of the
'254
lands not only in this parish, but in the surrounding
districts, to which much of it is sent. The annual value
of real property in Middlebie is £8192.
There are some seats here, the residence of the smaller
landholders, the principal of which are Kirtleton, Black-
woodhouse, and Burnfoot, the first an ancient, and the
two last modern mansions, delightfully situated on the
banks of the Kirtle and the Mein. The several villages of
Eaglesfield, Kirtlebridge, and Waterbeck are described
under their respective heads. The cotton and linen
manufactures are carried on, affording employment to a
considerable number of the inhabitants ; a circulating
library has been established, and there are several friendly
societies. Facility of communication is maintained by
good roads, of which the turnpike-road from Glasgow to
Carlisle passes for two miles through the parish ; the
statute roads here have been much improved within the
last few years, and are kept in excellent repair. Great
facility of intercourse is also afforded by the Caledonian
railway, which has a station near Kirtlebridge ; it crosses
the Mein Water by a viaduct of five arches of thirty
feet span each, and is carried over the beautiful river
Kirtle by a noble viaduct of nine arches, each thirty-six
feet in span. For ecclesiastical purposes the parish
is within the bounds of the presbytery of Annan and
synod of Dumfries. The minister's stipend is about
£220, with a manse, and a glebe valued at about £40 per
annum ; patron, the Duke of Buccleuch. The church,
erected in the year 1S21, is a plain structure, containing
700 sittings. There is a place of worship in the village
of Waterbeck for members of the United Presbyterian
Church. Two parochial schools are maintained, to-
gether affording instruction to about 150 children; the
master of each has a salary of £25. 13., without either
dwelling-house or garden, and the fees average £25 per
annum to each. There are still some remains of a
stronghold called Blacket House, one of the ancient
fortresses occupied during the border warfare ; the ruins
consist chiefly of the tower and portions of the walls,
and are rapidly going to decay. Numerous fossils and
organic remains are found in the limestone quarries ;
and there are several mineral springs, some of which are
strongly impregnated, but they have long been disused
for medicinal purposes. Among the most distinguished
persons connected with this parish was the late Dr.
Currie, of Liverpool, author of the Life of Burns and
other works, whose father was minister. The Duke of
Buccleuch takes the inferior title of Baron Middlebie
from this place.
MIDDLETON, and NORTH MIDDLETON, villages,
in the parish of Borthwick, county of Edinburgh, one
distant 12^, the other 12, miles (S. E. by S.) from Edin-
burgh ; containing respectively 148 and 6s inhabitants.
The first of these places was of some importance ; it was
once the chief village in the parish, and one of the pre-
bends which belonged to the collegiate church of
Crichton. The great road to the south formerly passed
through it ; and it had a stirring population, many of
whom were of the gipsy tribe, who made it one of their
priiK'i|)al places of abode. It has, however, become re-
markalily quiet and retired, the inhabitants being occu-
pied in agriculture and sucii handicraft trades as are
necessary to small communities ; there are two farm-
houses in the vicinity. North Middleton is on the road
side, aii<l consists of a line of cottages, most of which
MID M
MILL
have been built within the last twenty or thirty years.
Two streams, called the North and South Middleton
burns, unite at the termination of a neck of land on
which the castle of Borthwick stands, when they assume
the name of the Gore. Middleton House, built in 1710,
is surrounded by an extensive wood of tall beech-trees,
and has an air of genteel seclusion : the gardens at-
tached to it are exceedingly admired.
MIDDLETON, a hamlet, in the parish of Orwell,
county of Kinross, 3 miles (N. E.) from Kinross ; con-
taining 66 inhabitants. It lies in the eastern part of the
parish, and is a small place, distant a little more than a
mile from Milnathort, the chief village. The cottages of
which it consists are built on the high road leading to
Kinross.
MIDLEM, a village, in the parish of Bowden, dis-
trict of Melrose, county of Roxburgh, 4 miles (S. S.
W.) from Melrose; containing 185 inhabitants. It is
situated in the south-western part of the parish, and
consists of about fifty families, some of them en-
gaged in manufactures and handicraft trades, but the
greater number employed in agriculture. The town of
Selkirk is distant westward from the village about three
miles and a half. The United Original Seceders have
here a place of worship ; and a school on the parochial
establishment is attended by about forty-five children,
of whom those of paupers are taught gratuitously : the
master, who instructs in the usual branches, receives a
salary of fi^l, and the fees.
MIDMAR, a parish, in the district of Kincardine
O'Neil, county of Aberdeen, 15 miles (AY.) from the
city of Aberdeen ; containing 1093 inhabitants. Midmar,
a term supposed to be compounded of the Saxon word mid,
and the Gaelic word marr denoting " a black forest",
is the name of one of the three great divisions of the ex-
tensive region originally styled Marr, which lies between
the rivers Dee and Don. This district of Marr com-
prised Brae-Marr, an appellation expressive of the highest
part of the country ; Cro-Marr, a lower and more cul-
tivated tract ; and Mid-Marr, so called, as is thought,
from its central situation in respect to the two rivers,
each being distant about six miles from the church.
The parish is nearly seven miles in length from east to
west, and about five miles in average breadth, contain-
ing between 12,000 and 13,000 acres, of which 5000 or
6000 are under cultivation, 1600 in plantations, 1000
pasture, and the remainder hill, moss, and moor. Its
surface is rugged and uneven, and marked principally
by two hilly ridges with their vales. The lower grounds
are enlivened by pleasing rivulets and burns, and those
parts of the eminences where the soil is too thin for the
operations of the plough are planted with Scotch firs,
which flourish tolerably well, and are not only a great
improvement to the scenery, but form a protection to the
lands and the cattle from the severity of the weather.
The hill of Fare, at the southern limit, is the most con-
siderable elevation, measuring at its base seventeen
miles in circumference, and rising nearly 1800 feet above
the level of the sea. It affords excellent pasturage for
numerous flocks of sheep, and the mutton is reputed to
be of very superior flavour. In the northern and
eastern parts of the parish the soil is a good dry mould,
resting on a deep subsoil of clay ; in the western quarter,
where the hills sink into the lower grounds, it is princi-
pally a thin sandy or clayey earth, with a little loam, on
255
a gravelly subsoil. The grain raised consists chiefly of
oats and bear, and the green crops consist of turnips and
potatoes. Black-cattle and sheep are reared in con-
siderable numbers, and many swine are also fattened
for the market. The land varies greatly in ijuality, and
much of it is wet and mossy, and rented at a very low
rate : but large tracts have been reclaimed and improved
during the present century, and in some parts the fields
have been inclosed with good stone dykes. Many of
the farm houses and offices have been enlarged, or re-
built on a better plan ; and agricultural advancement is
steadily kept in view by the farmers throughout the
parish. The rocks are mostly granite and whinstone,
both of which are quarried ; the former is sometimes
obtained of superior quality, and in large blocks, and on
account of its taking a fine polish is used for the orna-
mental parts of buildings. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Midmar is £4475.
The mansions of Kebbaty and Corsindae are both
modern structures, the houses of resident proprietors.
Midmar Castle, an ancient turreted edifice, is situated
in a kind of glen on the north side of the hill of Fare,
and is surrounded by wood : it commands fine views of
the nearer scenery, consisting of hills and valleys beau-
tifully grouped, and enriched with shrubs and trees ;
and is itself an interesting and conspicuous object at a
distance, being seen to great advantage from many parts
of the adjacent country. The population is entirely
rural and agricultural : the fuel in common use is wood
and peat ; the former is very cheap, and the latter is
procured in great plenty from the mosses in the parish.
A road runs on the north from the vale of Alford, and
another on the south from the Cromar district, both to
Aberdeen, to which place the marketable produce is
generally sent. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the
presbytery of Kincardine O'Neil, synod of Aberdeen, and
in the patronage of the Crown and Sir John Forbes, of
Craigievar, Bart., the latter presenting twice in succes-
sion. The minister's stipend is £224, with a manse,
built in 1S40, and a glebe valued at £14 per annum.
Midmar church, which accommodates 600 persons, is a
very plain structure, built in 17S7. There are places of
worship for the United Presbyterian Church and the
Free Church. The parochial school affords instruction
in Latin and in practical mathematics, in addition to the
usual elementary branches ; the master has a salary of
£34, with a house, a share in the Dick bequest, and
£19 fees. A parochial library of considerable size is
supported by subscription. Near the church are some
Druidical remains, with an altar in good preservation.
An excavation in a rock near the southern boundary of
the parish is still called the "Queen's Chair", Queen
Mary, as is said, having sat in it when, returning from
Aberdeen, she surveyed the neighbouring valley of Cor-
richie, where a battle had been fought between the forces
of the Marquess of Huntly and the Earl of Murray,
Mary's general.
MIGVIE, county of Aberdeen.— See Tarland.
MILE-END, a village, in the parish of Barony,
suburbs of the city of Glasgow, county of Lanark;
containing 2716 inhabitants.
MILL OF HALDEN, a village, in the parish of
BoNHiLL, county of Dumbarton, 1| mile (N.) from
the village of Bonhill ; containing 147 inhabitants. This
place lies on the high road from Drymen to Dumbarton,
MILL
M I LN
a little eastward of the river Leven, and near the south-
ern extremity of Loch Lomond. The inhabitants are
engaged for the most part in the bleaching and printing
works, and other branches of industry, which have in-
creased considerably of late years within the parish.
MILL, WEST, a village, in the parish of Cockpen,
county of Edinburgh ; containing 124 inhabitants.
MILLARSTON, a village, in the Abbey parish of
the town of Paisley, and Upper ward of the county
of Renfrew ; containing 364 inhabitants. This place,
■with Maxwelton and Ferguslie, forms the western suburb
of the town of Paisley, and is comprehended within the
parliamentary burgh. — See Paisley.
MILBAY, a village, in the parish of Kilbrandon
and Kilchattan, district of Lorn, county of Argyll,
This is one of several villages or hamlets in the parish
built in the neighbourhood of slate-quarries ; but some
of the quarries are not now wrought to any extent.
MILLBREX, a district, in the parishes of Fvvie
and MoNQUHiTTER, district of Turriff, county of
Aberdeen, 6 miles (S. W. by W.) from New Deer ;
containing 939 inhabitants. It is a mission station of
the Committee for managing the Royal Bounty in Scot-
land ; and has a church built in 1S33, and enlarged in
1836, containing about 500 sittings. The edifice is so
placed as to accommodate the inhabitants of the northern
part of Fyvie parish and those of the southern part of
Monquhitter ; three-fourths of the district are in the
former parish, and one-fourth in the latter. The Earl of
Aberdeen, who is chief proprietor of Millbrex, contributed
handsomely towards the erection of the church, for which
he gave the site ; and allocated laud as glebe for its
minister. A manse and offices were built in 1S35 ; and
it is proposed to found a school on the parochial foot-
ing, in connexion with the Establishment : there is at
present a Sunday school.
MILLBRIDGE, a hamlet, in the parish of Cath-
cart. Upper ward of the county of Renfrew ; con-
taining 22 inhabitants.
MILLERHILL, EASTER and WESTER, villages,
in the parish of Newton, county of Edinburgh, 1^
mile (N. W. by N.) from Dalkeith ; one containing 220,
and the other 70, inhabitants. They lie in the south-
eastern part of the parish, a short distance cast of the
village of Newton, and are chiefly inhabited by persons
engaged in the coal-mines of the district.
MILLERSTON, a village, in the parish of Barony,
suburbs of the city of Glasgow, Lower ward of the
county of Lanark ; containing 466 inhabitants.
MILLFIELD, a hamlet, in the parish of Inver-
keillor, county of Forfar ; containing 65 inhabitants.
It is one of several small hamlets in the parish, all in-
considerable, the village of Inverkeillor, the principal
place within its limits, containing little more than double
the population of MiUfield.
MILLGUY, county .Stirling. — .See Milngavie.
^ MILLHEUGIl, a village, in that portion of the
parish of Dalserf which formed part of the quoad sacra
district of Larkhall, Middle ward of the county of
Lanark, 1 mile (W. by S.) from Larkhall j containing
384 inhabitants. This village is situated in the north-
western part of the parish, and in a narrow valley on the
banks of the river Avon, through which passes the road
from (ilasgow to Carlisle. It is a place of some anti-
quity, and formerly had a distillery, a brewery, and some
256
factories, all of which have disappeared ; its population,
howevtr, is engaged in various other branches of in-
dustry, and a bleachfield has been established, affording
employment to a considerable number of hands. The
village of Rosebank nearly adjoins Millheugh.
MILLIGS, a village, in the parish of Row, county of
Dumbarton; containing 241 inhabitants. It is situ-
ated close to Helensburgh, a little northward of that
town, and on the east side of the Gareloch, near its
mouth. The village is distant about two miles from
that of Row, where is a ferry across the loch to Rose-
neath. Here were anciently two chapels, one on the
farm of Kirkmichael, which received its name from the
saint to whom the chapel was dedicated, and the other
on the farm of Millig, called after the same saint, and
until lately presenting some ruins. ,
MILLPORT, a village, in the island and parish of "~^,
Great Cumbray, county of Bute ; containing 817 in-
habitants. This is a modern village, pleasantly situated
in the south-east corner of the island, and having a com-
modious harbour capable of admitting vessels of consi-
derable burthen, the depth at low water being six feet,
and at high water fourteen. The anchorage ground is
of large extent, and finely sheltered by two small rocky
islands, called the Allans, to which vessels resorting
hither in stormy weather are moored, by means of iron
rings fastened in the rocks, so as to ride in perfect
safety. A fine pier was erected, chiefly by the late
Marquess of Bute. Several vessels belong to the port,
some of the burthen of forty tons ; and it is regularly
visited by the Clyde steamers from Glasgow. The vil-
lage is thriving, and is a great summer resort for sea-
bathing, having excellent accommodation for that pur-
pose ; it contains some good lodging-houses, and the
dwellings in general are neat, and of cleanly appearance.
The inhabitants are engaged in fishing, weaving, and
other pursuits : there are about sixty looms, and plain
and fancy work is executed in great variety for the Glas-
gow manufacturers. The parish church, which is situ-
ated here, was built in 1837, and is a handsome edifice,
ornamented with a tower, and containing 750 sittings.
Here are also the parochial school, another day school,
and two Sunday schools ; a small library, a friendly
society, and one or two other useful institutions.
MILLTOWN, a village, in the parish of Rothiemay,
county of Banff, 7 miles (W. by N.) from luverkeithny ;
containing 79 inhabitants. This is a small village, situ-
ated on the northern bank of the Doveron, at the point
where that river begins to divide the parish. It is sur-
rounded by well-inclosed fields and woods, which, with
fields and woods on the opposite side of the river, rising
by a gradual ascent to a great height, form much rich
and Ijeautiful scenery, seldom equalled, for the same
extent, in any part of the kingdom. Here is an excellent
meal-mill. The church and manse arc in the vicinity of
the villuee, as is Rothiemay House, a fine seat of the
Earl of I'^ife's.
MILNATHORT, or Mills of Forth, a village, in V
the parish of Orwell, county of Kinross, 1 mile (N.) '
from Kinross ; containing 1605 inhabitants. This is a
considerable village, pleasantly seated in the south-eastern
part of the parish, about three-quarters of a mile north-
west of Loch Leven, and on the high road between
Kinross and Perth ; it is of very neat appearance, and i.s
lighted with gas. Its inhabitants are partly engaged in
M I L N
MILT
weaving cotton goods for the Glasgow manufacturers.
The chief manufacture, however, is that of tartan shawls
and plaids, which has in a measure superseded that of
cotton goods ; and spacious workshops have been erected,
adapted to the use of larger looms, and the more con-
stant employment of a greater number of persons. Some
of the tartan weavers obtain work from Tillicoultry, but
the majority are employed by resident manufacturers.
A market is held weekly, and is well attended by the
agents of distilleries in distant places for the purchase
of grain, this being the only grain-market in the county :
an attempt was made to establish also a market for
cheese, butter, and poultry, but without success. Fairs
for cattle are held on the Thursday before Christmas,
and the second Thursday in February ; and for cattle,
sheep, and horses in the beginning of May, July, and
November, and the end of August. This place has
latterly much increased in population, and has now,
among other institutions, a post-office ; a public library
of 1 .500 volumes, supported by subscription, under the
management of a proprietary of forty members ; a paro-
chial library of about 500 volumes, in connexion with
the Established Church ; and two other libraries, in
connexion with dissenting congregations. The members
of the Free Church have a place of worship in the village
of Milnathort.
(S MILNGAVIE, a village, and for a time a quoad
sacra parish, in that part of the parish of New Kil-
PATRiCK which is in the county of Stirling, 7 miles
(N. W. by N.) from Glasgow; containing leSS inhabit-
ants, of whom 1432 are in the village. This district,
which was separated for ecclesiastical purposes from the
parish under act of the General Assembly, comprised
but a small territory surrounding the village. The vil-
lage, situated on the river Allander, has increased greatly
in extent and population since the establishment of
cotton-works and other branches of manufacture, and
has become a place of considerable importance. Its
houses are neatly built ; a library is supported by sub-
scription ; and there are numerous good shops amply
stored with various kinds of merchandise for the supply
of the neighbourhood. The printing of calico, for which
there is a very extensive establishment, affords occupa-
tion to between 300 and 400 persons ; the cotton-factory,
lately enlarged, employs 200, and more than eighty
persons are employed in the bleaching of cotton and
linen, of which about 4,000,000 of yards are annually
bleached. There are several corn-mills. A post-office
has been opened under that of Glasgow, and every facility
of communication is afforded by the various roads that
pass through the parish. A school, built by subscrip-
tion, is under the superintendence of a committee.
MILNTOWN, a village, in the parish of Kilmuir
Easter, county of Ross and Cromarty, 9 miles (S.)
from Tain ; containing 200 inhabitants. This village is
situated on the high road from Tain to Inverness, and
near the northern shore of Cromarty Firth. It consists
of some neatly-built houses and numerous cottages to
which are attached small portions of ground. The in-
habitants are chiefly engaged in the various handicraft
trades requisite for the supply of the immediate vicinity,
and there are several shops for the sale of different
kinds of goods. A post-office, which has a daily delivery,
is established at Parkhill, in the village ; and fairs for
sheep, cattle, and agricultural produce are held on the
Vol. II.— 257
first Tuesday in January, the third Tuesdays in March
and May, and the last Tuesday in October.
MILTON, a village, in the parish of Old Kilpa-
trick, county of Dumbarton, 8 miles (E. by S.) from
Dumbarton; containing 341 inhabitants. This is one
of a cluster of villages in a large manufacturing district
in the eastern part of the parish, and derives its pros-
perity from extensive cotton- works established by Wil-
liam Dunn, Esq., a wealthy and enterprising landowner
here, about the year 1821. The factory was built on
the site of the old Dalnotter iron-works ; a bleachfield
and some printing-works were subsequently added, and
they are all now in full operation, employing the whole
population of the village and its immediate neighbour-
hood : a powerful steam-engine was erected in 1835.
The quantity of cotton goods annually produced at this
place, and at the mills of Duntocher, Faifley, and Hard •
gate, within less than a mile of the village, may be stated
at 2,000,000 of yards. The road from Dumbarton to
Kirkintilloch passes through the district. A school has
been established for the children of the work-people.
MILTON, a village, in the parish of Glammis,
county of Forfar, If mile (S.) from Glammis ; contain-
ing 83 Inhabitants. This place lies In the glen of Ogllvie,
and on the great road from Kirriemuir to Dundee. The
glen, anciently the property of the Ogilvies of Powrle,
afterwards of Graham of Claverhouse (Viscount Dundee),
and now of Lord Douglas, is very beautiful ; and the
village Is usually called after It, " Milton of Glen of
Ogllvie." The Glammis burn passes through the vale.
MILTON, a hamlet, in the parish of St. Cyrus,
county of Kincardine, 65 miles (N. N. E.) from Mont-
rose ; containing 34 inhabitants. It is situated on the
coast, and is a small fishing-place, consisting of a group
of cottages. The former village of Milton of Mathers
was built on an ancient shingle beach protected by a
projecting ledge of limestone rock ; this rock was quar-
ried for lime to such an extent that the sea broke
through in 1795, carried away the village in one night,
and penetrated 150 yards inward, where it has main-
tained itself ever since. The present hamlet was built
further inward, on the new shore. The lime-works In
this neighbourhood were discontinued about 1836.
MILTON, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish of Barony, suburbs of the city of Glasgow,
Lower ward of the county of Lanark, 2 miles (N. E.)
from Glasgow ; containing 5364 Inhabitants. The vil-
lage of Milton is in the northern part of Barony parish,
and on the Perth road. The church was erected by the
Church-Building Society of Glasgow ; it Is a neat struc-
ture with 1060 sittings.
MILTON, a village, in the parish of Campsie,
county of Stirling ; containing 564 inhabitants. Faci-
lity of intercourse is afforded by a station on the Campsie
branch of the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway.
MILTON, in the parish of Dunipace, county of
Stirling. — See Herbertshire.
MILTON of BALGONIE, a considerable village, and
also a quoad sacra parish, in the parish of Markinch,
district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife ; containing, with
the villages of Balcurvie, Haugh-Mill, Burns, and Windy-
gates, 1408 Inhabitants, of whom 592 are in the village
of Milton, li mile (E. S. E.) from Markinch. The village
takes its name from the extensive mills around which it
has arisen ; it is situated on the river Leven, and consists
2 L
MING
MINN
of neat substantial cottages inhabited chiefly by persons
employed in the mills. Since 1S36 it has greatly in-
creased in extent and population. The mills for the
spinning of flax and tow are the property of Messrs.
Baxter and Stewart, and form a spacious structure,
occupying three sides of a quadrangle 160 feet in length
and 140 feet in width. Two sides of the quadrangle
comprise the buildings for the machinery, which is pro-
pelled by the water of the Leven ; and the third side
contains three spacious warehouses, above which are
heckling rooms. In detached situations are a warehouse
capable of holding 200 tons of flax, a smithy, gas-works
from which the factory is lighted, and stabling. The
total cost of raw materials consumed in a late year was
£25,000 ; the quantity manufactured was 475 tons of
flax, imported from the Baltic, Archangel, Holland,
France, and Ireland. The number of persons generally
emploj'ed is about 270, of whom 120 are women and
fifty children. The finer yarns spun here are sold in
the adjoining districts, or exported to France ; the
heavier are manufactured into canvass, sacking, and
other articles, chiefly for the London market. This
latter branch of the establishment is at present carried
on at Dundee, but will be soon removed to this place,
when the number of persons employed in the concern
will be augmented by an addition of 100 men and fifty
women. In the east end of the district is the Haugh
spinning-mill, a very extensive factory ; also the Cameron
distillery, one of the largest works of this description in
Scotland. The Balgonie bleachfield, the property of
Messrs. William Russell and Company, was established
for the bleaching of linen yarns : the works, which are
situated on the banks of the Leven, afford employment
to about seventy, persons, and the quantity of yarn an-
nually averages 480 tons. Milton quoad sacra parish is
about three miles and a half in length, and nearly three
miles in breadth, comprising an area of eight square
miles. The church was erected in 1836, at an expense
of £850, of which £140 were a grant from the funds of
the General Assembly, and the remainder raised by sub-
scription ; it is a neat building containing 625 sittings.
There are week-day and Sabbath schools in the village
and in Balcurvie. Balgonie Castle, in the neighbour-
hood of Milton village, an ancient seat of the Earls of
Leven, is of considerable strength, and supposed to be
an erection of the twelfth century : its architecture is
still very entire; the court-yard is 108 feet by sixty-five
feet, and the tower on the north side is eighty feet in
height.
MILTON, WHINS of, county of Stirling.— See
Whins of Milton.
^ MINGALA, an island, in the parish of Barra, county
of Inverness ; containing 1 13 inhabitants. This is one
of the most southern of the Barra isles, and is about
two miles in length, and one mile and three-quarters in
breadth. It is separated, on the north, from Pabba by
the sound of Miiigala; and from Bernera, on the south-
west, by the sound of that name. The coast around is
bold and rocky, and in some ])arts the ground rises to a
great height ; the island is chiefly pastoral, and near it
is a rock whose summit is covered with luxuriant ver-
dure, to which the sheep are elevated by ropes, and left
to pasture for the season. Iiniumcrahle sea-fowl visit
the cliffs at the period of incubation, and disappear with
their young in autumn.
258
MINNIGAFF, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirk^'C
CUDBRIGHT ; Containing, with the village of Creebridgei
1826 inhabitants, of whom 170 are in the village of
MinnigafF, ^ a mile (N.) from Newton-Stewart. This
place, the name of which is in the Gaelic language mi-
nutely descriptive of its dark mountainous aspect, formed
part of the territories of the ancient Earls of Galloway,
who resided in the baronial castle of Garlics, of which
there are still some remains within a mile and a half of
the village of MinnigafF. During the contest for the
throne between Baliol and Bruce, the latter, aftqr his
defeat by the English at Carrick, retired to this district
with his followers, and encamped in the secluded wilds
at the head of Loch Dee. Bruce lodged at night in the
cottage of a poor widow at Craigencallie ; and being dis-
covered by his hostess, who had three sons by three
different husbands, they all entered into his service, and
remained zealous adherents to his cause. At their sug-
gestion the followers of Bruce, not more than 300 in
number, and greatly inferior to the English, who had
encamped on the opposite side of the river Dee, collected
all the wild horses and goats they could find in the
neighbourhood ; and from the noise thus occasioned,
the English, thinking that Bruce had procured a large
reinforcement, did not venture beyond the precincts of
their camp. In the night Bruce attacked the English,
and obtained an easy victory over his enemies, who,
fancying themselves assailed by a superiority of numbers,
fled with precipitation, many of them being killed in
their retreat. The three sons of the widow, whose names
were Mc Kie, Murdoch, and Mc Lurg, received from
Bruce, after his establishment on the throne, the lands
of Hassock and Cumloden in recompense for their ser-
vices. On the death of the descendant of Mc Kie with-
out male issue, a portion of the lands passed to the
family of Heron, of Heron, by marriage with Margaret,
his only daughter and heiress ; this portion is now the
property of Lady Heron Maxwell. Cumloden, which
was the portion of Murdoch, the second son, was sold
by his descendant to the Stewart family in the last cen-
tury, and now belongs to the Earl of Galloway.
The parish is bounded on the east by the Dee, which
divides it from the parishes of Kells and Carsphairn ;
and on the west by the river Cree. It is nearly twenty-
four miles in length and from eight to twelve miles in
breadth, comprising an area of 86,787 acres, of which
6000 are arable and in cultivation, about 1600 acres
■woodland and plantations, and the remainder moorland
pasture and waste. The surface is mountainous, in-
cluding a considerable portion of the hilly range extend-
ing from .St. Abb's Head on the eastern coast. The
highest of the hills is the Meyrick, whicli has an eleva-
tion of 2500 from the level of the sea ; and that of
Cairnsmuir, though of inferior height, yet, rising from a
less elevated base, appears almost equally lofty. The
summit of the latter hill commands a most extensive
and richly-varied prospect, embracing the valley of the
Palnure, the wooded demesnes of the Cairnsmuir and
Bargally mansions, the river Cree, the town of Newton-
Stewart, parts of AVigtownshire diversified with hill and
dale, the burgh of Kirkcudbright, and other interesting
features, with the Isle of Man ami the mountains of
Ireland and of Cumljcrland in the distance. For several
miles along the banks of the Cree, the ground is level,
forming a fine tract of carse land, but not of any consi-
MINN
MINN
derable breadth, in a high state of cultivation. There
are numerous springs ; and of several picturesque lakes
the largest are Loth Trool, environed with hills, and
Loch Dee, neither of which, however, exceeds two miles
in length. The streams and lakes abound with trout ;
salmon are found in the Cree, and sea-trout in the months
of June and July.
In this parish the soil is various, generally of a dry
gravelly kind, but in some parts a tenacious clay inter-
spersed with moss, which, however, at a moderate ex-
pense, might be reclaimed and brought into profitable
cultivation. The crops are, grain of all sorts, with pota-
toes and turnips, and the different grasses. The system
of agriculture is advanced, and the lands have in several
parts been well drained. Some of the farm- buildings
within the last few years have been rebuilt in a more
substantial and commodious manner, and most of the
recent improvements in implements of husbandry have
been adopted. Many cattle are reared and pastured in
the parish ; they are chiefly of the pure native Galloway
breed, and great attention is paid to the bettering of the
stock : there are also about 35,000 sheep, which are of
the black-faced breed with the exception of a few of the
Leicestershire on the lower lands. The substrata are
mainly greywacke and clay-slate ; granite occurs in
boulders at various places, and at Craigdhews in large
masses, from which blocks have been cut for building
purposes. Lead-ore is found in the south-western por-
tion of the parish, and was formerly wrought to a con-
siderable extent ; but having lately become unproduc-
tive, the mines have been discontinued. The annual
value of real property in Minnigaff is £10,976.
The most extensive and important portion remaining
of the ancient forest of the district is the Cree wood, on
the estate of Garlics, the property of the Earl of Gallo-
way ; it extends for nearly three miles along the banks
of the Cree, and consists chiefly of oak, intermixed with
ash, hazel, and birch. Around the castle of Garlics are
also about 500 acres of plantations, the greater portion
of recent date. Kirouchtree, the seat of Lady Heron
Maxwell, is beautifully situated in a well-planted de-
mesne ; and near the house are many trees of venerable
growth. Cumloden Cottage, the summer residence of
the Earl of Galloway, was built by Lieutenant-General Sir
William Stewart, K. C. B., who commanded the troops em-
barked with Lord Nelson in the expedition to Copenhagen,
and who served under the Duke of Wellington in Spain
and Portugal : he died at Cumloden Cottage in 1827.
Cairnsmuir and Bargally are both houses well situated.
The village of MinnigafiF, near the confluence of the
rivers Cree and Penkill, though formerly a place of some
extent and importance, has since the erection of Newton-
Stewart in Wigtownshire dwindled into a hamlet. About
a quarter of a mile below it, a street of good houses
called Creebridge has been built near a bridge over the
river, a handsome structure of granite of five arches,
from which the street takes its name, and which leads
into the town of Newton-Stewart. The chief manufac-
ture is that of cotton, in which sixteen persons are em-
ployed, and at Cumloden the weaving of blankets and
coarse plaids occupies about twelve persons. Facility
of communication is afforded by the road from Port-
patrick to Dumfries, by a turnpike-road to New Gallo-
way, and by the Ayrshire road via Straiton, which last
passes for many miles through the upper part of the
259
parish. The Cree is navigable for vessels of forty tons
to Port-Carty, about a mile south of Newton-Stewart;
and at Palnure is a small wharf, where grain and other
agricultural produce are shipped for Liverpool, and coal
and lime imported for the supply of the district.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Wigtown and synod of Gal-
loway. The minister's stipend is £245. 4. 10., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per annum ; patron,
the Crown. The church, erected in 1836 after a design
by Mr. Burn of Edinburgh, at a cost of £1800, is an
elegant structure in the later English style of architec-
ture, with a square embattled tower, and contains 850
sittings ; the interior is well arranged, and the east
window embellished with stained glass. In the church-
yard is a monument to Sir William Stewart, above men-
tioned. A church has since been erected at Bargrennan,
in the upper part of the parish, to which a district has
been assigned ; there are 207 sittings, and the duty is
performed by a licentiate, who has a stipend of £50 per
annum, towards which the Earl of Galloway contributes
£20, and Colonel Stopford Blair of Penninghame, and
the Rev. Mr. Johnstone, £10 each. In the parish is
also a place of worship for members of the Free Church.
The parochial school is attended by about seventy chil-
dren ; the master has a salary of £34, with a house and
garden, and the fees, about £30. There is also a school
at Bargrennan, of which the master receives a salary of
£23 per annum from Lord Galloway, Col. Blair, and
others, in addition to the fees. A school in which
twenty-five girls are taught reading, writing, and arith-
metic, and needle-work, is supported by the Countess of
Galloway; and there is a Sabbath school, to which is
attached a library of about 400 volumes. A clothing
club was instituted a few years since by Lady Galloway,
who adds to the weekly deposits one-half of the amount
at the end of the year : a similar institution is under
the patronage of Lady Heron Maxwell.
On the summit of a bank at the junction of the Cree
and the Penkill, is a mound which appears to have been
anciently a seat for administering justice ; and there are
various others in the parish. Several tumuli have been
opened, in which were found human bones and military
weapons. On the lands of Kirouchtree, in forming the
plantations, a large mound was opened, covered on the
top with clay, under which were ashes, and, beneath, a
vitrified substance about an inch in thickness, on re-
moving which a circular wall was discovered, inclosing
an area filled with red ashes to the depth of three feet.
Below these was a flagstone six feet long and three feet
wide, covering a pit, where a human body was found,
which on exposure to the air crumbled into dust. About
a mile from Creebridge, on the Dumfries road, is a tu-
mulus supposed to cover the remains of the slain in some
battle of the Scots with the Romans or the Picts.
MINNYHIVE, a village, in the parish of Glen- A
CAIRN, county of Dumfries, 17 miles (N. W. by W.)
from Dumfries ; containing 667 inhabitants. It is situ-
ated nearly in the centre of the parish, on the south
bank of the small river Dalwhat, one of three streams
that unite a little below the village, and form the Cairn.
This place has latterly much increased in extent and
population, and the houses which have recently been
built are of a superior description ; the inhabitants are
partly engaged in agriculture, and partly in handicraft
2 L2
MINT
MINT
trades and manufactures. A post-office has been esta-
blished ; and fairs are held in March, July, and October,
chiefly for hiring servants. The Dalwhat is crossed here
by a bridge leading to the pleasant village of Dunreg-
gan ; and the turnpike-road from Dumfries passes in the
vicinity. In Minnyhive is a cross, erected about the year
1638, when a charter was granted constituting the place
a burgh of barony, with power to hold a weekly market.
Within a quarter of a mile, on rising ground, a monu-
ment was erected in 1S2S to the memory of the Rev.
James Renwick, executed at Edinburgh in 1688, and
popularly known as " the last of the martyrs".
MINTLAW, a village, in the parish of Longside,
district of Buchan, county of Aberdeen, S^ miles (W.
by N.) from Peterhead ; containing about 240 inhabit-
ants. It is situated at the junction of the high roads
from Fraserburgh to Aberdeen and Peterhead to Banff,
and two miles and a half from the village of Longside.
It is of modern date, having been built in the present
century, and contains a post-office for the surrounding
district. The mail from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh passes
through the village. Fairs for cattle, sheep, and horses
are held here on the Tuesdays after the SSth February,
14th April, 14th June, '25th August, 7th October, and
14th December.
0 MINTO, a parish, in the district of Jedburgh,
county of Roxburgh; containing, with part of the
suppressed parish of Hassendean, 45.5 inhabitants, of
whom 90 are in the village of Minto, 5| miles (N. E. by
E.) from Hawick, and the remainder in the rural dis-
tricts of the parish. This place, the name of which is
of very questionable origin, is of considerable antiquity.
It anciently formed part of the possessions of the power-
ful families of the Stewarts and the Turnbulls : the
estate afterwards belonged to the Riddells, and was pur-
chased before the Union by Sir Gilbert Elliot, a lord of
session ; ancestor of the Earl of Minto, lord privy seal, the
present proprietor of the estate, and one of the four heri-
tors in the parish. Minto comprises a considerable por-
tion of the parishof Hassendean, of which the church, with
the larger part of the lands, was granted by David I. to
the Bishop of Glasgow. The parish is nearly four miles
in length, and about two miles and a half in breadth,
and is bounded on the nortli by the parish of Lillieslcaf,
on the east by the parish of Ancrum, on the south partly
by the parish of Cavers and the river Teviot, and on the
west by the parish of Wilton. Its surface is broken by
frequent undulations more or less bold, leaving but a
very small proportion of level grovnid. The highest of
the hills is about 900 feet above the level of the sea.
They are richly covered with verdure ; and a congeries
of rocks forms an elevated ridge called the Minto Craigs,
overhanging the vale of Teviot, to which, with their
wooded summits, they give a character of peculiar beauty.
The Craigs rise to a mean elevation of "OO feet, aiul the
country adjoining is indented with several small glens
watered by rivulets descending from tlie higher grounds,
and which in the winter months assume the velocity of
torrents. One of the glens, near the western extremity
of the parish, is strikingly beautiful, and has been taste-
fully laid out in walks, leading to the diiferent points from
which its richest scenery may be observed. Another,
of narrower dimensions, is planted with evergreens of
every variety ; and the stream tiiut flows through it,
being intercepted in its progress by an artificial barrier,
260
spreads into a beautiful sheet of water, forming beneath
a pleasing cascade. A pathway from this glen leads to
the Minto Craigs, the base of which is concealed by
large masses of rock that have fallen from the heights
at various times, and accumulated on the spot ; and
large projections from the craggy precipice threaten
every moment to add to their number. Among these
rugged heights are some intervals of level rock, said to
have been the retreats of border chieftains ; and on one
of them are the ruins of an ancient tower, from which a
romantic and boldly varied prospect is obtained.
The SOIL is very various, in some parts tolerably fer-
tile, and the hills afford good pasturage for sheep and
young cattle. The whole number of acres in the parish
is estimated at 4500, of which nearly 2000 are arable,
1400 in permanent pasture, and about 800 in wood.
The crops are, grain of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips ;
the system of agriculture is in an improved state, and
the rotation plan of husbandry in use. Bone-dust has
been introduced as manure ; the lands have been well
drained and inclosed, and the farm-buildings are gene-
rally substantial and w-ell arranged. The sheep are of
the Cheviot and Leicestershire breeds, and the cattle of
the short-horned breed. The woods principally consist
of oak, elm, ash, and Scotch, spruce, larch, and silver
firs ; some of the larch-trees have attained to a remark-
ably line growth, and of all the older timber there are
numerous stately specimens. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £4211. Minto House, the
property of the Earl of Minto, is a spacious and elegant
mansion, finely situated in an extensive demesne richly
wooded, and abounding with picturesque and strikingly
romantic scenery. Teviot-bank House, recently erected,
is a handsome mansion in the early English style of
architecture, commanding many highly interesting views.
The village is neatly built, and inhabited by persons
chiefly employed in agricultural pursuits ; it has a facility
of communication with the neighbouring towns by good
roads, and on the west of it runs the Edinburgh and
Hawick railway.
For ecclesiastical purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Jedburgh and synod of
Merse and Teviotdale. The stipend of the incumbent
is £206 : the manse, lately erected, is a very handsome
and comfortable residence pleasantly situated, and the
glebe has been valued at £40 per annum. Minto church
is an elegant and substantial edifice built in 1832, in the
later English style of architecture, and is adapted for
a congregation of 350 persons. The parochial school-
master has a salary of £34, with a house and garden,
and the fees average £25 per annum, to which may be
added the interest of £100 bequeatheil for the education
of the poor. There are no remains of the church of
Hassendean, the very site of which has been covered by
encroachments of the river Teviot : of the ancient tower
or stronghold of Hassendean only a slight vestige is
left; and of the fortress of Miiito nothing is left but the
site, on which the ])resent house has been erected. On
the summit of the Craigs are the remains of an ancient
peel called Fatlips Castle, supposed to have been a strong-
hold of the Tiiriibull family. When taking down the old
church of Minto in 1H3I, under the (omidation of one
of the walls wire discovered 400 silver coins of the reigns
of ICdward I., H., and III., of England, and some of the
reigns of Alexander and Robert, Kings of Scotland.
MOCH
MO F F
^ MOCHRUM, a parisb, in the county of Wigtown ;
containing, with the villages of Eldrig, Kirk of Moch-
rum, and Port-William, '2539 inhabitants, of whom 187
are in the village of Kirk of Mochrum, 7^ miles (S. W.)
from Wigtown. This jilace, the name of which is alto-
gether of unknown derivation, appears to have formed
part of the possessions of the Dunbar family, having
been conferred about the year 1368 upon the second son
of Patrick, Earl of Mar, their ancestor. Among his
descendants, who were subsequently raised to the dignity
of baronets, the most distinguished was Gavin, son of Sir
John Dunbar, who, having devoted himself to study,
was in 1504 made prior of Whithorn, and in 1522 suc-
ceeded James Beaton as archbishop of Glasgow. In
1526 he was made lord chancellor of Scotland, and in
1536 was chosen one of the lords of the regency during
the absence of James V. at the court of France while
celebrating his marriage with Magdalene, daughter of
Francis I. The original residence of the Dunbars,
knights of Mochrum, was an ancient castle called the Old
Place of Mochrum ; the walls, of great strength, are still
nearly entire, and it has an interesting and highly pic-
turesque appearance. The castle, and the lands attached
to it, remained in the possession of the Dunbars till
towards the close of the last century, when they passed
to the Earls of Dumfries, and subsequently to the family
of the present Marquess of Bute ; the title of baronets
of Mochrum is still retained by their descendants, repre-
sented by Sir William Rowe Dunbar, Bart. The Max-
wells settled in the parish in the early part of the 17th
century, and the great body of its rental is received by
their representative. Sir William Maxwell, Bart.
The PARISH is bounded on the south-west by the bay
of Luce, and is nearly ten miles in length and from four
to five miles in breadth, comprising from 20,000 to
22,000 acres, of which 200 are woodland and planta-
tions, about 1000 waste, a number of acres underwater,
and the remainder, almost in equal portions, meadow,
pasture, and arable land in good cultivation. Its sur-
face, though not rising into hills of any considerable
elevation, is boldly undulated, and diversiBed with tracts
of level land and gentle acclivities in pleasing variety.
The higher grounds command a fine view, extending
over the bay of Luce and the Irish Channel, and em-
bracing the Mull of Galloway, the Isle of Man, the moun-
tains of Morne on the Irish coast, and the heights of
Skiddaw in Cumberland. Towards the north-west are
numerous lakes, of which the most important are Moch-
rum and Castle lochs, each about a mile and a quarter
in length and a quarter of a mile in width, and contain-
ing islets of picturesque appearance. From these, and
also from the smaller lakes, issue rivulets that intersect
the lands in various directions ; and some, uniting their
streams, form the Maizie water, which flows eastward
through the parish into the Bladenoch, and is the only
water approaching in character to a river. The coast
extends nearly ten miles, and for the greater part is a
flat smooth gravelly beach about fifty yards in width,
but is bounded by a precipitous bank rendering com-
munication with the interior difficult, and at about a
mile from the western extremity terminates in a steep
rock projecting into the bay, and forming a bold and
almost inaccessible shore. There are several indenta-
tions or creeks affording shelter to boats ; but the only
harbour accessible to trading vessels of any considerable
261
burthen is Port-William, near the eastern extremity of
the bay : it has safe anchorage for vessels of 200 tons,
and was constructed during the last century by Sir
William Maxwell. The bay abounds with fish of almost
every variety, and of excellent quality ; salmon and
herrings are taken in moderate quantities, and cod,
mackerel, whiting, and other white-fish are found in con-
siderable numbers.
Along the coast the soil is mostly a rich deep loam,
alternated with patches of lighter quality : towards the
central part it gradually becomes thin and stony ; and
in the west and east are some tracts of moor and moss,
with intervening portions of dry and fertile arable land.
The system of husbandry has been greatly improved
under the auspices of Sir William Maxwell, who gives
liberal encouragement to his tenants ; favourable crops
are raised, and considerable numbers of cattle and
sheep are reared here. The farms are well inclosed,
chiefly with hedges of thorn ; the farm houses and
offices are generally substantial and commodiously ar-
ranged, and all the more recent improvements in the
construction of agricultural implements have been
adopted. Though not extensive, the plantations add
much to the beauty of the scenery, and such of them as
are sheltered from the sea breezes are in a thriving state :
the soil does not appear to be adapted to their extension.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £8980.
Monreith House, the seat of Sir William Maxwell, is a
modern mansion, situated on an eminence near the
eastern boundary of the parish, about a mile from the
sea, and at the head of a small but beautiful lake sur-
rounded with plantations. Myrton Cottage, a hand-
some residence, was built by the same gentleman within
the last few years. The village of Mochrum, in which
the church stands, is neatly built ; and its inhabitants
are chiefly employed in agricultural pursuits. The vil-
lages of Eldrig and Port-William are described under
their respective heads ; at Port-William is a post-office
which has six deliveries in the week. Facility of inter-
course is maintained by good roads, of which the turn-
pike-road to Glenluce passes along the coast for several
miles, opening a communication with the Rhinns of
Galloway. Ecclesiastically the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Wigtown and synod of
Galloway. The minister's stipend is £153. 3. 5., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per annum ; patron,
the Crown. Mochrum church, built in 1*94, and suc-
cessively enlarged by the addition of galleries in 1822
and 1832, is a substantial structure containing 700 sit-
tings. There is a place of worship for members of the
United Presbyterian Church. The parochial school is
well attended ; the master has the minimum salary,
with a garden, and an allowance in lieu of a house, and
the fees average upwards of £20 annually. The school-
room is a handsome building, adapted for the reception
of 150 children. Near the church is a large earthen
mound surrounded by a deep fosse. On the summit of
an eminence not far from the eastern extremity of the
coast, are some very distinct traces of an Anglo-Saxon
camp; and near the shore, about two miles from the
western extremity, are the ruins of the ancient chapel of
St. Finian.
MOFFAT, a parish, partly in the county of Lanark,
but chiefly in that of Dumfries ; containing 2199 inha-
bitants, of whom 1413 are in the town of Moffat, 21 miles
M O F F
M O FF
(N. N. E.) from Dumfries, and 52 (S. by W.) from Edin-
burgh. This place, the name of which is of doubtful
etymology, but supposed to be derived from Muir-foot,
is not distinguished by many events of historical impor-
tance ; the principal on record are, the defeat of Edward
Baliol in 1333, by Sir Archibald Douglas, at the head of
1000 horse, and the passage of a division of the High-
land army in the service of the Pretender in 1715, on
its route to England. With the exception of two farms
only in the county of Lanark, the parish is contained
within the county of Dumfries. It is about fifteen miles
in extreme length and nine miles at its greatest breadth,
comprising 38,400 acres, of which 3750 are arable, 800
woodland and plantations, and the remainder hill-pasture,
moor, and waste. Nearly one-half of the lands are the
property of Mr. Hope Johnstone of Annandale, a de-
scendant of the Johnstones of Lochwood, lords of An-
nandale, of whom William, the second earl, was created
a marquess in the reign of William IH. ; the remainder
is divided among numerous proprietors. The surface is
generally hilly, and towards the borders mountainous.
On the northern boundary are the mountains of Hartfell
and Lochcraig, nearly equal in height, and of which the
former has an elevation of 3000 feet above the level of
the sea, terminating in a flat summit of very consider-
able extent : in the north-east are the heights of Saddle-
yoke, Bodisbeck, and Lochfell. The vales of Evan,
Annan, and Moffat, through which flow the rivers of
those names, are nearly parallel, and inclosed by ranges
of bills of moderate elevation. The river Evan, which
runs for four miles through the parish in a south-eastern
direction, and the MoflFat, which takes a south-western
course of about seven miles, both fall into the Annan,
a few miles below the town ; and the Annan, after a
southern course of ten miles here, and receiving the
waters just referred to, passes through the rest of An-
nandale into the Sohvay Firth. Moffatdale is considered
one of the finest vales in the south of Scotland, and
abounds with interesting associations : the Covenanters
took refuge in the wild and rugged mountains that en-
circle it, when they were pursued by Claverhouse and
his followers ; and in recent times, the vale was one of
the favourite haunts of the poet Burns. The only lake
of importance is Loch Skcen, situated to the north-east,
at an elevation of 1400 feet above the level of the sea ;
it is about three-fourths of a mile in length and one-
fourth in breadth, and surrounded by mountains of
dreary aspect. In the centre is a rocky islet, the undis-
turbed resort of the eagle. The lake abounds with three
kinds of trout, and is frequented by anglers : a stream
issues from it with great force, and, falling from preci-
pitous rocks nearly 400 feet in height, forms a stupendous
cataract called the Grey Mare'.s Tail.
In the vales, especially those of Annan and Moffat, the
SOIL is rich, dry, and fertile; and in the higher lands,
light and heathy, chiefly affording pasture for sheep, for
wiiich purpose above 30,000 acres are appropriated. The
crops are oats, wheat, barley, potatoes, and turnips, with
the various grasses. The system of agriculture is good,
and the farm-buildings are substantial and commodious ;
great attention is paid to the management of live stock,
and a farming association has been established. About
400 milch-cows of the Ayrshire breed are kc[)t, and there
are 550 head of young cattle ; the number of sheep is
about 25,000, and of swine 400. There are remains of
262
ancient woods at Craigieburn and in a few other places;
the pkntations consist of larch, oak, ash, birch, hazel,
and mountain-ash, and are well managed and in a thriving
state. The chief substrata are sandstone and blue whin-
stone, with slate of good quality for roofing ; an attempt
to find coal was made in 1844, but without success, and
a previous search for copper-ore in Hartfell was equally
unavaihng. The principal seats are, Craigieburn House,
the seat of Mr. Proudfoot, which, with the adjacent wood,
is celebrated by the poet Burns ; Duraerief, the property
of Mr. RoUo, once the residence of McAdam, the cele-
brated improver of roads, whose remains lie interred in
the churchyard of Moffat ; Granton, the seat of Mr. Jar-
dine, a new and elegant structure ; and Heathryhaugh,
the seat of the late Mr. Tod, a beautiful spot, situated
on the road to Moffat well.
The TOWN stands near the opening of the vale of An-
nan, on an elevated site 300 feet above the level of the
sea. It is neatly built, consisting of one spacious street,
in the centre of which is the market-place, a square area
where is a public cistern for supplying the town with
water. This place is much frequented by visiters, who
resort in numbers during the season to drink the waters
of the mineral springs in its immediate neighbourhood,
and for whose accommodation there are several good
inns and respectable lodging-houses. Moffat is also
celebrated as a fishing station. The vicinity abounds
with beautifully picturesque scenery and with objects of
interest ; many new houses have been erected, and some
pleasing villas have been built, which are inhabited by
opulent families. The Well of Moffat is about a mile
and a half from the town, and is approached by an ex-
cellent carriage road. The water is strongly sulphureous,
and on analysis by Dr. Garnet a wine gallon was found
to contain, of muriate of soda tbirty-six grains, sulphu-
retted hydrogen gas ten cubic inches, of azotic four, and
carbonic acid gas five. It evaporates quickly, and can
be drunk with due effect only at the well, for which pur-
pose elegant baths have been erected, with reading and
billiard rooms and a bowling-green attached ; a quadrille
band plays in the pump-room twice a week, and there is
good stabling at the inn. The Ilarlfcll Spa, about four
miles from the town, is a powerful chalybeate issuing
from a deep ravine on the west side of the Hartfell
mountain. A wine gallon contains, of sulphate of iron
eighty-four grains, sulphate of alumina twelve grains,
and of azotic gas five cubic inches : the water is a
powerful tonic, and may be kept for a considerable time
without losing its efficacy. The Evan-Bridiie Spa, a little
to the south of tlic town, in the parish of Kirkpatrick-
Juxta, is a chalybeate less powerful than the Hartfell,
containing in a wine gallon, of oxide of iron two grains,
of carbonic acid gas thirteen cubic inches, and of azotic
gas two.
The weaving of stockings is carried on to a moderate
extent, and there are a mill for fulling cloth, a saw-mill,
and a corn-mill ; many of the inhabitants are employed
in the various handicraft trades recjuisite for the supply
of the neighbourhood, and there are numerous shops
well storeil with merchandise. A market is held weekly,
and two branch banks have been established ; the post-
office has two deliveries daily. The police is under the
management of two sjiecial constables ; two magistrates
reside in the town, and a court of petty-sessions is held
monthly. Facility of communication with Edinburgh,
M O N A
M ONE
Glasgow, Carlisle, and other places, is afforded by good
roads, and by the Caledonian railway. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £8654. For kcclesi-
ASTiCAL purposes the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Lochmaben and synod of Dumfries. The
minister's stijjend is £260. 5., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £25 per annum ; patron, Hope John-
stone, Esq., of Annandale. Moffat church, a handsome
structure, built by James, Earl of Hopetoun, and beau-
tifully situated, contains about 1000 sittings. There are
places of worship for Burghers and members of the Free
Church. The parochial school is well conducted ; the
master has a salary of £25. 13. 6., with a house and
garden, and the fees average £10 per annum. A dis-
tinct grammar school was formerly supported from the
proceeds of a bequest of £1000 by Robert Johnstone,
Esq., of London, for its erection and endowment ; but
this is now combined vi'ith the parochial school under
the superintendence of a head-master and an assistant.
There are, also, a free school endowed by the late Mr.
Morrison ; a school supported by subscription ; and
others, depending solely on the fees. Part of the Roman
road through the vale of Annan to Crawford may still
be traced in the parish ; and there are some tolerably
perfect remains of Frenchland Tower, of which little of
the origin is recorded ; also of a more ancient fortifica-
tion called the Cornal Tower.
MOLLENSBURN, a village, in that part of the parish
of Cadder which formed the quoad sacra parish of
Chryston, Lower ward of the county of Lanark, 1|
mile (N. E. by E.) from the village of Chryston ; contain-
ing 202 inhabitants. This place is in the extreme east
of the parish of Cadder, and on the high road from Perth
to Glasgow; it is neatly built, and from its pleasant situ-
ation and many advantages is likely to increase in popu-
lation and importance. The district abounds with wood
and water ; excellent whinstone is prevalent in the
neighbourhood, and is quarried for building and other
purposes. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agri-
culture and in the quarries.
MONAN'S, ST., a fishing-
town, in the parish of Arer-
CROMBiE, county of Fife, 1
mile (W. S. W.) from the town
of Pittenweem ; containing
1029 inhabitants. This place,
which is situated on the
Firth of Forth, is now gene-
rally pronounced St. Mo-
nance. It seems to have
owed its origin to a chapel,
, „ , raised by David IL in grati-
Burgh Seal. ^^^^ f^j. jj^g g^^g^g ^^f himself
and his queen from shipwreck on this part of the coast,
and which, upon the annexation of the barony of Monan's
to the lands of Abercrombie, became the church of the
two united parishes. The inhabitants are chiefly en-
gaged in the cod, haddock, and turbot fishery, and the
herring-fishery, of which this is one of the most impor-
tant stations on the eastern coast of Scotland. Herrings
are taken in the winter and autumn within a moderate
distance of the harbour ; but the principal fishery, for-
merly at Caithness, has of late years been at Peterhead,
where sixty boats from St. Monan's of about fifteen tons'
burthen each are engaged, affording employment to about
263
150 persons betonging to the town, and a like number
from the country district. The cod, haddock, and turbot
fishery is also carried on to a considerable extent, about
twenty-six yawls, each manned with a crew of six,
being engaged in it throughout the year, with the excep-
tion of a few weeks in winter and autumn, when the
large boats are used in the herring-fishery. Many
persons are occupied in curing and packing cod for
exportation, chiefly to the London and Liverpool mar-
kets : turbot and haddocks, also, are sent in large
quantities to Edinburgh and places adjacent. The ma-
nufacture of kelp, at one time a very profitable trade,
has been altogether discontinued. A number of persons
are engaged in making nets for the fishermen; and there
is a very extensive brewery and malting concern. St.
Monan's harbour, which is formed by the extension of
two parallel ridges of rock, and by a strong pier carried
out from the shore, is safe and commodious, affording
good shelter for the fishing-boats and for vessels of
larger dimensions ; the depth at spring-tides is from
eighteen to twenty feet, and at neap-tides from thirteen
to fifteen feet. The principal exports are, cured cod,
herrings, and potatoes ; and the chief imports, coal,
lime, and salt. St. Monan's received a charter of incor-
poration from Sir William Sandilands, dated 1622, by
which it was erected into a burgh of barony, and the
government vested in three bailies, a treasurer, and
fifteen councillors. The bailies are chosen by the feuars
and burgesses, and after their election appoint the
council ; and twelve constables are chosen annually by
the corporation, for the preservation of the peace and
the regulation of the town. The bailies exercise little
jurisdiction except in cases of petty misdemeanors.
The town-house, a plain building, consists of two apart-
ments on the ground-floor and two immediately above.
— See Abercrombie.
MONEYDIE, a parish, in the county of Perth, 6
miles (N.W.byN.) from Perth; containing 315 inhabit-
ants. This parish consists of two portions, viz., the old
parish of Moneydie and the district of Logiealmond, which
latter, about eighty or ninety years ago, was separated
from the neighbouring parish of Monzie, and annexed
quoad sacra to Moneydie. Before the Reformation
Moneydie Proper appears to have been a parsonage con-
nected with the diocese of Dunkeld ; and about the
year 1480 the living was held by Alexander Myln, canon
of Dunkeld, calling himself " prebendary of Moneydie."
A large proportion of the land here seems to have been
held by the bishops, one of whom had obtained it by
purchase, and caused it to be united to the barony of
Dunkeld, but upon condition that a layman was to hold
of the Church, and to perform the necessary services to
the king. Other proprietors of lands in former times
were, James, Master of Gowrie, Sir Patrick Crichton,
and Sir Andrew Malcolm, who all had large estates in
the parish ; and the district of Logiealmond, which is
more than double the size of the original parish of
Moneydie, appears to have been once possessed by a
family of the name of Logic. At present, Moneydie
Proper is nearly equally divided between the Duke of
Atholl and another family ; while Logiealmond belongs
to Sir William Drummond Stewart of GrandtuUy.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the parishes
of Auchtergaven and Little Dunkeld ; on the west by
Fowlis ; on the south by Redgorton and Methven ; on
M O N E
M O N I
the east by Redgorton. Logiealmond,' cr the western
district, hes on the southern face of the first range of the
Grampians, sloping towards the river Almond ; the east-
ern extremity of the parish reaches almost to the river
Tay, near Luncarty bleachfield. The surface is but little
diversified ; and with the exception of the Logiealmond
hills, which are about 1800 feet above the level of the
sea, there is no material elevation. The Almond, which
skirts the southern boundary of the parish for a number
of miles, is the only river of importance ; but there are
the two small streams of Shochie and Ordie, which rise
in the Grampian range, and fall into the Tay. The
Almond abounds in salmon and trout, and the two
streams are famed for trout-fishing. In the lower dis-
trict the SOIL is much varied: near the Almond it is
a light alluvial mould, changing occasionally into a rich
loam resting upon a gravelly subsoil ; while at some
distance from the river it is a hard red earth, with a
considerable proportion of black loam. On the higher
grounds it consists of a cold wet till, with a little peat-
moss. In Moneydie Proper "2718 acres are under cul-
tivation, and 771 in pasture; in Logiealmond '2237 are
cultivated, and 4869 iu pasture. About 800 acres are
occupied by wood, much of which consists of Scotch fir,
and is of some age ; the younger plantations are chiefly
of larch, spruce-fir, and oak, the last of which prevails
to a great exteut upon one estate. All kinds of white
and green crops are produced ; of the latter, potatoes
form the principal article. Cattle of every description
are reared, from the bulky Teeswater to the diminutive
West Highland ; the sheep are chiefly of the Leicester
breed, especially on the low lands, being preferred both
on account of their readily fattening, and for the supe-
rior value of their fleece. The best system of husbandry
is followed; and the improvements which have been
made in agriculture have trebled the rent of the parish
within the last forty or fifty years. The draining, in-
closing, and improving of waste land have advanced with
great rapidity ; but the most important change consists
in the introduction of bone manure for turnips, which
are eaten off the land by sheep. By this means, inde-
pendently of some other advantages, the whole farm-
yard dung is reserved for the potatoes, large quantities
of which are sent to the London market. The annual
value of real property in the parish amounts to £3654.
The rocks in the hills are chiefly blue slate ; and in about
the middle of the upper district is a quarry of grey free-
stone, of fine quality, and easily wrought. A flax spin-
ning-mill has been established at Milnhaugh, driven by
the river Almond, and employing about fifty persons.
The village of Ilerriotfield, the only one in the parish,
contains about 100 inhabitants. Logiealmond House, a
seat of Sir William D. Stewart's, is partly of ancient
date ; it is romantically situated on the bank of the
Almond. Peat and wood are used as fuel in the upper
part of the parish : in the lower the people obtain Eng-
lish coal from Perth.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Perth and synod of Perth
and Stirling; patron, the Karl of Mansfield. The stipend
of the minister is £'2l6; and there is a small manse,
with a glebe of nearly nine acres of good land. The
church is a plain sulistantial structure, with a square
tower, and accommodates 460 persons with sittings : it
was builtabout the year I8I7. At Chapelhill, in Logie-
264
almond, four miles distant, an ancient chapel was fitted
up and opened by subscription, in connexion with the
Establishment, in 18,'54, at an expense of about £150 :
the allowance to the minister, which is small, arises from
seat-rents and collections. There is also a meeting-house
in the parish belonging to the United Presbyterian
Church ; and the members of the Free Church have a
place of worship. A parochial school is maintained in
Moneydie ; the master has a salary of £34, with about
£10 fees, and a house and two acres of land. There is
another school at Chapelhill, the master of which has a
salary from the heritors of 100 merks Scots, a dwelling-
house, and about two acres of land. A school, also, is
attached to the United Presbyterian meeting-house. The
usual branches are taught in all these schools, with the
addition of the classics and French, if required, in the
parochial school. A small library belongs to the con-
gregation of the Established Church, and another to the
United Presbyterian body.
MONIFIETH, a parish, in the county of Forfar j i~
containing 3471 inhabitants, of whom 30S are in the
village of Monifieth, 6 miles (E. by N.) from Dundee.
The name of this place, written in ancient records Monie-
fiiith, Monefidt, and Monefut, is of Celtic origin, signify-
ing "the moss of the stag", and is supposed to be de-
scriptive of the state of a portion of the parish in former
times, in connexion with the sport here carried on. A
deep stratum of moss, now covered by the sandy links
along the Firth of Tay, is the depository of many stags'
horns ; and King David L, according to tradition, had a
hunting-seat here. The Culdees were in ancient times
settled at this place, and the remains of a religious edifice
that belonged to them were discovered in 1812, in dig-
ging the foundations of the present church. There were
anciently the four rhapelries of Monifieth, Droughty,
Eglismonichty, and Kingennie, with some minor charges,
all which were ultimately consolidated into one parochial
benefice ; and about the end of the twelfth century, Gil-
bert, third Earl of Angus, gave the church of Monifieth,
with the churches of Murroes, Kirriemuir, and Strath-
dighty, to the abbey of Arbroath. His countess, Matilda,
added the whole land on the south side of the church ;
and afterwards, Monifieth continued to be dependent on
the abbey until the Reformation. The parish, which is
of an oblong shape, is bounded on the south by the Firth
of Tay, and is five miles long, and from one and a half
to three and a half miles broad ; comprising 6054 acres,
of which 4574 are under cultivation, 926 in pasture,
chiefly links, and 554 in plantations. Its coast is about
three miles and a half in length, and is low and sandy,
without any harbour : numerous small craft and boats
run up the beech to land goods at ditfercnt places, and
are left dry upon the shore at the ebb of the tide. The
surface gradually rises from the Tay towards the north;
a ridge, partly cultivated and ])artly planted, crosses it in
the middle ; and the lands attain at the northern ex-
tremity an elevation of 500 feet above the level of the
sea. The climate is cold in the northern quarter, but
mild and salubrious in the south ; and the scenery is
enlivened by the Dighty stream : this stream empties
itself into the Tay, and on its banks are several mills
and manufacturing^ works.
In the north the soil rests upon a cold tilly bed, but
is gradually assuming an improved character, under the
process of thorough-draining : from the eminences that
M ONI
M O N I
intersect the middle of the district, down to the shore of
the Tay, the land is rich and fertile, producing excellent
and very heavy crops. Every kind of grain, and the
nsual green crops, are raised. Large quantities of pota-
toes especially are grown, of superior quality, and prin-
cipally for the Dundee market ; and dairy-farming is
carried on to a considerable extent for the supply of the
same place. Little stock is reared in the parish. The
farms let on leases of nineteen years vary in size from
100 to 300 acres ; there are two or three farms of less
extent, and a great number of allotments of not more
than five, ten, and fifteen acres each. Scarcely any land
capable of improvement now remains waste ; the rent of
some tracts is only about £1, but that of the best about
£4, per acre. In the south the prevailing rock is whin-
stone ; that in the north is a superior kind of stone
adapted for pavement, and a quarry of which has been
in operation, it is supposed, for nearly 300 years. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £14,642.
Grange, the ancient seat of the Durhams, has been re-
placed by a new mansion pleasantly situated about half
a mile from the shore ; the old edifice was rendered
famous by the escape of Erskine of Dun, and for an at-
tempt of the same kind, that was nearly successful, of the
Marquess of Montrose, when on his way to Edinburgh
after his capture at Assynt. Linlathen is a large struc-
ture on the banks of the Dighty ; and at Laws a man-
sion has been lately built, in an ornamental style, com-
manding very fine views of the surrounding country.
Several villages formerly existed here, including two
of considerable size, called Cadgerton and Fyntrack or
Fintry, of which no vestiges now remain. The parish
at present contains the villages of Broughty-Ferry,
Monifieth, and Drumsturdy ; and another populous vil-
lage is springing up on the links of Barnhill, Lord Pan-
mure having begun to let ground there on building-leases
of ninety-nine years. A few of the inhabitants are em-
ployed in weaving : the yarn is generally brought from
Dundee, by persons regularly employed for that purpose,
who take it to the weavers around, and carry the work
back to Dundee. A spinning-mill, situated at the mouth
of the Dighty, and driven partly by water and partly by
- steam, occupies about 120 or 130 hands; and half a mile
fVX further up the stream is a bleaching-work, engaging
W asmany as 100 persons. A foundry, and some works for
making machinery, in the village of Monifieth, give occu-
pation to about 100 hands ; and there is also an old-
established cart and plough manufactory. The salmon-
fishery pursued along the coast, rented at £325, returns
about £740 a year; and the value of the white-fishing,
which is carried on chiefly bythe inhabitants of Broughty-
Ferry, a populous watering-place and fishing-village,
amounts to upwards of £5000 per annum : haddock, cod,
ling, soles, whiting, and other fish, are sent to the
Dundee market ; and there is an establishment for cur-
ing cod, at which a considerable quantity is prepared for
exportation. Broughty-Ferry also contains two rope-
works, a brewery, and the other usual establishments
necessary for a large population. It is in very high re-
pute as a sea-bathing place ; the houses are rapidly
increasing in number, and the population is upwards of
2000. The salubrity of the climate, the facility for
railway travelling, and the suitableness of the beach
for bathing, have also caused a considerable influx of
strangers into the village of Monifieth, and the want of
Vol. II.— 265
accommodation in the village alone prevents their num-
bers from being greatly increased. The fuel in general
use is coal from England ; but brushwood is also con-
sumed to some extent. The railway and the turnpike-
road from Dundee to Arbroath pass through the southern
part of the parish, and the public road from Dundee to
Brechin skirts the north-western boundary. A sub-post-
office is established in the village of Broughty-Ferry.
The principal market for the sale of produce is Dundee.
A fair used to be held every half-year for cattle, horses,
&c., which was at one time of some repute, but at length
dwindled away.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Dundee, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patron-
age of Lord Panmure : the minister's stipend is £255,
with a manse, and a glebe of four acres and a half valued
at £12. 10. per annum. The church, built in 1813, is
situated at the southern extremity of the parish, on the
brink of the Tay, and contains sittings for 1100 persons.
A chapel, with accommodation for 720 persons, was
erected in 1826 at Broughty-Ferry, and now forms the
chapel of a quoad sacra parish : the minister, who re-
ceives about £150 per annum, derived from seat-rents
and collections, is elected by the male communicants.
In the same village are places of worship for the United
Presbyterian Church and the Free Church. The paro-
chial school aifords instruction in the ordinary branches ;
the master has a salary of £25. 13., with a house, and
about £35 fees. Two female schools, and a school for
infants, are supported by Mr. Erskine of Linlathen ; and
there are two schools partially endowed ; also a good
school in connexion with the church at Broughty-Ferry.
The parish contains two public libraries and two savings'
banks. There is a bequest of £100 Scots yearly, partly
for poor scholars, and partly towards the poor's fund.
Broughty Castle, situated on a rock jutting into the
Tay, near the western limit of the parish, is a very an-
cient structure. It was garrisoned by the English after
the victory at Musselburgh, in 1547, as the key com-
manding the river Tay, which is here about a mile broad.
After repeated attempts to reduce it, without success, it
was stormed and carried in 1550 by De Thermes, com-
mander of the allied army of the Scots, French, and
Germans, and was subsequently dismantled. All that
now remains is a large square keep, used as a signal-
tower by the coast-guard. Upon the hill of Laws, about
the middle of the parish, are the remains of a vitrified
fort ; and not far from this spot is the Gallow-hill of
Ethiebeaton. A little to the north of Linlathen is a large
heap of stones called Cairn-Greg, where it is said a
famous Scottish chieftain, whose name was Greg or
Gregory, fell in battle. On the summit of a small knoll
near Kingennie is a circle of large stones called St. Bride's
ring, supposed to have been a place of worship dedicated
to St. Bride, from whom the neighbouring parish of Pan-
bride took its name. — See Broughty-Ferry.
MONIKIE, a parish, in the county of Forfarji^
35 miles (W. by N.) from Muirdrum ; containing, with"
the villages of Craigton, Guildie, and Guildiemuir, and
the hamlet of Bankhead, 1317 inhabitants. This parish
is supposed to have derived its name, of Gaelic origin,
from the character of its surface, rising into an elevated
tract of upland moss. It is said to have been the scene
of the death of Camus, the Danish general, who, after
the defeat of his army by Malcolm II., was slain here ;
2M
MONI
MONI
in commemoration of which event, a stone pillar in the
form of a cross was erected on one of the hills, thence
called Camustane. The extreme length of the parish,
from north-west to south-east, is about seven miles, and
its greatest breadth rather more than five ; comprising
an area of nearly 6000 acres, of which 4450 are arable,
500 woodland, and the remainder moor and waste. Its
surface is marked by two ranges of hills, stretching from
east to west in a nearly parallel direction, and dividing
the parish into three several portions, which ditfer mate-
rially in climate and §oil. Of these, the range lying to
the south of the Downie hills, and sloping towards the
mouth of the Tay, has a rich and fertile soil resting upon
trap and gravel, and producing abundant crops of grain
of all kinds, and especially of wheat and barley of excel-
lent quality. The soil in the central district, which is a
valley between two ranges of hills rising to the height of
400 feet above the level of the sea, is in many parts a
thin black loam on a wet and tiUy substratum, difficult
to work, and producing only oats : in other parts the
subsoil is gravelly, and good crops of wheat, barley, and
oats are raised. The third portion, which has an eleva-
tion in some parts of about 500 feet, is a swampy tract
of moorland, extending along the northern boundary of
the parish, and of which only very small portions are
cultivated with any success. The Downie hills are chiefly
of whinstone of good quality for building and for roads,
with sandstone, which is quarried to a considerable ex-
tent ; and in the northern district is an extensive bed of
slatestone, well adapted for pavements. Beautiful spe-
cimens of agate, spar, and jasper are found in the trap-
rock of the Downie hills ; and along the summit of the
range is a great variety of plants.
The system of agriculture has been progressively im-
proving for a considerable time, and is now in a very
efficient state : the chief crops are wheat, barley, oats,
turnips, and potatoes, for all of which a ready market is
found in Dundee, whither, also, the produce of the dairy-
lands is sent. The farm houses and offices are sub-
stantial and commodiously arranged. Considerable
attention is paid to the breed of cattle, under the aus-
pices of the agricultural societies of the county ; and all
the modern improvements in implements of husbandry
have been generally adopted. The plantations are chiefly
of fir ; but they are not in a very flourishing state, and
there are still some large tracts of waste that might be
planted with greater success. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £3151. The principal villages
are Craigton and Guildie, the former containing 162 and
the latter 158 inhabitants, who during winter are mostly
employed in the weaving of linen for the manufacturers
in the neighbouring towns of Dundee and Arbroath.
Great facility of communication is afforded by the turn-
pike-road from Dundee to Arbroath, and by the Dundee
and Arbroath railway. At Dcnficnd, on the old road
from Dundee to Brechin, a strong massive bridge of
one arch is erected over a precipitous chasm fifty-five
feet in depth. Some years ago, a proposal was made
for supplying the town of Dundee with water from the
highest district of this parish, and surveys were made,
and an act of parliament obtained, when some difficulties
arose as to the manner in which the inhabitants were to
be assessed ; an expensive law-suit followed, and the
proposed object was abandoned. In the year 1844,
however, a new company was formed, fresh surveys made,
266
and in the session of 1845 an act was passed, giving the
company the necessary powers for executing their works.
According to the plan, the water from the springs was
to be collected, and conducted by an aqueduct upwards
of two miles in length to a reservoir and clearing-basin,
together covering more than ninety acres, a httle to the
west of the village of Craigton ; the water to be thence
conveyed by another aqueduct and pipes, a distance of
above nine miles, to Dundee.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Dundee and synod of
Angus and Mearns : the minister's stipend is £'239. 16. 9.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £12 per annum ;
patron, the Crown. Monikie church is a substantial
structure erected in 181'2, and contains 900 sittings.
There is a place of worship belonging to the United
Presbyterian Church. The parochial school is well at-
tended ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, and the fees average about £20 per
annum. Other schools are supported principally by the
fees ; the master of one of them has a house rent free,
and a small annual gratuity from the Kirk Session. On
the hill of Camustane is a handsome column 105 feet in
height, rising from a rusticated pedestal containing a
room for visiters and accommodations for the keeper.
It was erected in 1839 by the tenantry of Lord Panmure,
the principal landed proprietor, as a testimonial of their
attachment to a landlord who, during a long life, has
made the interest and comfort of his tenants his peculiar
care. From the visiters' room, in which is a bust of
his lordship by Chantrey, a spiral staircase leads to the
balustrade above the capital of the column, which is
surmounted by an ornamental vase. Affleck Castle,
though long uninhabited, is still entire, and forms an in-
teresting memorial of baronial grandeur. Hynd Castle,
on the northern boundary of the parish, is an ancient
square tower, of smaller dimensions, situated on an arti-
ficial mound. There is also a tumulus near the western
extremity of the parish, called Hare Cairn, supposed to
cover the remains of persons who fell in some hostile
encounter near the spot.
MONIMAIL, a parish, in the district of Cupar, v
county of Fife ; including the villages of Letham and
Easter Fernie, and containing 1 162 inhabitants, of whom
117 are in the village of Monimail, 5^ miles (W.) from
Cupar. The name of this place is of uncertain deri-
vation, but most probably of Celtic origin. The arch-
bishops of St. Andrew's had a palace here, which was
occasionally their summer residence ; and there is still
remaining an ancient tower, supposed to have been added
to the original building by Cardinal Beaton, who resided
at Monimail in 1562. The parish is of elliptical form,
extending at its extreme length for about six miles, and
in its greatest breadth to about five miles ; and com-
prises 6000 acres, of which 3000 are arable, 2000 meadow
and pasture, and 500 woodland and plantations. Its
surface is varied, rising in the northern part into a con-
tinuous range of hills, of which Mount Hill is the
highest, and in the southern part forming a broad tract
of nearly level ground, intersected by numerous stream-
lets that fall into the river Eden. On the summit of
Mount Hill is a stately column more than 100 feet in
height, erected to the memory of General Lord Hopetoun,
and which forms a conspicuous and interesting object in
the landscape. The soil consists generally of decom-
M ONI
M ONI
posed rock and vegetable earth, interspersed with occa-
sional beds of clay, but in some parts comprises sand
and gravel. Agriculture is highly improved, and the
rotation plan of husbandry prevails, with due regard to
the quality of the soil ; the crops are barley, oats, wheat,
turnips, and potatoes, of which last great quantities are
raised, and shipped for the London market. The pastures
are usually good, and great attention is paid to the
cattle, which are of the Fifeshire, Ayrshire, and Tees-
water breeds ; the Fifeshire are preferred for breeding,
and the Ayrshire for the dairy. Few sheep are reared ;
but considerable numbers, of the Cheviot and black-faced
breeds, are bought in the autumn, and fed on turnips
during the winter. The lauds are well drained and
fenced, and the farm houses substantial. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £9463.
The plantations, principally on the lands belonging to
the gentlemen's seats, consist of Scotch fir, larch, beech,
oak, ash, elm, and plane ; they are well managed and
generally thriving. In the north of the parish the sub-
stratum is mostly whinstone, and in the south, sand-
stone : there are strata of coal in several parts, but no
works have been opened, and the principal fuel is there-
fore brought from Markinch and Dysart. Melville, the
property of the Earl of Leven and Melville, is an elegant
modern mansion, beautifully situated in a well-disposed
demesne embellished with plantations. Fernie Castle
is an ancient structure of great strength, and said to
have been one of the castles of Macduff. Cunoquhie is
finely situated in a richly-planted demesne ; and Bal-
garvie is also a handsome edifice with grounds tastefully
embellished. The weaving of linen is carried on exten-
sively at the village of Letham, affording employment to
a great number of persons, who work with hand-looms
in their own dwellings. Communication with the prin-
cipal towns in the district is facilitated by good roads,
and by the Dundee section of the Edinburgh, Perth, and
Dundee railway. There are two parochial libraries, one
containing a well-chosen collection of volumes on general
literature, and the other exclusively appropriated to re-
ligious subjects. Monimail is within the presbytery of
Cupar, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of the Earl
of Leven : the minister's stipend is about £111, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £12 per annum. The
church, which is inconveniently situated near one ex-
tremity of the parish, is a handsome building with a
tower; it was erected in 1796, and affords accommoda-
tion for a congregation of 600 persons. The members of
the Free Church have a place of worship. Monimail
parochial school is well attended ; the master has a salary
of £34. 4. 4., with £24 fees, and a house and garden.
There are four other schools, which are supported partly
by private subscription, and partly by the fees : two of
them are female schools.
MONIVAIRD orMONZIEVAIRD,and STROWAN,
a parish, in the county of Perth, 3 miles (N. W.) from
Crieff; containing 853 inhabitants. The word Moni-
vaird is a corruption of the Gaelic term Moivard, or
Monvard, signifying " the hill of the bards ". Strowan is
corrupted from Rowen, Rowan, or Ronan, a saint who
flourished about the middle of the seventh century, who
was eminent for learning, and is said to have been in
possession of the estate now called Strowan ; he also
gave name to a spring and a lake here, and to a festival
held in the place. The two parishes are supposed to
267
have been united about 200 years ; but the church of
each was kept distinct, and retained for public worship,
till the year 1804, when a new church was built in a
central part for the use of the whole jxiijulation. The
church of St. Servanus, or Serf, at Monivaird, is thought
to have been given by the Earl of Strathearn, at the be-
ginning of the thirteenth century, to tlie monastery of
Inchaffrey. In 1511, in the reign of James IV., the
sacred edifice was- the scene of a bloody strife between
the clans of the Murrays and the Drummonds, the
former of whom, being out-numbered and in great
danger, had fled thither and concealed themselves. But
their hiding-place being discovered by an accidental cir-
cumstance, and all the men refusing to surrender, the
Drummonds set fire to the building, which was soon
burnt to the ground ; and the victims, amounting, ac-
cording to the account of Sir Walter Scott in his Legend
of Montrose, to eight score men, with their wives and
children, were consumed by the flames. The Master of
Drummond, William, son of John first Lord Drummond,
was immediately afterwards apprehended by order of
the king, and conveyed to Stirling, where, with several
of his followers, he was shortly executed. Upon digging
the foundations for the mausoleum of the Murray family,
in 1809, on the site of the old thatched church, some
charred wood and a large quantity of human bones con-
fusedly heaped together were found, supposed to have
been the result of the conflagration in 151 1.
An old castle situated on the north of the loch of
Monivaird is said to have belonged to Red Cumyn, the
rival of Bruce : it is called Castle- Cuggy, is exceed-
ingly strong, and was inhabited during the time of
Cromwell by Sir William Murray, the first baronet of
Ochtcrtyre. The residence of the Malises or Grahams,
Earls of Strathearn, was also in the parish of Monivaird,
the castle occupying the summit of Tom-a-chastel. It
was burnt down, according to tradition, while inhabited
by some ladies of note, who perished in the flames. One
of them is conjectured to have been Joanna, daughter of
Malise, Earl of Strathearn, and of the Princess of the
Orkneys, and wife of the Earl de Warenne ; who, in con-
sequence of her treasonable practices against King
Robert I., had been condemned to perpetual imprison-
ment in the keep of this castle by the Black parliament
held at Scone in 1320. No events of historical import-
ance have occurred in connexion with the parish in
recent times. In the autumn of 1839, the locality was
visited by some severe shocks of earthquake, passing
along from the north-west to the south-east, and which
were partially felt as far as Inverness, the banks of Loch
Awe, Dunbar, and Berwick. Shocks had been occa-
sionally felt for the previous fifty years ; but these last
were far more serious, and so much alarmed the inhabit-
ants of the district, by shaking the houses from top to
bottom, for several miles round, that most of the people
residing at the adjacent village of Comrie spent the
whole night in the streets, or in the churches, which were
opened for prayer. Similar shocks have occurred since,
but much more slightly. During the winter of 1S43-4,
when the loch of Monivaird was frozen over with very
thick ice, there was an earthquake that rent the ice on
the loch in three parallel lines running from east to
west : it occurred on a Sunday, when the people were at
church, and some pieces of plaster fell from the roof of
the building ; but the alarm was only momentary.
2 M 2
MO NI
MONI
The PARISH is situated in the district of Strathearn,
and is about nine miles long from north to south, and six
miles broad. It approaches in form to an oval iigure ;
but two tracts stretch into the contiguous parish of
Comrie (and are annexed to it ecclesiastically) : one of
these is on the south-west, in the direction of Glenartney,
and the other up Glenlednock, towards the north or
north-west. The number of acres comprised in the whole
is between 21,000 and 22,000; about 3000 acres are
cultivated, 2000 occupied by wood, and the remainder
in pasture. The surface is hilly and mountainous, but
well watered and richly wooded, and partakes to a con-
siderable extent of the milder and more picturesque
features of Lowland, combined with the bolder and more
romantic scenery of Highland, districts. A ridge of the
Grampians runs along the northern boundary from east
to west ; and though bare and craggy at the summit,
yet in its slope to the beautiful vale of Earn it is clothed
with large plantations of forest-trees, which form a
striking and interesting feature in the scenery. The
highest elevation in this chain is Benchonzie, or " the
mossy mountain ", so called from an area of about forty
acres on its top being covered with a light- coloured
moss i it rises about 2922 feet above the level of the sea.
At the south-eastern extremity of the parish is Turleum,
a hill about 1400 feet high, connected with the lower
parts of the northern ridge by a series of conical hills
partly clothed with copse, and crowned with lofty firs.
This line of hills crosses the valley of the Earn, and
consists of the eminences of Laggan, Drummachargan,
and Tom-a-chastel. On the last of these, most roman-
tically situated, is the monument erected to the memory
of General Sir David Baird, the hero of Seringapatam ;
it is an obelisk of fine Aberdeen granite, eighty-two feet
high, and an exact resemblance of Cleopatra's Needle.
The valley separating Monivaird on the north from
the district of Strowan on the south, presents the most
rich and diversified scenery, comprehending hill and
dale, wood and water, finely contrasted with the adja-
cent mountains of various size and figure ; while in the
distance appear the stately heights of Benchonzie, Ben-
voirlich, and Benmore. Most of the hills abound in all
kinds of game; and on the celebrated cliffs of Glen-
Turret the eagle annually builds her nest and rears her
young, not uufrequently, in time of scarcity of game,
making great depredations among the flocks by carry-
ing off young lambs. This glen was formerly famed for
its breed of falcons ; and here was procured the pair
presented to George III. at his coronation, by the Duke
of Atholl, in token of the tenure by which he held the
Isle of Man under the crown of England. The largest
loch in the parish is Loch Turret, embosomed in Glen-
Turret, at the foot of Benclnnizie ; it is about a mile
long and a quarter of a mile liroad, and well stocked
with trout, pike, and perch. Loch Ouan, in the same
glen, is remarkable for the number of trout taken in it ;
and among several small lakes in the lower part of the
parish, prolific in tench, eel, and other kinds of fish, is
Loch Monivaird, covering an extent of about forty acres :
it is situated at the base of a wood, and for many years
yielded large quantities of shell-marl. The river Earn,
issuing from the loch of the same name, in the parish of
Comrie, passes through this ami other parishes, and
after a winding course of about thirty-six miles, falls
into the Tay at Rhynd. It is joined on the east, near
268
Crieff, by a stream issuing from Loch Turret, and which,
in its precipitous course of about six miles, is marked by
many powerful falls. One of these, called the falls of
Ochtertyre, and situated in the heart of a thickly-wooded
dell, is exceedingly beautiful, the water descending with
tumultuous uproar for thirty feet : opposite to it, in a
romantic spot, a grotto has been cut in the rock by the
proprietor, for the accommodation of visiters ; while a
bridge has been thrown over the stream a little below.
The Barvic, another rapid stream, running along the
north-eastern boundary, separates Monivaird from Mon-
zie ; and after an impetuous course of four miles through
a romantic ravine, displaying a number of beautiful cas-
cades, it falls at last into the Turret.
The SOIL on the lower grounds is light and gravelly,
and on the sides of the rivers, for the most part, alluvial ;
producing excellent crops, especially of barley. Barley
and oats are the kinds of grain chiefly raised. Of the
latter, the Flemish are sown on the best soils, and the
Irish on the worst ; the Angus-shire sort being preferred
for clayey grounds. Turnips and potatoes, and various
kinds of grasses, also form a considerable portion of the
produce, and alternate with the white crops in the rota-
tion system of husbandry, which, with the usual modern
improvements, is successfully followed here. The ordi-
nary sheep are the black-faced, Leicester sheep however
being kept on ornamental grounds ; the cattle in the
higher parts are the Highland breed, and in the lower,
crosses with the Teeswater and Ayrshire. Draining has
been carried on to some extent ; and within the present
century the inclosures and farm-buildings have received
considerable attention. Much has been effected through
the encouragement afforded by the premiums of the
Strathearn Agricultural Society, instituted in 1809, by
the late Sir P. Murray, Bart. In general the rocks are
covered with moss, turf, and peat, a supply of the last of
which for fuel is obtained from Glen-Turret ; barked-
oak, also, is much used for fire-wood, and coal brought
from a distance is burnt in considerable quantities. The
strata in the mountains consist chiefly of clay-slate and
red sandstone ; a slate-quarry has been opened, and
several freestone quarries are in operation, one of them
producing a material of excellent quality. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £6000.
Much of the natural wood is thought to have formed
part of the ancient Caledonian forest. In this parish
the trees comi)rise oak, ash, elm, pine, birch, plane, and
laburnum, ornamentally disposed, and displaying in dif-
ferent directions a profusion of ever-varying and beauti-
fully-tinted foliage. Within the last thirty or forty years,
large tracts, belts, and clumps of hard and other kinds
of wood have been planted, cs])ecially on the estate of
Ochtertyre, on which stands the mansion of the principal
heritor, Sir Win. Keith Murray, Bart. The Murray
family is the oldest in the parish, having been founded
by Patrick, third son of Sir David Murray, sixth baron
of Tullibardine, ancestor of the Atholl family, who died
in 14*6. Ochtertyre is a modern structure, beautifully
situated on a richly-wooded slope ; it commands fine
views, and is ornamented with superior gardens. The
park, which comprehends part of the plain of Monivaird,
was the jilace, according to Chalmers, where Kenneth
IV., King of Scotland, was slain in battle in the year
lOO.'S ; and a mountain overlooking the plain is still
called Cairn-cluiiiiachan, or " Kenneth's cairn". In the
MONK
MONK
parish are also the mansion of Lawers, a tasteful Ionic
building, embosomed in wood ; and Strowan and Cla-
thick, two modern convenient residences. Two turn-
pike-roads run between Crieff and Comrie, one passing
on the north side of the Earn, througli Monivaird, and
the other on the south, through Strowan ; and there are
several good stone bridges over the rivers. The chief
communication is with Crieff and Comrie, the former
place half a mile distant from the parish boundary on
the east, and the latter somewhat nearer on the western
side. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Auchterarder, synod of Perth and Stirling, and in the
gift of the Earl of Kinnoull : the minister's stipend is
£261, with a manse, and a glebe of twelve acres valued
at £30 per annum. The church was built in 1804, and
contains 600 sittings. The parochial school affords in-
struction in the usual branches ; the master has a salary
of £34, with a house, and £15 fees. There is a paro-
chial library of about 250 volumes, chiefly religious.
Many Roman antiquities have been found in the neigh-
bourhood ; and a cross with the initials J. N. R. J.
(Jesus Nazarenus Rex Jiulaoriwi) is still to be seen near
the mansion-house of Strowan, pointing out the site
where the market of that place was held.
MONKEIGIE and KINKELL, county of Aber-
deen.— See Keith-Hall.
(p MONKLAND, NEW or EAST, a parish, in the
Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 11 miles (E. by N.)
from Glasgow ; containing, with the market-town of
Airdrie, the former quoad sacra parish of Clarkston, and
the villages of Greengairs, Riggend, Wattstown, and
others, 20,511 inhabitants, of whom 3567 are in the
country portions of the parish. This place originally
formed part of an extensive district which, in the middle
of the twelfth century, was granted by Malcolm IV. to
the abbey of Newbottle, and thence obtained the appel-
lation of Monkland. The abbots held their courts for
the barony in a chapel at Kipps, which was destroyed at
the time of the Reformation, but of which there were
some remains till the close of the last century, when
they were obliterated by the plough. Towards the mid-
dle of the seventeenth century, the barony of Monkland
was divided into two portions, that to the east being
erected into a separate parish, and called New Monk-
land, to distinguish it from the western portion, which
has the appellation of Old Monkland. New Monkland
is bounded on the north by the river Luggie, and on the
south, like Okl Monkland, by the North Calder water.
It is nearly ten miles in length and seven miles in e.x;-
treme breadth, comprising about 35,000 acres, of which
the greater portion is arable and in good cultivation, and
the remainder pasture and waste. Though not diver-
sified with hills of any remarkable height, the surface
rises gradually from the shores of the Luggie and the
Calder to an elevation of almost "00 feet above the level
of the sea, forming a central ridge that extends through-
out the whole length of the parish from east to west.
The rivers are, the Luggie, which has its source in Dum-
bartonshire, and flowing westward along the boundary
of the parish, falls into the Kelvin at Kirkintilloch ; and
the Calder, which, issuing from the Black loch, on the
eastern border of the parish, forms its southern boun-
dary, as already stated, and flows into the Clyde near
Daldowie House in the parish of Old Monkland. The
spacious reservoir of the Monkland and the Forth and
269
Clyde canals, is situated partly in this parish, and partly
in the adjoining parish of Bertram-Shotts ; it is of very
irregular form, and about 300 acres in extent. The
Monkland canal, begun in I770, and since greatly ex-
tended and improved, runs near the border of tlie parish.
This canal is about twelve miles in length, thirty-five
feet wide at the surface, but diminishing to twenty-six
feet at the bottom, and six feet in depth. It receives a
considerable part of its supply from the river Calder,
and, by means of two locks near Airdrie, and eight near
Glasgow, is raised 113 feet above the level of the Forth
and Clyde canal. Terminating at Glasgow, where it
communicates by a cut with the Forth and Clyde line,
it affords great facilities of conveyance for the mine-
ral and agricultural produce of the district it passes
through.
The SOIL in the north and west is a strong rich clay,
alternated with portions of lighter and drier quality, and
in the central and eastern portions mossy, but not un-
fertile. The chief crops are, grain of all kinds, peas,
beans, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual grasse.s.
Flax was formerly raised in great abundance, but for
some years it has been little grown. The system of
husbandry has been gradually advancing, and several
tracts of waste land have been brought into profitable
cultivation. Ploughing matches take place annually, at
which prizes are awarded to the successful competitors ;
and most of the more recent improvements in the con-
struction of implements have been adopted. The cattle,
of which considerable numbers are reared in the pastures,
are chiefly of the Ayrshire breed, and great attention is
paid to their improvement. There are scarcely any
plantations, except around the houses of the landed
proprietors ; and the want of timber, both for ornament
and shelter, is much felt.
The chief source of prosperity to the parish is its
MINERAL produce. Among the principal substrata are
whinstone and sandstone, which are largely quarried for
the roads and for building purposes : limestone is also
found in several places, but it is not much wrought, lime
from Cumbernauld, and dung from Airdrie, being almost
exclusively employed in farming. Coal and ironstone of
excellent quality prevail nearly in every part in great
abundance, and are in most extensive operation. The
seams of coal range from three to nine feet in thickness :
the principal varieties are the Ell, the Pyotshaw, the
Humph, the Main coal, and the splint ; and smithy-coal
and blind-coal are wrought in various parts. There are
not less than forty different collieries at present in ope-
ration, the produce of which is conveyed partly by the
Monkland canal or by railway to Glasgow, and thence
to the Highlands and the coasts of Ireland ; and partly
by the Kirkintilloch railway to Kirkintilloch, and thence
by the Forth and Clyde canal to Edinburgh. The iron-
stone, of very rich quahty, occurs partly in balls, and
partly in seams, of which the most usual are the muscle
and the black-band; the black-band is by far the most
valuable, and is generally found at fourteen fathoms be-
low the seam of splint-coal. There are as many as ninety
iron-mines in operation; the produce is sent to the
works of the Carron Company, the Clyde, the Calder, the
Gartsherrie, the Chapel-Hall, and other works. The
working of these mines and collieries affords constant
employment to thousands of the industrious classes, and
has contributed greatly to the increase of the population.
MONK
MONK
and to the growing prosperity of the adjoining districts.
To the mineral wealth of the parish may, indeed, be at-
tributed the existence of the flourishing town of Airdrie,
and of the numerous thriving villages that have sprung
up within its limits, and of which all the inhabitants are
more or less occupied either in the mines and collieries,
or in the various works to which they have given rise.
The annual value of real property in New Monkland
amounts to £35,967.
In this parish the principal mansion-houses are,
Airdrie House, the seat of Sir William Alexander, su-
perior of the town of Airdrie ; Monkland House, the
property of the Hon. William Elphinstone ; Rochsoles ;
Auchingray ; and Easter and Wester Moffat. The town
of Airdrie, the village of Clarkston, and the villages of
Ballochney, Greengairs, Riggend, Wattstown, and others,
are all described under their respective heads. In ad-
dition to the great numbers of persons engaged in the
collieries and mines, many of the inhabitants are em-
ployed in various branches of trade and manufacture ;
the principal is that of cotton, for which there are large
mills at Airdrie and Clarkston. A considerable number
of people are occupied in hand-loom weaving at their
own dwellings, for the manufacturers of Glasgow ; and
there are also a brewery and a distillery, both conducted
on a very extensive scale. There is a post-office at
Airdrie, which has three deliveries daily ; and two fairs,
numerously attended, and amply supplied with cattle
and with different kinds of merchandise, are held there
annually in May and November. In 1846 an act of
parliament was passed to erect the parishes of New and
Old Monkland, and parts of the parishes of Bothwell
and Bertram-Shotts, into a police district, with an effi-
cient police force. Facility of communication is main-
tained by the turnpike-road from Edinburgh to Glasgow,
which intersects the southern part of the parish from
east to west ; by the road from Stirling to Carlisle,
which crosses it from north to south ; by the Monkland
canal ; and by the Caledonian, the Kirkintilloch, the
Ballochney, and the Slamannan railways.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Hamilton, synod of
Glasgow and Ayr. The stipend is £265. 7. 11., with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £11. 10. per annum;
patrons, the heritors and elders. New Monkland church,
situated on an eminence in the western district of the
parish, was built in 1777, and substantially repaired in
1817, and is a neat plain structure containing 1200
sittings. Several additional churches have been erected
within the last few years ; and to all of them quoad
sacra districts were for a time annexed under act of the
General Assembly. There are places of worship for
members of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian
Synod, Cameronians, Independents, Baptists, and Wes-
leyans, and a Roman Catholic chapel. The parochial
school is attended by about fifty children ; the master
has a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and the
fees average £30 per annum. Schoolrooms have been
built at Airdrie, Clarkston, Greengairs, Coathill, &c.
The New Monkland Orphan Society is supported by
subscription, and affords clothing and instruction to
eighty children. Near Airdrie is a mineral well, the
water of which is strongly impregnated with iron and
sulphur ; it was once in high repute, but is at present
little used.
270
MONKLAND, OLD, a parish, in the Middle ward of
thecouity of Lanark, 3 miles (s.w. byW.) from Airdrie;
containing, with the former quoad sacra parishes of
Crossbill and Gartsherrie, and numerous populous
villages, 19,709 inhabitants, of whom 4022 are in the
country districts. This place was included in the dis-
trict granted by charter of Malcolm IV. to the monks of
Newbottle Abbey, and thence called Monkland, of which
the greater portion, soon after the Reformation, became
the property of Sir Thomas Hamilton, who was created
Earl of Melrose, and subsequently Earl of Haddington.
The lands passed from the Haddington family to the
Clellands, from whom they were purchased in 1639 by
James, Marquess of Hamilton ; and in the reign of
Charles II. they were sold by Anne, Duchess of Hamilton,
to the college of Glasgow. Monkland was divided about
the year 1650 into two distinct parishes, called respec-
tively Old and New Monkland ; the former compre-
hends the western, and the latter the eastern portion of
the district. Old Monkland is bounded on the west
by the river Clyde, and is about ten miles in length and
four miles and a half in extreme breadth ; the number of
acres has not been ascertained. The surface is generally
level, in few parts attaining any considerable elevation ;
on the west it slopes gently towards the Clyde. There
are several tracts of moss, in the aggregate amounting
to nearly 1500 acres; and about 1200 acres in planta-
tions. The principal rivers are the Clyde and the North
Calder ; the latter, bounding the parish on the south,
flows between banks richly wooded into the Clyde at
Daldowie. There are several burns that intersect the
parish in various directions ; and also some lakes, of
which Bishop loch covers about eighty, Woodend loch
fifty, and Lochend forty acres of ground. These lakes
abound with pike, some of which are of large size. The
ancient bishops of Glasgow are supposed to have had
their summer residence on the side of Bishop Loch ;
whence the name.
Along the banks of the Clyde and the Calder the soil
is a strong clay, by good management resembling loam,
and producing luxuriant crops of wheat : towards the
centre is a light sand, well adapted for oats and potatoes ;
and to the north the soil is mossy, in some parts much
improved. The crops are wheat, oats, potatoes, peas,
beans, turnips, and flax, which last was formerly raised
in much larger quantities than at present. Tiie system
of agriculture has been greatly improved under the aus-
pices of the New Farming Society, established here about
the year 1830. The farm houses and buildings are in
general substantial and commodious, and the lands are
well inclosed with fences of thorn. The cattle are of the
Ayrshire, and the horses of the Clydesdale breed, and
very great attention is paid to their improvement : prizes
have at different times been awarded at the Highland
Society's cattle-shows, for specimens of live-stock reared
in the jjarisli. The substrata are coal, ironstone, and
various other minerals, of which there are extensive beds
also in the adjoining parish of New Monkland ; and the
working of the several mines, and the establishment of
iron-works, have led to the erecti(m of numerous villages.
Among the villages in this parish are Calderbank, con-
taining 1064, Carmylc 238, Causeyside 367, Dundy van
1298, New Dundyvan 2202, Faskine 40S, Greenend 502,
and Langloan, containing 1111 inhabitants. The quoad
sacra parishes of Crossbill and Gartsherrie contained,
MONK
MONK
the former the villages of Baillieston, Barachnie, Broom-
house, Craigerid, West Merrystoiie, and Swinton ; and
the latter, those of Coatbridge, Coatdyke, Gartcloss, Gart-
sherrie, East Merrystone, and Summerlee. Some of the
principal coal-works are at Gartsherrie, where five
seams of coal are found, in beds varying from two to
four feet in thickness. At Gartcloss are three seams, of
which the lowest is thirty fathoms in depth ; at Gartgill,
three seams, at forty fathoms' lowest depth ; at Gunnie,
seams of every kind, at depths varying from twenty-seven
to fifty fathoms ; and at Drumpellier, four seams at nearly
similar depths with the preceding. At the Calder iron-
works are two mines, one forty and the other 100 fathoms
deep, containing all the varieties. At Palace-Craig iron-
stone is found alternating with the coal, in seams from
twelve to eighteen inches thick. At Faskine, where the
first mine was opened, splint-coal was found in 1791> at
a depth of seventy-five fathoms ; and at Whiteflat, where
are two pits at the depth of forty fathoms, black-band
ironstone occurs in seams of eighteen inches. There are
also coal-works at Netherhouse, Easterhouse, Mount Ver-
non, and Rosehall, the last on a very extensive scale.
The ironstone occurs in various parts of the district,
in seams of different thickness and quality. The black-
band ironstone is found on the lands of Monkland House,
Faskine, Garturk, Lower Coats, and Dundyvan, in
seams from fourteen to eighteen inches thick, yielding
from thirty to forty per cent, of iron ; these seams oc-
cupy an area of nearly ten square miles. At Palace-
Craig, the upper black-band occurs in seams of eighteen
inches, at sixteen fathoms below the splint-coal, and is
of rather inferior quality. In part of the lands of Air-
drie Hill, in the parish of New Monkland, is a seam of
ironstone varying from two to four feet in thickness ;
it is of the black-band species. Red freestone is quar-
ried at Langloan : white freestone of very fine texture is
wrought at Souterhouse, Garturk, Summerlee, Coatdyke,
and other places, chiefly for use in the manufacture of
iron ; and whinstone is quarried at Rawmone and
Easterhill. Considerable remains are still to be seen of
ancient wood ; and the numerous plantations, which are
in a thriving condition, add much beauty to the scenery
of the parish, and, combining with the high state of
cultivation and the luxuriance of the meadows and pas-
tures, give to it the appearance of an extensive garden.
There are many handsome houses belonging to the pro-
prietors, and to others connected with the mines and
works in the parish and its immediate vicinity.
The chief trade is the iron manufacture, for which
several very extensive works have been established here,
the abundant supply of ironstone and coal and other
facilities for the purpose having long since rendered this
place a great seat of the manufacture. The Gartsherrie
works, belonging to Messrs. W. Baird and Co., employ
sixteen blast furnaces for smelting ore. The Dundyvan
works, the property of Mr. J. Wilson, have nine furnaces ;
the works belonging to the Monkland Iron Company,
five furnaces in operation ; and the Clyde iron-works, the
property of James Dunlop, Esq., five furnaces, of which
at present four are in operation. The Summerlee works,
belonging to Messrs. Wilson and Co., employ five fur-
naces, to which two are about to be added. The Calder
works, belonging to Messrs. W. Dixon and Co., situated
on the border of Bothwell parish, have six furnaces in
operation j and the Langloan works, five furnaces. The
271
quantity of pig-iron manufactured annually in these
several establishments is in the aggregate 280,000 tons,
in the production of which nearly 8.50,000 tons of coal
are consumed. The Monkland Iron Company are erect-
ing mills and forges for the manufacture of bar-iron, on
a scale sufficient for the making of 230 tons of malleable
iron weekly ; and the Dundyvan Company are carrying
out similar arrangements on a still more extensive scale.
The steam-engines used in the works are of very great
power ; and the introduction of the hot-blast instead of
the cold-air in the management of the furnaces, by which
the consumption of fuel is much diminished, is now
generally adopted in the works. This important dis-
covery, first made by Mr. Sadler in 1798, was carried
into partial effect by the Rev. Mr. Stirling, of Kilmar-
nock, who obtained a patent in 1816. Improvements
were made in the process by J. B. Neilson, Esq., of
Glasgow, in 1 828. Mr. Dixon, of the Calder iron-works,
subsequently discovered that, by the adoption of the hot-
air blast, common pit-coal might be substituted for coke,
previously used ; and Messrs. Baird, of Gartsherrie, by
some improvements on Mr. Neilson's process, ultimately
brought the invention to its present efficiency.
The nearest market- town is Airdrie, on the confines of
the parish. Facility of communication is afforded by ex-
cellent roads, of which the turnpike-road from Edin-
burgh, by Airdrie, to Glasgow, passes through the parish.
There are also five railways for the conveyance of goods
and passengers, the Caledonian, the Monkland and
Kirkintilloch, the Wishaw and Coltness, the Ballochney,
and the Glasgow, Garnkirk, and Coatbridge. The Monk-
land and Kirkintilloch railwaij connects the rich coal dis-
tricts in this parish and New Monkland, within ten miles
of the city of Glasgow, with the Forth and Clyde canal
near the town of Kirkintilloch : the original act was ob-
tained in 1824. The Wishaw and Coltness railway ex-
tends from the termination in this parish of the Monk-
land and Kirkintilloch railway, southward, to the estates
of Wishaw, Coltness, and Allanton. The Caledonian line
runs north-eastward, to Castlecary : the Ballochney, east-
ward ; and the Garnkirk line, westward. The Monkland
canal to Glasgow passes nearly through the whole length
of this parish, in which it has its commencement. This
canal was begun in 1770, and since 1792 has undergone
various improvements. Its length from Woodhall, about
two miles south-east of Airdrie, to the basin at Glasgow,
is twelve miles ; and it communicates by a lateral cut
with the Forth and Clyde canal at Port-Dundas. By
means of eight double locks at Blackhill, near Glasgow,
and two single locks, of eleven feet and a half each, near
Airdrie, the canal is raised 113 feet above that of the
Forth and Clyde, and 273 above the level of the sea.
It is thirty-five feet wide at the surface, twenty-six at the
bottom, and has six feet water. An extensive basin was
lately formed at Dundyvan, for the shipment of coal and
iron by this canal from the Wishaw and Coltness and
the Monkland and Kirkintilloch railways ; and boats to
Glasgow take goods twice every day. At the village of
Coatbridge, within a mile and a half from the parish
church, is a post-office.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Hamilton and synod of
Glasgow and Ayr. The minister's stipend is about £300,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £16 per annum ;
patrons, the heritors and Kirk Session. The parish
MONK
MONK
church, erected in 1790, is a plain substantial structure,
containing 902 sittings. Churches, to which quoad sacra
parishes were for a time annexed, have been erected at
Crossbill and Gartsherrie ; and there are places of wor-
ship for members of the Free Church and the United Pres-
byterian Church. The parochial school is well attended ;
the master has a salary of £31, with a house and garden,
in addition to the fees. Connected with the parochial
school are three branch schools, the masters of which
have each a salary of £6. 15. 11. per annum, with mode-
rate fees. There are also schools supported exclusively
by the fees. At Coatbridge is a flourishing academy,
erected by W. Baird, Esq., of Gartsherrie ; and in the
village of Langloan is a library of about 500 volumes.
In digging the foundation for the buildings of the Clyde
iron-works, great numbers of human bones were found
covered with slabs of stone, and some earthen urns con-
taining bones and ashes. Urns perfectly smooth, and
of a rod colour, were found in 1834, in a plantation near
Blair-Tummock. — See the articles on the villages.
MONKSTON, a village, in the parish of Collessie,
district of Ctjpar, county of Fife; containing 102 in-
habitants. This place appears to have arisen upon the
decline of the village of Kinloch, which formerly con-
tained 191 inhabitants, but at present has only fifty-eight,
the greater number having removed to Monkston. The
village is handsomely built, consisting of six detached
ranges of four houses each, between which are intervals
of a few yards ; it is pleasantly situated, forms an agree-
able place of residence, and promises rapidly to increase.
A school has been opened, and is attended by about
thirty scholars ; the master is wholly supported by the
fees. There is also a Sabbath school.
^ MONKTON and PRESTWICK, a parish, in the
'district of Kyle, county of Ayr, 4 miles (N. N. E.) from
Ayr; containing 1933 inhabitants, of whom 1152 are in
the ancient burgh-of-barony of Prestwick. Monkton
and Prestwick formerly consisted of one district under
the name of Prestwick, which, on the institution of the
abbey of Paisley, was granted to that establishment by
its founder, Walter, son of Alan, the High Steward of
Scotland, in 1163 ; and the two churches here, of which
one was dedicated to St. Nicholas and the other to St.
Cuthbert, are in the chartulary of the abbey both styled
churches of Prestwick. Subsequently, however, the pa-
rishes assigned to the two churches respectively occur
under the designations of Prestwick de Burgo and
Prestwick Monachorum. The inhabitants of the former
place had a charter of incorporation at an early period,
conferring all the privileges of a burgh, which were rati-
fied by a charter of James VI. setting forth that Prest-
wick had been a free burgh of barony for more than
600 years. This second charter gives the inhabitants
power to elect a provost, bailie, and other ollicer.s, and
to hold a weekly market, and assigns to the freemen a
participation of the lands in equal portions. The records
of the abbey of Paisley describe the church of Monkton
as a rectory, and it continued to be such till the time of
the Reformation ; that of Prestwick eventually became
a chapel. The precise time of the union of the parishes
docs not appear.
The I'Aiusii is about three miles and a half in length
and tlic .same in breadth. It is bounded on the west by
the Firth of Clyde, and comprises 30.52 acres, of which
22/0 are arable, sixty-three acres woodland and planta-
272
tions, and the remainder pasture. The surface is gene-
rally level, with a gentle rise towards the north-east, and
the coast is also flat with the exception of occasional
sand hills. There are two small streamlets, of which
the larger, called the Pow burn, rises in the parish of
Craigie, and flowing through the lands, and turning two
mills in its course, falls into the sea near the parish of
Dundonald. The scenery is not much varied, and but
little enriched with wood. Along the coast the soil is
light and sandy ; in other parts, of richer quality, con-
sisting of deep loam ; and in some a stiff tenacious clay.
The crops are wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, turnips, and
beans. The system of husbandry is greatly improved :
furrow-draining has been extensively practised, and much
unproductive land has been rendered fertile ; the farm-
buildings are of a very superior order, and all the more
recent improvements in agricultural implements have
been adopted. Coal, green whinstone, and freestone are
the principal substrata. The coal occurs in two seams,
the upper of which lies at a depth of about six fathoms
from the surface, and, having been wrought for more
than five-and-thirty years, is now exhausted : the other,
at a depth of forty fathoms, has also been worked for
more than twenty or thirty years ; it is of harder and
better quality, but the works are at present discontinued.
The freestone, which is found both of a white and a red
colour, is of excellent quality. The annual value of real
property in Monkton and Prestwick is £4942. In this
parish the seats are, Adaratown, erected in the thirteenth
century by the family of Blair ; Orangefield ; Fairfield,
formerly Monkton-Mains ; and Ladykirk. The village
of Monkton, anciently Filla Monachorum, is rural ; a few
of the inhabitants are employed in hand-loom weaving.
The Glasgow and A)'r railway has stations here and at
Prestwick.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Ayr and synod of Glasgow and Ayr : the
minister's stipend is £203. 16. 10., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £35 per annum. Both the two old
churches, which are of great antiquity, are still remaining,
but they are no longer used for the performance of di-
vine service. A new church, in a centrical situation,
was erected at an expense of more than £2500, and
completed and opened for public worship in 1837 ; it is
a substantial and handsome edifice in the later English
style, and is adapted for a congregation of 825 persons.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship. Tlie parochial school, situated in the village of
Monkton, affords education to about 130 scholars ; the
master has a salary of £34, with £33 fees, and a house
and garden. There is a school in the village of Prest-
wick, which gives instruction to about fifty children ;
the master has the use of the old town-house for a
schoolroom, and receives a gratuity annually in lieu of
a dwelling-house, in addition to the fees. On the lands
of Ladykirk are the remains of a chapel dedicated to
the Virgin Mary, which in ancient documents is styled
the chapel of "Ladykirk in Kyle"; the building was
quadrilateral, with turrets, one of which is remaining.
Between the villages of Prestwick and Prcstwick-Toll
are the ruins of an old hospital called Kingcase, tradi-
tionally said to have been founded by Robert Bruce for
lepers, in consequence of his having, when affected with
the disease, received considerable benefit from drinking
the water of a spring at that place.
MONQ
M ONQ
MONKTONHALL, a village, in the parish of In-
VERESK, county of Edinburgh, 1 mile (S. S. W.) from
Musselburgh; containing 11/ inhabitants. This place
lies nearly in the heart of the parish, a little to the
south of the Esk river ; it is the seat of one of the prin-
cipal collieries in the parish, and its inhabitants are
almost exclusively workers in the mines. About a mile
above the village, on the Dalkeith road, stands Monkton
House, said to have been built by the famous General
Monk, and to have been his favourite Scottish residence.
This venerable structure, now used as farm-offices,
stands in the court of the present mansion-house, the
property of Sir John Hope, Bart. The gardens of Monk-
tonhall, and those of Stoneyhill, in the vicinity, appear
to have been among the earliest in Scotland.
9 MONQUHITTER, a parish, in the district of Tur-
riff, county of Aberdeen, 6 miles (E.) from Turriff;
containing, with the villages of Cuminestown and Gar-
mond, 20/4 inhabitants. The farm on which the church
was originally built was termed Montquhitter, or Mon-
quhitter, a word signifying " the place for ensnaring the
deer"; or, as others think, "the moss of desolation".
From this farm the district, which was disjoined from
the parish of Turriff in 1649, took its name. The parish
is about ten miles in length from north to south, and
seven or eight in breadth ; and comprises 20,000 acres,
of which two-thirds are in tillage, 300 acres in planta-
tions, and part of the remainder swampy ground, moss,
and heath, which in many places are undergoing agri-
cultural improvement. The surface to a great extent
presents a series of undulations ; but the scenery is in
general rather uninviting, the hills being bleak and bar-
ren, with but very little wood, and a part of the lower
grounds undrained. Of late years the aspect of the
parish has been vastly improved by the extension of
farming operations. The small stream of Asleed, run-
ning towards the south, separates this parish from those
of New Deer and Methlick, and falls into the river
Ythan. Another stream, called the Water of Idoch,
which gives its name to a valley, flows by the parish
church and near the village of Cuminestown, and, pass-
ing westward to the parish of Turriff, where it takes the
name of the burn of Turriff, falls into the Doveron.
Both these streams are augmented in their course by
numerous tributary rivulets, and are well stocked with
small fine-flavoured trout.
The SOIL on the cultivated grounds consists of two
distinct kinds, one a reddish loam, and the other a black
mould of considerable depth, and both incumbent on a
clayey subsoil interspersed with pebbles. Among other
crops, oats of excellent quality are produced ; and the
newly-ploughed lands, after being well limed, bear rye-
grass and clover in perfection : the richer description of
grass-pasture is not to be found here to any great extent,
the disposition of the land to return to a state of heath,
with which the parish was formerly covered, rendering
it impossible to keep it long exempt from tillage. Some
spirited improvements have been carried out by the
present proprietor of Auchry, who, on an opportunity
occurring, has taken into his own hands the land for-
merly let to tenants and crofters, and improved it ac-
cording to the newest and most esteemed systems of
husbandry. Artificial grasses are successfully raised by
this proprietor, and among other things he has intro-
duced the planting of hedges, with the most promising
Vol. n.— 273
effect, in a manner hitherto unknown in this part of the
country. The Earl of Fife, another landowner, has
likewise contributed to the improvement of the parish.
The sheep, which are not numerous, are mostly of
the black-faced breed : during winter, large droves of
the same breed, from the inland and mountainous parts
of the country, are pastured on the whins and heath in
this parish, until the return of spring has dispelled the
snow from their own bleak regions. Of cattle, a cross
between the Buehan and the Teeswater is preferred ;
the Teeswater and the Galloway, which have been fre-
quently tried, not having succeeded so well on account
of the nature of the climate, the want of shelter, and the
inferiority of the pasture. The proprietor of Auchry
patronises the pure Hereford breed, which seems to
thrive well amid the luxuriant grass, and under the
shelter of the plantations, by which Auchry House is
surrounded, although it would not be suited to bleak
and exposed situations in the parish. Furrow-draining
has been adopted in the district ; and the reclaiming of
waste land has been much furthered by the introduction
of bone manure, which is extensively used on all the
grounds. Guano and other manures have also been
tried with success ; and the facility of exporting cattle
to London by steam navigation has given a powerful
impulse to the efforts of those employed in breeding and
fattening beasts for the market. The farm-houses, which
in general are thatched with straw or heather, are small,
but adapted to the size of the farms. In this parish the
substratum is a soft kind of red sandstone, much mixed
with iron-ore : the stone is raised in large blocks, and
used for building ; but on account of its friable charac-
ter when exposed to the weather, it is not in much es-
teem. The annual value of real property in Monquhitter
is £5419.
The only mansion is Auchry, a plain edifice, purchased
in 1830, with the principal part of the estate, by the
present proprietor from the family of Joseph Cumine,
Esq. That gentleman, on assuming the management of
his estate in 1739, commenced extensive improvements
in the district in every branch of husbandry, and became
distinguished for the impulse which he gave to agricul-
tural pursuits throughout the north of Scotland. He
also founded the village of Cuminestown. Besides this
village, the parish contains that of Garmond ; and a
daily post has been established at the former place by
the influence of the present proprietor of Auchry : the
whole of the roads in the district are in very bad condi-
tion. The grain raised here is forwarded to Banff and
Macduff, both about fourteen miles distant, whence lime
and coal are brought in return. The cattle are sold at
the markets of Turriff, New Deer, and other places ; and
the dairy produce is disposed of to general dealers resi-
dent here, who send it to Aberdeen and Leith. An an-
nual fair is held at Cuminestown, for cattle and horses,
on the last Thursday in April or the first in May ; and
the proprietor has established several other markets.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Turriff,
synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of the Earl of
Fife : the minister's stipend is about £190, with a manse,
one of the most spacious in the neighbourhood, and
about ten acres of very excellent land. The church,
which is conveniently situated near the villages, is an
unadorned and uncomfortable edifice, accommodating
1000 persons ; it was built in 1764, and increased by
2N
MONT
MONT
the addition of an aisle in 1792. A chapel of ease was
erected in Fyvie, in 1833, for the benefit of the remote
parts of that parish and Monquhitter ; a district of the
latter, containing 195 persons, being ecclesiastically an-
nexed to it. There is a small episcopal chapel, a taste-
ful building ; and the members of the Free Church have
a place of worship, the minister of which resides in an
elegant cottage erected as a manse for his use. The pa-
rochial school aflFords instruction in the usual branches ;
the master receives a salary of £34, and about £23 fees,
and also shares in the Dick bequest. The minister of
the parish has the patronage of a bursary at King's
College, Aberdeen, founded in 1813 by Mr. James
Cruickshank, of Touxhill, in the parish of New Deer,
and only to be held by individuals of the name either of
Cruickshank, or of Top or Tap. Poor householders
who are not paupers have the benefit of a charitable
bequest of £200 by Mr. Grieve, the proceeds of which
are annually distributed. A savings' bank, instituted a
few years since, is in a flourishing condition.
MONRIETH, a village, in the parish of Glasser-
TON, county of Wigtown, 6 miles (W.) from Whithorn ;
containing 94 inhabitants. This is a small village situ-
ated near a creek or bay of the same name, opening into
the bay of Luce. The road from Wliithorn passes
through the village to Port-William, about two miles
north-westward of it. At a short distance, near the
sea-shore, are some remains of the ancient church of
Kirkmaiden ; they consist of the walls, which are still
pretty entire.
MONTEITH, PORT OF.— See Port of Monteith.
MONTROSE, a royal
burgh, a sea-port, and parish,
in the county of Forfar ;
containing 15,096 inhabit-
ants, of whom 13,402 are in
the burgh, 20 miles (K. N. E.)
from Forfar, and 72 (N. E.
by N.) from Edinburgh. This
place, anciently called Celur-
ca, is supposed to have de-
rived its present name from
the Gaelic Main Ross, signi-
fying " a promontory in the
fens"; though the device of the town-seal apparently
favours the fanciful derivation from the Latin Mons
RosciTum, or "the Mount of Roses". The town is of
considerable antiquity : it seems to have received a
charter from David L, conferring upon it all the privi-
leges of a royal burgh ; and though there is no authentic
record of its early history, it appears to have been iden-
tified with many incidents of importance. In 1330,
Sir James Douglas, attended by a numerous and splen-
did retinue, embarked at this port, bearing with him the
heart of Robert the Bruce, to be deposited in the Holy
Sepulchre at Jerusalem. In 1493, the inhabitants of
Montrose suffered so much oppression from John Er-
skine, lord of Dun, that the magistrates of the burgh,
on petition to James IV., obtained a summons from the
king, commanding his appearance before the council at
Edinburgh. In 1534, the study of Greek was intro-
duced here by John Erskine, grandson of the former,
and associate of John Knox in promoting the Reforma-
tion ; who CHtabnshc<l in the burgh school a teacher of
that language, whom he had brought from the continent :
274
Burgh Seal.
this is believed to have been the first place in Scotland
where Jie Greek language, previously almost unknown
in the country, was taught. James Graham the cele-
brated Marquess of Montrose, at one time a resolute
champion for the Covenant, but subsequently a zealous
adherent of Charles I., was born here in 1612. In
February, 1716, the Pretender embarked at this port,
on the failure of his enterprise, with the Earl of Mar
and a single attendant, for the continent.
The town is situated on the western shore of a penin-
sular eminence, bounded on the east by the German
Ocean, and on the south by an outlet from the bay of
Montrose : this bay is formed by an expansion of the
South Esk, and bounds the town on the west. Montrose
consists of one spacious street called the High-street,
and of several other well-formed streets, among which
are Castle-street, Murray-street, and Bridge-street, the
last leading to the suspension-bridge that connects the
town with the island of Inch-Brayock, in the entrance of
the bay. To the north-east of the town are the Links,
about four miles in circuit, supposed to have been
originally covered by the sea, and to which a communi-
cation was opened from John- street in 1830, and by
Union-street, a handsome range of houses, in 1838.
The streets are well paved, and lighted with gas ; and
the inhabitants are amply supplied with excellent water
conveyed by pipes from springs in the parish of Dun.
A public subscription library, established in 1785, forms
a valuable collection of several thousand volumes ; and
a reading society was commenced in 1819, which has a
library of nearly 2000 volumes. A commercial reading
and news room, and also the Exchange Coffee-house,
are well supplied with daily journals and periodical
publications ; and two weekly newspapers are published
in the town. Subscription assemblies are held in a
handsome suite of rooms. A Horticultural Society,
formed in 1825, is well supported ; and a Natural and
Antiquarian Society, established in 1837, has a museum
containing a collection of specimens in zoology, miner-
alogy, geology, and antiquities.
The principal manufactures carried on are the spinning
of flax, and weaving. There are five mills for spinning
linen yarn, of which four are driven by steam-engines of
120-horse power in the aggregate, and the other, on the
North Esk, is driven by water ; there are also two in
the parish of Logie-Pcrt that belong to firms in the
town, producing about 300,000 spindles yearly. The
articles chiefly woven arc sheetings, dowlas, ducks,
canvas, Osnaburghs, bagging, sacking, and tarpaulins,
of which 25,000 pieces are annually made in the town,
exclusively of large quantities in branch establishments.
There are a foundry, two establishments for the manu-
facture of machinery, two tanneries, two rope and sail
manufactories, a manufactory for snap, one for starch,
two candle-works, five breweries, a steam meal and flour
mill, and establishments for making bricks and tiles.
Ship-building is also carried on to a considerable extent,
and there is a patent-slip for repairing vessels. There
are salmon-fisheries in the rivers North and South Esk ;
and great quantities of cod and other white-fish are
taken off the coast, and, after being dried, sent to the
English markets. The trade of the port consists chiefly
in the export of grain and other iigricnitural produce,
and manufactured goods, chiefly coastwise ; and in the
importation from Scottish and English ports of a variety
MONT
MONT
of goods, and from foreign ports of flax, hemp, tallow,
timber, deals, and, as Montrose has now the privilege
of bonding, wines and spirits for the supply of the ad-
jacent districts. The jurisdiction of the port until lately
extended from the Lights of Tay, on the south, to Tod-
head, on the north, including Arbroath ; but Arbroath
is now independent. The number of vessels registered
as belonging to the port in 184S was 113, of the aggre-
gate burthen of 14,40'2 tons ; and the amount of duties
paid at the custom-house was £26,558. The harbour,
which might be made one of the best on the eastern
coast of Scotland, has a depth of eighteen feet water on
the bar at the entrance, at the ebb of spring tides ; and
it is accessible to large vessels, except during strong
easterly gales. The isle of Inch-Brayock is connected
with the southern shore by a swivel-bridge, allowing a
passage for vessels to Old Montrose, where is a pier for
landing coal and lime ; and with the shore on the north
by an elegant suspension-bridge, erected in 1829, at a
cost of £20,000, from a design by Sir Samuel Brown, of
the Royal Navy. After a severe gale in 1838, which
destroyed a great portion of the suspension-bridge, it
was speedily repaired at an expense of £3000, by Mr.
J. M. Rendel, civil engineer. The towers from which
the chains that sustain the platform are suspended, are
seventy-one feet in height, and the distance between
them 432 feet ; the breadth of the platform is twenty-
six feet within the rods, and on each side of the central
roadway is a foot-path, separated by an iron palisade.
The quays and warehouses of the port are commodiously
arranged, and substantially built. A wet-dock has been
constructed, capable of receiving 6000 tons of shipping ;
and two lighthouses have been erected below the har-
bour : in the larger, to which a life-boat is attached, and
where the light-keeper resides, are accommodations for
the reception and recovery of shipwrecked mariners.
By charters of David I. and David II., confirmed and
extended by charter of James IV., dated 1493, the
government of the burgh is vested in a provost, three
bailies, a dean of guild, treasurer, master of the hospi-
tal, and twelve others, forming a council of nineteen.
There are seven incorporated trades, viz., the black-
smiths, the Wrights, shoemakers, weavers, masons and
slaters, bakers, and tailors. The fees of admission into
the trades, for strangers, vary from £5 to £10, for sons
and sons-in-law of burgesses from £2 to £5, and for
apprentices from £3 to £6 ; the fees of admission as
members of the guildry are £16. 16. for strangers,
£10. 10. for apprentices, and £8. 8. for sons and sons-
in-law of guild members. The magistrates exercise
jurisdiction in civil cases to any amount, and take cog-
nizance of misdemeanors ; they hold a bailie-court
weekly, in which they are assisted by their town-clerk,
who acts as assessor. The town-hall, situated in High-
street, contains the guildhall, council-room, the courts,
and a coffee-room and public library. A new gaol has
been built, well adapted to the purpose. Montrose is
associated with Forfar, Brechin, Arbroath, and Bervie,
in returning a member to the imperial parliament ; the
number of qualified voters is about 460. The post-
office has a good delivery ; and there are branches of
the Bank of Scotland, the British Linen Company, the
National Bank of Scotland, the Western Bank of Scot-
land, and the Eastern Bank of Scotland. The market is
on Friday, and is well supphed with grain and other
275
agricultural produce, of which great quantities are shipped
from the port. Fairs are held annually at Whitsuntide
and Martinmas, chiefly for hiring servants. Facility of
communication is afforded by excellent roads ; there is
a branch to the town of the Aberdeen railway, and the
Aberdeen steam-boats, for seven months in the year,
touch here, taking in goods and passengers.
The PARISH, which is bounded on the east by the
German Ocean, and on the north and south by the North
and South Esk i-espectively, is about three miles in
length and nearly of equal breadth ; comprising 3900
acres, of which, with the exception of the beach and
some steep acclivities, the whole is arable and in good
cultivation. Its surface is generally level, with a gra-
dual ascent towards the north-west, from whose summit,
though of inconsiderable elevation, the view of the basin
of Montrose, a circular sheet of water nearly three miles
in diameter, and of the adjacent country interspersed
with handsome mansions and pleasing villas, is .strik-
ingly beautiful. In the lower parts of the parish the
soil is sandy, and in the higher light and thin ; it has
been much bettered by good management, and some
tracts of moorland and moss have been brought into
profitable cultivation. The crops are, grain of all kinds,
with potatoes and turnips, and the various grasses ; the
green crops, from the high prices they obtain, are raised
in great abundance. The system of husbandry has been
much improved. On the estate of Charlton a consider-
able number of different sorts of forest-trees have been
planted ; and in the north-west of the parish are planta-
tions of fir. The substratum is principally limestone, of
which there is a quarry on the lands of Hedderwick ;
but for building and other purposes stone is chiefly
brought from Brechin. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £28,845.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Brechin and synod of Angus and Mearns.
There are two charges. The minister of the first charge
has a stipend of £295. 5. 10., with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £20 per annum ; patron, the Crown. The
minister of the second charge has a stipend of £340,
■without either manse or glebe ; patrons, the Magistrates
and Town-council. Montrose parish church, with the
exception of the tower, was rebuilt in 1791, and was re-
paired in 1832, when the old steeple, being thought in-
secure, was taken down, and replaced by a handsome
square embattled tower surmounted with a lofty spire,
at a cost of £3000. The interior, which is well arranged,
has two tiers of galleries, and contains 2500 sittings.
St. John's church was originally built as a chapel of
ease, in 1829, at an expense of £3969, defrayed by sub-
scription. In 1834 an ecclesiastical district, including
a population of 4999, was assigned it under act of the
General Assembly, forming for a time the quoad sacra
parish of St. John. The structure is neat and substan-
tial, and contains 1500 sittings. There are two Epis-
copalian chapels, one of which, dedicated to St. Peter, is
in strict connexion with the Church of England ; the other
is connected with the Scottish Episcopal Church. The
members of the Free Church have two or three places of
worship ; there are two for the United Presbyterian
Synod, and places of worship for Baptists, Independ-
ents, and Wesleyans. The Montrose academy is under
the direction of a rector, who teaches the mathematics,
geography, and French ; two teachers of Latin, two of
2 N 2
MO NY
M O N Y
the English language, and two teachers for writing and
arithmetic. The number of children attending the aca-
demy averages 350. There are also a school for eighty
children, the master of which has a house and garden,
and a payment of £2 per annum, in addition to the fees ;
a free school founded by Mr. David White, the master
of which has a salary of £36, with a house and garden ;
and another, founded by Miss Stratton, the master and
mistress of which divide between them the interest of
£900 bequeathed by that lady. In these two last about
175 children are gratuitously taught; and there is a
school erected by the trades, the masters of which have
the house, but no salary. There are likewise numerous
private schools, supported exclusively by the fees ; and
various Sabbath schools.
The lunatic asylum, with which were formerly con-
nected the infirmary and dispensary, was erected in
1779, and has been subsequently enlarged and im-
proved. It was incorporated by royal charter in 1811,
and placed under the direction of the provost, first
bailie, parish ministers, and principal inhabitants of the
town, and under the immediate care of a keeper, ma-
tron, and resident medical attendant. In 1S38, the
infirmary and dispensary were detached from the asy-
lum ; and a handsome building was erected for the pur-
pose, at a cost of £2500, to the west of the bridge. The
funds of the ancient hospital of the Grey Friars were
appropriated to the use of the poor, and are now vested
in the town-council, producing about £280 per annum,
which sum is distributed in monthly payments. The
poor have also some bequests varying from £100 to
£1000 each, made by charitable individuals, and a
bequest of £3000 by John Erskine, Esq., in 1786, of
which £50 per annum were for an additional teacher in
the academy, and the remainder to be divided among
eight orphans of the school, each of whom receives
from the fund about £17 per annum. The same bene-
factor bequeathed £2000 for ten poor families, each of
which receives an annual payment of £12. 12. Dor-
wood's House of Refuge was founded in 1839 by William
Dorwood, Esq., of this town, who gave £10,000 towards
its erection and endowment, and £600 for additional
buildings and furniture. The buildings form a hand-
some structure in the ancient English style of architec-
ture, and are adapted to the reception of 200 inmates.
The institution is under the superintendence of twenty-
four trustees. Montrose gives the title of Duke to the
family of Graham.
MONYMU.SK, a parish, in the district of Garioch,
county of Ahkkueen, 125 miles (N. by E.) from Edin-
burgh ; containing 895 inhabitants. This parish ap-
pears to have derived its name from two Gaelic words,
Mnnau'^h, " high or hilly ", and Mousick, " low and
marshy ground"; which are descriptive of the general
appearance of the laud. A priory was founded here in
the eleventh century by Malcolm Canmore, who is said
to have encamped at Monymusk, on his expedition to
the north, and to have vowed that if he returned vic-
torious he would devote the village to St. Andrew, the
tutelary saint of Scotland. On his arrival at the river
Spey, he was stopped by the priests, in their canonicals,
who, with his permission, passed over to tlie enemy, and
finished the campaign without any elfusion of blood.
In consequence of this affair he founded and endowed
the priory of Monymusk, as appears from an old Latin
276
document in Monymusk House, extracted from the
regi-ster of St. Andrew's, and which, after describing
the assigned boundaries, concludes with the following
passage : " And thus these are the marches which King
Malcolm bequeathed, on account of a victory granted,
to God and the Church of St. Mary of Monymusk,
giving the benediction of God and St. Mary to all who
preserve the rights of the Church ". Few other events
of historical importance have occurred ; but near the
bank of the river Don is a field called the Camp Field,
where, according to tradition. King Robert Bruce's army
lay immediately previous to the battle of Inverury.
The PARISH is about seven miles in length and be-
tween four and five in breadth ; it contains 12,600
acres. On the north and north-west lie the parishes
of Keig, Oyne, and Chapel of Garioch ; on the south and
east, the parishes of Kemnay and Cluny ; and on the
west, the parish of Tough. There are great inequalities
of surface, some parts being low and flat, and others
considerably elevated : on the north and west are several
hills, of which the most lofty, that of Cairnwilliam, rises
1400 feet above the level of the sea. The numerous
woods and plantations give a pleasing variety to the
scenery ; they include almost every kind of tree com-
mon to the country, but on the higher grounds the
fir is most extensively cultivated. In the old " Garden
of Paradise," laid out in 1719,and now forming a part of
what is called Paradise Wood, are numbers of spruces
and larches upwards of a century old, some of which
are of large dimensions and noble and commanding
appearance. The river Don, rising in the mountains of
CorgarfF, divides the parish into two unequal parts, and
after pursuing a winding course of sixty miles from its
source, falls into the sea at Old Aberdeen ; its mean
breadth in this part is thirty-five yards. About 5370
acres in the parish are cultivated or occasionally in til-
lage ; 3080 are either waste or pasture, and 4150 are in
plantations. The total annual value of the produce,
which consists of all kinds of grain and green crops, is
£14,910. The sheep are few in number, having been
found mjurious to the hill plantations ; but the rearing
of cattle aud horses receives much attention, and the
breeds are in general good. The modern system of
husbandry is followed : great improvements have taken
place in the construction of the farm- buildings, which
are now of stone and lime, and have slated roofs ; and
on some farms the fields are well inclosed with stone
dykes. Granite is the principal kind of rock ; it is of
superior quality and in great abundance, and from the
quarries wrought here many large blocks were procured
by a company at Aberdeen, for building the colonnade
of the market-place in Covent Garden, London. Iron
is said to have Ijeen discovered many years ago in one
of the hills, the ore yielding ', f, of metal ; but owing to
the scarcity of fuel in this part of the county, it was not
wrought. A quarry of felspar was worked for some time
by an agent of one of the Staffordshire potteries ; this,
also, was abandimed, on account of the expense of the
land carriage to Aberdeen. The annual value of real
property in the parisli is £4285.
Monymusk House, the only mansion of any note, is
an ancient and a spacious structure, pleasantly situated
on the south l)ank of the Don. It has a library con-
taining about 5000 volunu's, and a collection of valuable
paintings, most of wiiich are by the old masters. This
MONY
MONZ
mansion is the residence of Sir James Grant, of Mony-
musk, Bart., proprietor of the whole parish, and the lineal
descendant of Francis Grant, of CuUcn, who was knighted
by Queen Anne in J 705, and afterwards appointed one
of the senators of the college of justice by the title of
Lord Cullen. He was the first of the Grant family who
was proprietor of Monymusk, having purchased it from
Sir William Forbes. The population is chiefly agricul-
tural ; but there are a distillery and two saw-mills,
which give employment to several people : the timber
here prepared for use is all grown in the parish. The
\,\\^ small village of Monymusk is a place of considerable
antiquity, being mentioned by Buchanan as Monimuscum
vicum, where Malcolm Canmore lay encamped, in his
journey towards the north to quell the insurrection in
Moray. It has been almost entirely rebuilt by the pro-
prietor, and now forms a very neat square, with some
fine old trees growing in the centre. There is a daily
post established here ; and the village has two turnpike-
roads passing through it, in different directions, to Aber-
deen. Monthly markets for the sale of cattle and grain
are held in the village on the second Mondays of De-
cember, January, February, March, and April : there are
also annual fairs at Whitsuntide and Martinmas, chiefly
for the hiring of servants, and on the last Thursday of
August, for cattle, and small wares of various kinds.
The fuel consists principally of peat, turf, and wood; but
coal also is procured from Aberdeen and Kintore.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Garioch and synod of
Aberdeen ; patron, the Crown. The stipend of the
minister averages about £200 ; and there is a good
manse, with a glebe of seven acres, worth £12. 6. per
annum. Monymusk church is very ancient, with a
square tower at the west end : it is supposed to have
H yj.y been built in the eleventh century, at the time of the
founding of the priory by Malcolm Canmore, who is
said to have endowed both church and priory. There
is also an episcopal chapel in the village, seating about
150 persons. A parochial school is held, in which the
Latin language and the usual branches are taught : the
master has a salary of £26, about £14 fees, and a portion
of the Dick bequest ; also an excellent house rent free,
a good garden, and an allowance of £10 or £12 a year
for teaching as many poor scholars. There is an en-
dowed school called Lord CuUen's, the teacher of which
receives a salary in meal and money amounting to £50 :
it was founded in 1/18, out of the estate of Monymusk ;
and a school-house was built in 1824, on the north side
of the Don. Two friendly societies are supported, one
of which, " Sir Archibald Grant's Lodge of Gardeners,"
was established in 1808, and the other, a " Benefit Male
and Female Society," in 1824. The interest of £765
three per cent, consols, the bequest of the late Dame
Jane Johnston, Lady Grant, is distributed in January
amongst poor families not receiving parochial relief, or
aid from any other charitable fund. In this parish the
only antiquities are two Druidical circles, and the old
building called Pitfitchie Castle, which belonged origi-
nally to the family of General Hurry, of Urrie, and
afterwards to the family of Forbes, as part of the estate of
Monymusk. Lord Cullen, one of the senators of the college
of justice, an ancestor of the present family of Grant of
Monymusk, and founder of the school already noticed,
was born at Ballintome, in the county of Moray, in 1658,
277
and died in 1726 : both as an advocate and a judge, he
was distinguished by profound erudition and most in-
flexible integrity. The Rev. Alexander Nicol, canon of
Christchurch, and regius professor of Hebrew in the
university of Oxford, whose reputation as a general
scholar and linguist was of the highest order, was a
native of Monymusk; he was born in the village in 1793,
and died in 1828.
MONZIE, a parish, in the county of Perth ; con-
taining, with the vdlages of Chapelhill and Ilerriotfield,
about 1260 inhabitants, of whom about 118 are in the
village of Monzie, 3 miles (N. N. E.) from Crieff. The
name Monzie is derived from the Gaelic Moighidh, sig-
nifying "a level tract." There are few events of impor-
tance connected with the place : some relics of antiquity,
both of Druidical and of Roman origin, are still visible,
but all historical memorials identifying them with any
particular transactions are lost. The parish is twelve
miles long and about seven in extreme breadth, and
contains about 50,000 acres. It is bounded on the
north by the parishes of Dull, Weem, and Kenmore ; on
the south by Crieff; on the east by Fowlis ; and on the
west by Monivaird and Comrie. This is a mountainous
district lying on the south side of the Grampian hills,
the only habitable portions being two narrow valleys
called the Back and the Fore part, separated from each
other by a ridge of lofty hills four miles broad. Only
about one-third of the land is arable ; the remainder is
covered with heath, coarse grass, and moss, appropriated
to the pasturage of vast flocks of sheep. The lands are
watered by the Almond, the Shaggie, the Keltic, and the
Barvick, the first of which, a considerable river, running
for about twelve miles along the boundary of the parish
from east to west, falls into the Tay two miles above
Perth. All the streams are stocked with trout, and in
the Almond is a plentiful supply of sea-trout. Like
most Highland districts, the parish is famed for its
cascades, which are numerous on all the streams, and
of which the Barvick especially exhibits an almost un-
interrupted succession throughout its whole course, the
effect being greatly increased by the abrupt, lofty, and,
in many places, well-wooded banks of rock between which
the stream passes.
In this parish the soil is light and dry, and tolerably
fertile, though in general rather shallow: the usual white
and green crops are raised. The sheep are the Highland
or black-faced, and great attention is paid to their im-
provement ; the cattle are mostly a cross between the
Highland and the Lowland, but a few Ayrshire cows are
kept for the dairy. The character of the husbandry is
good, and considerable advances have been made in
draining and trenching ; but the expense of procuring
lime, which is brought from a distance, is a serious
obstacle to agricultural improvement. Many of the
farm-steadings have lately been rebuilt on a better plan;
but much remains yet to be done in this respect, especially
on the estate of Monzie. The parish being to a great
extent pastoral, there is much land uninclosed ; where
fences have been erected, however, they are in general
in good condition. The prevailing rocks are slate, sand-
stone, and limestone : there are two slate-quarries, and
a quarry of superior sandstone of a red colour, and of
great durability ; but the limestone, on account of its
inferior quality and its distance from coal, is not wrought.
The mansion-houses are, Monzie Castle, the residence
MONZ
M ON Z
of Campbell of Monzie, a massive square building with
a circular turret at each corner, erected in 1806, and
containing a superior collection of paintings, ancient
armour, &c. ; Cultoquhey House, the seat of the Max-
tones, an elegant edifice from a design by Smirke, erected
about five-and-twenty years since ; and Glen-Almond
Cottage, the occasional residence of the Patton family,
also a modern and comfortable house. Monzie and
Gilmerton are the chief villages : that of Monzie, often
called the Kirkton, consists of a cluster of cottages, nest-
ling in a sunny corner round the church ; the other, the
larger of the two, has sprung up within these few years.
There are a few hand-loom weavers. A fair for sheep
and for general traffic is held at Monzie on the 22nd
of August : a fair on the 'JSrd, formerly held here, has
been transferred to the neighbouring parish of Crieff,
and now makes one of its eight fairs. Oats and barley
are sent hence to Crieff, and potatoes to London by way
of Perth. The Glen-Almond road, one of the grand
passes into the Higlilands, runs through the parish ;
besides which there are several roads for local conve-
nience. The annual value of real property in Monzie is
£4300.
"The College of the Holy and Undivided Tri-
nity," in Glen-Almond, occupies a site acquired from
George Patton, Esq., consisting of a portion of his estate
of Cairnies, in the parish of Monzie. In the year 1841,
certain lay members of the Scottish Episcopal Church,
deeply interested in her welfare, associated themselves
together for the purpose of founding an institution in a
central part of Scotland, to remedy the serious wants
that existed in regard to the education of persons de-
signed for holy orders in that Church, and of the chil-
dren of the middle and upper classes in communion
with the Church. Having submitted their views to the
Scottish bishops, the latter formally approved of the
design by a synodal or pastoral letter, dated September
2nd, 1841; and agreeably with the terms of this synodal
letter, contributions in aid of the work were solicited
through the instrumentality of a committee. In the month
of September, 1845, a general meeting of the bishops, the
committee, holders of rights of nomination, and sub-
scribers to the institution, was held in the Hopetoun
Rooms, Edinburgh, at which a council was appointed
for the college, and arrangements were made for drawing
up a deed of constitution, which was accordingly com-
pleted in the ensuing month of December. The college
was brought into partial operation in 1847, forming a
place of general education, and of preparation of candi-
dates for holy orders. A considerable sum, probably
not less than £20,000, is still required to complete the
erection according to the original design, and thereby
secure to the members of the Scottish Episcopal Church
the full benefits which the institution is calculated to
convey. The college unites, with all the necessary in-
ternal accommodation, those external features of stability
and elegance which suitably represent its important ob-
ject. The site is well chosen, within ten miles of the city
of Perth, at the foot of the Grampians, and on the banks of
the river Almond; it cannot be surpassed for healthiness,
and the surrounding scenery is remarkable for its l)eauty
and grandeur. Tlie buildings at present finished consist
of two sides, north and west, of a large (piadrangle 190
feet square ; compreliending the warden's house, apart-
ments for the sub- warden and five assistants, complete
278
accommodation for 130 boys, and rooms for thirteen
divinity students. The east side of the quadrangle,
which is to comprehend the large schoolroom and the
hall, with accommodation for domestics in the upper story
of the former, remains yet to be built ; as also does the
south side, which is to consist of a cloister connecting
the warden's house in the south-west angle with the
chapel, which stands out from the south-east angle. The
grounds comprise a space of twenty acres, laid out in
kitchen-garden, walks, and playground for the boys.
With respect to the expenditure on the college, it may
be stated that the works already completed, including
stabling and outhouses, have required little less than
£42,000, of which about £36,000 have been raised by
subscriptions, the greater part collected in England : Sir
John Gladstone, Bart., of Fasque, presented the muni-
ficent sum of £5000, the Rev. Charles Wordsworth, A.M.,
warden of the college, an equal amount, the Duke of
Buccleuch £2000, and the Society for Propagating Chris-
tian Knowledge £1000. The remaining £6000 of the
above-mentioned outlay of £42,000 were recently ad-
vanced on loan by members of the council and other
friends of the college, in order to meet an offer made by
the warden, who, in addition to his large contribution
already noticed, proposed to take upon himself the
erection of the chapel, at the cost of between £5000 and
£6000, provided others were willing to advance a similar
sum for other portions of the work, and provided also
that both parties should be gradually reimbursed, in
equal shares, out of the first available surplus of the
college funds. To repay these parties, and to complete
the quadrangle by the erection of the schoolroom and
hall on the east side, and the cloisters on the south, it
is estimated that a sum little short of £20,000 will be
needed. The warden's offer having been liberally met
by the Duke of Buccleuch, Sir John Gladstone, Bart.,
Mr. Smythe of Methven, Mr. Walker of Bowland, and
others, the chapel was immediately proceeded with, and
is now in rapid progress. Efforts are being made to
enlist the support of new contributors to the under-
taking generally. The number of boys in the junior
department, at present, is forty-seven ; of students in
the senior department, seven ; to which numbers no
large addition can be received before the completion of
the chapel and schoolroom. Of the forty-seven boys,
ten, who are mostly sons of clergy, are receiving exhi-
bitions from the college, and if the institution continues
to succeed and flourish, it is intended that the number
of these exhibitioners shall be proportionally increased.
Almost all the students of the senior department, also,
are largely assisted by bursaries.
The parish of Monzie is ecclesiastically in the presby-
tery of Auchterarder and synod of Perth and Stirling ;
patron, the Crown. The stipend of the minister is £150,
of which a tenth is paid by the exchequer; and there is
a manse, with a glebe of nearly twelve acres of superior
land. Monzie church, a neat but unpretending edifice,
was built in 1830-1, and contains sittings for 512 per-
sons. The members of the Free Church have a place of
worship in the village of Gilmerton. There is a parochial
school, in which the classics, French, and geometry are
taught, with the usual branches of education ; the mas-
ter lias a house, a salary of £34, and about £30 in fees.
There is also a preparatory school in the village of Gil-
merton, under the control of the Kirk-Session of the
MOON
MO RD
parish. At a small distance from the village of Monzie,
upon an eminence called Knock-Durroch, " the oaken
knoll", is an intrenchment of an oval form ; and on the
estate of Cultoquhey is another of the same kind, but
considerably larger. The principal relic of antiquity,
however, is the camp at Fendoch, thought to have been
constructed by the soldiers under Agricola or one of his
successors. It is situated upon table-land, near the
mountain pass called the Small Glen, and not far from
the fort of Dunmore, which had the complete command
of the passage. The camp covers forty-five acres of
ground, and is said to have been capable of containing
12,000 men. Adjacent to it are several large cairns, and
other relics pointing it out as the arena, in ancient times,
of important military transactions. In the vicinity of
Glen-Almond is a cave called the "Thief's Cave", from
its having been the retreat of a noted sheepstealer called
Alaster Baine, who at last was executed at Perth. Near
this cave is a very curious natural pile of large stones,
called "the Kirk of the Grove", in the vicinity of which
stands a solitary aged pine, marking out the reputed
sepulchre of Fingal's father. Towards the upper extre-
mity of the pass before named is a stone of cubical form,
eight feet high, said to point out the grave of the far-
famed Ossian, the Caledonian bard.
MONZIEVAIRD and STROWAN, in the county of
Perth. — See Monivaird and Strowan.
MOODIESBURN, a village, in that part of the pa-
rish of Cadder which formed the quoad sacra parish of
Chryston, Lower ward of the county of Lanark, 1 mile
(N. E. byE.) from Chryston; containing 220 inhabitants.
It lies in the eastern part of the parish of Cadder, on the
high road from Perth to Glasgow.
Ai MOONZIE, a parish, in the district of Cupar,
county of Fife, 2 miles (N. W.) from Cupar ; containing
174 inhabitants. This place, the name of which signifies
in the Gaelic language "the hill of the deer", was an-
ciently the seat of the Crawfurd family, of whom Alex-
ander, the third earl, is said to have built the castle of
Lordscairnie, situated here, in which he occasionally
resided, and of which there are still considerable remains.
Sir William Ramsay, also, who lived in the reign of Da-
vid II., and was taken prisoner at the battle of Durham
in 1346, when the Scottish army was completely defeated,
resided at CoUuthie, in the parish. The parish, which
is one of the smallest in Scotland, is situated on the
south side of the Grampian hills, and is less than two
miles in length, and not a mile and a half in breadth ;
comprising an area of about 1260 acres, of which, with
the exception of a few acres of plantations, the whole is
arable. Its surface is diversified with hills and dales :
towards the west are several rising grounds of consider-
able elevation, which, sloping gradually towards the east,
terminate in a valley of some extent. The highest
grounds are about 300 feet above the level of the sea;
the lower grounds are intersected by the Moonzie burn,
which has its source in Lordscairnie Myre, and falls into
the river Eden.
The soil is generally a black loam of great fertility,
resting on a substratum of trap-rock, but in some parts
is a strong coarse clay ; with a few acres of moss. The
crops are wheat, oats, barley, peas, beans, and potatoes ;
the lands have been well drained and inclosed, and are
in excellent cultivation under a highly-improved system
of husbandry. The farm-buildings are substantial and
279
commodious ; and on several of the farms are threshing-
mills, two of which are driven by steam. Sheep are
reared upon one farm, of a breed between the Cheviot
and the Leicestershire ; the cattle are principally of the
Fifeshire kind, which is preferred to the Teeswater, for
some time the favourite breed. Great attention is paid
to the improvement of the live stock ; and several of the
farmers breed a number of horses for agricultural pur-
poses. The plantations, chiefly on the summits of the
hills, are mostly Scotch firs. There are some small clus-
ters of houses in several parts, inhabited by agricultural
labourers ; but none of them can properly be called a
village. Facility of communication is afforded by the
turnpike-road from Cupar to Newburgh, which passes
along the southern boundary of the parish, and by a
statute road in good repair. The annual value of real
property in Moonzie is £2215. Ecclesiastically the pa-
rish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Cupar and
synod of Fife. The minister's stipend is £187. 17- 10.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per annum ;
patron, the Earl of Glasgow. Moonzie church, situated
on rising ground in the south-western part of the parish,
is an ancient structure without either tower or spire ; it
has been repaired, and contains I71 sittings. The paro-
chial school is attended by about sixty children ; the
master has a salary of £30, with a house and garden,
and the fees average £18 per annum. The remains of
Lordscairnie Castle stand on some gently-rising ground
nearly in the centre of what is called the Myre, pre-
viously to the draining of which, the castle must have
been surrounded with water. They consist chiefly of the
walls, about six feet in thickness and forty feet in height,
and comprise four stories : of the wall that inclosed the
court, little is left except one of the several towers by
which it was defended. There are also some remains of
Colluthie House, now repaired, and converted into a pri-
vate residence. Stone coffins have been found at various
times in the parish.
MORAY, County or. — See Elginshire.
MORDINGTON, a parish, in the county of Ber-
wick, 4 miles (N. W.) from Berwick-on-Tweed ; con-
taining 392 inhabitants. This place, situated on the
border, and consequently exposed in former times to
frequent hostile incursions, was celebrated for its ancient
castle, seated on the summit of a rock rising almost
perpendicularly from the bank of the river Whitadder,
which winds round its base. It appears to have been
regarded as a fortress of importance at an early period,
and to have been alternately in the possession of the
Scots and the English : in treaties of peace concluded
between the two kingdoms, it invariably formed an article
of separate stipulation. The castle was in the hands of
the English for a considerable time prior to the reign of
Henry VIII., by whom it was voluntarily restored to
James V. in 1534, from which period till the Union it
was held, with the lands appertaining to it, in royal de-
mesne. Previously to the middle of the seventeenth
century the parish comprised only the barony of Mor-
dington and the lands of Edrington ; but the manor of
Lamberton was then severed from the parish of Ayton,
and annexed to Mordington. The church or chapel of
Lamberton, which seems to have been an appendage of
the priory of Coldingham, but has long fallen into de-
cay, is distinguished for the marriage contract concluded
within its walls between James IV. of Scotland, and
M O R D
MORE
Margaret, daughter of Henry VII. of Eugland, in the
year 1503.
The PARISH is about four miles in extreme length,
and of very irregular form. It is bounded on the east
by the German Ocean, and on the south by the river
Whitadder ; and comprises 3600 acres, of which 2600
are arable, thirty woodland and plantations, and the re-
mainder moorland pasture and waste. The surface is
greatly varied. In the northern portion it rises into
numerous eminences commanding extensive and richly-
diversified prospects over the surrounding country, with
part of the county of Northumberland, terminating to the
south in the range of the Cheviot hills, towards the east
embracing a view of the sea, and to the west the Rub-
berslaw, the Eildon, and the Lammermoor hills. The
southern portion has a gentle declivity to the banks of
the Whitadder, and on the east towards the sea. The
scenery is enriched with wood of ancient growth and
with thriving plantations, and is in many parts very
picturesque, the river winding beautifully between pre-
cipitous banks finely wooded : the coast is one con-
tinued series of steep and rugged rocks, of which some
detached masses project boldly into the sea. In this
parish the soil is various, in some parts marshy, and in
others fertile and productive : the chief crops are, grain
of every kind, with potatoes and turnips. The system
of agriculture is advanced. Manure of all kinds is ob-
tained in abundance from Berwick, and bone-dust has
been employed with success in the cultivation of turnips.
The lands have been drained and inclosed ; the farm
houses and oflices are substantial and well arranged, and
all the more recent improvements in implements are in
general use. Considerable numbers of cattle and sheep
are pastured in the upland parts, but few are reared on
the farms. The plantations are in a flourishing condition.
The chief substrata are sandstone, indurated marl, and
trap-rock, with porphyry. Coal is supposed to exist in
abundance, though at a considerable depth ; two seams
of it have already been discovered, varying from twenty-
.six to thirty-two feet in thickness, and it is thought that
beneath these there is another seam. Limestone has
been also found, near the coal, but of very inferior qua-
lity. Mordington House, pleasantly seated on an emi-
nence, and Edrington House, situated in a richly-wooded
demense, are both handsome mansions.
A lucrative coast-fishery is carried on at the small
village of Ross : the fish generally taken are cod, ling,
and haddock, lobsters, crabs, and salmon in small quan-
tities; the cod, ling, and haddock are sent chiefly to
Edinburgh, and the lobsters by smacks to the London
market. Salmon and trout, also, are found in the
Whitadder, but not in any large quantity. A flour-mill
is set in motion by the Whitadder, near the castle of
Edrington ; and a threshing-mill, above 500 feet dis-
tant, is worked by the same wheel by means of a shaft
carried through a tunnel in the rock. The agricultural
produce of the parish is sent to Berwick, and the newly-
established market at Eyemouth ; and wool-staplers
from Yorkshire attend to purchase wool, for the manu-
facture of which several of them have mills on the banks
of the Whitadder, one of which is within the parish.
Great facility of intercourse is afforded by the North-
British radway, and the Berwick and Dunbar road
The annual value of real property in Mordington is
£3398. It is in the presbytery of Chirnside, synod of
•iSO
Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patronage of J. Camp-
bell Renton, Esq., of Mordington : the minister's stipend
is £157. 11. 8., with a manse, and the glebe is valued at
£37. 10. per annum. The church, erected in 1757, is a
neat plain edifice adapted for a congregation of 170 per-
sons. The members of the Free Church have a place of
worship. Mordington parochial school affords a useful
education to about fifty children ; the master has a
salary of £34, with £'23 fees, and a house and garden.
A small library is supported by subscription ; it contains
a well-assorted collection of books, which circulate gra-
tuitously. A portion of the outer walls of the chapel of
Lamberton is still remaining, and is appropriated as a
place of sepulture by the family of Renton. There is
also a small portion of the castle of Edrington, or Mor-
dington, existing, but in a very dilapidated condition.
On the heights towards the north-west are the remains
of a circular camp supposed to be of Danish origin ; it
appears to have been defended with a triple intrench-
ment, the ramparts of which are about twenty feet high :
one-half, within this parish, is tolerably entire ; but the
other, in the parish of Ayton, is almost obliterated.
MOREBATTLE and MOW, a parish, in the district^ ■
of Kelso, county of Roxburgh ; containing 1051 inha- ^
bitants, of whom 365 are in the village of Morebattle,
7| miles (S. S. E.) from Kelso. The name of Morebattle
is supposed to have been derived from the Saxon words
Mere, " a marsh ", and Botl, " a hamlet ", descriptive of
its state in former times, when it seems to have been to
a considerable extent under water. The name of Mow
has been traced to the ancient British word Moel, which
signifies "bare" or " naked", and it is also descriptive
of the appearance of the district to which it is applied.
Few events of importance are recorded in connexion with
the parish. It contains some circular rows of stones
called the Trysting-stones, and on the heights are traces
of encampments which, like similar antiquities in many
neighbouring places, indicate the scene of military opera-
tions, of the particulars of which we are altogether igno-
rant. There is also a tower or fort called Whitton, now
nearly in ruins, which was demolished by the Earl of
Surrey in the reign of Henry VIII., on the occasion of
his making an inroad into this part of the country.
Another fort, called Corbet-House Tower, was burnt in
1522 by the English, who were then plundering the
banks of the Kale and the Beaumont, in retaliation for
a marauding expedition of the Scots into Northumber-
land, of which Launcelot Ker, of Gateshaw, had been one
of the leaders. This tower was repaired and renewed
about thirty or forty years ago by the late Sir Charles
Ker.
The length of the i'Arish from north to south is about
nine miles and a half, and its breadth from east to west
six miles. It contains 23,000 acres, and is bounded on
the north by the parishes of Yetholm and Linton ; on
the south by the county of Northumberland, and Hou-
nam parish ; on the east by part of Yetholm and by
Northumberland ; and on the west by Hounam, Eckford,
and Linton. The surface is diversified throughout by
hill and valley, the parish extending to the summit of
the Cheviot range ; and the lands exhibit the usual fea-
tures of mountain scenery. The principal hills are, part
of the Cheviots, the Curr, the Schell, the Wliitelaw,
Percy hill, Woodsidc hill, and Clifton hill, the last of
which rises majestically with its well-rounded top from
MORE
M O R H
the eastern side of the valley of Beaumont. These hills
vary in height from 500 to upwards of 2000 feet, and in
general are covered with rich verdure. Some of them,
especially the Cheviot range, command beautiful pros-
pects of the counties of Northumberland, Bervvick, and
Roxburgh, with the German Ocean on the east, and on
the south and west the mountainous tract stretching
from Westmorland to the sources of the Clyde and the
Tweed.
The circle embraced by the eye from the Grubit hills,
though not so extensive as that from some others, is
more picturesque and striking, and crowded with well-
combined and interesting objects standing in a wide field
of the most attractive scenery. The fine vales of the
Kale and the Beaumont lie at the base of the eminence,
and are studded with the pleasant villages of Yetholm
and Morebattle, the Primside and Linton lochs, the ro-
mantic church of Linton, the wooded villas of Marlfield
and Clifton Park, the celebrated ruins of Cessford Castle,
the tower of Corbet House, and many cheerful farm-
houses with their neighbouring and peaceful cottages.
The distant perspective includes on one side the lofty
range of the Cheviots, and on the other the district of
the Merse, ornamented with many seats of the gentry,
the rich vale of the Teviot, and the windings of the
Tweed, with other interesting features, the back-ground
of the prospect terminated by the hills ofLammermoor
and of Selkirkshire.
Wood is wanting generally throughout the parish,
and in several places waste patches prominently appear;
but some of these tracts have been recently cultivated
and planted, and it is expected that this description of
improvement will now make gradual progress. The
chmate is dry and salubrious, except in the higher parts,
where, on account of the peculiar character of the land,
the winters are severe and stormy. The chief rivers
are the Kale and the Beaumont, both of which rise in
the Cheviot range. At the close of autumn, salmon
from the Teviot and the Tweed ascend the Kale for the
purpose of spawning, and great numbers are killed by
poachers in the night by torch-light. The streams
abound in trout. The lochs are those of Yetholm and
Linton, but only parts of them are in this parish.
In general the soil is light, and well adapted to turnip
husbandry, which prevails to a considerable extent. The
higher lands are in pasture ; but the lower are under
tillage, and produce, besides turnips, much barley and
oats, with a small quantity of wheat: the five years' rota-
tion is usually followed, in which case the land remains
for two years in grass ; but in the four years' shift it lies
in grass only one year. Dung produced on the farm,
lime, and bone-dust are used ; and the last of these has
vastly multiplied the turnip crops, the larger part of
which are eaten off the ground by the sheep, which thus
supply a sufficient manuring for the remaining years of
the rotation. Of late, the use of bone-dust has been very
much superseded by the introduction of guano. The
cattle are mostly of the short-horned or Teeswater
breed ; and the sheep mostly Cheviots and Leicesters,
the former kept on the higher grounds, and the latter
on the lower : there is also a cross between these two
breeds on some of the farms. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £11,388. The village stands
on an eminence on the banks of the Kale : the houses,
formerly consisting of only one story, with a thatched
Vol. IL— 281
roof, are now principally of two stories, and covered with
slate. A small common near the village was divided
among the inhabitants about forty or fifty years ago by
consent of the Tweeddale family, of wliom the houses
are held on lease ; it has since been inclosed and culti-
vated, and now produces good crops, to the great ad-
vantage of the villagers. The population of the parish
are employed in agricultural pursuits, and in the do-
mestic trades required by the neighbourhood. Coal is
the fuel used. A turnpike-road passes through the vil-
lage, communicating with the Kelso and Jedburgh road on
the west, and running to Northumberland on the east.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Kelso and synod of
Merse and Teviotdale ; patron, the Duke of Roxburghe.
The stipend of the minister is about £230, with a large
manse, and a glebe of eleven acres of good land : the
house is badly constructed, but has lately undergone
considerable repairs. The church, situated on the north
side of the village, was built in 17.50, and seats 450 per-
sons : the original church was dedicated to St. Lawrence,
from whom a well below the churchyard is still called
Lawrie's well. There are places of worship belonging
to the Free Church and United Presbyterian Church.
Two parochial schools are maintained, in which mathe-
matics and Latin are taught, with all the usual branches
of an ordinary education. The master of the school at
Morebattle has the maximum salary, with about £30
fees, and a house and garden ; and the master of the
other school, which is situated at Mowhaugh, on Beau-
mont water, a salary of £17, with about £10 fees, and
the allowance of house and garden. There is also a
parochial library containing nearly 700 volumes. About
ninety j'ears since, £1500 were left by Mr. Moir, a native
of the parish, for the support and education of indigent
orphans. Thomson, the author of the Seasons, occa-
sionally resided in the parish, at Wideopen, the property
of his maternal uncle.
MORHAM, a parish, in the county of Hadding-
ton, 35 miles (S. E. by E.) from Haddington ; contain-
ing 2S7 inhabitants. This place appears to have de-
rived its name from its situation at the head of an ex-
tensive tract of land that was formerly an uncultivated
moor. There was anciently a castle here, the baronial
residence of the lord of Morham, which in the twelfth
century belonged to the family of Malherb, who subse-
quently took their name from the estate ; and by mar-
riage with the daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas de
Morham, the lands were conveyed to John de Gilford
of Yester, from whom they passed to the Hays of
Locherwart, ancestors of the Marquess of Tweeddale.
The glen of Morham is by some writers supposed to
have been the resort of the early preachers of Chris-
tianity in this part of Britain, and probably of St.
Baldred while promulgating the Christian doctrine ; a
small elevated rock is pointed out as the station occupied
by the preacher, and the opposite ground, ascending
gradually from the bank of a rivulet, as the place of his
assembled hearers.
The PARISH is about three miles in length, and varies
in breadth from half a mile to one mile. It comprises
1840 acres, of which, with the exception of sixty in woods
and plantations, the whole is in cultivation. The sur-
face rises towards the Lammermoor range of hills, but
no where attains an elevation of more than 300 feet
9 O
MO R M
M O RT
above the level of the sea ; it is watered by a small
rivulet, and by springs which afford a sufficient supply
far domestic use. In general the soil is clayey, of
greater or less stiffness, in some parts exceedingly rich
and fertile; and from a judicious course of husbandry,
there is, as already stated, no waste or unproductive
land. The crops are wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, aud
turnips. The lands are well inclosed, chiefly with stone
dykes, but on some farms with hedges of thorn ; both of
which are kept in good order. Draining has been very
extensively practised, and all the more recent improve-
ments in agricultural implements have been adopted.
The farm houses and offices are commodious, but in-
ferior to those of other parishes in the district ; and es-
pecially the cottages of the labourers require improve-
ment. About 800 sheep are annually pastured ; but the
lands being almost exclusively under tillage, live stock
generally is very little attended to. The substratum is
mostly trap rock, in some parts interspersed with por-
phyry, and tinted with iron-ore. Coal was formerly
wrought here, but the works have been long discontinued.
Freestone is still quarried, but uot in great quantities ;
it is of a coarse quality, and very soft. The nearest
market-town is Haddington, which is the principal mart
for the agricultural produce of the parish, and for the
supply of its inhabitants with the necessary articles of
consumption : there is, however, but little facility of
communication, the roads, though good, being very cir-
cuitous, and no regular mode of conveyance being esta-
blished. The annual value of real property in Morham
is £33 IS.
It is in the presbytery of Haddington, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale, and in the patronage of Sir Charles Fer-
gussou : the minister's stipend is £156. 1. 5., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum. The date
of the foundation of the ancient church is unknown ; it
was taken down, and the present edifice erected in 1724,
a neat and substantial structure affording sufficient ac-
commodation for all the parishioners, and capable of
being much enlarged at an inconsiderable expense.
Morham parochial school, for which a school-house has
been lately built, affords education to more than seventy
children, several of whom attend from the adjoining
parishes ; the master has a salary of £34, with £36 fees,
a house, and an allowance in money for deficiency of
garden ground. The vault of the Dalrymples of Hailes
occupies a small aisle of the church. Sir David Dal-
rymple, the first baronet of that family ; his son. Sir
James, auditor of the exchccjucr, and connected by mar-
riage with the Earls of Haddington ; and Lord Hailes,
who died in 1792, were all interred here.
MORMOND, a village, in the parish of Stuiciien,
county of Aberdeen, l^ mile (N. N. E.) from Strichen;
containing 681 inhabitants. This place takes its name
from the adjacent hill of Mormond, an eminence rising
to the height of 800 feet above the level of the sea,
which was used as one of the stations in the recent tri-
gonometrical survey of Scotland, and is supposed to be
the Roman post /ill Montem Grampium of Richard of
Cirencester. The building of the village, which is situ-
ated on a tributary of the North Ugie, was commenced
in 1764, at the instance of Lord Strichen, the proprietor,
and at that time one of the judges of the co\irt of ses-
sion. The houses arc chiefly of native granite, and arc
disposed in regular streets j many of them have slated
282
roofs, and are of exceedingly neat and interesting ap-
pearance. The population comprises masons, black-
smiths, carpenters, tailors, and numerous shoemakers
and weavers. The turnpike-road from Peterhead to
Banff passes through the village, in which there are
several inns, and a neat town-house with a spire, built
in 1816, by order of Mrs. Fraser of Strichen, mother of
Lord Lovat.
MORNINGSIDE, a district within the limits oi^
the parish of St. Cuthbert, suburbs of the city of
Edinburgh, I5 mile (S. by W.) from Edinburgh ; con-
taining 1795 inhabitants. This district was separated for
ecclesiastical purposes from the parish of St. Cuthbert,
and comprehends a large and fine portion of the south-
ern suburbs of the metropohs ; it is richly studded with
mansions, villas, and other handsome residences, and is
remarkable for the salubrity and mildness of its air.
The village of Morningside is a favourite summer resort
of the citizens, being delightfully situated on an accli-
vity beyond Burghmuirhead and Bruntsfield-Links,
looking towards the Blackford, Braid, and Pentland hills.
In its immediate vicinity is the Royal Edinburgh Lunatic
Asylum, an extensive range of building. Around the
village are also the old castle of Merchiston, at one time
the seat of the celebrated Sir John Napier, the inventor
of logarithms ; Greenhill, the property of Sir John
Forbes of PItsllgo, Bart. ; Bruntsfield House, that of
Sir John Warrender, Bart ; St. Margaret's Convent,
Falcon Hall, Whitehouse, Woodburn, Canaan House,
Woodville, Canaan Lodge, Millbauk,Viewpark, and several
others. Ecclesiastically the place is within the bounds
of the presbytery of Edinburgh, and synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale ; patrons of the incumbency, the Congre-
gation, Trustees, and Session. The church was erected
in 1837, from a design by Mr. Henderson, and is a neat
building beautifully situated, containing 634 sittings.
Near it is a school, a commodious building erected in
1823, and attended by a large proportion of the children
connected with the village. There are also within the
limits of the district a place of worship for members of
the Free Church ; a private academy of considerable
celebrity, carried on in the old castle of Merchiston ;
and an hospital established In 1S02 for the reception of
aged persons in decayed circumstances, in connexion
with which is a charity school, resorted to by boys from
all parts of the city.
MORTLACH, a parish, in the county of Banff, £>
11 miles (N. K.) from Keith; containing, with the vil- ^
lage of Dufftown, 2594 Inhabitants, of whom 770 are in
the village. This place, which Is of remote antiquity,
was originally the scat of a bishopric ; aud there Is
still extant a charter granted by Malcolm II. to the first
bishop. In which It is called Morthclac, or Morthlac, a
name supposed to be a corruption of the (iaellc Morlay,
signifying " a great hollow", and minutely descriptive
of the situation of its church. In 1010, Malcolm ob-
tained here a signal victory over the Danes, by whom
he had been defeated in the year preceding, and before
whom he was now retreating, after having lost three of
his principal nobles In the previous skirmish. Arrested
In their retreat by the narrowness of a pass near the
ciiureii, aud which also retarded the pursuit of the
enemy, tlie defeated army had time to rally and com-
mence another conflict. In which Malcolm killed the
general of the Danes with his own hand, and put his
M O RT
M O RT
army to the rout with great slaughter. From this
circumstance some writers suppose the place to have
derived the appellation of Mort.is-Lncus, of which its
present name may be only a modification. The parish
is of irregular form, fifteen miles in its greatest length
and nearly twelve at its greatest breadth. Mortlach is
bounded on the north by the parishes of Boharm and
Botriphnie, on the east by Glass, on the south by Ca-
brach and Inveraven, and on the west by Aberlour. It
is nearly inclosed by hills, of which the highest are the
Corhabbie and the Benrinnes, the latter having an ele-
vation of 2561 feet above the level of the sea. The sur-
face is intersected by the small rivers Fiddich and Dul-
len, the former of which rises in Glenflddich, towards
Strathdon, and the latter in Glenrinnes, on the confines
of Glenlivet ; and after uniting their streams about a
mile below the church, they flow together into the Spey
near the northern extremity of the parish, which extends
to the river Doveron on the south.
The whole number of acres is 35,000. About 5000
acres are under tillage, and the remainder, with the ex-
ception of 600 acres of woodland, is pasture and waste,
of which but a few acres seem capable of being brought
into cultivation. The soil is in general a rich and deep
loam, producing excellent crops ; the system of agri-
culture is greatly improved, and much attention has
recently been paid to the draining and reclamation of
unprofitable land. Limestone of good quality is found
in the parish, and slate is also quarried ; granite is very
general, but no quarries have hitherto been opened. In
some parts are indications of alum and lead-ore, and the
laminse of some of the rocks resemble asbestos : anti-
mony in small quantities is embedded in the limestone
rocks ; and in the grey slate, small garnets are frequently
found, especially in that to the east of the river Fiddich.
The plantations consist of ash, elm, oak, birch, plane,
Scotch fir, and larch. Great attention is paid to the
cattle, which are mostly a cross between the Highland
and the Aberdeenshire ; and numbers of sheep, chiefly
of the black-faced breed, are fed. Grain is occasionally
sold at the village of Dufftown, to persons resorting
thither to purchase it ; and cattle-markets are held five
times in the year. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £519".
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Strathbogie, synod of Moray. The pa-
tronage is vested in the Crown, and the stipend of the
incumbent is £192. The manse, a very ancient build-
ing, was enlarged in 1807, and is now a comfortable re-
sidence ; the glebe, which has been greatly diminished
by the encroachment of the river Dullen at different
times, comprises at present about five acres, valued at
£8 per annum. Mortlach church, a venerable structure,
was enlarged by Malcolm II. in fulfilment of his vow on
the occasion of his victory over the Danes ; and in the
north wall are inserted three skulls of Danes slain in
that battle, which are still in a state of entire preserva-
tion. It was again enlarged in 1824, and now affords
accommodation to 886 persons. At Glenrinnes is a
missionary church, built many years since at the expense
of the heritors and inhabitants of the district ; the
minister has a stipend of £60 per annum. Royal Bounty,
with a ho\ise and garden, and three acres of land, rent-
free. Near the parish church is a Roman Catholic
chapel, a neat building erected within the last few years.
283
The parochial school affords a good education to about
ninety children ; the master has a salary of £34, with a
house and garden, and the fees on the average amount
to £'25. Dr. John Lorimcr bequeathed £200 for the
maintenance of a bursar in this school, and an additional
sum of £200 for an exhibition to Marischal College,
Aberdeen, for the further prosecution of his studies.
There is also a school at Glenrinnes, under the General
Assembly, attended by about fifty scholars on the ave-
rage. A circulating library is supported, and there is a
small library for the use of the Sunday school. The
poor have, the interest of 1500 merks bequeathed by
■William Duff, Esq., who also gave 500 merks to the use
of the schoolmaster; and the interest of £100 by Alex-
ander Forbes, Esq., which he appropriated to the benefit
only of four families.
On a commanding situation on the bank of the Fid-
dich, are the ruins of the ancient castle of Auchindown,
the founder of which is unknown. It was till lately the
property of the Gordon family, in whose possession it
had been for more than three centuries. A massive
ring of gold, consisting of three links, was found among
the ruins within the last thirty or forty years, with an
inscription which was legible when the links were placed
in a particular position. Near the confluence of the
rivers Fiddich and Dullen are the remains of the castle
of Balvery, situated on the summit of a bold eminence ;
the entrance gateway is still entire, and above the lofty
entrance is the motto of the Atholl family, " Furth
Fortuine and Fill the Fettris :" this castle is the pro-
perty of the Earl of Fife. On the Conval hill, in the
parish, are the remains of a Danish camp. A large
stone, which is said to have been placed over the grave
of the Danish general killed by Malcolm in the battle of
Mortlach, now forms part of a fence ; and in the parish
is also an upright stone about seven feet in height,
having on one side a cross and representation of two
animals, and on the other a snake, rudely sculptured.
MORTON, a parish, in the county of Dumfries, 15
miles (N. W. by N.) from Dumfries; containing 2161
inhabitants. The name of Morton, which is Anglo-
Saxon, signifies " the stronghold or dwelling on the
moor" ; and the parish appears to have been thus deno-
minated from the old castle of Morton, a very strong
place, the striking ruins of which are still to be seen
upon an extensive moor at the bottom of a beautiful
green hill. This castle is supposed to have been originally
the possession of a Norman chief named de Moreville,
whose family had settled in Scotland in the tenth cen-
tury, obtained a large part of the estates in this neigh-
bourhood, and risen to great power and eminence. He
was appointed hereditary lord high constable of Scot-
land ; and his grandson, Hugo de Moreville, in the year
1140 founded the monastery of Kilwinning, in Ayrshire,
and in 1144 the abbey of Dryburgh, in Teviotdale.
Hugo afterwards gave a portion of land called the Park
to the abbey of Melrose ; but this property, with the
church of Morton, was eventually bestowed on the
monks of Kelso. The possessions, at Hugo's death,
came to his son, and subsequently to his grandson Wil-
liam de Moreville, who dying without issue, they all fell,
by marriage with Emma, sister of William, to Roland,
Lord of Galloway, who also obtained with the castle
and the property the office of lord high constable. Allan,
Roland's son, married Margaret, the eldest daughter of
2 0 2
M O R T
MO RT
David, Earl of Huntingdon, by whom he had three
daughters, the eldest of whom was married to John Ba-
liol, the father of John Baliol, King of Scotland. After
Brute ascended the throne, the lands of the Baliol fa-
mily and their adherents were conferred as rewards of
service on the friends of the new king, of whom Ran-
dolph, Bruce's nephew, obtained extensive grants of
land in Annandale, as well as the castle of Morton,
which he held when regent during the minority of David
Bruce.
But the property here not long after passed into other
hands; for Robert II. bestowed his daughter Egidia on
William Douglas, natural son of Archibald Douglas,-
Lord of Galloway, to whom he gave as a dowry the castle
of Morton and the district of Nithsdale. In 1390,
Douglas set out for Prussia to the Holy war, and was
killed at Dantzic, on the Vistula, by assassins hired by
Clifford, an Englishman, formerly his rival, and still en-
vious of his honour and promotion. Since the four-
teenth century, the castle and lands of Morton have been
in the possession of some branch of the family of Douglas.
The parish has long given their title to the Douglases,
Earls of Morton, whose residence at one time is said to
have been Morton Castle, and who were proprietors of
the whole lands, with the exception of the Mains of
Morton, lying north-west of the castle. The Mains be-
longed to the Douglases, lairds of Morton, one of whom,
Malcolm Douglas of Mains, was distinguished for his
bravery in the border wars. The last of this family of
Mains was Captain James Douglas, who died at Brat-
ford, in the parish of Penpont, about the beginning of
the last century. The earls eventually sold their pro-
perty and interest here to Sir William Douglas Cashoggle,
who built a house a little south of the village of Thorn-
hill, called the Red House, where he sometimes resided ;
but William Douglas, first Earl of Queensberry, obtained
from Cashoggle nearly all his lands, as well as the lands
of Morton-Mains from the other family, and, being lord
of the regality of Hawick, procured authority in I6IO to
translate that regality to Thornhill, to which he ga\e
the name of New Dalgarnoch. In ISIO the Scotts,
Dukes of Buccleuch, succeeded to this and other pro-
perty of the Dukes of Queensberry.
The PARISH is six miles in length from north to
south, and its mean breadth is about two miles ; con-
taining 7 680 acres. It is bounded on the north and
north-west by the parish of Crawford, in Lanarkshire ;
on the west by the parish of Durisdeer, from which it is
separated by the Sheilhouse rivulet and the river Car-
ron ; on the south-west by the river Nith, with the ex-
ception of about \'10 acres called Morton holm, lying on
the south-west bank of that river ; and on the south-
east and east by the parish of Closeburn and Dalgarno,
from which it is divided by the Cample. The surface
throughout is diversified with hill and valley, except
along the banks of the rivers, where it is flat. There
are three considerable ridges north of the Nith, large
tracts of which are uncultivated, and on the first of
which the village of Thornhill is situated. The surface
afterwards is gradually depressed until the declivity of
the third ridge terminates in a valley ; and then appear
other hills and mountains, one of which rises '2.500 feet
above the level of the sea : there is generally, however,
a considerable tract of rich arable and meadow land
near the bases of the heights. lu the parish are nu-
'284
merous springs, rivulets, and burns ; the rivers Carron
and Cample run, as already stated, on its western and
eastern boundaries, and the river Nith on the south-
west.
The SOIL is rich and productive along the banks of
the rivers, and on the first of the three ridges light and
fertile, resting upon a gravelly bottom : on the two
other ridges it is wet and heavy, and lies upon a clayey
subsoil. About 2600 acres are under cultivation ; 580
are occupied by wood, ninety of which consist chiefly of
British oak about fifty years old ; and 4500 acres are
waste or natural pasture, 1200 of which are considered
capable of profitable cultivation. The grain is chiefly
oats and barley, and the green crops produced are also
of good quality. In this parish the sheep usually reared
are the black-faced, which, as being more hardy, are
considered better suited than the Cheviots to the cli-
mate of the parish ; the cattle are mostly Galloways,
but the cows preferred for the dairy are of the Ayrshire
breed. The stock of draught horses has within these
few years been much improved. Husbandry is well un-
derstood, and great improvements have been made of
late, and are still going on. The Duke of Buccleuch is
sole proprietor, with the exception of the farm of Ri-
dings : the annual value of real property in the parish is
returned at £'2S17. The rocks which lie under the
arable land consist chiefly of red sandstone ; the hilly
grounds rest on the primitive andwhinstone formations.
The Chamberlain's House, the property of his grace, is
an elegant and commodious mansion. There are two
villages, viz., Thornhill and Carronbridge, the former of
which has received great attention from the proprietor,
and exhibits many important improvements. It has
excellent shops, two good inns, and a tannery employ-
ing about thirty hands ; and is a clean, healthy, and
populous village : the road from Dumfries to Sanquhar
passes through it. There are fairs in the village in Fe-
bruary, May, August, and November, on the second
Tuesday in the month, O. S. ; many persons meet at
these fairs to hire servants, and there is a considerable
traffic in coarse woollen and linen cloth, and in yarns
made in the neighbourhood. Carronbridge is partly in
the parish of Durisdeer, but chiefly in that of Morton.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Penpont and synod of Dum-
fries ; patron, the Duke of Buccleuch. The stipend of
the minister is £'237 ; and there is a small but comfort-
able manse, with a glebe of about twenty acres, worth
£'25 a year. The church, an elegant edifice in the Saxon
style, was built in 1840-1 : it stands on an elevated
spot near the village of Thornhill, chosen by the duke,
by whom, it is understood, the plan of the building was
designed ; and from its j)icturesque appearance the
church is a great ornament to the surrounding country.
There is also a dissenting meeting-house, in connexion
with the United Presbyterian Synod. A parochial school
is maintained, the master of which has a salary of £34,
about £30 fees, and a free house and garden, with up-
wards of two acres of land. Other schools are sup-
ported by fees, and some by fees and a small endow-
ment. There is a flourishing subscri])tion library in the
village of Tliondiill, instituted in 1814; besides three
or four friendly societies in the parish. Among the an-
tiquities is a Roman fort or custellum with intrench-
meuts, called the Deer Camp ; it is situated about two
MO R V
M O R V
miles north of Tibbers, the great Roman station in the
parish of Penpont. The castle of Morton, however, is
the most considerable relic of antiquity, though not
above half of it now remains. It stands on the margin
of a deep glen, and the ruin is about 100 feet in length,
and nearly thirty in breadth. The wall of the south
front, still entire, is about forty feet high, and has at
each corner a round tower twelve feet in diameter : the
foundation walls are generally eight, but in some places
ten, feet thick. About the beginning of the last century
a boat, formed of one solid piece of wood, and resembling
an Indian canoe, was dug out of the bottom of a tract
of moss not far from the castle ; a circumstance which
has led to the conclusion that the ground whereon it
stands was formerly encircled by a loch. In the vicinity
other relics have been discovered, indicating the occur-
rence of hostile engagements. There are several chaly-
beate springs in the parish ; and near the castle, issuing
from a peat-moss, is a spring impregnated with a small
quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen, and the water of
which has proved of singular advantage in cutaneous
complaints.
MORVERN, a parish, in the district of Mull, county
of Argyll, IS miles (W. S. W.) from Strontian ; con-
taining 1774 inhabitants. This place, which anciently
formed part of the territory of the celebrated Somerled,
Thane of Argyll, takes its name from the Gaelic term
Mhor Earrain, signifying " the great division, mainland,
or continent". The parish is in the northern part of
the county, and measures in extreme length from east
to west twenty miles, and fifteen miles at its greatest
breadth ; comprising 85,369 acres, of which 4054 are
arable, 78,246 pasture, and the remainder wood. It
forms a peninsula, being bounded by water on all sides
except along its eastern limit, which extends for twelve
miles : its line of coast falls little short of 100 miles.
On the north it is girt by Loch Sunart, on the west and
south by the sound of Mull, and on the south-east by
Linnhe loch. Towards the middle of the parish, Loch
Aline runs into the land on the south from the sound of
Mull, and Loch Teagus, in like manner, penetrates from
Loch Sunart on the north ; forming a kind of peninsula
of the western division of the parish, but not so perfect
a peninsula as the parish itself. The coast is marked
by numerous creeks and bays, where vessels may find
good anchorage and shelter ; and there are several fer-
ries for the convenience of local transit, affording great
accommodation to the people. Oransay and Carna, two
inhabited islands belonging to the parish, are situated
in Loch Sunart. The former is barren and rocky, about
two miles long, and indented in many places on each
side with creeks and bays, which sometimes nearly meet
each other ; it is separated from the main land on the
south by Druimbuy, a safe and commodious harbour,
scarcely surpassed by any on the western coast, though
but little frequented. Carna island, not far to the
north-east of Oransay, lies near the entrance of Loch
Teagus, and has in many parts a rugged and forbidding
surface, but in its eastern portion is verdant, fertile, and
pleasant. Loch Aline, on the south, has a convenient
harbour ; but some drawback to its extensive use is
found in its narrow entrance, and the necessity of wait-
ing, frequently, for a favourable wind and tide. The
bay of Ardtornish, with north and west winds, also offers
safe anchorage.
285
The surface in the interior is varied by several
mountains ; the highest being those of Ben-caddan,
Ben-na-hua, and Si'ain-na-Rapaich, the first of which
ri.ses 2306 feet above the level of the sea, and has to-
wards the summit a series of excavated steps called
Fingal's Stairs. In general the scenery of the parish is
not interesting ; but some portions of it supply a very
pleasing, and occasionally a splendid, contrast to the
less inviting tracts. The more distant views, also, es-
pecially of the sable waters of the sound of Mull, and of
the lofty mountain ranges in the Isle of Mull, are of
considerable interest. Several of the scenes have been
celebrated by the muse of Scott. Airi-Innis is the
largest inland lake in the parish, measuring two miles
in length and half a mile in breadth ; besides which
there are the lakes of Daoire-nam-Mart and Ternate.
The principal river is that of Gear-Abhain, which, after
being increased by numerous tributaries, and flowing
through a pleasant valley till enlarged by a supply of
water from Airi-Innis, falls into Loch Aline. Minor
streams, and torrents and cascades, occur in every part
of the locality : among the falls the most celebrated are
those of Ardtornish, which overhang the bay of the
same name, near the ruins of the ancient castle. Va-
rious kinds of fish are taken off the coast.
The SOIL is of moderate fertility, and the crops gene-
rally cultivated are oats, barley, and potatoes, with small
quantities occasionally of sown grasses and turnips ;
but no more grain is raised than is necessary for home
consumption. Husbandry has been considerably im-
proved, chiefly by the subdivision of farms and the
introduction of a better system of cropping ; much in-
ferior land has been improved, and several tracts of
moss reclaimed. The small holders are usually tenants
at will ; where leases are granted, the period is nineteen
years. The sheep are mostly the black-faced, frequently
crossed with Cheviots, and the cattle are the Argyllshire
or West Highland ; large numbers of sheep are con-
stantly grazed, and some hundreds of cows. In this
parish the rocks are of two distinct species. From Ard-
tornish on the south the district stretching along the
sound of Mull to the north-western boundary, in breadth
about five miles, consists principally of lofty ranges of
the trap formation ; while in the interior and the upper
part of the parish the substrata are chiefly gneiss and
mica-slate. Freestone from the quarries of Lnch Aline
and Ardtornish has been used for many public works.
Good lead-ore is found at Lurg, in Glen-Dubh ; and at
Ternate, on the property of Ardtornish, are indications
of copper, a metal once wrought here. Morvern is said
to have been formerly covered with wood, large quanti-
ties of which were consumed, while standing, in the
disturbed times of 1745. The mosses abound in re-
mains of forests. Immense trunks of oak-trees are to be
seen on the sides of mountains, and there are large cop-
pice woods in different places. Almost every description
of timber has suffered from the axe since the extensive
introduction of sheep-farming ; but some very fine old
trees are yet remaining, and the shores of Loch Sunart
display heights thickly clothed with wood, especially
with birch. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £4752. There are three ferries on the sound
of Mull, and, two in Loch Sunart. The communication
with distant places is carried on chiefly by the Tober-
mory steam-vessels, which call at Loch Aline : in the
M O UL
MOUL
winter months the steam communication is less frequent,
sometimes it is entirely suspended ; and consequently,
during that period, a packet-boat plies between Loch
Aline and Oban. The parish is almost entirely destitute
of roads ; and the communication of the post-office with
that of Oban, which takes place three times a week, is
therefore much impeded. A fair is held twice a year, on
the days preceding the Mull summer and winter markets,
for the sale of black-cattle, the hiring of servants, and
general business. Coal is occasionally imported for fuel ;
but peat, procured at much trouble and expense, is in
general use.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Mull,
synod of Argyll, and in the patronage of the Duke of
Argyll: the minister's stipend is £155, with a manse,
and a glebe of sixty acres, valued at £'27. 10. per annum.
Morvern is formed of the two ancient parishes of Kil-
columkill and Kilumtaith, united shortly after the Re-
formation. There are two churches, at which the in-
cumbent officiates alternately : one of them was built in
17S0, and the other in 1799; both are in good repair,
and they alFord sufficient accommodation. A portion
of the parish, at the head of Loch Sunart, has been
united quoad sacra to the parliamentary parish of Stron-
tian, in the parish of Ardnamurchan ; and a missionary
preaches in this quarter every fortnight, supported by
the Royal Bounty. There are also two catechists, main-
tained from the same fund. A Roman Catholic chapel
has lately been erected. There are three parochial
schools, where English and Gaelic are both taught, with
the ordinary branches of education ; and the higher
studies may be followed, if required, at one of the
schools : the maximum salary is divided among the
masters, who have also about £8 each in fees. The
ruins of a religious establishment founded by St. Co-
lumba are still visible. In the parish is also a vitrified
fort, with several old castles, of which the most in-
teresting is the ruin of Ardtornish. This castle was in
ancient times a stronghold of the Lords of the Isles,
and the place where a meeting was held between the
commissioners of Edward IV. and those of John, of the
Isles, on the 19th of October 1461, when the treaty was
concluded in which the latter acknowledged himself a
vassal of the crown of England, and engaged to assist
Edward in reducing the Scots to his sway.
MOSSTODLACH, a village, in the parish of Spey-
MOUTH, county of Elgin, 2| miles (s.) from Garmouth ;
containing 93 inhabitants. It is situated on the road
from P'ochabers to Elgin, at its junction with the road
from Garmouth to Rothes. The river Spey flows at a
short distance from it, on the east.
MOTHERWELL, a village, in the parish of Dalziel,
Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 2 miles (N. E.
by E.) from Hamilton ; containing 7'26 inhabitants. It
lies on the eastern border of Hamilton parish, and on
the east side of the river Clyde ; and derives its name
from an ancient well dedicated to "Our Lady". The
inhabitants are chiefly weavers, dependent upon Glas-
gow for work. Great facilities of communication are
afforded by the lines of the Caledonian railway company.
The well partly su])plies the village with water.
(^ MOULIN, a parish, in the county of Pkrtit ; con-
taining, with the villages of Kiniiaird and Pitlochry,
and part of the former quoad sacra parish of Tenandry,
2017 inhabitants, of whom 172 are in the village of
286
Moulin, 13 miles (N. W. by N.) from Dunkeld. This
place, the name of which is of doubtful etymology, is of
considerable antiquity ; and formed part of the posses-
sions of David, eleventh Earl of Atholl, upon whom King
Robert Bruce conferred the office of constable of Scot-
land. On David's revolting against his sovereign, his
estates were forfeited ; and the barony of Moulin was
granted by the king to Sir Neill Campbell and his wife,
sister to Bruce; whose son John was subsequently created
Earl of Atholl by David II., but died without issue at
the battle of Halidon-Hill, in 1333, when the title and
estates again reverted to the crown. The pass of Killie-
crankie, in this parish, is memorable for the battle
which took place there in 1689, between the English
army under General Mackay, and the Highland forces
commanded by Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dun-
dee, in support of the exiled James II. In this battle,
which terminated in favour of the Highlanders, not less
than 2000 of Mackay's forces were slain, and Dundee
was so severely wounded that he died soon after, and
was interred in the church of Blair-Atholl.
The PARISH is naturally divided into the nearly parallel
districts of Atholl and Strathardie, separated from each
other by a hill of inconsiderable height, about four miles
in extent. Atholl is about seven miles in length, and
from five to seven in breadth ; the district of Strathar-
die is eight miles in length, and nearly seven in breadth.
The surface is diversified with mountainous heights, of
which the most conspicuous is Bein-Breacaidh, rising to
an elevation of nearly 3000 feet above the level of the sea ;
and with numerous verdant hills of gentler aspect, which
add much to the beauty of the scenery. The vale of
Atholl is watered by the Tummel and the Garry rivers,
which unite their streams within the limits of the pa-
rish ; and Strathardie by the rivers Briarachan and
Ardle, of which the former rises in the parish, and,
uniting with the Arnat, forms the Ardle, whence the
strath has its name. The Garry and the Tummel are
both impetuous streams, and in their course make nu-
merous cascades ; the most striking is the fall on the
Tummel, near its confluence with the Garry at Faskally.
The Garry runs for nearly three miles through the
wildly romantic pass of Killiecrankie, between precipi-
tous masses of rugged rock, which overhang the stream
and obstruct its current, at times concealing it from
view by thick branches of trees that have taken root in
the clefts of the rocks. Both these rivers abound with
trout ; and during the season, salmon and grilse are
found in great plenty, and of excellent quality. The
only lake is Loch Broom, which is also much frequented
by anglers.
• Moulin is chiefly pastoral ; about 3000 acres are ara-
ble, 2000 woodland and ()lantations, and the remainder
mountain pasture and moorland. Along the banks of
the rivers the soil is light and sandy, but in other parts
a deep loam of great fertility ; and for a considerable
breadth around the village of Moulin is a tract of the
richest land in the county, producing exuberant crops
of grain of every kind. The system of husbandry is
much improved, and regular rotations are observed ac-
cording to the nature of the lands. On the hills is good
pasturage for sheep, of whidi more than 13,000 are
kept in the parish, chiefly of the black-faced breed, with
a few of the Leicestershire ; the cattle arc of the High-
land breed, with a few of the Angus and the Ayrshire.
M OU S
M O U S
The horses reared are generally a cross between the
native Highland and the Clydesdale breeds. There are
extensive remains of natural wood, consisting chiefly of
oak and birch, of which latter numerous fine specimens
are to be seen in the pass of Killiecrankie ; the planta-
tions, also very extensive, are of oak, ash, beech, birch,
and larch, Scotch, and spruce firs, for all of which the
soil appears to be well adapted. The substrata are
mica-slate, of which the rocks are mainly composed,
limestone, hornblende, and granular quartz ; and large
masses of marble of fine crystalline texture, and boulders
of granite and quartz, are found in various places. In
this parish the principal mansion-houses are, Faskally,
Urrard, Balnakeilly, Baledmund, Kindrogan, Dirnanaen,
and Edradour, most of which are elegant structures,
beautifully situated in demesnes embellished with woods
and plantations, and commanding finely-varied pros-
pects. The annual value of real property in Moulin is
£8117.
The village of Moulin stands in the southern portion
of the parish, in the heart of a district abounding with
picturesque scenery, and has a pleasingly-rural aspect ;
it consists of weil-built cottages, and is inhabited chiefly
by persons engaged in agricultural pursuits. Facility
of communication is afforded by the great north road
from Perth to Inverness, which passes through the
parish. A fair is held at Moulin on the first Tuesday
in March, for the sale of horses and the purchase of
seed corn. There is a post-ofiice in the village of Pit-
lochry. Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds
of the presbytery of Dunkeld and synod of Perth and
Stirling. The minister's stipend is £150, of which one-
third is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £'26. 13. 4. per annum : patron, the Duke
of Atholl. Moulin church, erected in 1831, is a neat
substantial structure containing 650 sittings. There is
a place of worship in connexi(m with the Free Church.
The parochial school is well attended : the master has
a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house, £2 in lieu of garden,
and school fees averaging about £10 ; to which may be
added £7 allowed by the Commissioners of Bishops'
Rents, for the gratuitous instruction of poor children.
There are six Sunday schools ; and a school for females
is held at Pitlochry, the mistress of which receives £5
per annum from the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge. In the parish are numerous upright stones,
supposed to be Druidical remains. Near the village of
Moulin are the ruins of an ancient castle, whose origin
is unknown ; it is a quadrilateral structure of stone,
eighty feet long and seventy-six wide, and was formerly
surrounded by a lake, which has been drained, and the
ground covered with plantations. There are also ves-
tiges of Picts' houses. Coins of Edward I. of England,
and Alexander III. of Scotland, were discovered some
years since on the farm of Stronchavie ; and in the pass
of Killiecrankie, broken swords and fragments of mili-
tary weapons have at different periods been found, some
of which are deposited in the mansion of Urrard.
MOUNT-PLEASANT, a suburb of the town of
Newburgh, in the parish of Abdie, district of Cupar,
county of Fife ; containing 524 inhabitants. — See New-
burgh.
•^ MOUSA, an island, in the former quoad sacra parish
of Sandwich and Cunningsburgh, parish of Dunross-
NESS, county of Shetland j containing 12 inhabitants.
287
This island lies close to the east coast of the Mainland,
and at the entrance of Aith's Voe ; it is also called
Queen's Isle, and is about a mile in length and three-
quarters of a mile in breadth. The village of Cunnings-
burgh is distant from it, north-westward, about two
miles. In this island is a most perfect specimen of an
ancient Scandinavian fortress, or, as some call it, Pictish
castle. It is nearly entire, and in .shape resembles a
dice-box : its height is about forty-two feet, and, over
the walls, its diameter fifty feet ; the walls are about
ten feet in thickness, and hollow in the middle. The
fort stands on the shore, and seems to have been a place
of defence. Opposite to it are the ruins of another
castle of the same description, round which are still
visible the sites of a number of small houses.
MOUSWALD, a parish, in the county of Dumfries ;
containing, with the hamlets of Old Brocklehirst and
Cleughbrae, 683 inhabitants, of whom 131 are in the
village of Mouswald, 7 miles (E. S. E.) from Dumfries.
The name was formerly spelt Muswaid and Mosswald.
Its termination is probably derived from the Saxon word
Walda, or Wealt, signifying " the woody district ", and
which, with the prefix moss, or mons, may be interpreted
" the forest near the moss ". Some, however, give to the
termination the sense of " a long range of high land ".
Few important events are recorded in connexion with
the parish. At Mouswald Mains was the seat of Sir
Simon Carruthers, laird of Mouswald, whose only daugh-
ter married into the Queensberry family, who thus came
into the possession of the estate. The family of Grier-
son, of this parish, are descended from Gilbert, second
son of Malcolm, laird of Mc Greggor, who died in 1374 ;
his son obtained a charter of the lands and barony of
Lag, in Nithsdale, and of Little Dalton, in Annandale,
and his descendants have continued in this part of the
country. Their present seat is Rockhall, in the parish
of Mouswald. The last inhabitant of the castle of Lag,
their former seat, which stands in the Glen of Lag, sur-
rounded by lofty hills, in Dunscore parish, was Sir Ro-
bert Griersou, whose bailie, by virtue of Sir Robert's
prerogative as baron of the regality, tried, condemned,
and executed a sheep- stealer at Barnside Hill, about the
end of the seventeenth century. This is said to have
been the last instance in Nithsdale of a criminal suffering
death by the sentence of a baron-bailie.
The PARISH is between four and five miles long and
from two to three broad, and contains nearly 6000 acres.
It is bounded on the north by Lochmaben, on the south
by Ruthwell, on the east by Dalton, and on the west by
Torthorwald. In general the surface is tolerably even ;
and what rising grounds there are, ascend so gently that
they are cultivated to the very summit : the highest hill
scarcely reaches 700 feet above the level of the sea. The
only river is the Lochar, and this runs through the
parish but for a few yards. Part of the extensive moss
called Lochar Moss lies within the parish, and conti-
guous to it a considerable breadth of both the pasture
and arable ground is wet and marshy. A large portion
of the district near the farms immediately bordering on
the moss is of a light and sandy soil, or thin earth rest-
ing upon gravel mixed with stones ; and though care-
fully laid down with grass seeds, it runs into broom in
two or three years. The land in the eastern part of the
parish, however, which is higher, has a tolerably deep
and rich soil, producing good crops. Upwards of 4000
:mo y
M O Y
acres are cultivated or occasionally in tillage ; 1^60
acres, including more than 1100 of moss, afford indif-
ferent pasture ; and 1 50 acres are in woods and planta-
tions. All kinds of white and green crops are grown.
The cattle are the Galloways, to the breed of which much
attention is paid ; some fine draught horses are reared,
and large numbers of pigs, which latter are in general
sent to London. Most of the modern improvements
have been introduced; but the fences are still, to a great
extent, in an unsatisfactory state : the farm-houses are
generally of a superior description, most of them having
been rebuilt or improved of late years. The chief roclis
are greywacke and greyviacke-slate, and in one place
there is blue limestone. The great road from Carlisle
to Dumfries and Portpatrick runs through the parish
from south-east to north-west. There are also two ex-
cellent parish roads, besides others, facilitating the com-
munication in every direction ; and several convenient
bridges. The parish is likewise intersected by the Glas-
gow, Dumfries, and Carlisle railway. The annual value
of real property in Mouswald is £3997- Ecclesiastically
the parish is within the limits of the presbytery of Loch-
maben and synod of Dumfries ; patron, the Marquess of
Queensberry. The stipend averages £-200 ; and there
is a commodious manse, with a glebe of sixteen acres,
valued at £20 per annum. The church is a handsome
edifice, built a few years ago, and seats 386 persons.
A place of worship has been erected in connexion with
the Free Church. There is a parochial school, where
the classics and the usual branches are taught ; the
master has a salary of £25. 13. 5., with the legal ac-
commodations, and about £10 fees. The remains of
several border forts are still to be seen, as also some an-
cient cairns.
MOW, county of Roxburgh. — See Morebattle.
MOY, county of Elgin. — See Dyke and Moy.
MOY and DALROSSIE, a parish, partly in the
county of Nairn, but chiefly in the county of Inver-
ness, 12 miles (S. E.) from Inverness; containing 967
inhabitants, of whom fifteen are in that portion within
the county of Nairn. This place comprises the ancient
parishes of Moy and Dalrossie, which appear to have
been united at a distant period not precisely ascertained.
The former of these parishes is supposed to have derived
its name from the Gaelic term Magh, signifying " a mea-
dow or plain ", which is its character ; but the name of
the latter is of doubtful origin : by some writers it is
thought to have been derived from the Gaelic Dalfer-
gitssie, signifying " the valley of Fergus", of which, how-
ever, there is no corroborative evidence. With great
appearance of probability Moy is thought to have been
originally called Starsach-na-Gael, descriptive in the
Gaelic language of its position at a pass between the higher
and the lower territories. This pass, which is bordered
by mountains on both sides, is so narrow that it might
be easily defended by a few men against the largest
numbers of assailants, and was consequently of great
importance to its highland proprietor, who could at any
time make predatory incursions into the lower countries
with perfect security, and prevent any of the clans from
proceeding through his territories without his permission.
So .sensible, indeed, of their dependence upon him were
the neightjduriiig chieftains, that they willingly agreed to
pay a certain tax, consisting of a portion of their l)oDty,
as often as they passed through this defile with the spoils
288
they had taken in their frequent depredations. The
lands, ii. the year 1336, were granted by the Bishop of
Moray to William, seventh Lord Mackintosh, chief of
the clan Chattan, which consisted of sixteen different
tribes, each having its own leader, but all united under
the government of the chieftain, of whose baronial resi-
dence, on an island in Loch Moy, there are yet con-
siderable remains. Deadly feuds often arose between
the Mackintoshes and the Cummings ; and numerous
tumuli are left, which were raised over those slain in con-
flict. Near the pass previously noticed was a spacious
cavern, to which the women and children retired with
their cattle during the absence of the clan, and in which
they remained in safety under the protection of the very
few men whom it was necessary to leave for the defence
of the pass.
During one of these feuds, the clan Gumming so far
prevailed over the Mackintoshes as to force them to re-
treat for refuge to their stronghold on the island of
Loch Moy ; and damming up the outlet through which
a river issued from the lake, they raised the waters to
such a height as nearly to inundate the island, and
threaten their destruction. In this emergency, one of
the Mackintoshes constructed a raft, and, furnished with
the necessary apparatus, approached the outlet during
the night, and perforating the dam, which was of boards,
with numerous large holes, stopped them with plugs
having cords attached to their extremities, and fastened
all these to one common rope. When the whole of the
preparations were adjusted, pulling this rope, the plugs
were all withdrawn at once; and the accumulated waters,
rushing with irresistible impetuosity, swept away the
dam, the bank of turf which inclosed the lake, and the
entire forces of the Cummings that had encamped be-
hind it. Such was the rapidity of the torrent that it
bore down the raft with the bold adventurer who had con-
trived it, and who, after having thus effected the deliver-
ance of his clan, perished in the midst of his enemies,
the Cummings.
In the rebellion of 1745-6, the Young Pretender, on
his approach to Inverness finding that it was occupied
by Lord Loudoun, with an army of 2000 of the king's
forces, diverted his route to the castle of Moy, the seat
of the chieftain of the clan Mackintosh, who was at that
time serving with his chief vassals under Loudoun at
Inverness. On reaching the castle, he was cordially re-
ceived by Lady Mackintosh, who, mustering the remain-
der of the clan, which had been left for her protection,
placed herself at their head, and rode before them as
commander, with pistols at her saddle-bow, to raise the
neighbouring clans, for the service of the prince. Lou-
doun, receiving intelligence of the Pretender's move-
ments, made a sudden march to Moy during the night,
in the hope of faking him by surprise, and making him
his prisoner. At the approach of Loudoun's troops, the
few Mackintoshes that remained, dispersing themselves
in different parts of the woods, fired upon the royal
columns as they advanced, and imitating the war-cries
of Lochiel, Kcppoch, and other well-known clans, threw
them into the utmost confusion and dismay. The royal
forces, thinking that the whole Highland army was at
hand, and distracted by the darkness of the night, re-
treated to Inverness, and in such disorder that the event,
which took place on the I6th of February, 17-16, is still
recorded as the " Rout of Moy ".
MO Y
M O Y
The PARISH is about thirty miles in length and five
miles in breadth ; comprising an area of about 150 square
miles, of which fifty are in the district of Moy ; and
containing 96,000 acres, of which 3000 are arable and
in cultivation, 1600 woodland and plantations, and the
remainder hill pasture, moorland, and waste. Its sur-
face, generally elevated, is diversified with numerous
hills of various height, and intersected by mountainous
ranges dividing it into glens : the glens form the habit-
able, portions, and are watered by rivers along the banks
of which are found the small tracts of arable land. The
mountains are not remarkable either for their height or
for any peculiarity of feature ; the highest has an eleva-
tion of about '2500 feet above the level of the sea. There
is but one range of any importance, that of the Monadh-
lia hills, one of the widest ranges in the country ; it is
stocked with deer and every variety of game, and is
marked with many glens, through the largest of which
flows the river Findhorn. This river has its source
among the hills of the range, issuing from a chasm in a
remarkable mass of rock called the Cloven Stone. In
its course it receives tributary streams from the various
glens it passes, and is subject to extraordinary degrees
of elevation and depression. The swiftness of its current
is so great as to bear away before it large portions of the
soil which interrupt its progress, the stream forming for
itself a straight channel, through which it flows without
deviation ; and it rises frequently with such rapidity,
that a boat crossing it at low water is often carried away
by the torrent before it can reach the opposite shore. The
only other stream that has any claim to be considered
as a river is the Funtack, which issues from Loch Moy,
and, after flowing through the small glen to which it
gives name, falls into the Findhorn within the parish.
Loch Moy is nearly two miles in length, and about
three-quarters of a mile in breadth ; its depth in some .
places is eighteen fathoms, and being surrounded with
woods of hanging birch, it has in summer a truly
picturesque appearance. There are two islands in the
lake, the larger of them containing the remains of the
ancient castle, near which have been traced the founda-
tions of a street supposed to have comprised the houses
of those vassals who lived with their chief. On this
island is an elegant monument erected in 18'24, by Lady
Mackintosh, to the memory of her late husband. Sir
iEneas Mackintosh, Bart. The other island is merely
a rude heap of stones, thought to have been artificially
formed into a mound, for the administration of justice
by the chieftain ; and till near the close of the last cen-
tury it had remaining a gallows for the execution of crimi-
nals. The Findhorn formerly abounded with salmon,
which within the last few years have greatly diminished
in number ; and trout, char, and eels are still abun-
dant : the trout, though not large, are of excellent qua-
lity, and afford good sport to the angler. Loch Moy is
more noted for char and eels than for trout.
The SOIL of the arable lands is of good quality, gene-
rally either alluvial or a fine black mould, producing
favourable crops of grain of all kinds, with potatoes and
turnips. The system of husbandry is beginning to
improve ; and under more favourable tenure, the farm
buildings and offices are assuming a more substantial
and commodious arrangement, especially on the lands
of Mackintosh and Tomatin, where many comfortable
farm-houses have been built. Of the hill pastures, cora-
VoL. II.— 289
prising nearly 92,000 acres, about 23,000 are common ;
and of all this extensive tract scarcely 1000 acres are
susceptible of cultivation. In their present state these
districts afford excellent pasturage for sheep and black-
cattle, on the rearing of which the farmers principally
depend for their support. The expense and difficulty of
procuring lime have hitherto precluded any consider-
able effort for the improvement of the lands ; and though
there is every probability that lime might be obtained
within the parish, instead of bringing it from a dis-
tance, yet no attempts have been made to work it.
The annual value of real property in Moy and Dalrossie
is £3646. Though originally abounding with wood,
there is little ancient timber remaining, except on the
lands of Moy Hall, the property of the Mackintoshes ;
and most of the plantations are of recent growth. Mr.
Macbean has within the last few years planted one
million and a half of trees on his lands at Tomatin. The
primitive rocks are generally granite and gneiss, inter-
spersed with large boulders of sienite : in the east end
of the parish is a quarry of granite of fine texture and
colour, well adapted for buildings of every kind, and
more especially for such as require strength and dura-
bility. Moy Hall, the seat of Alexander Mackintosh,
Esq., chief of the clan Chattan, is a handsome modern
mansion, situated in a richly-wooded demesne near the
northern extremity of Loch Moy. It was erected in
1807, by Sir jEneas Mackintosh, and consists of a central
quadrangle with two wings. In the grounds near the
house is a beautiful monument of marble, erected to the
memory of the late Mrs. Mackintosh, who died in
London in 1840, by her surviving husband the present
proprietor. There are also handsome mansions at To-
matin and Corrybrough, on opposite banks of the river
Findhorn, beautifully seated in well planted-grounds, and
inhabited by their respective proprietors.
No village has been formed within the parish ; nei-
ther is there any trade or manufacture carried on,
beyond the weaving of tartans and blankets for domes-
tic use, which affords employment to the females during
winter. The population is very much scattered, and
the hamlets are few, and distant from each other.
Markets for the sale of cattle, horses, and other com-
modities, are held monthly at Freeburn, where there is
a commodious inn, on the Saturday following the Muir
of Ord markets : a market for lambs is also held an-
nually, about Lammas. Facility of communication with
Inverness and the neighbouring towns is maintained by
good roads, of which the great Highland road from
Inverness to Perth passes for seven miles through the
parish ; and by bridges over the river Findhorn, of which
the most important is one built in 1829, at a cost of
£y600, to replace a previous structure that had been
destroyed by flood. Ecclesiastically the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Inverness and synod of
Moray. The minister's stipend is £'234. 3. 4., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum ; patrons,
the Mackintosh family, of Geddes. There are two
churches, in which the minister oflSciates on alternate
Sabbaths. The church of Moy, situated on the margin
of the loch, near the northern extremity of the parish,
was erected in 1765, and thoroughly repaired in 1829 ;
it is a plain structure containing 360 sittings. Dal-
rossie church, at a distance of nine miles from that of
Moy, and on the bank of the Findhorn, is a very an-
2 P
MUCK
MUCK
cient structure of small pebbles, containing 380 sittings.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship. The parochial school is well attended ; the master
has a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and the
fees average about £10 annually. There are several
other schools, partly supported by the Society for Pro-
pagating Christian Knowledge, and by other societies.
In the south-western portion of the parish are numerous
mineral springs, one of which is strongly impregnated
with sulphuretted hydrogen, but the exact proportion
has not been ascertained : several of these springs have
been used medicinally with considerable success.
O MUCK, an island, in the parish of Small Isles,
district of Mull, county of Argyll ; containing 6S in-
habitants. The Gaelic name of this little verdant island
of the Hebrides, Elan-nan- Muchd, literally signifies " the
Isle of Swine ". It is about two miles in length, less
than one mile in breadth, and lies four miles south-by-
west from the island of Eigg. The surface is pretty low,
with the exception of one hill, and even this is of no
great height ; the soil is generally good. The coast is
rocky, and indented with several creeks, which afford
shelter for fishing-boats, but no safe anchorage for
vessels : in two of these creeks are small piers. The
rearing of black-cattle, and a fishery of cod and ling
here, are productive. The chief want of the inhabitants
is fuel, which they procure from Ardnamurchan and
other neighbouring places. On the north side of the
island lies Elan-nan-Each, the " Island of Horses ", which
is of inconsiderable extent, but affords good pasture.
Muck formerly contained many more inhabitants than
it does at present.
MUCKAIRN, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in
the parish of Ardchattan, district of Lorn, county of
Argyll, 12 miles (E. by N.) from Oban; containing,
with the villages of Stonefield and Calnadaluck, 960 in-
habitants. This parish, the name of which signifies
"the den of wild boars", from the number of those
ferocious animals that anciently infested this part of the
country, is bounded on the north by Loch Etive, and on
the east by the river Naunt and the loch of that name.
It is about nine miles in length from east to west, and
from five to six miles in average breadth. The quantity
of arable land does not exceed 400 acres; about 100
are meadow, nearly 2000 coppice wood let on lease to
the Bunawe iron-tompany, and the remainder hill pas-
ture and waste. The surface is divided by the Mallore
range of hills, extending from the north-east to the
south-west, but of which the highest has not an eleva-
tion of more than 1100 feet above the level of the sea :
there are also some detached eminences, the loftiest of
which is Deechoid. From the Mallore range the ground
slopes gradually towards the north, with occasional un-
dulations forming sequestered valleys between the higher
lands, which arc crowned with wood. The coast is gene-
rally low, and in several places rocky. It is indented
with the fine bays of Stonefield and Airds bay, and
with numerous creeks ; and in some parts the shore is
marked with boldly-projecting headlands. The bay of
Stonefield, and that of Salenrua, a little beyond it, afford
good anchorage ; and in the former is the beautiful is-
land called Abbot's Isle, clothed with verdure, and em-
bellished with a few aged sycamores. In this district
the rivers arc, the Naunt, which flows between richly-
wooded banks, forming in its course some picturesque
290
cascades ; the Lonan, which, after a rapid course for a
few mi'.es from east to west, runs into Loch Nell, in the
parish of Kilmore ; the Luacragan, intersecting the dis-
trict from south to north for a few miles, and falling
into Airds bay ; and the Lusragan, which, flowing for a
few miles in a parallel direction, joins Loch Etive a little
above Connel ferry. The chief lakes are. Loch Andow,
on the west, nearly two miles in length ; and Loch
Naunt, on the east, of about half that extent ; both
abounding in trout. The soil of the arable land, .and
the system of agriculture, are similar to those of Ard-
chattan ; and the cattle and sheep on the pastures, of
the same breeds. About 280 cows and their followers,
with 220 head of cattle besides, and upwards of 3000 sheep
are kept. Most of the inhabitants are employed in con-
nexion with the iron-works at Bunawe in the parish of
Glenorchy and Inishail. The nearest market-town is
Oban : there is a post-office at Bunawe, and facility of
communication is afforded by the country-road from
Oban and the Western Isles to Inverary, which passes
for eight miles through the district.
The church, built in 1829, under the provisions of the
act of parliament for the erection and endowment of
additional churches in the Highlands, is a plain neat
structure, situated at the south-eastern extremity of
Muckairn, and containing 350 sittings. The minister
has a stipend of £120 from government, with a manse
and offices, and an allotment of land for a garden : pa-
tron, the Crown. The parochial school, for which a
handsome school-house, capable of receiving 130 scholars,
with superior accommodations, was erected in 1836, by
the lady of General Campbell of Lochnell, is well con-
ducted; the master has a salary of £25. 13. 3., with a
house and garden, and the fees average about £15 per
annum. There is also a school at Auchlevan, to the
. master of which the Society for the Propagation of
Christian Knowledge till of late paid a salary of £1* per
annum. A good school-house was built by General
Campbell, who also gave the master a dwelling-house
and a portion of land ; and since the discontinuance of
the salary by the society, the present proprietor of Loch-
nell has made the master an annual donation of £12.
In the district are numerous remains of old ecclesiastical
establishments, and several Druidical circles in a more or
less perfect state. On a plain near the site of the pre-
sent church, was an ancient obelisk, which, on the arri-
val of the news of the victory of Abonkir, the workmen
of Lorn furnace at Bunawe removed to the neighbour-
ing hill, and erected to the honour of Lord Nelson.
MUCKART, a parish, in the county of Perth,
2i miles (N. E. by E.) from Dollar ; containing, with
the village of Pool, 706 inhabitants. This place is sup-
posed to have derived its name, signifying in the Gaelic
language " the head of a boar", either from one of its
principal hills resembling that animal in form, or from
its having been anciently much infested with wild boars.
Early in the fourteenth century it belonged to Lamber-
ton, Archbishop of St. Andrew's, who in 1320 erected
here the ancient palace of Castleton, which, together
with the lands appertaining to it, was sold by one of
his successors to the F'^arl of Argyll, in whose posses-
sion it remained till the middle of the sixteenth century,
when the estate was divided, and passed into the hands
of scvi^ral |)rr)|)rietors. In 1644, the churcli, and neiirly
every house in the parish, were burned by the Marquess
MUCK
M UI R
of Montrose in his ■warfare with Argyll, when he de-
stroyed Castle Campbell in the parish of Dollar, and
other property belonging to the earl ; the memorial of
which devastation is still preserved in the name of the
pass in Glendovan by which he entered the parish.
The PARISH is about four miles and a half in length,
and of irregular form, varying from less than a mile to
more than two miles in breadth. It is bounded on the
north and west by two small rivulets, which separate it
respectively from the parishes of Glendovan and Dollar;
and on the south and east by the river Devon. Muckart
comprises about 4300 acres, whereof 2700 are arable,
1000 meadow and pasture, 300 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder undivided common. Its surface is
intersected by a branch of the Ochil hills, of which the
highest point, called Sea Mab, has an elevation of nearly
1400 feet above the level of the sea ; the hills are
covered with grass affording good pasturage, and the
scenery has been greatly improved by plantations of re-
cent formation, which are thriving. The Devon rises to
the west of the Ochil range, and after pursuing a very
devious line, falls into the Forth near the town of Alloa.
In part of its course, the stream runs in a channel formed
by nature in the solid rock ; and in its progress it makes
numerous picturesque falls, descending abruptly from a
height of thirty feet into a circular cavity, from which, by
the violence of its fall, the water rebounds, and then flows
into a succession of similar cauldrons, from the last of
which it is precipitated more than forty feet into the
plain beneath. There are four bridges over the Devon
connected with the parish. The most remarkable, called
the " Rumbling bridge ", consists of two arches, one
immediately above the other : the lower arch, which
formed the ancient bridge, has an elevation of more than
eighty feet above the level of the stream, is very narrow,
and being undefended by any parapet, must have been a
very dangerous passage : the upper arch is a commodi-
ous approach to the parish from the south. Another of
the bridges is distinguished by the appellation of the
" Vicar's bridge ", from the circumstance of the vicar of
the adjoining parish of Dollar having been killed here in
revenge of his having abjured the Roman Catholic re-
ligion.
The SOIL varies greatly in quality in different places ;
near the river it is light and sandy, in other parts more
rich and fertile, and in the higher grounds gravelly, with
portions of moss. The lands have been much benefited
by draining, and the system of husbandry is materially
improved. Considerable progress has been made in in-
closing the lands ; the fences are chiefly of stone, with
some inclosures of hedges, and both are generally well
kept up. Attention is also paid to the improvement of
the cattle, which are principally of the short-horned
kind ; and the South-Down and Leicester breeds of
sheep have been introduced with success. The substrata
are mostly whinstone, of which the hills are composed,
ironstone, limestone, freestone, and sandstone, with some
coal in the western portion of the parish. The ironstone
is not wrought ; the limestone is worked by the proprie-
tors of the lands for their own use, and lime is also pro-
cured in the immediate neighbourhood, and at a mode-
rate cost. One seam of the coal is worked, which affords
an abundant supply of fuel, and considerable quantities
are sent to Strathearn. Boulders of whinstone, and oc-
casionally of sandstone, occur. The ironstone and
291
limestone abound with fossils and shells, and some fine
specimens of rock-crystal are found in the whinstone.
The annual value of real property in Muckart is £4000.
The nearest market-town is Alloa, which is also the post-
town ; but a post has been likewise established to Dollar.
Facility of communication is afforded by excellent roads,
six miles of which are turnpike-roads, and particularly
by the construction of the new lines from Stirling to
Milnathort, and from Dunfermhne to Crieff, which have
contributed greatly to the improvement of the parish.
Muckart is in the presbytery of Auchterarder, synod of
Perth and Stirling, and in the patronage of the Crown :
the minister's stipend is £158. 6. S., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £'20 per annum. The present church
was built in 1838 : the former church was of uncertain
date, and was repaired in 1789. There is a place of
worship in connexion with the United Presbyterian
Synod, and the members of the Free Church have a place
of worship about midway between Dollar and the Pool
of Muckart. The parochial school affords a useful edu-
cation ; the master has a salary of £25. 6. 8., about £17
fees, and a house and garden, with £9 per annum, the
interest of a bequest. Another school is held, not ex-
clusively connected with any denomination ; and a
library for the united use of this parish and the parishes
of Glendovan and Fossoway has been established here.
There are some slight remains of Castleton, the old
episcopal residence built by Archbishop Lamberton,
which appears to have been a. spacious edifice communi-
cating by a subterraneous passage with the river : part
of one of the turrets only is remaining. Stone coffins
have been found in various parts of the parish.
MUGDRUM, an isle, in the parish of Abernethy,
county of Perth. It lies in the river Tay, a short dis-
tance from, and nearly opposite to, the town of New-
burgh ; and is about a mile in length, and 200 yards in
breadth. The island is surrounded by a high embank-
ment, the level surface being considerably lower than
that of the tide at high water. The new house and woods
of Mugdrum are prominent on the south shore of the
Tay, in Fifeshire ; the old house and bank overhang the
river. Mugdrum was formerly much infested with rats,
which were exterminated by a breed of wild cats ; and
some of these latter animals are still on it, resisting all
attempts to be domesticated.
MUIRAVONSIDE, a parish, in the county of Stir-
ling, 3 miles (W.) from Linlithgow ; containing, with
the villages of Burnbridge, Maddiston, Rumford, and
part of Linlithgow-Bridge, 2249 inhabitants. The com-
pound term Muir-avon-side is derived from the original
moorish appearance of part of the parish, and from its
situation on the bank of the river Avon, which runs
along its boundary on the south-east and north-east for
nine miles, separating it in one part from the county of
Linlithgow. In ancient times the parish formed part of
that of Falkirk, and it was chiefly the property of the
Livingstone family, who in 1540 obtained by marriage
the old castle of Haining, a manorial residence. Sir
James Livingstone, second son of the first Earl of Lin-
lithgow, was created Lord of Almond, the appellation,
probably, of the district adjacent to the castle, and
which is supposed to have been that portion of Falkirk
now forming this parish : the silver communion cups of
Muiravonside are called cups of the church of Almond.
The priory of Manuel or Emmanuel, situated on the west
2 P2
M U I R
M UI R
bank of the Avon, was founded for Cistercian nuns about
the year 1 156 by King Malcolm IV., by whom and seve-
ral of his sucessors it was richly endowed : the prioress
Christiana in 129'2, as well as her successor Alice in 1296,
swore fealty to Edward I. at Linlithgow. The ruins,
together with other estates, came into the possession of
the crown by the forfeiture of the Earl of Callendar and
Linlithgow in 171.5.
The P.4RISH is about seven miles long, and in average
breadth measures two miles, comprising 7000 or 8000
acres, the whole of which are arable, with the exception
of a very small proportion of moss, waste, and planta-
tions. There are some naked and dreary tracts, with a
marshy soil, in the west ; but in general the surface is
of varied character, and the rising grounds, which are of
moderate elevation, command extensive prospects of the
Forth, the towers of Clackmannan, Stirling, and Lin-
lithgow, the glens that ornament the course of the Devon,
the Grampian hills, and numerous plantations. The
principal inconvenience felt in the interior is the de-
ficiency of streams, arising from the peculiar distribution
of its land, which consists of an irregular and broken
ridge lying between the Avon and the alluvial plains of
the Forth. Springs are seldom to be found through-
out the range of clayey soil which covers two-thirds of
the parish ; the only streams are the Holloch, the Manuel,
and the Sandyford ; and though there are some powerful
springs in the mosses, the infusion of iron is so strong
as to form a crust of red ochre around their outlets. Be-
sides the extensive clayey portion, the soil comprehends
sand, peat, and marl, in which last an interesting speci-
men was discovered of the ancient elk, now forming part
of the collection in the college museum, Glasgow. There
is also a considerable extent of gravelly earth. In some
parts the surface is singularly marked with picturesque
mounds and hillocks, which, with the breaks, fissures,
and perpetual variations of the sandstone rock along the
course of the Avon, and its beautiful scenery of over-
hanging wood, constitute some of the most prominent
and striking features in the locality.
All the ordinary kinds of grain and green crops are
raised. The ground is manured w ith dung procured from
Edinburgh, and lime is obtained in large quantities from
Linlithgow. In the eastern part of the parish the farms
are large, the houses and offices good, and the lands well
cultivated ; furrow-draining has been extensively carried
on, and secure fences raised. Most of these improve-
ments are still wanting in the western part, where the
farms are comparatively small. The live stock are ex-
cellent in the former district ; but in the western they
arc inferior, the want of proper fences, and other causes,
contributing to injure the breed. The appearance of
the jjarish, especially of the eastern district, has under-
gone a great change within the last fifty or sixty years :
the thicket which at the close of the eighteenth century
almost overspread it, has been cleared ; and ground for-
merly covered with broom and heath now displays in
perfection the results of agricultural skill. The rock
and coal formations iu this neighbourhood are remark-
ably intersected with trap dykes. Along the course of
the Avon is sandstone, and several quarries of fine blue
whinstone are wrought ; there are also two quarries of
superior freestone, one producing a material differing in
some respects from that of the other, but both wrought
largely. Coal has been raised in many different places ;
292
but the only pits now in operation are those of Stanrig,
Craige.id, and Blackbraes. Iron, also, is procured by
the Carron Company near the village ; and large quanti-
ties are supposed to exist in other parts. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £6735. Maudis-
ton is the principal village : it is situated on a declivity,
in the midst of picturesque scenery. Part of the vil-
lage of Linlithgow-Bridge, built by Alexander, Earl of
Linlithgow, about the year 1650, is likewise in this pa-
rish : its customs were given in I677, by Charles II., to
Earl George ; and some of the landholders in Muiravon-
side inherit estates granted in perpetual feus by the last
earl in order to raise money to carry on the rebelUon of
1715. The Edinburgh and Stirling turnpike-road passes
through the district, as do also the Edinburgh and
Glasgow railway, the Slamannan railway, and the Union
canal : the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway crosses the
vale of the Avon by a fine viaduct of twenty substantial
arches, commanding a most delightful view ; and the
canal has an aqueduct across the same valley, of twelve
arches, in the midst of a profusion of beautifully sylvan
and verdant scenery. The produce is usually disposed
of at Falkirk. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the pres-
bytery of Linlithgow, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale,
and in the patronage of the Crown : the minister's
stipend is £225, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £9
per annum. The church is a plain structure, built about
the year 1812, and accommodates 500 persons. There
is a place of worship for the United Presbyterian Church.
The parochial school affords instruction in Latin, writing,
arithmetic, grammar, and geography ; the master has a
salary of £34. 4., with a dwelling, three acres and a half
of land, and £24 fees : the land, which is valued at £6
per annum, is an ancient bequest of the Callendar family.
There is a parochial library containing 120 volumes. The
chief antiquities are the ruins of Manuel Priory and
Almond Castle, the latter of which was deserted as a
place of residence about the year 1750. A line of forti-
fied eminences extends from Hazlelaw to Sight hill, but
nothing is known about the works ; and stone coffins
have been frequently discovered in various places.
MUIRDRUM, a village, in the parish of Panbride,
county of Forfar, 6 miles (W. S. W.) from Arbroath ;
containing 112 inhabitants. This is a small village, on
the line of road between Dundee and Arbroath. It has
a post-office, which, from its central situation, is a great
convenience to the neighbourhood.
MUIRHEAD, a hamlet, in the parish of Kettle,
district of Cupar, county of Fife ; containing 106 inha-
bitants. Here is a mill employed in the manufacture of
linen yarn.
MUIRHEAD, a hamlet, in the parish of Liff, Ben-
vie, and Invergowrik, county of Forfar ; containing
81 inhabitants.
MUIRHEAD, a village, in the parish of Cadder,
Lower ward of the county of Lanark ; containing 49
inhabitants. This village is [jlcasantly seated in the south-
eastern part of the parish, on the great road from Perth
to Glasgow, and a short distance south-south-west from
the village of Chryston. It retains about three acres of
the ancient common lands ; and the inhabitants of both
villages have the right of commonage, and the privilege
of cutting turf from the surface as long as heath and
rushes continue to grow upon it. The inhabitants are
chiefly employed in the works at Garnkirk.
MUIR
M Ul R
MUIRHOUSES, a village, in the parish of Carri-
DEN, county of Linlithgow ; containing 139 inhabit-
ants. This is a small village, situated a short distance
westward of Carriden, and eastward of the high road
from Linlithgow to Borrowstounness.
MUIRKIRK, a village and parish, in the district of
Kyle, county of Ayr, 10 miles (W. by S.) from Douglas;
containing, with the village of Glenbuck, 3125 inhabit-
ants. The origin and history of this place are both in-
volved in obscurity and uncertainty ; little more of it is
known than that, previously to the year 1626, it formed
part of the parish of Mauchline, and as such was included
in the barony of the Earls of Loudoun. An attempt has
been made to deduce the history of some transactions
connected with the place, from the existence of various
stones in different parts ; but they are neither inscribed
with any characters tending to explain the cause of their
erection, nor are they of sufficient magnitude to warrant
the opinion of their being monuments of commemoration.
The parish, which is situated on the river Ayr, is about
eight miles in length from east to west, and seven miles
broad from north to south ; and comprises about 30,000
acres. Of this area, but a comparatively small portion
is cultivated : 2.50 acres are woodland and plantations,
and the remainder is in a state of nature : a very consi-
derable portion might be rendered fertile, and brought
into cultivation, at a moderate expense. The surface is
irregular ; it is tolerably even near the banks of the
rivers, but in other parts rises abruptly into lofty emi-
nences. The highest of these is the hill of Cairntable,
which has an elevation of 1650 feet above the level of
the sea, and is crowned by two large cairns ; it is chiefly
composed of breccia, and for many years afforded a sup-
ply of millstones for the parish. The higher grounds
are clothed with a kind of dark-coloured heath that gives
to the scenery a cheerless aspect, which is increased by
the want of timber. The river Ayr has its source in this
parish, in a spot where two artificial lakes have been
formed by the Catrine Company, as reservoirs for the
use of their cotton-works, and which cover about 120
acres of ground. From these the river issues, receiving
from the hills in its progress through the parish nume-
rous tributary streams, of which the chief are the Garpel,
the Greenoch, and the Whitehaugh ; and thus augmented,
it pursues its course, for about thirty miles, and falls into
the Firth of Clyde at Ayr. There are springs affording
an ample supply of excellent water, and also some that
have a petrifying property : some are slightly impreg-
nated with iron, sulphur, and other minerals.
The SOIL is various, consisting of sand, gravel, loam,
and clay, with peat-moss, which is found in some parts
twenty feet in depth : the crops are, grain of all kinds,
potatoes, and turnips. The rotation system of hus-
bandry has been generally adopted, and the state of agri-
culture is improved. The plantations are chiefly spruce,
larch, and Scotch fir. Surface-draining has been prac-
tised on some of the farms, with very beneficial results,
by the tenants at their own expense ; it has been done,
however, only on a limited scale. In 1830 the Duke of
Portland became proprietor of the estate of Muirkirk, and
since that period tile-draining has been carried on under
his grace's agents to a considerable extent, embracing
hundreds of acres. Some of the resident proprietors
have also been actively engaged in tile-draining their
lands, so that, within a short period, large tracts of land
293
have been thoroughly drained, the effect of which is ma-
nifest, not only in the increased quantity and improved
quality of the crops, but likewise in the amelioration of
the climate. The farm-houses are substantial and com-
modious, especially those of more recent erection. Very
few of the lands are inclosed, and those only with stone
dykes. The cows are of the Cunninghame breed, and a
considerable number of young cattle of the same breed
are annually reared, to the improvement of which ade-
quate attention is paid. Great numbers of sheep are
also fed ; they are the black-faced, and seem to be well
adapted to the quality of the pastures. The woods ap-
pear to have been almost destroyed : from old documents
it is clear that this was a forest towards the close of the
twelfth century ; and from the numerous trees, also,
embedded in the mosses, and from some detached por-
tions of trees still found in various parts, it is evident
that the parish formerly abounded with timber. Well-
wood, the property of the Duke of Portland, is an an-
cient mansion beautifully situated on the banks of the
Ayr, and embosomed in thriving plantations. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is £6179. In
this district the substrata are chiefly coal, ironstone, and
limestone. The coal formation is part of the great coal-
field of the country ; the seam at present worked is
about twenty-five feet in thickness. The ironstone is
found in belts about six inches thick, and within the last
few years a rich vein of blackband ironstone has been
discovered, which is vigorously worked. The limestone
is also of good quality, and is extensively quarried.
Lead and manganese have likewise been found ; the for-
mer was worked for some time, but the working was not
productive, and it was consequently discontinued. The
iron-works in this parish, which are very extensive, were
erected in 17S7, and have since been carried on with
spirit by the proprietors ; they consist of four blast-fur-
naces for the manufacture of pig-iron, a large foundry,
and a rolling-mill for bar-iron. There were formerly
some iron-works established at Glenbuck by an English
company ; but they were afterwards abandoned. The
village of Muirkirk has greatly increased since the open-
ing of the works in its neighbourhood ; it is inhabited
chiefly by persons employed in the collieries and lime-
stone-quarries, and in the iron-works. Two circulating
libraries, containing well-assorted collections, are sup-
ported by subscription. Fairs are held in February and
December ; but they are not well attended. A post-
office and a branch bank have been established ; and
facility of intercourse with Strathaven, the nearest mar-
ket-town, and with other places in the neighbourhood, is
maintained by good roads which pass through the parish.
Muirkirk has also a branch of the Glasgow, Dumfries,
and Carlisle railway.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Ayr,
synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the
Marquess of Hastings : the minister's stipend is £15/.
17. 3., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per an-
num. The church, erected about the year 1813, is a neat
and substantial edifice adapted for a congregation of 913
persons, and is conveniently situated nearly in the centre
of the parish. There are places of worship for Burghers,
the United Presbyterian Church, and Independents.
The parochial school affords instruction to about seventy
children ; the master has a salary of £28 per annum,
with £30 fees, and a house and garden. There are three
MULL
MULL
f
friendly societies, the Muirkirk, the St. Thomas's, and
the St. Andrew's masonic lodges, established many years
ago, and which have contributed to diminish the number
of applicants for parochial relief, and to keep alive a
spirit of independence among the poor. According to
tradition, there was anciently a religious establishment
on the summit of Cairntable ; but of what order, or when
or by whom founded, nothing is recorded. In the parish
are three " martyrs' stones", one of them in the church-
yard, another at Upper Wellwood, and the very interest-
ing one of John Brown at Priesthill : these memorials of
bygone sufferings are visited by many of the strangers
that come to Muirkirk.
MUIRSIDE.a hamlet, in the parish of Logie-Pert,
county of Forfar, 5 miles (N. N. W.) from Montrose;
containing 95 inhabitants. This is a small place lying
in the eastern part of the parish, a short distance from
the village of Craigo.
MULL, ISLE OF, in the county of Argyll ; con-
taining 10,064 inhabitants. This forms one of the He-
brides, or Western Islands, of which it ranks as the
third in extent. It originally constituted part of the
dominions of the ancient Lords of the Isles, who, holding
their territories under the Kings of Norway, exercised a
kind of sovereignty independent of the Scottish mouarchs,
•with whom they were frequently at war. In 1480, a san-
guinary battle took place in a bay at the northern extre-
mity of the island, since then called Bloody Bay, between
Angus, Lord of the Isles, and the Earls of Crawford and
Huntly, and others, in which the latter were defeated
with great slaughter. In 1588 the Florida, a vessel be-
longing to the Spanish Armada, was blown up in the
harbour of Tobermory, on the northern coast ; and parts
of the wreck have at various times been met with. An
attempt to raise this vessel was made in 1740 by Sir
Archibald Grant and Captain Roe, but without success,
though they obtained several of her guns ; timbers have
been since discovered, and some of the wood thus found
was presented by Sir Walter Scott to George IV., on that
monarch's visiting Edinburgh in 18'22. Archibald, ninth
Earl of Argyll, having joined in the rebellion of the Duke
of Monmouth, in the early part of tlie reign of James II.,
landed with his followers at the bay of Tobermory, or, as
some accounts say, on the coast of Cantyre, in another
part of the county, in an unsuccessful attempt to invade
Scotland ; and, being afterwards made prisoner, was sent
to Edinburgh, where he was publicly executed.
The ISLAND is bounded on the north and east by the
sound of Mull, whidi separates it from the main land,
and on the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean. It is
about thirty-five miles in extreme length and twenty
miles in breadth, comprising an area of nearly 480 square
miles. The form of tlie island is extremely irregular,
it being deeply indented, especially on the western coast,
with arms of the sea, of which Loch-na-Keal divides it
into two irregular peninsulas, connected by an isthmus
not more than four miles in breadth, between Loch-na-
Keal on the west and the sound of Mull on the east. In
some parts towards the coast the surface is tolerably
level, containing small tracts of arable land ; but in the
interior, mountainous and diversified, with lofty hills of
rugged aspect. Many of the mountains rise to a height
of more than 2000 feet ; and the highest, licnmorc, which
is of easy ascent and occasionally visited by tourists, has
an elevation of .'i068 feet above the level of the sea, com-
294
manding from its summit an unbounded and interesting
view o*" the Atlantic, and of the numerous islands oflF
the coast. There are some inland lakes, but none of
any considerable extent ; the largest is Loch Frisn, in
the northern part of the island, from which issues the
rivulet of Arcs Water, flowing eastward into the sound
of Mull. From the smaller lochs of Ba and Uisk, also,
flow several streamlets ; but there are no rivers of any
importance.
■The COAST, from its numerous indentations, is nearly
300 miles in extent. At its northern extremity is
Bloody Bay, already noticed, to the south-east of which
is the harbour of Tobermory, sheltered from the sound
by Calve island, at its entrance ; and still further south-
east is Aros Castle, an ancient quadrangular structure
situated on the summit of a boldly-projecting headland,
and in the vicinity of which was formerly an inn for the
accommodation of travellers visiting the isle of Staffa.
Visiters to Staffa and lona now go by steamers. Near
the south-eastern extremity of the coast, between the
bay of Mc Alister and Loch Don, on a promontory, are
the remains of the castle of Dowart, the old baronial re-
sidence of the Macleans, and tiU within the last few
years garrisoned by a detachment from Fort-William.
On the south side of Mull is Loch Spelve, which, from a
small inlet at its entrance, divides into two spacious
branches : in the eastern of these is an island. Along
the whole southern coast, forming part of the Ross of
Mull, the only bay of any extent is Loch Buy, in which
are two small islands, and from the mouth of which,
westward, to the sound of Icolmkill, the indentations are
formed by conspicuous headlands, whereof Eglish-na-
Braren and Ardalanish point are the most prominent.
West of the Ross of Mull is the island of Icolmkill or
loiia, separated from Mull by the sound of Icolmkill ; it
is about three miles in length and one mile in breadth,
and celebrated for its early monastic importance. The
Ross is bounded on the north by Loch f<cridain, which
deeply indents the island, separating the Ross from the
district of Gribun, where the mountain of Benmore
rises ; and still more to the north is Loch-na-Keal, the
arm of the Atlantic before named, extending inland east-
ward towards the sound of Mull, from which it is divided
by the isthmus connecting the two peninsulas of Mull.
Near Loch-na-Keal is the island of Staffa, about one
mile in length and half a mile in breadth, remarkable
for its basaltic columns and its romantic caverns ; and
at the entrance of the loch are, the island of Little
Colonsay, having pasturage for sheep and cattle, and, to
the east, the fertile island of Inniskenncfh and the isle
of Eorsa. Between Loch-na-Keal, and Loch Tua to the
north, are the islands of Gometray and lllva, separated
from each other by a narrow sound, and affording good
pasture for cattle ; and near the mouth of Loch Tua are
the Trcshinish isles, of which the principal are Lunga
and I'ladda. Beyond these, to the north-west, are the
large islands of Va>\\ and Tiree.
The son. of the arable lands is in general rich and
deep, i)rodu( ing favoural)le crops ; but the island is
priiici|)ally adapted for the i)asturage of sheep and cattle,
of whicii great numbers are reared, and sent to the vari-
ous southern markets. For the most part the sheep are
of the Tweeddale breed, which has been substituted for
the Old Highland, formerly reared ; but on the lowland
pastures are n)any of the Cheviot breed, which has been
M U N G
M U NG
introduced within the last few years. The black-cattle
are generally of the Highland breed ; and the horses,
though small in stature, are much prized for hardiness,
strength and agility. The woods for which the island
was formerly celebrated have dwindled into a few cop-
pices of oak, birch, and hazel, to which little attention is
paid. Some recent plantations, however, of larch, fir,
and other trees, are in a thriving state ; and in sheltered
situations are numerous ash-trees of luxuriant growth.
The rocks are chiefly composed of trap, sandstone, and
limestone, and those on the shores are of basaltic forma-
tion ; granite is also found in various parts of the island,
particularly in Ross, and coal has been discovered in seve-
ral places, especially in the bed of a rivulet near the base
of the mountain of Bein-an-inich, on the coast of Ross,
and at Brolas and Gribun. Attempts to work the coal
have been made at different times, but from want of
capital or adequate skill, the works were soon disconti-
nued ; the coal is said to be of good quality. The island
comprises the parish of Kilfinichen and Kilviceuen, that
of Kilninian and Kilmore, and the parish of Torosay,
with the sea-port town of Tobermory, in the presbytery
of Mull and synod of Argyll. — See the articles on the
several parishes, villages, and subordinate islands.
MUNGO, ST., a parish, in the county of Dumfries,
4 miles (W. by N.) from Ecclesfechan ; containing 618
inhabitants. The name was originally Aber-milk, the
old British term .'iter, signifying " a confluence of
waters", being descriptive of the situation of the parish,
part of which is a kind of peninsula formed by the
junction of the rivers Milk and Annan. In the twelfth
century, however, the Bruces having built a castle on
the Water of Milk, the name of the place was changed
to Castlemilk. The lands in ancient times belonged to
the see of Glasgow, and the parish is mentioned in the
year 1170, in a papal document, under the new name :
in 1290 William de Gossford, parson of Castlemilk, swore
fealty at Berwick to King Edward I. The church was
early dedicated to God under the invocation of St.
Mungo, founder of the see of Glasgow ; and by the
name of this favourite patron the parish is now inva-
riably called. Robert de Bruce, second lord of Annan-
dale, granted the church as a mensal church, to the see
of Glasgow, about the year 1250 ; at which period, also,
he gave the churches of Motfat, Kirkpatrick, Drumsdale,
and Hoddam, " cnm consensu Roberti de Bruce, Jilii sui."
The parish was at this time (as already stated) called
Castlemilk ; and the estate of the same name, from
which the parish was so designated, was the ancient
residence of the lords of Annandale, who had a strong
castle upon the lands. This castle passed from the
Bruces to the Stuarts by the marriage of Walter, high-
steward of Scotland, with the daughter of King Robert
Bruce ; and it thus descended to Robert, their son, also
high-steward, the first of the Stuarts who came to the
crown of Scotland. It afterwards passed to the Max-
wells and the Douglases. In the sixteenth century it
was besieged by the Duke of Somerset, protector in the
minority of Edward VI. ; the station of the siege is still
in existence, and in 1771 there were some balls found
while planting the spot, since which it has been called
" the Cannon Holes". The castle was again involved
in the miseries of war under Oliver Cromwell, against
whose strong works, yet visible, it held out for a consi-
derable time. In I707 it was superseded by a dwelling-
■295
house, which has since become one of the most beautiful
and picturesque mansions in the county.
The PARISH is about four miles in length from north
to south, and two miles and a half in breadth, contain-
ing ,'5000 acres. It lies in the Upper ward of the ancient
stewartry of Annandale, and is bounded on the north
by the parish of Tundergarth, on the south by the parish
of Dalton, on the east by that of Hoddam, and on the
west by that of Dryfesdale. The surface consists of
gradually-rising grounds, which, commencing at the
extremities of the parish, attain the highest elevation in
its centre, where there are two ridges called the Nut-Holm
hill, on which are vestiges of a Roman and a British
camp. The high-wooded grounds of Kirkwood, situated
in Dalton parish, and those of Nut- Holm, form a beau-
tiful vale about a mile in length, through which the river
Annan flows in a serpentine course, and in the middle
of which stands the manse, shrouded in wood. The
Water of Milk divides the parish nearly in the centre ;
its banks are in many places beautifully clothed with
natural wood, and the neighbouring hills with flourish-
ing plantations. The river forms a confluence with the
more considerable stream of the Annan at the south-
eastern extremity of the parish. Both of them contain
very fine salmon, sea-trout, and herlings, and were
much resorted to by anglers when the fish were more
abundant.
The SOIL composing the vales of the Annan and the
Milk, to the extent of 286 acres, is alluvial ; the holm
land of the Annan is light and sandy, and that of the
Milk a deep rich loam constituting the most valuable
land in the parish. The alluvial soils run a foot and a
half deep, and are free from stones. About 4300 acres are
under tillage ; 400 are waste, half of which are capable
of cultivation ; and 300 acres are occupied by wood. All
kinds of grain and green crops are produced, and the total
annual worth of the produce averages above £9000. The
most improved system of husbandry is followed, and
considerable attention has been paid to the buildings, to
draining the lands, subdividing the farms, and raising
fences. The markets resorted to are those of Annan and
Lockerbie ; the fat-cattle and sheep are sent via Annan
by steamers to Liverpool. In this parish the rocks
mainly consist of greywacke, greywacke-slate, white and
red sandstone, limestone, and quartz ; rolled masses of
sienite are also found, and sometimes common jasper :
the covering rock of the parish is porphyritie amygdaloid.
The marl-pits, formerly so prolific, are nearly exhausted;
as also are the peat-mosses. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £3952.
The chief seat is the mansion of Castlemilk, built in
the year 1796, on the site of the ancient castle : it
occupies a beautifully-sloping hill, in the midst of the
rich valley watered by the meandering and picturesque
stream of the Milk. There are two other mansions.
Milk Bank and Kirk Bank, the latter situated in the
vale of the Annan, in a spot of remarkable beauty ; they
are also modern buildings. The Glasgow and Carlisle
road runs for three miles through the parish ; and the
old branch of that road, three miles and a half long,
divides it nearly into two equal parts : on these lines of
road are good bridges over the Water of Milk. The
Caledonian railway also intersects the parish, crossing
the Milk by a viaduct of six arches. Ecclesiastically
St. Mungo is within the bounds of the presbytery of
M U RR
MUSS
Lochmaben and synod of Dumfries ; patron, the Crown ^
the stipend is £174. 16., and there is a good manse, with
a glebe worth £50 a year. The church, recently erected,
and situated in the centre of the parish, though present-
ing a plain exterior, is internally a neat and well-finished
structure : the former church, built in the reign of Alexan-
der III., was taken down owing to its dangerous state, in
the year 1S4I. There is a parochial school, established in
1704, in which Greek, Latin, and French are taught,
with all the usual branches of education ; the master
has the maximum salary, with a house and garden, and
about £40 a year in fees. One or two Sunday schools
are held, and there is a school library consisting of '200
volumes. Among the antiquities are several camps.
On opening a tumulus in the parish, there was found
much animal charcoal, the remains of burnt bodies ;
the sarcophagus contained only a bone and some burnt
ashes.
MUNLOCHY, a village, in the parish of Knock-
bain, county of Ross and Cromarty, 7 miles (S. W. by
W.) from Fortrose ; containing S5 inhabitants. This
village is situated on the north coast of the Moray Firth,
on a small bay of the same name, and on the road from
Killearnan to Fortrose. It is a fishing-village, around
which considerable improvements have latterly been
made by the proprietor of the land.
MURROES, a parish, in the county of Forfar ;
containing, with the hamlets of Bucklerhead and Kellas,
736 inhabitants, of whom 55 are in the hamlet of
Hole of Murroes, 5 miles (X. E.) from Dundee. This
parish, the name of which is corrupted from the word
Muirhouse, a term expressive of the former uncultivated
nature of the soil, touches the parish of Dundee on the
south, and is three miles in length and rather more than
two in breadth, comprising 4600 acres, of which 4000
are cultivated, 190 acres occupied by wood, and the re-
mainder waste. Its surface is undulated, and rises con-
siderably towards the north ; the lands in general are
well cultivated, and have a pleasing appearance. The
scenery is enlivened by two rivulets, which, after turning
in their course several threshing-mills and corn-mills,
and a flax-mill, fall into the Dighty not far from its
influx into the Tay. The soil is mostly a black loam,
resting on rock, gravel, or clay, the only diBFerence in it
being that some portions are much more deep, rich, and
fertile than others. All kinds of grain, and the usual
green crops, are raised, to the annual average value of
£17,000 ; and the produce of the dairy amounts yearly
to about £1500. The land is cultivated after the most
improved usages ; the farmers, encouraged by kind and
generous landlords, employing their skill, perseverance,
and capital, with the best success. Draining is regu-
larly practised ; and most of the lands are inclosed,
some with hedges, but more with stone dykes : many
of the farm-houses are of a superior description. Tlie
cattle are of several breeds : the Angus is the breed
most prevalent. Some of the arable land lets at al)out
1 6s., much at from that rent to £1. 12., per acre, and
the best at £3. The substrata consist principally of
whinstonc and freestone, the latter abundant, and of
good quality. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £7389.
The chief mansion is the house of Ballumbic, a sub-
stantial and commodious residence, commanding beau-
tiful views of the Tay and the surrounding country.
'296
There are three hamlets, and the inhabitants find a
quick sale for their produce at Dundee, whence they
procure coal for fuel, as well as from Broughty-Ferry.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Dun-
dee, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage
of the Crown: the minister's stipend averages £180,
with a manse, a glebe valued at £15 per annum, and an
allowance of £1. 13. 4. in lieu of pasture. Murroes
church is a plain antiquated building, supposed to have
been erected before the Reformation ; it accommodates
400 persons with sittings, and is pleasantly situated in
the south-eastern part of the parish, surrounded with
lofty trees. The parochial school affords instruction in
Latin and Greek, in addition to the usual branches ; the
master has a salary of £34, with a house, a very good
garden, and £18 fees. The antiquities comprise the
remains of the three ancient castles of Powrie, Wedder-
burn, and Ballumbie, the last formerly belonging to a
family of the name of Lovel, to the heir of which, tradi-
tion asserts that Catherine Douglas, celebrated in history
for the resistance she opposed to the conspirators who
assassinated King James I. in the Blackfriars monastery
at Perth, was espoused.
MUSA, ISLE, in the county of Shetland. — See
Mousa.
MUSSELBURGH, a burgh
of regality, in the parish of
Inveresk, county of Edin-
burgh, 6 miles (E.) from
Edinburgh ; containing, with ^,
the suburb of Fisherrow, 633 1
inhabitants. Thisplace,which
is of great antiquity, is sup-
posed to have derived its
present name, in ancient
documents Muskilburgh and
Muschelhurgh, from an exten-
sive mussel-bank near the
mouth of the river Esk. Under the appellation of Esk-
inuthe it became, after the departure of the Romans, the
seat of the Northumbrian Saxons. In the twelfth cen-
tury it was bestowed by David I. upon the abbey of
Dunfermline. In 1'201, the barons of Scotland assem-
bled here to swear allegiance to the infant son of William
the Lion, afterwards Alexander II.; who, in 1'239, granted
additional powers to the abbots of Dunfermline, under
which the town received all the privileges of a burgh of
regality. About a century afterwards, Randolph, Earl
of Murray, Regent of Scotland, returning from the fron-
tier of Berwickshire to defend Edinburgh from an
expected invasion by the English, was surprised by
sudden indisposition on the confines of this parish, in
which emergency the magistrates of Musselburgh re-
moved him on a litter to a house in the east port of
the burgh, and carefully attended him till he died on
the '20th of July, 133'2. In grateful acknowledgment of
their kind attention, the carl's nephew, and successor in
the regency, the Earl of Mar, proB'cred the inhabitants any
reward in his power to confer ; and on their declining
any remuneration for the mere performance of their duty,
he in l.'i40 granted them a charter of additional privi-
leges, with the motto llonestas for the arms of the burgh.
In 1530, James V. made a pilgrimage on foot from
Stirling to the .shrine of the Virgin Mary, in the chapel
of Loretto, at this place ; which chapel in 1544 was de-
BuTsh Seal.
MUSS
MUSS
stroyed by the English army under the Earl of Hertford
(afterwards Duke of Somerset), together with the town-
house and the greater part of the town.
On the arrival of the Duke of Somerset at Newcastle
with 14,000 men, in 154", to compel the Scots to sign
a contract of marriage between the infant Mary and
Edward VI. of England, the Scots raised an army of
36,000, and took up a strong post here on the steep and
densely-wooded banks of the Esk, to await his approach.
The duke advanced with a fleet of thirty-five ships of war
and thirty transports, and anchored in the bay of Mussel-
burgh, whence landing his troops, he drew them up on
Falside Brae, with his right extending over the grounds
of Walliford and Drummore towards the sea. After a
severe skirmish, in which 1300 of the Scots were slain,
and Lord Hume severely wounded, and some ineffectual
offers of treaty e,\changed between the contending parties,
the Scots passed the Esk ; and a general engagement
took place on the plains of Pinkie, eastward of the town,
which terminated in the entire defeat of the Scots, with
the loss of 10,000 men. In the following year. Lord
Grey with a powerful army entered Scotland, and, rava-
ging the districts of Merse and Mid Lothian, destroyed
the towns of Dalkeith and Musselburgh. In 1567, Mary,
Queen of Scots, and Bothwell held a meeting in the
neighbourhood with Kirkaldy of Grange, who had been
commissioned by the confederate lords for that purpose :
the meeting took place on Carberry Hill, near the field
of Pinkie. During the parley, Bothwell, who had taken
leave of the queen, fled to Dunbar, and Mary sufiFered
herself to be introduced to the regent Morton and the
lords, by whom she was conveyed to the castle of Loch-
leven. In 1632, Musselburgh was by charter of Charles
I. erected into a royal burgh ; but the magistrates of
Edinburgh, by compromise with those of the town, ob-
tained from the privy council, the same year, a decree
reducing it again to a burgh of regality. Cromwell en-
camped a part of his army on the Links of Musselburgh,
in I6o0, and took possession of the town, which he held
for two months ; he converted the church of Inveresk
into barracks for his cavalry, and, as had been done in
1547, planted cannon on the mounds in the churchyard.
In 1745 the Highland army, headed by Prince Charles,
entered the suburb of Fisherrow, and, crossing the old
bridge over which the Scots marched to the field of
Pinkie, passed through the town on their route to Pres-
tonpans.
y'^ The TOWN is situated on the east bank of the Esk,
near its influx into the Firth of Forth, and consists of
T~^ several spacious and well-formed streets. It is connected
with the suburb of Fisherrow, on the opposite bank of
the river, which is here of considerable width, by three
bridges, two of them of stone. The older bridge of
stone, supposed to be of Roman origin, is narrow and of
steep ascent, consisting of three arches, and used solely
by foot passengers ; the other is an elegant structure of
five arches, erected after a design by the late Sir John
Rennie. The third bridge is of timber, supported on pil-
lars of cast iron, and was repaired in 183S. The houses
are substantially built, and of neat appearance; the
streets are well paved, and lighted with gas from works
erected in 1832 near the mouth of the river ; and the
inhabitants are amply supplied with excellent water. A
public library, founded in 1812, is supported by sub-
scription, and has now a collection of more than 1300
Vol. II.— 297
volumes; there is also a circulating library of 1200
volumes, as well as a reading and news room containing
the daily journals and periodical publications. The
Links of Musselburgh have from time immemorial been
noted for the celebration of sports, for which they are
peculiarly adapted ; the game of golf is still kept up,
and since 1774 a club has been maintained, which holds
annual meetings to contest for the prize of a silver cup.
The Royal Company of Archers also hold annual meet-
ings on these downs, when a silver arrow is awarded as
a prize, the winner of which receives from the town
thirteen bottles of claret, on condition of returning the
arrow, with a gold or silver medal attached to it, pre-
viously to the next meeting. Races have long been
established; and in 1817 the town of Edinburgh re-
moved their races from Leith to this place, where they
are held every autumn : the races of the Caledonian
Hunt also take place here every third year ; and at the
west end of the course is a handsome and commodious
stand. The environs of the town abound with pleasing,
and in many parts picturesque and romantic, scenery,
and with numerous otjjects of interest. At the eastern
extremity of the High-street is the site of the ancient
house in which the Regent Murray died ; and at the
western end is the house where Dr. Smollett was enter-
tained by Commissioner Cardonnel ; opposite to which,
in Fisherrow, is the villa of Dovecote, occupying the
site of the residence of Professor Stewart and his son,
Gilbert, the eminent historical essayist : the study of
the latter, a small building in which he composed many
of his writings, yet remains, overspread with ivy. Here,
also, is an elegant mansion erected in 1840 by Mr.
Legat, a leather- merchant of the town.
Among the manufactures carried on are those of
sailcloth, haircloth, fishing-nets, hats, and leather; there
are extensive works for bricks, tiles, and the coarser
kinds of pottery, a salt-work, and a small establishment
for dyeing. The sailcloth manufactory was established
in 1811, and the Ijuilding has since been considerably
enlarged, and a steam-engine of fifty-five horse power
erected ; the produce, which is of superior quality, is
for the home market, and principally for the use of the
British navy. The manufacture of haircloth was intro-
duced in 1820, and the establishment has been progres-
sively increasing : the articles are, satin and fancy-
figured cloths, curled hair, kiln-cloths, hair-lines, and
lines of all kinds for fishing, girth webbing, ropes,
twines, and horse-hair carpeting, in the making of which
about 200 persons are engaged ; the produce is mainly
sent to the London market, and the chief towns of
England and Ireland. There is a similar establishment
belonging to a different proprietor, but only a small
number of persons are employed. The manufacture of
fishing-nets was established in 1820 by Mr. Paterson,
who, after much laborious experiment, constructed a
loom for the purpose ; eighteen looms and a spinning-
machine are in operation, affording occupation to fifty-
two persons, and consuming thirty tons of hemp annu-
ally. A similar manufactory was established in 1834
by Mr. Robinson from England, who, without any com-
munication with Mr. Paterson, invented a loom for the
purpose differing only in the form of the knot produced ;
but Mr. Robinson having lately removed, this manufac-
tory has been relinquished. There are three extensive
tanneries and establishments for the currying of leather ;
2 Q
MUSS
M UTH
the raw hides are procured from the Edinburgh market,
from Hamburgh, and Russia. In this trade about seventy
or eighty hands are employed ; and the quantity of bark
consumed every year averages 1000 tons, procured from
England, Belgium, Germany, and Holland, and some of
a peculiar quality from Smyrna. The produce is mostly
forwarded to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London. The
ale brewery belonging to Mr. Whitelaw consumes annu-
ally 17.50 quarters of malt, made upon the premises;
and the ale is sent to the principal towns in Scotland, to
London, Hull, and Newcastle, in England, and to the
East and West Indies.
The trade of the port consists in the e.xportation of
coal, bricks, tiles, oats, and staves ; and the importation
of grain, oil-cake, timber, bark, hides, and bones for
manure, from foreign ports ; and, in the coasting-trade,
the import of grain, bark, mineral-salts, fullers'-earth,
potters'-clay, wood, pavement, slates, and stone. The
harbour, originally constructed for the fishing-boats of
Fisherrow, has little more than fourfeetdepthatneap tides,
and is therefore accessible only to vessels of inconsider-
able burthen. Previously to 1806, it was formed only
hy bulwarks of dry stones : but since that time a sub-
stantial quay has been constructed, and the trade
materially increased ; and further improvements are in
contemplation by extending the pier. No vessels are
registered as belonging to the port. A salmon-fishery
at the mouth of the Esk is conducted on a small scale,
by means of stake-nets : it is the property of the burgh,
to which it pays a rental of £'20 per annum.
This BURGH, the superiority of which was in 1*09
purchased from the Earl of Lauderdale by Anne, Duchess
of Monmouth and Buccleuch, is, under previous charters
confirmed by charter of Charles II. in I67I, and slightly
altered by the Municipal act, governed by a provost,
two bailies, a treasurer, and a council now reduced to
nine members, of whom nearly oue-half are resident iu
Fisherrow, which is included within the limits of the
burgh. There are seven incorporated companies, viz., the
hammermen, shoemakers, gardeners, weavers, butchers,
tailors, and bakers, of one of which an individual must
become a member to qualify him for being a burgess ;
the fees of admission vary from ten shillings to £1 for
sons of burgesses, and from £1. 6. S. to £3. 6. 8. for
strangers. Bailie-courts are held for the determination
of civil pleas to any amount, and also a court for the
recovery of debts not e.xceeding £5 : such criminal
cases, likewise, as are of a trivial nature are summarily
disposed of by the magistrates, but offences of a more
aggravated character are, after examination, remitted to
the sheriff of the county. Musselburgh is associated
with Leith and Portobello in retvirning a member to the
imperial parliament. The towu-hall is a neat building
in the High-street, cinitaining the courts, council-rooms,
an assembly-room, and others for transacting the pul)lic
business. Attached to it is the town-gaol, built with
the materials .of the ruined chapel of Loretto, the site and
grounds of whicli are occupied by a private seminary
under the superintendence of the Rev. Thomas Lang-
home, of the Kpisco|)al chapel. Fronting the street
leading to Newbiggin is the ancient cross.
A fair for two days, commencing on the second Tues-
day in August, and wiiieh was formerly well attended by
cattle-dealers, and supplied with various kinds of mer-
chandise, is now merely a pleasure-fair. The post-office
298
has a good delivery. Facility of communication is af-
forded by the North-British railway and its branches,
and by the London road. Branches of the Western
Bank and the Commercial Bank, and a custom-house
subordinate to that of Leith, have been established. The
Establishment churches of this district are, the parish
church of Inveresk, and Northesk chapel ; and there
are places of worship for the Free Church, the United
Presbyterian Synod, Independents in connexion with
the Congregational Union, Independents not in connex-
ion, and Episcopalians. The grammar school of the
burgh is under the patronage of the magistrates and
town council, who pay the master a salary of £27. 4. 5.,
and provide him with a good house. Under the same
patronage are, an English school at Musselburgh, of
which the master has a salary of £21, with a school-
room and dwelling-house free ; and another at Fisher-
row, of which the master has a salary of £10, with a
schoolroom and dwelling-house rent free. At Fisherrow
is a sailors' society, established in I669.
MUTHILL, a parish, in the county of Perth ; con- Y
taining, with the village of South Bridgend, and part of
the former quoad sacra district of Ardoch, 3067 inha-
bitants, of whom 1089 are in the village of Muthill, 3
miles (S.) from Crieff. This place appears to be of con-
siderable antiquity ; and its name, derived from two
Gaelic words signifying " a station or field for the dis-
pensation of justice", implies that it possessed a degree
of importance in the ancient feudal times. A society of
Culdees was established here in the earliest period of
Christianity in Britain. During the middle ages, Mu-
thill seems to have been the head of a deanery ; and
after the Reformation, it was the seat of the presbytery
prior to its removal to Auchterarder. The parish is of
very great e.xtent, comprising more than 26,000 acres,
of which about 11,560 are arable, 2400 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder uncultivated and waste
land. Its surface rises gradually from the northern and
southern boundaries towards the centre, where the land
attains a considerable elevation, forming two nearly
parallel ridges from east to west, and dividing the parish
into what are called the Muthill and the Ardoch districts.
The highest point of these ridges is the hill of Torlum,
which is about 1400 feet above the level of the sea, and
beautifully planted with evergreens ; it is a conspicuous
and interesting feature in the scenery, and commands
an extensive and richly-varied prospect over the differ-
ent portions of this large parish, which in some parts is
in the best state of cultivation, and in others compara-
tively wild and barren. The scenery is enlivened by
several rivers that flow through the lands. Of these
the principal is the Earn, which issues from the lake of
that name, and in its winding course forms a boundary
between part of this parish and the lands of Innerpef-
fray, the estate of David, Lord Madderty, of whose cas-
tle there arc considerable remains : its course, though
generally vniiform and moderate, is occasionally disturbed
by torrents descending from the hills. Tlie river Ma-
choiiy has its source in the hills of Blair-in-roan, pursues
its way between the two ridges that divide the parish,
and, after receiving numerous tributary streams in its
progress, falls into the Earn near Kinkcll. On the Ar-
doch side of the parish is the Kiiailc, which rises in
Glcnlich-horn, and, jjassing the camp at Ardoch, joins
the river Allan, which flows into the Forth near Stirling.
M UTH
M YRE
These rivers all abound with excellent trout, and in the
Earn are found also pike, whiting, and salmon. There
are several lakes, of which one called JSaUoch is situated
at the base of Torlum Ildl. Luc/i Driimmoiid, a heautiHul
sheet of water, of artificial formation, is about a mile in
length and half a mile broad : it is bounded on one side
by abrupt masses of rock rising to the height of nearly
seventy feet, and on the others by steep banks richly
wooded ; it is the resort of various aquatic fowl, and
forms a picturesque feature in the landscape. There are
also numerous wells, affording an ample supply of water,
and which in ancient times appear to have been held in
veneration by the people for their supposed efficacy in
curing diseases.
The SOIL varies greatly. Near the Earn and the
Allan the lands are chiefly a rich and light loam, with
occasional intermixtures of marl ; while in other parts is
a strong sandy soil, with a mixture of gravel, and in
others again an unproductive moorland. The hills afford
good pasture, and there is also a due proportion of ex-
cellent grass land. On most of the lands are thriving
plantations, the largest of which is that round Torlum
Hill, comprising more than 600 acres of Scotch fir :
larch, birch, chesnut, and limes, with some oak, &c., are
the other kinds. The system of agriculture has been
much improved under the auspices of the heritors, most
of whom reside upon their estates; draining has been
practised extensively, and large portions of marshy land
have been reclaimed, and brought into a state of profit-
able cultivation. The grain crops are barley and oats,
with some wheat, and the rotation plan of husbandry is
general ; turnips have been lately much cultivated, and
by the use of bone-dust and guano for manure, they are
abundant. Considerable attention is also paid to the
breeding of cattle. The substrata are chiefly sandstone
of several varieties, and whinstone of a blackish colour ;
the former is quarried for building, and the latter for the
roads. In the peat-mosses, and also embedded in the
marl, various fossil remains have been found. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is returned at
£15,000.
Drummond Castle, the occasional residence of the
Drummond family, is situated near the site of a former
castle, which is said to have been besieged by Cromwell,
and, with the exception of what still remains, to have
been demolished at the Revolution : the present seat is
a substantial and handsome modern mansion. The
grounds, which are well laid out, contain some fine spe-
cimens of well-grown timber, and the gardens almost
every variety of the choicest flowers and plants. Drum-
mond Castle was visited by Her Majesty, during her
first tour in Scotland, in September 1842; she arrived
here on the evening of Saturday, the 10th, and remained
until Tuesday, the 13th, when she departed for Stirling.
The village of Muthill stands on the great southern
road, which passes through the parish ; it is neatly
built, and the surrounding hills add much to the beauty
of its scenery. There was formerly a market, which,
from the proximity of the market-town of Crieff, has
been for some time discontinued. The inhabitants are
chiefly occupied in agricultural pursuits, and in weaving
cotton for the manufacturers of Glasgow. Two or three
cattle-markets are held annually at the village of Braco,
in the district of Ardoch. A subscription library, com-
prising a good collection, is maintained in the parish ;
299
and there is also a reading-room, in which are several
valuable publications on agriculture. Great facilities of
intercourse are afforded by the line of the Scottish Cen-
tral railway.
Muthill is ecclesiastically within the presbytery of
Auchterarder, synod of Perth and Stirling, and in the
patronage of the Crown : the minister's stipend is £240.
17- 5., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per an-
num. The church, erected in 1828, at an expense of
nearly £7000, is a handsome and spacious edifice in the
later English style, adapted for a congregation of 1600
persons. In the new and thriving village of Braco, in
the district of Ardoch, are a chapel of ease and a Free
church, the former built in 1780 ; and in the village of
Muthill are a Free church and an Episcopalian chapel.
The parochial school affords a liberal education ; the
master has a salary of £34. 4., with £16. 10. fees, and a
good house and garden : a schoolroom on a more en-
larged scale has been built. There are also three schools
in the parish partly endowed by Lady Willoughby de
Eresby, and a school at Ardoch that is not connected
with any particular denomination. At Innerpeffray is a
library for the use of ministers and students, founded by
Lord Madderty, and also endowed by him with a small
salary for the librarian, who is further supported by the
fees of a school which he keeps in part of the building.
More than sixty of the poor are regularly supplied with
meal, clothing, and fuel by Lady Willoughby de Eresby,
who also pays their rent.
In the lands of Innerpeffray are the remains of an old
church, now the burial-place of the families of Perth
and Strathallan ; and near the river are the ruins of the
ancient castle of Madderty. The ruins of the castle of
Drummond are romantically situated at the base of Tor-
lum Hill, and on an elevated and rocky site ; the south
wing, the principal portion, is now converted into an
armoury. The camps at Ardoch, the most entire in the
country, and evidently of Roman origin, are supposed to
have been the chief post of that people in this part of
Britain. The intrenchments of the main station inclose
an area 420 feet in length and 375 in breadth; and three
of its principal entrances are still to be distinctly traced.
Adjoining this station are three camps of mure extensive
dimensions, the largest of which, 2S00 feet long and
1950 wide, is supposed to have been that where Agricola
concentrated his army previously to his decisive battle
with Galgacus, which is said to have taken place at
Blair-in-roan. Another of these camps, styled the pro-
cestrium, and of later construction than the great camp,
was of oblong shape, 1060 feet by 900, and capable of
containing 4000 men. Tlie remaining camp, to the
west of the great one, is likewise of oblong form, mea-
suring 1910 by 1340 feet, and would afford accommo-
dation to 12,000 men ; it is* very entire, higher in posi-
tion than the other camps, and, from its prominently
marked features, is well worth the examination of the
antiquary. The Rev. John Barclay, founder of the sect
of the Bereans, was born at Muthill.
MYRESIDE, a hamlet, in the parish of Kettle,
district of Cupar, county of Fife, i a mile (N. W. by W.)
from the village of Kettle ; containing 105 inhabitants.
It is situated in the north-west part of the parish, and
on the west side of a small stream, a tributary to the
river Eden, which also flows at a short distance from
the hamlet.
2Q2
N A I R
N AI R
Ancient Bursh Seal.
N
NAIRN, a roj'al burgh,
a parish, and the seat of a
presbytery, in the county of
Nairn, of which it is the
chief place ; containing, with
the village of Seatown of
Delnies, 3393 inhabitants, of
whom 26/2 are in the burgh,
155 miles (N. E. by E.) from
Inverness, and I67 (N. N. W.)
from Edinburgh. This place,
which is of considerable an-
tiquity, is said to have been
originally founded by King William the Lion, and de-
rives its name from the river Nairn, on which it is
situated. It is not distinguished by any events of his-
torical importance except the encampment, in its imme-
diate neighbourhood, of the Duke of Cumberland's army
on the day previous to the battle of CuUoden in 1746.
The older portion of the town was formerly defended by
a castle, whose foundations are covered by the sea ;
such encroachment, indeed, has the sea made upon this
part of the coast, that the present town is more than
half a mile from the original site. Nairn is situated on
the left bank of the river, near its junction with the
Moray Firth, and consists of one spacious street, and
several others that are narrow and irregularly formed,
containing houses of old-fashioned appearance ; and also
of some streets of recent formation in which the houses
are of better character. The streets and roads are mac-
adamized ; the town is lighted with gas from works
established by a company in 1839, and the inhabitants
are amply supplied with water. Assemblies are held
occasionally in Anderson's hotel, which is handsomely
fitted up, and provided for the accommodation of tra-
vellers and the visiters who frequent the town during
the summer months for sea-bathing, for which the beach
affords facility. There arc hot, cold, and shower baths,
with every requisite appendage ; and the town is fast
rising into repute as a watering-place. The environs are
pleasant, and finely varied : the river, over which is a
good bridge on the Forres road, forms numerous wind-
ings in its course to the Firth ; and the scenes of inte-
rest within short drives of the town comprise the far-
famed Cawdor Castle, Kilravock Castle, the Muir of
CuUoden, Fort-George, the blasted heath where Macbeth
met the witches, Lethen, Brodie House, Darnaway Castle,
and the l)anks of the Findhorn, including the Heronry,
Logic, Relugas, Dunphail, aVid Glenfairness.
The maritime trade consists in the importation of
coal, lime, groceries, and various other kinds of mer-
chandise, for the supply of the town and neighbour-
hood; and in the exporti^tion of timber, fish, stones, and
grain. The number of vessels belonging to the port is
seven, and their aggregate burthen 370 tons. Nairn
harbour is formed chiefiy by a pier at the mouth of the
river ; but from the accumulation of sand, it is scarcely
accessible to vessels of any large size : the pier was almost
swept away by the flood of 1829, but has been partly
restored, and now, through the assistance of the Board
300
of Fisheries, there is every prospect of its being rendered
more efficient than ever. A salmon-fishery is carried on
at the mouth of the Nairn, producing a rental to the
proprietors of about £70 per annum. The cod and
haddock fisheries are very extensive, affording employ-
ment to 200 persons during the season, after which they
remove to the herring-fishery at Helmsdale, which is
their chief occupation, the boats in general returning
with cargoes that during the season yield from £50 to
£100 per man. There are houses for curing the had-
docks as speldings, of which great quantities are ex-
ported. A considerable trade is also carried on in the
town, in which are shops well stored with merchandise
and wares of every kind ; the mail and two other stage-
coaches pass and repass daily, and there are branches of
the National Bank, the British Linen Company, and the
Caledonian Bank, of which the first has a handsome
building. The market is on Friday, and is amply sup-
plied with provisions of all kinds. Fairs for horses and
cattle are held on the third Friday in April, which is
also a statute fair; on the 19th of June if on Tuesday,
or if not, on the Tuesday following ; on the 13th of
August, or the first day after Campbelton fair ; on the
fourth Friday in September ; on the Friday after the
third Tuesday in October, which is also a statute fair ;
and on the first Friday in November.
The government of the burgh, by a succession of
charters confirmed and extended by James VI., Charles
I., and Charles II., is vested in a provost, three bailies, a
dean of guild, treasurer, and eleven councillors, assisted
by a town-clerk and others. The provost, and the bailies
and other officers, are elected from the town council, by
a majority of their number ; and the council, since the
passing of the Municipal Reform act, have been elected
by the £10 parliamentary voters. There are no minor
incorporated trades. The freedom of the burgh is ob-
tained by purchase : the dues of admission, besides fees,
are £8 for a merchant burgess and £1. 1. for a trade
burgess, to strangers ; but the eldest sous of burgesses
are admitted for half those sums. The jurisdiction of
the magistrates, which extends over the whole of the
royalty (from two to three miles in diameter), is in
criminal cases now generally confined to petty thefts
and assaults, and in civil cases is scarcely ever exercised,
parties preferring to sue in the sheriff's court. In con-
junction with Inverness, Forres, and Fortrosc, the burgh
returns one member to the imperial parliament ; the
right of election is vested in the £10 voters. The town-
house, situated in the main street, is a neat structure
with a lofty spire, and contains a good room for the
town and county courts, which is also used for holding
public meetings. This building includes the prison for
the burgh and county, which has of late been much
enlarged and improved.
The PARISH, which is bounded on the north by the
Moray Firth, is about eight miles in length and six
miles in extreme breadth, comprising .'jOOO acres, whereof
3220 arc arable, 1,'iSO woodland and plantations, and the
remainder waste. On the north side of the river the
surface is level, but on the south side rises gradually,
and near the south angle of the parish attains a consi-
derable elevation at the hill of Urchany, formerly an un-
sightly barren height, but which has been planted with
oak, larch, and fir, and constitutes a pleasing and con-
spicuous feature in the scenery. Near the town, and
N AI R
NEIL
along the coast, the soil is light and sandy ; in the south-
ern portion, a ricli heavy mould ; and along the banks of
the river, a mixture of sand and clay. Considerable
improvement in the system of agriculture has taken
place ; the farm-buildings are substantial and commo-
dious, and numerous neat cottages have been built for
the labourers. The annual value of real property in the
parish now amounts to £4596. In general the scenery
is of pleasing character ; the banks of the river are
wooded with alder, and the plantations around the seats
of the various proprietors add much to the beauty of
the landscape. Geddes House is a handsome mansion :
the grounds are tastefully laid out, and embellished with
shrubberies and plantations ; and from the hill of Ur-
chany, immediately in front of it, are some fine pros-
pects over the surrounding country. Viewfield, House-
hill, Achareidh, Lodgehill, Firhall, and Newton, are also
good residences. For ecclesiastical purposes the
parish is within the limits of the presbytery of Nairn
and synod of Moray ; the minister's stipend is £284,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per annum :
patron, Mr. Brodie of Brodic. Nairn church, erected
in 1810 by assessment on the heritors, is a neat struc-
ture, and contains 90*2 sittings ; the service is performed
sometimes in the English, and sometimes in the Gaelic
language. There are places of worship for the Free
Church, the United Presbyterian Church, and Indepen-
dents, with an elegant chapel in connexion with the
Church of England. The academy, for which there is
a handsome building at the western approach to the
town, and which is in high repute, has, since the death
of the late parochial schoolmaster, been connected with
the parochial school by way of experiment ; the master
has a salary of £40, and the teacher £2.5, and the fees
amount to £30. There are several other schools in the
parish, and some friendly and benevolent societies con-
tribute materially to the relief of the poor. On the
north side of Geddes are vestiges of the ancient cas-
tle of Finlay ; and to the east are remains of the castle
of Rait, for some time the residence of the family of
Cumyn, and apparently of great strength. At Easter
Geddes are the remains of a chapel, the place of inter-
ment for many generations of the family of Kilravock.
NAIRNSHIRE, a county, in the north-east of Scot-
land, bounded on the north by the Moray Firth, on the
east by Elginshire and a detached portion of the county
of Inverness, on the south by Elginshire, and on the
west and south-west by Inverness- shire. It lies between
57° 22' and 57° 38' (N. Lat.), and 3° 40' and 4° 7'
(W. Long.), and is about twenty-two miles in length and
fifteen miles in breadth ; comprising an area of 200
square miles, or 128,000 acres ; 2338 houses, of which
2235 are inhabited ; and containing a population of
9217, of whom 4231 are males and 4986 females. This
district formed part of the ancient province of Moray,
and was in the diocese of that name ; the county is now
in the synod of Moray and presbytery of Nairn, and in-
cludes four parishes, with small parts of others. In
civil matters, it and Elginshire are under the jurisdic-
tion of one sheriff, but it has a resident sheriff-substitute
for itself. It contains the royal burgh of Nairn, which
is the county town, and a few villages. Under the act
of the 2nd of William IV., it is associated with Elgin-
shire in returning one member to the imperial parlia-
ment ; the election, so far as Nairnshire is concerned,
301
takes place at Nairn, where also all the civil courts of
the county are held. In the northern part the surface is
tolerably level, but in the southern part hilly and moun-
tainous. The principal heights are, Ben-Bui, Crag-Ower,
Cragerachan, and the Leonach, on the confines of In-
verness-shire ; and Cairn-Glaschurn and Cairn-Dui to-
wards the border of Elginshire ; but none of them have
any very great elevation. The rivers are the Findhorn
and the Nairn, of which the former enters the county in
Strathdearn, on the south-west, and, flowing with a
rapid current, in a north-eastern direction, falls into the
Moray Firth at the fishing-village of Findhorn, in the
county of Elgin. The Nairn also pursues a north-
eastern course through the county, which it enters at
its western extremity from Inverness-.shire ; and flows
into the firth, at Nairn. Both rivers abound with excel-
lent salmon. There are several lakes, but the only one
of any considerable extent is the loch of the Clans, about
a mile in length and half a mile broad, with a small
island in the centre, and from which a streamlet flows
into the firth. Rather more than one-half of the land is
arable ; of the remainder, the greater portion is meadow
and pasture, and the rest unprofitable moss. The soil
of the arable lands is in some places a rich clayey loam,
and in other parts a light sand, with other varieties ; the
system of agriculture has been much improved, but is
still inferior to that pursued in the south. The minerals
are not important. Limestone is found near the coast,
and marl of different kinds has been applied to the im-
provement of the lands ; freestone of valuable quality ia
also abundant at Nairn, of a beautiful colour, and com-
jjactness equal to the Portland stone. There is a consi-
derable quantity of natural wood remaining ; and exten-
sive plantations have been formed, which are generally
in a thriving state. The chief commerce is the export
of timber, corn, sheep, cattle, and salmon. Facility of
communication is afforded by roads kept in excellent
repair. The annual value of real property in the county
is £16,796, of which £15,202 are returned for lands,
£1403 for houses, and the remainder for other species
of real property.
NAVAR, county of Forfar. — See Lethnot.
NEARTAY, an isle, in the parish of Harris, county
of Inverness. This is a small and uninhabited island
of the Hebrides, lying in the sound of Harris, about two
miles and a half north of North Uist, and three miles
eastward of Bernera.
NEILSTON, a parish, in the Upper ward of the
county of Renfrew ; comprising the villages of West
Arthurlee, Crofthead, Gateside, and Uplamuir, part of the
former quoad sacra district of Levern, and the whole of
the former quoad sacra district of Barrhead, which last
included the villages of Barrhead, Cross-Arthurlee, Gra-
hamstown, and Newton-Ralston : the number of inhabit-
ants is 10,577, of whom 1497 are in the village of Neils-
ton, 9 miles (S. W. by W.) from Glasgow. This place is
supposed to have derived its name from one of its
earliest proprietors, and in the twelfth century belonged
to Robert de Croc, whose daughter and heiress conveyed
the lordship by marriage to Stewart of Darnley, ancestor
of the Earls and Dukes of Lennox, and of Darnley, the
husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. The parish is about
eight miles and a half in length, and four miles and a
half in breadth. Neilston is bounded on the north by
the Abbey parish of Paisley for nearly eight miles ; on
NEIL
NEIL
the east by the parish of Eastwood, on the south by
that of Mearns, ou the south-west by the parishes of
Stewarton and Dunlop, and on the west by those of
Beith and Lochwinnoch. Its surface is irregular ; to-
wards the eastern boundary, nearly flat ; and towards
the south and west, rising to a height of from 400 to
900 feet above the level of the Clyde. In some parts
the ground forms hills of various elevation, of which the
highest are the Pad and the Corkendale-law, the first
about 800, and the second about 900, feet above the
sea. Between these two hills lies the narrow valley of
the Levern, which that river waters for several miles,
and along which passes the turnpike-road to Glasgow
and Paisley. From the summit of tlie Pad is a magnifi-
cent view towards the east, comprehending much highly
varied and richly beautiful scenery ; and from Corken-
dale-law the prospect is still more grand. It embraces,
on a clear day, the vale of Leven in Dumbartonshire,
the rock of Dumbarton, Loch Lomond with several of
its picturesque islands, and, in the back ground, Ben-
Lom.ond and the Grampian range. To the east the
view comprehends the fine vale of the Clyde, with the
city of Glasgow, and the entire course of that river from
its source till it loses itself in the Firth of Clyde, the
Pentland hills, and the height of Tinto from its base to
its summit ; while on the south are the hills of Cum-
nock, Sanquhar, and the county of Kirkcudbright, and,
in the distance, the tops of the Skiddaw and Saddleback
mountains in the county of Cumberland. Towards the
south-west the prospect embraces the extended plains
-of Ayrshire, thickly studded with splendid seats and
graceful villas, the harbour and shipping of Ayr, the
hills of Galloway, the rock of Ailsa, and the mountains
of Morne on the Irish coast. The whole form an im-
pressive assemblage of objects, which for their number,
variety, and beauty, are seldom equalled.
In this parish the chief river is the Levern, which has
its source in Long loch, and for four miles divides the
lands, passing the villages of Neilston and Barrhead :
after quitting the parish it unites its waters with those
of the White Cart near Cruikstone Castle. The Kirk(ori
stream, issuing from a reservoir of that name, falls into
the Levern at Arthurlee, after a course of about two
miles ; and the Brock, which takes that appellation on
leaving the Walton dam, pursues a devious line of si.\
miles, and falls also into the Levern. These streams, in
their rapid course, exhibit much romantic beauty, and
form picturesque cascades, some of which display in
miniature the most striking features of the celebrated
falls of the Clyde. There are several lakes, the prin-
cipal of them being Long loch. Loch Libo, and Loch
Cawpla. Long luck, from which, as already observed,
issues the Levern, is about one mile in length and half
a mile broad, and eighteen feet in depth ; the shores
possess little variety of scenery. Loch Libu is of elliptic
form, and surrounded by lofty hills, richly wooded to
the water's edge ; it has a strikingly ])icturesque appear-
ance, and from it issues a small stream called the Lug-
ton water, which flows through the pleasure-grounds of
Eglinton, and falls into the Garuock near Kilwinning.
Loch Caivj/la is but of small extent, though its waters
are increased in winter ; and is not characterised by any
interesting features. There are also several reservoirs,
connected with the various works carried on in the pa-
rish. Of these the JIairlaw, which is the most extensive,
■M'i
covers seventy -two acres of ground, and is about sixteen
feet ii. depth, deriving its principal supply from Long
loch. The Comore reservoir is sixteen acres in extent,
and twenty-four feet deep ; and another, to the north of
the Pad, is about fourteen acres in extent and sixteen
feet in depth : the Kirkton and H'alton dams likewise
contain a considerable body of water. There are nume-
rous springs of an excellent description, the largest of
which, called Aboon the Brae, issues from a rock, and
discharges about forty imperial gallons per minute; also
several wells of the purest water, which never fail in the
driest summers.
In the eastern portion the soil is a dry loam, occa-
sionally intermixed with gravel ; in the hilly district, of
less fertility, but producing good pasture ; and in other
parts, moorland and mossy. The whole number of
acres is estimated at 24,320, of which about 16,600 are
arable, a large part in pasture, 870 acres in wood and
plantations, and the remainder, whereof 3000 might be
rendered productive, in moor and waste. The crops
are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, turnips, cabbages, and
beet. Draining has been carried on to some extent, and
considerable portions of unprofitable land have been
reclaimed, and brought into cultivation, under the au-
spices of the Neilston and Neighbourhood Agricultural
Society, instituted in 1S26, and which is conducted with
spirit and success. The lands have been well inclosed,
and the fences are kept in good order. Great attention
is paid to the management of the dairy-farms, upon
which much dependence is placed; about 1100 milch-
cows are pastured, chiefly of the pure Ayrshire breed.
Few sheep are bred here, not more indeed than 200 ;
the larger number are of the Highland or black-faced,
and the others of the Leicestershire breed. In general
the farm houses and buildings are substantial and com-
modious ; and the more recent improvements in the con-
struction of agricultural implements have been adopted.
The principal substrata are limestone, ironstone, whin-
stone, freestone, and coal ; and zeolite of every species
is abundant. The limestone is largely wrought, and
there is an extensive quarry of whinstone at Brownside,
from which more than .50,000 cubic feet are taken an-
nually. The freestone, of very fine quality, is wrought
at Uplamuir, and is in great request for building. The
coal is at various depths and of various quality. A seam
seven inches in thickness is found at a depth of seven
fathoms from the surface ; ten fathoms below it occurs
a seam twelve inches thick, and at a depth of nineteen
fathoms lower is a seam of six inches. At twenty-one
fathoms below this last, is the main coal, which varies
from three and a half feet to five and a half in thickness.
There are three pits in operation, and the aggregate
quantity of coal procured is about 1200 tons per week.
The annual value of real property in the parish is
£28,961.
The abmidanec of coal, and the ntmierous copious
streams by which the parish is intersected, a])i)car to
have excited the attention of enterprising landholders
to the introduction of manufactures ; and about the
year 1*68, the Rev. Mr. Miller, in conjunction with
several of the heritors, established a factory for the
manufacturing of inkle. Calico-printing was introduced
soon afterwards, and works wore erected on the banks
of the Levern, at Fereneze, in 1773 : these works were
carried on with success ; the annual duties paid to the
NEIL
NENT
excise amounted to £3000, and the expenditure in wages
to £2000. A bleachfield was formed the same year, by
Mr. Adair from Ireland, at Cross Arthurlee ; which was
followed by similar establishments founded by various
persons. Some of the bleachfields have become print-
fields, and the establishments of each branch are nowabout
equal in number. Cotton-spinning was commenced in
17^0, and a mill erected for that purpose at Dovecot-
hall, on the banks of the river Levern, by Messrs. Stew-
art, Dunlop, & Co. : spinning-mills were subsequently
erected, on a larger scale, at Gateside in 1786, at Broad-
lie and Arthurlee in 1/90, at Crofthead in 1792, and at
another place in 1801. These several mills, most of
which have been rebuilt or enlarged, are of very spa-
cious dimensions, and many of them five stories high.
The number of mule spindles in all the mills at present
in operation is 77,826, and of throstle spindles 1344 ;
the number of looms at work is 230, and the number of
persons constantly employed in spinning and weaving
cotton in the works is 1659, of whom two-thirds are
females. The value of the produce is estimated at
£140,000 per annum, of which £51,.575 are paid in wages.
On the banks of the Levern are four large printfields and
three bleachfields ; on the Kirkton stream, one print-
field for dyeing Turkey red, and four bleachfields ; and
on the Walton stream, two printfields and one bleach-
field. The aggregate number of people occupied in
printing and bleaching is 20.55, of whom about one-third
are females; and the amount of wages is £47,700 per
annum. An iron-foundry is carried on, for furnishing
the different works with machinery, and for other ar-
ticles. Crofthead House, Arthurlee House, and Lower
Arthurlee House are spacious and handsome residences ;
and there are several other good houses.
The principal villages are Neilston and Barrhead,
which are inhabited chiefly by persons employed in the
mills, bleachfields, and printfields, and in the various
trades necessary for the supply of this populous parish
with the usual articles of merchandise. The nearest
market-town is Paisley ; but the villages abound with
every thing requisite for the accommodation of the in-
habitants. The municipal regulations are wholly under
the direction of the county magistrates, and the peace is
preserved by constables of their appointment. A court
is held alternately at Neilston and Barrhead, for the re-
covery of small debts, monthly. There are post-offices
at Neilston and Barrhead, which have a good delivery;
and facility of intercourse is afforded by roads kept in
excellent order, the turnpike-roads from Glasgow to
Irvine, and from Paisley to Ayr, passing through the
whole length of the parish. Numerous bridges cross the
various streams. In 1845 an act was passed autho-
rizing the construction of a railway from Glasgow, by
Barrhead, to Crofthead, near Neilston : the line is open
as far as Barrhead. In the following year an act was
obtained for a line from Crofthead to Kilmarnock, and
to the Ardrossan railway. There is a mechanics' in-
stitution called the Levern Institution, which has a
library containing a well-assorted collection on scientific
and literary subjects. Fairs are held at Neilston on the
third Tuesdays in February, May, and October, O. S.,
for cattle, and on the fourth Tuesday in July, for horses,
when a horse-race is celebrated. A fair is also held on
the last Friday in June, at Barrhead, chiefly for horse-
racing, and on the following Saturday for cattle.
303
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Paisley and synod of (Glasgow
and Ayr. The stipend of the incumbent is £263 : the
manse, erected about 1763, and enlarged and repaired in
1809, is a handsome and comfortable residence, delight-
fully situated ; and the glebe comprises about eight
acres of profitable land, valued at £24 per annum. Neil-
ston church is an ancient edifice of the later English
style of architecture, repaired and new-seated in 1798 ;
it is well situated for the parishioners generally, and is
adapted for a congregation of 830 persons. There are
places of worship for the Free Church and the United
Presbyterian Church. The parochial school affords a
liberal course of instruction ; the master has a salary of
£34, with a large house and garden, and the fees average
upwards of £60 per annum, exclusive of private tuition,
yielding £30. There are five schools maintained by the
proprietors of the cotton-works, for the instruction of
the children employed by them, in reading, writing, and
arithmetic ; and seven others, four of which are for
females, supported exclusively by the fees. The aggre-
gate number of children taught in the several schools
exceeds 1000. Very few vestiges of antiquity are to be
seen in the parish. Two of the springs, called Holy
wells, point to the existence of some religious establish-
ments here at an early period ; but there are no re-
mains, nor is any thing recorded of their history. Baron
Mure of the exchequer, at one time member of parlia-
ment for the county, a man of profound learning and of
great eloquence, was a native of the parish. Mr. John
Robertson, the inventor of the self-acting mule, which
has contributed so much to the improvement and per-
fection of cotton-spinning, was also connected with the
parish of Neilston.
NENTHORN, a parish, in the county of Berwick,
4 miles (N. W. by W.) from Kelso ; containing 446 in-
habitants. This place, the name of which, anciently
Naithansthirn, is of uncertain signification, appears to
have belonged at a remote period to the De Morvilles,
constables of Scotland, and subsequently to the bishops
of St. Andrew's, who transferred the lands to the abbot
of Kelso, in exchange for the church of Cranston, in the
county of Mid Lothian. It seems to have suffered
materially during the period of the border warfare. In
1542 the village was burned down by the English forces.
The parish is about four miles and a half in length, and
measures two miles in extreme breadth, but diminishes
so much towards the centre on each side as to include
an area of little more than five square miles. It is
bounded on the west by the river Eden, and comprises
3400 acres, of which 2800 are arable, 300 permanent
pasture and meadow, and about 300 woodland and
plantations. The surface is varied by successive undu-
lations of pleasing form and gentle height, and near the
northern extremity by a moderate ridge of hilly rock.
The river flows between high banks, in some places slop-
ing gradually to its margin on the one side, and rising
abruptly on the other in precipitous rocks to the height
of nearly 100 feet. In the north of the parish the soil is
chiefly a reddish clay retentive of moisture, alternated
with tracts of light and dry land ; and in the southern
portion, of richer quality, consisting mainly of clayey
and gravelly loam. The crops are barley, oat.s, wheat,
peas, beans, potatoes, and turnips. The system of agri-
culture is in an advanced state ; the lands have been
NESS
NEST
well drained, and inclosed partly with stone dykes and
partly with hedges and ditches. Bone-dust, and lately
guano, have been applied with success as manure in the
cultivation of turnips. The farm houses and offices, with
some exceptions, are substantial and well arranged ; and
the recent improvements in implements of husbandry
have been carried into practice. Considerable attention
is paid to the rearing of live-stock, for which the pas-
tures are extremely well adapted : the cattle are chiefly
of the short-horned breed, and the sheep, which are
much more numerous, mostly of the Leicester. The
rocks present some beautiful specimens of columnar ba-
salt. The annual value of real property in the parish is
£4326.
Kevvton-Don, the property of Sir William Don, Bart.,
is a spacious mansion, delightfully situated in an ample
and richly embellished demesne : the Eden, precipitated
from a rocky ledge, forms a picturesque cascade in the
vicinity ; and the house commands an extensive prospect
over the river Tweed. Here are preserved some memo-
rials of the ancient and noble family of Glencairn, of
which the proprietor is the representative. Nenthorn, a
mansion formerly the residence of a branch of the Rox-
burghe family, is situate close by the stream of the
Eden, with rich and extensive grass inclosures in the
front, interspersed with trees. The villages once exist-
ing here have altogether disappeared, and nothing de-
serving the name now remains ; the only approximation
is a hamlet of two or three cottages on part of the Nen-
thorn property. The nearest market-town is Kelso, with
which intercourse is maintained by a good road ; a pri-
vate carrier brings letters daily from the post-office of
Kelso. Communication with Berwick, Dalkeith, and
other places, is also afforded by good roads. Ecclesias-
tically the parish is in the presbytery of Kelso, synod of
Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patronage of the
Crown : the minister's stipend is the minimum of £150,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per annum.
The ancient church, which was situated in a sequestered
spot embosomed in trees, on the bank of the river,
having become completely dilapidated, a new church
was erected, in 1802, at a point where two roads meet.
It has been since considerably enlarged, but possesses
no claim to architectural notice : including the family
galleries of Sir William Don and Mr. Roy, it is adapted
for a congregation of l.'OO persons. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship. Nenthorn paro-
chial school affords a useful course of instruction, and is
well attended ; the master has a salary of £2.5 per an-
num, with about £18 fees, and a house and garden.
There are no remains of the ancient chapel of Little
Newton, which, together with the church and lands of
Nenthorn, was given to the bishops of St. Andrew's, and
by them transferred to the abbots of Kelso, to the monks
of which place, also, was given a small portion of land
near, to pray for the souls of the Earls of Douglas. The
site is still used as a burial-place for the family of Don,
r)f Newton-Don.
NESS, county Ross and Cromarty. — See Cross.
/ NESS, an island, in the jjarish of Bressay, Burra,
and QuARri-, county of Siiktlanh; containing 24 inha-
bitants. This island lies a short distance east of Bres-
say, and is two miles long and a mile in breadth, the
.surface gradually rising from west to east. It consists
chiefly of natural ))asture, but in the western portion
304
there is a considerable tract under cultivation. The
coast is rocky, and in most parts precipitous ; the few
intermediate spaces of sloping beach are occasionally
sandy, but in general formed of calcareous earth. The
most prominent feature on the coast is the Noop, or, as
it is called by mariners, Hangcliif, a headland on the
eastern shore, about 600 feet high, and the resort in
summer of swarms of migratory and other birds. On
the south is Hova, another headland, 200 feet high.
Contiguous to the coast are several holms, or uninha-
bited isles, of very small extent, among which the holm
of Ness is the most conspicuous. This is a rock with a
perpendicular elevation of about 200 feet, separated from
Ness by a very narrow firth, and communicating with it
by means of a cradle fastened to ropes, which is used for
the transit of ten or twelve sheep, sent for two or three
months in the summer to graze upon it.
NESTING, LUNASTING, and WH ALSAY, a united
parish, in the county of Shetland; containing 2294
inhabitants. This parish consists of the three dis-
tricts or ancient parishes of Nesting, Lvinasting, and
Whalsay, with the small islands of the Skerries on the
north-east. It is from eighteen to twenty miles in length,
supposing the whole of the land to be continuous ; and
about four miles in average breadth. About 1000 acres
are arable, and the remainder undivided waste or pas-
ture, common to the tenants of the two principal pro-
prietors. Lunasting and Nesting are situated on the
Mainland, but are separated from each other by an Jirm
of the sea ; the latter has the island of Whalsay on the
east, and Catfirth voe or harbour on the south. The in-
habitants are principally engaged in fishing, agriculture
being but a subordinate occupation, and followed by the
people only so far as oats, potatoes, and other vegetables
are urgently required as a part of their subsistence. The
system of husbandry is therefore on the worst footing,
and no improvements have been made in tillage during
the last half century. The population, however, has
advanced in numbers beyond the average ratio of other
parishes in the Shetland Isles, in consequence of the
two chief heritors making numerous new settlements,
here called outsets, on lands formerly uncultivated. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £862 ; and
the average rent of land, about £1 per merk. Gneiss is
the prevailing rock, but primitive limestone, mica-
slate, sienite, and granite are also found ; and peat, which
constitutes the principal fuel, exists in great abundance.
A large mansion has been erected in Whalsay, at an ex-
pense of £20,000, by Mr. Bruce of Simbister, the mate-
rial being grey granite imported across the sound of
Whalsay ; it consists of three stories, and has a wing on
each side with extensive and convenient offices.
The inhabitants' chief means of subsistence are piltocks
and sillocks, which they are able to catch throughout the
whole of the year. What is here termed the llaaf fish-
ing, comprising ling, cod, and tusk, employs nearly all
the males, witli tlie exception of those who go to the
Greenliuid wbale-fi.slicry ; it is carried on from the be-
ginning of .Fune till July or August, and the produce is
sent to Leith. About twenty-three herring boats be-
long to the parish, and the aggregate quantity of this
description of fish is about 3000 barrels per annum.
Provisions arc frecpicntly im])orted in years of scanty
supply j the cattle reared for sale are sent to the market-
town of Lerwick. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the
N E VV A
N EW A
presbytery of Olnafirth, synod of Shetland, and in the
patronage of the Earl of Zetland. The minister's
stipend, exclusive of a vicarage tithe of certain quanti-
ties of butter and oil, is £150, of which the sum of £69 is
received from the exchequer; there is also a manse, and
the glebe, consisting of twelve merks and a half, is valued
at £1'2 per annum. The church of Nesting was built in
1792, and is in decent repair. That of Whalsay has been
new-roofed, but is deficient in accommodation ; the
church of Lunasting has been recently repaired, and is
well seated : they are both visited by the minister eleven
times a year. A church at Skerries, situated at the dis-
tance of sixteen miles from the main land, is visited only
once a year. The parochial school affords instruction in
the ordinary branches of education ; the master has a
salary of £25 per annum, with £2 or £3 fees. There is
a small subscription library, lately established.
NETHER GASK, in the county of Perth.— See
Gask, Nether.
NETHERLEE, a hamlet, in the parish of Cathcart,
Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 1 mile (S. S. W.)
from Cathcart ; containing 56 inhabitants. It is situated
in the south-eastern part of the parish, and on the
western bank of the White Cart river. There is a very
extensive printfield at this place, capable of giving em-
ployment to 300 persons, including children, and to
which very large additions were made a few years since ;
but the works are at present either discontinued, or not
in full operation.
NETHERMAINS, a hamlet, in the parish of Kin-
naird, county of Perth ; containing not more than 29
inhabitants.
NETHERTON-QUARRY, a village, in the parish of
New Kilpatrick, county of Dumbarton, 5 miles (N.
W.) from Glasgow; containing ill inhabitants. This
place lies in the south-eastern part of the parish, a little
west of the high road from Glasgow to Kilpatrick, and
on the line of the Forth and Clyde canal. It derives its
affi.x from a considerable and very celebrated quarry, the
stone of which is of a warm cream colour, easily chiselled
as it comes from the quarry, but hardening by exposure.
Roseneath House, Blythswood House, the custom-house
at Greenock, and Garscube House, the last in the vicinity
of the village, were built of this stone. At one time it
was largely exported to Ireland and the West Indies.
NEVAY, in the county of Forfar. — SeeEASsiE and
Nevay.
NEW GALLOWAY.— See Galloway, New.— ^nrf
all places having a similar distinguishing prefix, will be
found under the proper name.
/, NEWABBEY, a village and parish, in the stewartry
of Kirkcudbright ; containing 1049 inhabitants, of
whom about 330 are in the village, 7 miles (S. by W.)
from Dumfries. This place, anciently called Kirkindar
from the situation of the old church on an island in Loch
Kindar, derived its present name from the foundation of
an abbey which, in contradistinction to that of Dun-
drennan, was styled the New Abbey. In 1300, Edward I.
of England encamped his army in the immediate vicinity
of the abbey, and while here received through the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury a bull from Pope Boniface VIII.,
rebutting the king's claim to the superiority of Scot-
land, and urging his own title to that kingdom as part
of St. Peter's patrimony. Edward held a council at this
place, to deliberate upon the pretensions of the pope ; but
Vol. II.— 305
as the question involved the interests of England, he de-
clined coming to any decision till he should consult with
the estates of the realm, for which purpose he disbanded
his army, and proceeded to Lincoln, where he summoned
a parliament to determine the affair.
The i'arish, which is partly bounded on the east by
the river Nith, is about ten miles in length and nearly
two miles in average breadth ; comprising an area of
1 1 ,000 acres, whereof 4000 are arable, 600 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder hill, pasture, moor, and
waste. Its surface is greatly diversified. Along the
western boundary is a range of hills, of which Lowtis on
the north, and Crilfel on the south, are the most con-
spicuous : Crilfel has an elevation of I9OO feet above the
level of the sea. On the north-eastern border is a similar
ridge, of less height. Between the two ranges is an ex-
tensive valley, and towards the south the land has a
gentle declivity from the west to the banks of the Nith.
The lower lands are watered by numerous small rivulets,
rising in various parts of the parish, and which, uniting
their streams, form what is called the Pow of Newabbey.
There are also three lakes, the largest of which is Locli
Kindar, near the base of Criffel, about a mile in length
and three-quarters of a mile broad, and abounding with
different kinds of trout. In this lake are two islands, on
one of which are the remains of the ancient parish church,
that have been preserved from further decay by a slight
repair, and by the fitting up of a part for the accommo-
dation of anglers. Loch End, at the foot of the hill at
Lowtis, is three-quarters of a mile in length and half a
mile broad, and abounds with perch and pike : near the
shore is a small artificial island, richly wooded. Craigend
loch, of nearly equal extent with Loch End, from which
it is separated by a ridge of rocks, contains pike of large
size. The shores of all these lakes are fringed with
plantations, and in some parts of them the scenery is
beautifully picturesque.
The SOIL of the arable lands is in general a gravelly
loam, but in some parts clay and moss ; the crops are,
grain of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips. The system of
husbandry is improved : the lands have been drained,
and inclosed chiefly with fences of stone ; the farm-build-
ings are substantial and comfortable, and on the various
farms are eighteen threshing-mills, of which more than
one-half are driven by water. On the hill pastures the
sheep are of the black-faced breed, but on the low lands
chiefly of the Leicestershire, with a few of the Cheviot
recently introduced ; the cattle are usually of the Gallo-
way breed. There are considerable remains of natural
wood ; and the plantations, which are extensive and in
a thriving state, are of oak, ash, beech, larch, and Scotch
fir. The rocks in the parish are almost entirely of the
sienite formation : there are some veins of coarse lime-
stone and whinstone ; and indications of coal have been
observed, but no mines have as yet been opened. The
annual value of real property in Newabbey is £4784. On
the lands of Shambelly, which have been richly planted,
is a handsome house, erected within the last twenty or
thirty years by William Stewart, Esq., who resides in an
ancient mansion in the village ; and a house in the
cottage style, on the lands of Kinharvey, has been lately
purchased by Mr. Maxwell of Terregles, as a residence
during the shooting season. The village is pleasantly
situated on the Pow of Newabbey, near its influx into
the Nith, and is neatly built, containing several good
2 R
NEW A
N E W B
houses. There is a parochial library, having a valuable
assortment of volumes on history, travels, and divinity ;
it has been established about forty years, and is sup-
ported by subscription. A hall erected for a Free-
masons' lodge, and for the meetings of a friendly society,
is now used as a ball-room and for public meetings. A
mill for carding and spinning wool, a mill for grain, and
a saw-mill, have been erected in the village ; and the
timber prepared at the last mentioned is generally shipped
for Liverpool. An indifferent harbour has been con-
structed at the mouth of the Pow, which in spring tides
is navigable to within a mile of the village for vessels of
seventy tons, that land their cargoes of lime and coal for
the supply of the parish, and return laden with agri-
cultural produce. Salmon, flounders, and herlitigs, are
taken in abundance in the Nith, where the inhabitants
have the right of fishing, upon paying one-third of what
they take to the proprietor, who, however, commutes
this payment for a nominal sum of money. A branch of
the post-office of Dumfries is established in the village ;
and facility of communication is afforded by good roads
which pass through the parish. The small hamlet of
Drumburn is pleasantly situated on a burn of that name
flowing into the Nith.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery and synod of Dumfries. The
minister's stipend is £233, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £33 per annum ; patron, the Crown. New-
abbey church, contiguous to the church of the abbej', of
which it originally formed a part, is apparently of the
thirteenth century, and was enlarged in 180.5 by rebuild-
ing the front wall; it is in good repair, and contains 470
sittings. A Roman Catholic chapel was built in 1823 ;
but for the last few years no service has been performed
in it. There are three parochial schools : the master of
the principal school has a salary of £29. 18. 9., with a
house and garden, and the interest of a bequest of£150;
the masters of the other two have each a salary of
£10. 13. 10., and one of them the interest of £.54. There
are still, though greatly dilapidated, considerable remains
of the Cistercian abbey already referred to, founded in
1284 by Devorgilla, mother of John Baliol, King of
Scotland, who, after the death of her husband, had his
heart embalmed, inclosed in a casket of ivory enriched
with silver, and" deposited in the choir of the church
here, from which the abbey took the name of Sweetheart,
afterwards changed to that of the New Abbey. The re-
mains consist principally of the conventual church, an
elegant cruciform structure in the early English style of
architecture, 194 feet in length from east to west, and
102 feet across at the transepts, with a central tower
ninety feet high : most of the other buildings were de-
molislied to furnish materials for houses. On the farm
of Lundis, about half a mile from the abbey, are the ivy-
mantled ruins of a square edifice, the occasional residence
of the abbots, near which a metal vessel was dug up a
few years since ; and two similar vessels have been found
in Loch End, capable of holding from three to four
gallons each. Soon after the battle of Waterloo, a granite
column fifty feet high was erected in honour of the Duke
of Wellington and the British army, principally by the
inhabitants of this parish, on Glen Hill, an eminence in
the parish, which has an elevation of 400 feet above the
level of the sea. It was projected by Robert Johnston,
Esq., author (if Travels from Petersburgh to Moscow, and
30G
along the line of Napoleo7i's retreat from Russia. On the
farm cf Craigend is a large rocking-stone of sienite, sup-
posed to weigh more than fifteen tons.
NEWARK, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish of Port-Glasgow, Lower ward of the county of
Renfrew; containing 2449 inhabitants. Newark is
united to Port-Glasgow, and the two places are termed
the burgh of Port-Glasgow and Newark, the latter form-
ing the eastern portion of the town. The extent of the
quoad sacra parish was about one square mile, partly
rural; but with the exception of about forty persons, the
whole population of the district, chiefly composed of ship
and other carpenters, coopers, smiths, joiners, weavers,
rope-makers, and other labouring classes, reside in the
town portion. Newark bay is now converted into a
spacious wet-dock, in which vessels of the largest bur-
then can lie at any state of the tide : at its eastern ex-
tremity stands the old decayed castle of Newark, on a
point of land. The place is ecclesiastically in the pres-
bytery of Greenock and synod of Glasgow and Ayr : the
church was built by subscription in 1*74, and is a plain
building, affording accommodation for about 1600 per-
sons : patrons, the proprietors and seat-holders. There
are several schools. — See Port-Glasgow.
NEWARTHILL, a village, in that part of the parish
of BoTHWELL which formed the quoad sacra parish of
Holytown, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 1^
mile (S. E. by E.) from Holytown ; containing 968 in-
habitants. This village is situated south of the post-
road from Edinburgh to Glasgow, in the heart of a dis-
trict abounding with coal and ironstone ; and the inha-
bitants are chiefly employed in collieries, and in the iron
and steel works which are carried on in the immediate
vicinity. Schools are supported by the proprietors of
the works, for the instruction of the children of their
workmen.
NEWBATTLE, a parish, in the county of Edin- j
BURGH ; containing, in 1841, with the villages of East-
houses and Stobhill, 2033 inhabitants, of whom 159 were
in the village of Newbattle, 1 mile (S.) from Dalkeith.
This place originated in the foundation of a monastery
by David L in 1140; he endowed it for brethren of the
Cistercian order, from the abbey of Melrose, and the in-
stitution continued to flourish till the Dissolution, when
its revenue was returned at £1413 in money, and various
payments in kind. At the Reformation, the small parish
of Maisterton was joined to this parish, and the church
of the abbey was made parochial. The patronage of the
united church, with the lands of Maisterton and the
manor of Newbattle, was held by Mark Kerr, the last
commendator of the abbey, and ancestor of the Lothian
family, who died in 1584, and was succeeded by his son
Mark, who in 1587 obtained from James VI. a patent
erecting the lands into a barony, and who in 1606 was
created Earl of Lothian. The estate has since that time
remained in the family, and is now the property of the
eighth Marquess of Lothian.
The PARISH of Newbattle, part of which is beautifully
situated in a romantic valley watered by the South Esk,
is in shape something like an equilateral triangle, each
side being four miles ; and contains rather more than
5000 acres. Of this area, 4700 acres are arable, 300
occupied by wood, and the retnainder waste, consisting
of the mouths of coal-pits and tlie ground used for lime-
kilns. The surface is finely varied, the main part rising
N E W B
NE WB
gradually from the margin of the river, and terminating
in a bold ridge, the highest point of which has an eleva-
tion of 700 feet above the level of the sea, and commands
an extensive and richly-diversified prospect over the ad-
jacent country. In the lower lands the soil is luxuriantly
rich, and of great depth ; but in the higher districts,
comparatively light and shallow. The system of agri-
culture is in an improved state, and the rotation plan is
prevalent ; the crops are wheat, oats, barley, beans,
potatoes, and turnips. In general the farm-buildings
are old, and in very indifferent condition, inferior to
many in the vicinity. The plantations are under good
management, and are regularly thinned and pruned;
they consist of oak, ash, elm, beech, plane, and various
kinds of fir. The substrata are chiefly coal and limestone,
which are both abundant, and of good quality ; and the
former is wrought to a very great extent by the Marquess
of Lothian, whose mines of parrot-coal of the finest de-
scription are apparently inexhaustible. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £12,706. Newbattle
Abbey, the seat of the marquess, is an imposing mansion
erected on the site of the ancient monastery, and beauti-
fully situated on the north bank of the South Esk, in a
well-wooded park. It contains many stately apartments ;
an extensive and valuable library, enriched with splen-
didly illuminated missals and curious manuscripts for-
merly belonging to the abbey ; a large collection of
paintings by the first masters, and numerous family
portraits. The grounds are tastefully laid out, and em-
bellished with thriving plantations, and with many trees
of ancient and majestic growth, among which are some
beeches of extraordinary size, planted by the monks.
Within the park is an old bridge of one arch over the
river, called the Maiden Bridge, said to have been erected
by a young lady whose lover was drowned while attempt-
ing to ford the stream at this spot ; it is now overgrown
with ivy, and has a strikingly romantic appearance.
Woodburn is a handsome modern house on the east
bank of the river, pleasantly situated in a well-planted
demesne, and commanding some fine views. There are
several villages. The houses in that of Newbattle are
old, and gradually coming down, while no new ones are
being erected, so that ere long the village will cease to
exist. Easthouses, in its vicinity, a place also gradually
falling into decay, is inhabited by persons employed in
the collieries of the Marquess of Lothian. A large new
village for colliers has recently been built at Newton-
Grange, and the parish also contains the village of
Stobhill, and several rural hamlets. Great facility of
intercourse is afforded by the Edinburgh and Hawick
railway, which runs through the western part of the
parish.
Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery of Dal-
keith and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale : the minis-
ter's stipend is £188, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £21 per annum ; patron, the Marquess of Lothian.
The church, situated near the principal lodge of New-
battle Abbey, was erected in 1/27, and is a plain struc-
ture containing 400 sittings, a number that might be
considerably increased by the erection of a gallery.
There is a regular preacher at Stobhill, where a chapel
has been raised : he is supported by a subscription,
chiefly of the neighbouring gentlemen, which is headed
by Mr. Dundas of Arniston, who has likewise given the
minister a comfortable free house. The parochial school
307
is well conducted, and attended by about eighty chil-
dren i the master has a salary of £34. 4., with a house
and garden, and the fees average £25 per annum. Ano-
ther school, an infant school, and a school for girls, are
all specially attached to the eoal-works ; the scholars are
numerous, and the teachers partly paid by salaries, and
partly by a deduction from the wages of the colliers.
Some friendly societies operate to keep down the number
of applicants for parochial relief. On the summit of the
ridge rising from the bank of the river, are distinct traces
of a Roman camp about three acres in extent, the area of
which has been planted with trees ; and to the north of
the abbey was a conical mount, ninety feet in diameter
at the base, and thirty feet high, on the removal of which,
for the erection of the present mansion, a stone coffin
seven feet long was found, containing a human skull.
Archbishop Leighton, so remarkable for his piety and
eloquence, was for some time minister of this parish, to
which he was inducted in 1648.
NEWBIGGING, a village, in the parish of Carn-
WATH, Upper ward of the county of Lanark, 2 miles
(E. by S.) from the village of Carnwath ; containing 21"
inhabitants. It is pleasantly situated in the south part
of the parish, on the road from Carnwath to Dunsyre,
and is chiefly inhabited by persons employed in weaving
at their own dwellings for the manufacturers of Glasgow
and Paisley.
NEWBIGGING, a village, in the parish of Auch-
TERTOOL, district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife ;
nearly adjoining the village of Auchtertool, and contain-
ing 67 inhabitants. It lies in the eastern part of the
parish, on the road from Kirkcaldy to Dunfermline ;
and is wholly agricultural. The church is distant from
it about a mile, westward.
NEWBIGGING, a village, in the parish of New-
TYLE, county of Forfar, 5 miles (E.N. E.) from Cupar-
Angus ; containing 229 inhabitants. It is situated in
the western part of the parish, on the borders of the
county, and on the road from Dundee to Meigle. The
village is of rather old appearance, and consists of about
sixty dwelling-houses, of which the owners of about thirty
have small pendicles of land, each of from three to fifteen
acres. The careful cultivation of these pendicles, and
the agricultural business of the parish, afford employment
to the chief part of the population.
NEWBIGGING, a village, in the parish of Tealing,
county of Forfar, 3 miles (N. W. by W.) from Murroes ;
containing 88 inhabitants. It lies in the eastern extre-
mity of the parish, and about a mile and a half distant
from the church, which stands westward.
NEWBOTTLE, in the county of Edinburgh.— See
Newbattle.
NEWBRIDGE, a village, in the parish of Kirklis-
ton, county of Edinburgh, 1 mile (S. by W.) from the
village of Kirkliston; containing 153 inhabitants. It
stands on the east side of the Almond water, which
here separates the two counties of Edinburgh and Lin-
lithgow ; and is a pleasantly situated village, having an
inn. The road from Edinburgh to Glasgow by Bath-
gate, which intersects the southern part of the parish,
passes through it ; and the Edinburgh and Glasgow rail-
way runs in the vicinity. At Loughend, near New-
bridge, are set up some large stones where a battle was
fought in the year 995, between Kenneth, the natural
brother of Malcolm II., and Constantine, the usurper of
2 R2
N E W B
N E W B
the crown ; and about a mile and a half westward, stone
coffins have been from time to time discovered.
NEWBRIDGE, a hamlet, in the parish of Terre-
GLEs, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 2 miles (N. W.
by N.) from Dumfries ; containing 24 inhabitants. It
lies in the extreme north of the parish, on a tributary to
the Nith, which flows at a short distance eastward.
NEWBURGH, a village and sea-port, in the parish
of FovERAN, district of Ellon, county of Aberdeen,
5 miles (S. E. by S.) from Ellon ; containing 393 inha-
bitants. This is a small but flourishing place, situated
on the bank of the river Ythan, at its confluence with
the German Ocean. The village is now much improved.
It contains about 120 houses, some of them very sub-
stantial and commodious ; is well provided with shops,
and has persons carrying on all the necessary trades for
the convenience of the population. There is a bone-mill,
actively employed ; also eight large well-built granaries.
The soil in the immediate vicinity is a fine, strong, black
earth, producing rich crops of bear, potatoes, and turnips,
and a small quantity of oats. The river takes a ser-
pentine course, and is navigable for nearly a mile and a
half, affording an opportunity at low water for the load-
ing and unloading of vessels. It is well stocked with
sea-trout, salmon, flounders, and especially mussels : of
the last there are several hundred tons taken annually,
sold at £1. 10. per ton. The entrance to the river is
exceedingly bad, and often dangerous on account of the
shifting sands. The beach extending from its mouth
nearly ten miles south, has stake and bag nets for taking
salmon : the fish caught in the sea are haddocks, cod,
skate, and flounders ; and there are two fishing-boats
belonging to the village. The number of ships belonging
to the port is eight, the aggregate burthen of which is
646 tons ; the exports consist of grain and cattle, and
the imports of coal, lime, timber, and bones. A tide-
waiter resides here, and a pilot-boat is attached to the
station. There is a branch of the National Savings'
Bank, in connexion with the Ellon Bank ; also a society
called the "Newburgh Shipmasters" Friendly Society".
A school has been established for twenty children of poor
fishermen, from a bequest by the late Mr. Mather ; and
a weekly lecture is delivered by the parochial minister
or schoolmaster, supported by funds left also by Mr.
Mather for that purpo.se. A turnpike-road has been
lately formed leading from Meldrum into the village.
NEWBURGH, a parish,
sea-port, burgh, and market-
town, in the district of Cu-
par, county of Fife, 1 1 miles
(S. E.) from Perth, and 40
(N.) from Edinburgh ; the
parish containing '2897 inha-
bitants, of whom '2491 are in
the burgh : Mount-Pleasant,
a suburb of the town, in Ab-
die parish, contains .5'24 inha-
bitants. The parish of New-
burgh derives its name from
a town built here long before the separation of the district
from the parish of Abdie, or Lindores, of which, previ-
ously to the year 16'2'2, the lands formed a part. The
town appears to have been indebted for its increase to
the encouragement of the abbots of the monastery of
Lindores, near which it was situated. This monastery
30y
Burgh Seal.
was founded by David, Earl of Huntingdon, about the
year 1180, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St.
Andrew, for monks of the Benedictine order, who were
placed in it from the abbey of Kelso. Soon after its
foundation, the earl granted to the abbot of Lindores,
and to the church of St. Mary and St. Andrew, the island
of Fedinch, supposed to be the present Mugdrum, with
the fisheries in the river Tay adjoining, and a right of
taking, from his quarries at Irneside, stone for the erec-
tion of conventual buildings. Additional grants were
made by William the Lion, Alexander HI., and other
kings of Scotland, for its endowment ; which was subse-
quently augmented by James II., who gave to the mo-
nastery the lands of Parkhill, in Fife. It continued to
flourish under a long succession of abbots till the year
1600, when James VI. erected the abbacy into a tempo-
ral lordship. In 1606 John, the last abbot of whom any
notice occurs, is said to have assisted at a general council
held at Westminster to deliberate on the expediency of
establishing episcopacy in Scotland.
The TOWN is advantageously situated upon the river
Tay, which near Newburgh is divided by the island of
Mugdrum into two channels, called respectively the
North and the South Deep, the latter being the principal
roadway for ships approaching the port. The greater
part of the town has been rebuilt within the last fifty or
sixty years, and it has also been much increased by the
erection of suburbs. Its streets are paved, and lighted
with gas by a company lately established here ; and the
inhabitants are amply supplied with excellent water from
springs. The houses are for the most -part large, and
uniformly built of greenstone from the neighbouring
quarries ; the public buildings, of the same material, are
embellished with freestone of good quality from Cupar-
moor and other places. Its appearance is cheerful and
prepossessing ; and from its sheltered situation, the
salubrity of its air, and the beauty and variety of the
surrounding scenery, Newburgh is fast growing into
favour as a summer residence for families at a distance.
The linen manufacture has long been established here,
affording employment to several hundreds of persons in
hand-loom weaving, and to more than 350 persons,
chiefly women, in winding bobbins. The linen made
here is chiefly dowlas sheeting, for which a ready market
is obtained in London, Leeds, and Manchester, and of
which great quantities are also exported to the West
Indies and South America ; the finest pieces are what
are called " fourteen-hundred linens". It appears that
the number of looms in the town is .560, producing on
an average '23,600 webs, 140 yards in length, and from
one yard to three yards in width, and in which are con-
tained more than 826,000 spindles of yarn. There is
also an extensive bleachfield, supplied with pure water
from the spring called the Nine Wells, the waters of
which arc collected into one copious and powerful stream.
A considerable trade is carried on in grain ; and a market
for stock, opened in 1830, is held on Tuesday, and nu-
merously attended by dealers from all ])arts of the adja-
cent country. Fairs are held for horses, cattle, and
sheep, on the first Tuesday in April, the third Friday in
June, and second Tuesday in October; and for hiring
servants, on the first Tuesday in December. A post-
ollice is established, which has a good delivery; and
facilities of communication arc alforded with the neigh-
bouring towns by excellent turnpike-roads, of which
N E W B
NE WB
that from Cupar to Perth passes through the town.
Here is also a station on the Perth section of the Edin-
burgh, Perth, and Dundee railway.
The trade of the port consists principally in the ex-
portation of the linens manufactured in the town and
parish to the West Indies and South America, and the
importation of timber from the Baltic, North America,
and Norway, generally brought by vessels belonging to
those parts. Ten vessels, varying from sixty to 150
tons, belong to Newburgh, and these are employed chiefly
in the coal trade. Most of the potatoes and other agri-
cultural produce of Strathearn, Kinross, and the sur-
rounding district, are shipped from this port for the
London market. Two packets are regularly engaged in
bringing the raw materials for the linen manufacture
from Dundee ; and vessels bound for Perth are fre-
quently obliged to wait here for the flow of the tide.
The steam-boats between Perth and Dundee touch at
Newburgh daily ; and a passage-boat has long been
established on the Tay between the Pow of Errol and
this place. There is also a steamer belonging to New-
burgh, which commenced a few years ago to ply between
it and Perth. The port is situated on that channel of
the river called the South Deep, and is accessible to
ships of .500 tons, which can load and unload their
cargoes on the quay. The landing-place consists of
four piers, projecting boldly into the channel : ware-
houses and granaries have been built for the accommo-
dation of the merchants, and several handsome dwelhng-
houses for the residence of persons connected with the
shipping. Ship-building is extensively carried on. The
revenue paid to the custom-house is considerable, and
the trade of the port gradually increasing. In 1S47 an
act was passed for the construction of a branch, less
than a mile in length, from the Perth line of railway, to
the harbour. Many persons are occupied in the salmon-
fishery of the Tay ; the fish are of superior quality, and
very much esteemed. The number of boats on the
average is thirty, and about sixty seamen are engaged :
there are several stations, on one of which, employing
only two boats, 250 salmon, 610 grilse, and a propor-
tionate number of trout, were taken in one season. Con-
siderable numbers are still caught, which, after affording
an abundant supply for the town and neighbourhood, are
shipped to London by the Dundee steamers, which per-
form the voyage in about thirty-five hours. The Sper-
ling, or saliiw eperlanus of naturalists, is also found here,
though not in any other part of the Firth of Tay. The
nets for taking the Sperling are fixed by stakes in the
rapids of the current, and the fish are obtained in great
quantities, even in the winter months, so long as the
river is free from ice ; they are much valued by the in-
habitants of the place, and find a ready market also at
Perth.
The people of Newburgh received their earliest charter
of incorporation from the abbot of Lindores, who erected
the town into a burgh of regality, and endowed the
burgesses with the lands of Woodriff 'and the hills ad-
jacent, which now constitute the principal revenue of
the corporation. In 1631, Charles I. confirmed the
preceding charter, making the town a royal burgh, and
investing the burgesses with various privileges and im-
munities : among these was the right of sending a mem-
ber to the Scottish parliament, which, however, from
neglect, soon fell into disuse. Under these charters the
309
government is vested in two magistrates, and a council
of fifteen burgesses, assisted by a town-clerk and other
officers. The magistrates exercise jurisdiction over the
royalty of the town, but not over the whole of the har-
bour and suburbs ; they are elected by the council, by
whom also all the other ofiicers are appointed. Courts
are held weekly, on Wednesday, for the trial of civil
actions and of misdemeanors, the town-clerk acting as
assessor ; but little business has been done in these
courts, since the small-debt sheriff circuit courts were
established, one of which is held here quarterly by the
sheriff-substitute of the county. The town-house, a
neat edifice with a spire, was erected in 1808; and a
building of considerable size has been since added to it
for the use of the stock market.
The PARISH, after its separation from that of Abdie,
under the sanction of the Archbishop of St. Andrew's,
in 1622, was enlarged by the addition of a portion of
the adjoining parish of Abernethy, annexed to it by the
same authority. The present parish is about three miles
in length from north to south, and two miles in breadth
from east to west, inclosing an irregular area, bounded
on the north by the Tay, which washes the coast for
about two miles. It comprises 1 145 acres, of which 280
are meadow and pasture, ninety acres woodland and
plantations, forty acres garden and orchard, and the
remainder good arable land in a state of profitable cul-
tivation. Towards the east the surface is flat, but to-
wards the west rises gently till it terminates in a tract
of table-land, from which, in a southern direction, is a
gradual ascent until it reaches the Black Cairn, elevated
about SCO feet above the level of the sea. To the south-
west, also, the land forms a ridge increasing in elevation,
and which at Craig-Sparrow is 600 feet in height. The
low lands are intersected by a stream that issues from
the loch of Lindores, in the parish of Abdie, and falls
into the river Tay at the north-eastern extremity of this
parish ; and also by another streamlet, flowing from
Loch Mill, in the same parish, and joining the Eden at
Auchtermuchty. The Tay, after receiving the waters of
the Earn on the west, expands into a breadth of almost
two miles at this place ; and its channel, as already
observed, is divided nearly into two equal portions by
the island of Mugdrum, in the parish of Abernethy.
There are many excellent and copious springs, of which
the one called Nine Wells rises in the hilly district to-
wards the south-west. The soil, in the higher lands,
though of little depth, is very fertile, consisting of a loose
black loam ; and in the low lands, a remarkably rich
clay, under proper management producing abundant
crops. The system of agriculture is in the highest state
of improvement; the crops are, barley, of which the
chevalier species is fast coming into general use, oats,
potatoes, turnips, and some wheat. In the vicinity of
the town are some orchards abounding with fruit of the
finest quality, which finds a ready sale at the market,
and returns a high profit to the proprietors. In this
parish the principal woods are those of Mugdrum (not
on the isle), comprising about thirty acres on the banks
of the Tay, and consisting chiefly of spruce-firs and larch ;
and Pitcairly, twelve acres in extent, producing some
fine specimens of ash, beech, elm, and plane. The plan-
tations on the Town's land comprise more than forty
acres of spruce, Scotch fir, and larch, of recent growth,
and in a thriving condition. The substratum of the
N E WB
N E WB
parish is principally of the trap formation : in the lower
part a fine-grained porphyritic greenstone, and in the
upper a compact felspar, and some beds of trap tufFa,
are found. In the small veins of the greenstone are
crystals of quartz, carbonate of lime, barytes, and other
minerals ; and in the felspar occur nodules of claystone,
and agates of jasper, approaching in quality to the Mocha
stone. Among the hills are boulders of primitive rock,
granite, gneiss, quartz, mica-slate embedded with garnets,
and primitive greenstone. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £4958. Mugdrum House and
Pitcairly are the principal mansions.
Newburgh is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Cu-
par, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of the Earl of
Mansfield and the Hay family : the minister's stipend is
£225. 14. 2., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £40
per annum. The church, erected in 1833, and situated
in the centre of the town, is a spacious and handsome
structure in the later English style, and forms a con-
spicuous feature in the view ; it is adapted for a congre-
gation of 1000 persons. There are places of worship
for the United Presbyterian Church and small congre-
gations of Baptists, Independents, and Wesleyans. The
parochial school afifords a useful course of instruction ;
the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with £22 fees, and
a good house and garden, in addition to which he pos-
sesses about four acres of land bequeathed to the school
manj' years since. There are two Sabbath schools, to
each of which is attached a juvenile library. Little re-
mains of the ancient monastery of Lindorf.s, which
after its dissolution soon sank into a state of dilapidation
and decay ; but even its inconsiderable ruins, which for
some time have been carefully preserved, afford obvious
indications of its former splendour. The porch of the
church is in good preservation, and shows the original
building to have been of elegant design, and of elaborate
workmanship : the walls are massive, and appear to
have been very extensive. Among the ruins of the
abbey was found a stone coffin, said to have contained
the body of the Duke of Rothesay, who was barbarously
put to death in the palace of Falkland, and privately
buried within the monastery ; and it is traditionally
recorded that James, ninth Earl of Douglas, who was
taken prisoner at Barneswark Hill, was immured in the
abbey, in which he continued till his death in the year
1488. In the hills to the south of the ruins, the sites of
the monks' and abbot's wells are still pointed out ; but
no traces whatever remain of the causeway that extended
from the abbey to the church of Magirdum, in the parish
of Dron : this causeway was raised by the monks, who
went annually to that place to unite with the nuns of
Elcho in paying their devotions to the patron saint.
Among the woods westward of the town are the remains
of an ancient cross called tho Cross af Mii'^drum, consist-
ing of the upright shaft, inserted in a pedestal, and
ornamented with curious antique devices on the several
stages into which its surface is divided. The two upper
compartments of the east face have in each the sculp-
tured representation of a man on horseback, much muti-
lated ; and in the two lower compartments are two
horses of unequal size, and the rei)resentation of a l)oar-
hunt, very rudely sculptured. On another side are some
scroll ornaments ; but on the two other sides, the figures
or devices are entirely o1)literated. A transverse portion
appears to have been broken ofiF; the shaft is of sand-
310
stone, and about seven feet in height. The name of the
cross is supposed to be a corruption of Magridin, the
saint to whom it was dedicated. By some antiquaries
it is thought to have been raised to commemorate the
defeat of the Danes in the battle of Luncarty, about the
close of the tenth century, through the resolute valour
of Hay and his sons, who compelled their retreating
countrymen to return to the field of battle. About a
mile southward of this monument, on the confines of
Strathearn, is another ancient relic of the same mate-
rial, called Macduff's Cross. It consists of one large
block of stone, deeply indented in several parts, in each
of which cavities there were formerly an iron staple
and a ring, said to have been intended for securing cer-
tain cattle offered by the Macduff family as an atone-
ment for the crime of murder. The shaft was destroyed
by the Reformers, on their route from Perth to the
abbey of Lindores, in 1559. Near the site is a cairn of
loose stones, called .Sir Robert's Prop, raised over the
grave of Sir Robert Balfour of Denmill, who fell in a
duel not far from the spot towards the commencement
of the last century. The Earl of Newburgh takes his
title from this parish.
NEWBURN, a parish, in the district of St. An-
drew's, county of Fife, 2 miles (E. S. E.) from Largo ;
containing, with the village of Drumeldrie-Muir, 419
inhabitants. This place, originally called Drumeldrie,
obtained its present name from a stream which, devi-
ating from its ancient course, now intersects the greater
portion of the parish. According to tradition, the Cul-
dees had an establishment here in the earliest periods
of Christianity ; and Malcolm I. is said to have given to
the brethren the lands of Balchrystie, where they erected
a church, the foundations of which are supposed to have
been discovered about the close of the last century, when
the stones of a very ancient building were dug up on
these lands. The parish is about three miles and a half
in length and nearly two miles in breadth, and is bounded
on the north by the parishes of Kilconquhar and Largo;
on the south by the sea ; on the east by Kilconquhar ;
and on the west by Largo. Its surface is pleasingly
diversified with hills and valleys, and enlivened with the
windings of the burn from which the parish derives its
modern name ; the scenery is generally interesting, and
in some parts beautifully picturesque. The soil is fer-
tile, producing abundant crops ; and the pasture and
meadow lands along the sea-shore, form a level tract of
luxuriant verdure.
In this parish the number of acres is 2880, whereof
about 2400 are arable, 350 in pasture, and 130 in planta-
tions ; the cro[)s are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, peas,
and turnips, which last are extremely favourable. The
most imi)roved system of husbandry is prevalent, and
the farm buildings and offices are substantial and well
arranged ; the lands are well drained and inclosed, and "
the fences, chiefly of thorn, are kept in excellent order.
The j)rincipal seats are, Lahill, the lands of which have
been highly improved ; Wester Lathallan, or Gilston,
a handsome mansion-house in grounds finely planted ;
West Coates, also a genteel residence ; and Balchrystie,
a well-situated house surrounded with grounds taste-
fully embellished. The inhabitants are chiefly employed
in agricidture ; and for some years a salmon- fishery has
been carried on, but with no great profit. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £4849. Ecclcsi-
NE WH
NE WH
astically it is within the bounds of the presbytery of St.
Andrew's and the synod of Fife. The stipend of the
incumbent is £'200; the manse, built in 1819, is a com-
modious residence, and the glebe comprises about twenty-
two acres, valued at £30 per annum. Newburn church,
which is well situated, was built in 1815; it is a sub-
stantial and neat edifice, affording ample accommodation
for the parishioners. The parochial school appears to
have originated in an appropriation of lands in 1659 by
John Wood, Esq., of Orkie, for the erection of a free
grammar-school in this parish, and the maintenance of
several poor scholars. The " poor scholars " are in-
structed and maintained by the parochial schoolmaster,
to whom the trustees of Mr. Wood pay a liberal allow-
ance. His salary as parochial schoolmaster is £29. 18. 10.
per annum, with a house and garden, and the fees ave-
rage about £14.
•^ NEWBYTH, a village, and for a time a quoad sacra
" parish, in the parish of King-Edwaud, district of Tur-
riff, county of Aberdeen ; containing 1396 inhabitants,
of whom 335 are in the village, 21 miles (N. N. E.) from
Curainestown. This place is comparatively of recent
origin, taking its name from the estate of Byth, the pro-
prietor of which, James Urquhart, Esq., in 1764 granted
various allotments of land upon feu for its erection.
The village is situated on gently-rising ground, in the
south-eastern portion of the parish, and consists of two
regularly-formed streets intersecting each other nearly
at right angles ; the houses are neatly built, and to many
of them are attached small pieces of land. A public
library is supported by subscription ; there are two good
inns, and several shops amply supplied with merchandise
for the adjacent district. No manufactures are carried
on, except the weaving of linen dowlas for a house in
Aberdeen, in which fourteen handlooms are employed :
a distillery, on a moderate scale, has been established
some time. There is a post-office under that of Turriff;
and a fair for cattle, merchandise, &c., is held on the
Tuesday after the 11th of May. A chapel, now in con-
nexion with the parish church of King-Edward, was
purchased by subscription of the inhabitants of the dis-
trict, about the year 1792, and adapted to a congrega-
tion of 400 persons. The minister receives a stipend of
£80, one-half paid by the Society for the Propagation of
Christian Knowledge, and the other from the collections
and seat-rents ; he has also a manse, and a glebe of
from five to six acres. There is a school, the master of
which has a salary of £6, with a house and garden, from
the heritors, in addition to the fees.
Q NEWHAVEN, a sea-bathing village, and for a time
a quoad sacra parish, in the parish of North Leith,
county of Edinburgh, 1 mile (W. by N.) from Leith,
and 2 (N.) from Edinburgh; containing 2103 inhabit-
ants. This place derives its name, in contradistinction
to the old haven of Leith, from the construction by
James IV. of a port and dockyard here, in which a ship
of very large burthen, called the Michael, was built in
1511. In the early part of the fifteenth century the
hamlet contained a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary,
of which there are still some remains, consisting chiefly
of part of the outer wall, now inclosing the burying-
ground in the centre of the village. The chapel, toge-
ther with the lands appertaining to it, was annexed to
the parish of North Leith in 1630, by the provost and
town council of Edinburgh, who had previously pur-
311
chased from the king the village, chapel, and harbour,
with all the privileges belonging to them. For a long
time the place was inhabited almost exclusively by fish-
ermen and their families. The fishermen are a hardy
and industrious race, acting also as pilots, and annually
engaging in the great herring-fisheries in the north of
Scotland ; and their wives and daughters, like the women
of Fisherrow, supply the Edinburgh markets with fish
and oysters, of which they carry immense loads in
baskets.
In the original village the houses are ill built and of
mean appearance, with the staircase on the outside.
The more modern portion contains many good houses,
and some inns and public-houses, partly for the accom-
modation of parties from Edinburgh, who resort hither
to dine upon fish ; there are several pleasant villas, and
numerous lodging-houses for families that reside here
during the bathing season. The pier is commodiously
formed ; and to the west of it is the chain-pier con-
structed in 1821 by Capt. Sir Samuel Brown, R.N., at
an expense of £4000 ; it is 750 feet in length and four
feet wide, and is the property of a company called the
Trinity Chain-pier Company. In this part of the village
is the Newhaven station of the Edinburgh, Leith, and
Granton railway, the course of which from the city to
Trinity is north-by-west, and two miles and a quarter
long. For the purposes of the line, it was found neces-
sary to make a cutting here more than ninety yards in
extent, and seventeen feet in depth. The approaches to
Newhaven by land are pleasant on all sides except from
Leith, where the sea has made very great encroachments,
as well as between the stone-pier and the Trinity cottages,
which are now defended by a strong embankment. A large
tract of land called the Links has almost entirely disap-
peared. The church was erected in 1837, after a design
by Mr. Henderson, of Edinburgh, and contains 630 sit-
tings. The members of the Free Church have a place of
worship.
NEWHILLS, a parish, in the district and county of (^
Aberdeen, 5 miles (W. N. W.) from the city of Aber-
deen ; containing 2865 inhabitants. The name of New-
hills was given to this place when it was made the head
of a separate parish ; the name of Keppelhills, by which
it had before been called, being changed in order to
commemorate the new character it then assumed. Be-
fore its erection into a parish, the district formed part
of the extensive parish of Old Maehar, or St. Machar,
whose church was in the town of Old Aberdeen ; and
it was impossible for the inhabitants, so remotely situa-
ted, to attend regularly at the church. This circumstance
induced Mr. George Davidson, of Pettens, a burgess of
Aberdeen, to assign the lands of Keppelhills, which he
had purchased of the town of Aberdeen, as a permanent
endowment for a regular clergyman. Upon this estate,
consisting of 880 acres, he caused a church to be erected
in the year 1663; and in 1666 the trustees, after his
death, applied to the Lords Commissioners for planting
churches, for the erection of the district into a parish,
which application, being supported by the general voice,
was successful. Since this period Newhills has enjoyed
all the rights and privileges common to parishes in
Scotland.
The PARISH is about six miles in length and five in
breadth, and contains 16,850 acres. It is bounded on
the north by the parishes of Dyce and Kinnellar, on the
NE WH
N E W L
south by the parishes of Peterculter and Banchory, on
the south-east by the parish of Old Machar, on the east
by the river Don, and on the west by the parish of Skene.
Towards the west the surface is hilly and mountainous,
part of it covered with wood, and part with heath and
stones; in the north-eastern quarter the land is tolerably
flat, and more adapted to agricultural purposes. The
climate is sharp and bleak, and the soil generally light
and poor, except in the more level grounds, where a
good rich loam is sometimes to be seen. About 13,865
acres are under cultivation, I76O are waste or pasture,
600 in common, and 6'2.5 in wood and plantations. Of
the svaste, II6O acres are considered capable of profit-
able tillage. The land is productive; but the efforts of
husbandry are greatly obstructed in wet seasons by the
hard impervious subsoil, which retains the moisture so
as seriously to injure the corn, grasses, and turnips that
are raised. Dairy-farming is much followed, on account
of the vicinity of the parish to Aberdeen and the prox-
imity of the suburban village of Woodside, where the
produce is disposed of to great advantage. Many im-
provements have been made in husbandry within the
last few years, and others are still going on, being much
encouraged by the plentiful supply of manure and the
nearness of good markets. The average rent of land is
from £1. 10. to £'2 per acre ; the best land lets for £3.
Blue granite is obtained in large quantities from the
quarries here, which are regularly worked ; about 260
men are employed, and many of the blocks are sent to
London and other parts. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £11, ^'^l. The chief mansions are
Springhill and Hazelhead; and in addition to these, the
houses of Sheddocksley, Fairley, Craibstone, Cloghill,
Gateside, Waterton, and Newhills, the last the property
of the minister, are deserving of mention.
There are three paper manufactories in the vicinity of
the river Don. One of these, at Waterton, has two
large machines, which perform all the various processes
of the manufacture in one operation ; and about 150
hands are engaged in the concern, which is carried on
night and day, producing immense quantities of paper,
some of it writing-paper, but the greater part fine print-
ing paper. The other two manufactories are employed
in making wrapping-papers, and also give occupation to
a considerable number of hands. There is likewise at
Waterton a worsted manufactory, where about seventy
persons are occupied. Eight meal-mills are at work
in the parish, and two flour-mills, which prepare large
quantities of grain for Aberdeen and the country aroinid ;
also two snutf-mills, and a public brewery, the produce
of which is very considerable. These numerous manu-
factories, with the constant working of the quarries, and
the operations on the dairy-farms, keep up a general ac-
tivity throughout the parish. The Inverury, Old Mel-
drum, and Skene turnpike-roads pass through the dis-
trict ; and the Inverury canal intersects it at its eastern
point for about three miles. Three fairs are held at
Greenhurn in summer for cattle, sheep, and horses.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the presbytery and
synod of Aberdeen. The stipend of the minister is £415,
of wliich £400 are derived from the land assigned by
Robert Davidson, subject to the usual rates and charges
on landed property ; the glebe is of the annual value of
£45. The Earl of Fife is patron. The church, which
is handsome and commodious, and centrally situated,
312
was built in 1S30. There is a parochial school, in which
the usv.al branches of education are taught ; the master
has a salary of £33. 7- 6., with a school-house of two
stories, an allowance from the trustees of the Dick be-
quest, and about £25 fees. In the parish are some mi-
neral springs, but they are of little note.
NEWINGTON, for a time a quoad sacra district, in
the parish of St. Cuthbert, suburbs of the city of
Edinburgh; containing 3310 inhabitants. This is an
elegant modern suburb of the metropolis, on the south
side, consisting chiefly of villas and handsome streets,
and finely sheltered on the east by Salisbury Crags and
Arthur's Seat. The district was ecclesiastically divided
from St. Cuthbert's in April 1835; its greatest length
was about three-quarters of a mile, and its greatest
breadth about one-quarter, nearly the whole extent being
covered with buildings. Newington was within the
bounds of the presbytery of Edinburgh, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale ; and the patronage was vested in St.
Cuthbert's Kirk Session : the stipend of the minister
was £350, derived from seat-rents and two-thirds of the
ordinary collections. The church, erected by the Kirk
Session in 1823, at an expense of £6372, contains 1623
sittings. The members of the Free Church have a place
of worship. At a school here, considered as parochial,
from 160 to 200 children are instructed ; but no salary
is attached to it, nor are there any other emoluments
than the fees, which amount to about £55 per annum.
Seven other schools are all taught by females.
NEWLANDRIG, a village, in the parish of Borth-
wiCK, county of Edinburgh, 1^ mile (S. W.) from
Ford; containing 132 inhabitants. It lies in the north-
west part of the parish, on the borders of the parish of
Cockpen, and on the road from Ford to Carrington ;
and is a quiet and retired place, of which several of the
houses were lately, and perhaps still are, untenanted.
NEWLANDS, a parish, in the county of Peebles,
4 miles (S. by E.) from Linton; containing 1063 in-
habitants. This parish, which is unconnected with any
historical event of importance, is about eleven miles in
length and two miles in average breadth, and comprises
11,337 acres, whereof 3341 are arable, 7659 meadow
and pasture, and 337 woodland and plantations. Its
surface is strikingly diversified with hills and valleys.
The principal vale is inclosed on the one side by a range
of hills called the Kellyheads, and on the other by a
ridge of lower elevation, of which the most conspicuous
heights are the Dodhead and the Broomyleas. Towards
the bottom of this vale is Ilallmyre bog, a tract of mossy
land about sixty acres in extent, and formerly incapable
of cultivation, but which, having been drained by the
late Mr. Gordon, is now firm arable ground. The Lyne
water crosses the vale nearly at right angles a little
below Ilallmyre, from which point the vale extends
between smaller ridges to the Terth, a stream separating
this parish from the parishes of Stobo and Kirkurd.
The valley of the Lyne is bounded on one side by the
Kellyheads, and on the other by gentle acclivities, and,
in addition to the Lyne water, which flows through it,
is enlivened by the small streams of Flemington-Mill,
Stevenson, and Hagenhope : all these streams abound
with trout.
In the lower lands the soil is rich and fertile, and in
the higher parts light, and sometimes a gravelly loam ;
the crops are oats, barley, wheat, peas, potatoes, and
N E W M
NE W P
turnips. The system of agriculture is in a very ad-
vanced state : much progress has been made in draining
the lands ; and on the farm of Boreland, in jiarticular,
such beneficial changes have been made by an enter-
prising and judicious plan of husbandry, as to stimulate
to great exertions for the general improvement of the
land. Considerable attention is paid to the manage-
ment of the dairy-lands, and to the live-stock, for which
the hills afford excellent pasture. The number of milch-
cows kept is 350, chiefly of the Ayrshire breed ; and
about 4000 sheep are pastured : these are of the Cheviot
and black-faced breeds, with a cross of both, and a small
number of the Leicestershire. Large quantities of but-
ter are sent to the market of Edinburgh, with which
place there is great facility of intercourse. The woods
and plantations are well managed, and in a thriving con-
dition. The substrata are mainly limestone, slate, white
sandstone, and coal ; the Kellyheads range is chiefly of
whinstone. Coal and limestone are wrought, and there
are lime-works carried on ; also a tile- work ; and at
Broomyleas a quarry of excellent red sandstone, of com-
pact texture, has been opened, which is extensively
worked for the supply of the adjacent districts. Whim,
Lamancha, Magbiehill, Hallmyre, Romanno, Boreland,
and Callends, are the mansions here. There is a post-
office at Noblehouse, on the road from Edinburgh to
Dumfries, nearly in the centre of the parish. The an-
nual value of real property in Newlands is £8251.
It is in the presbytery of Peebles, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale, and in the gift of the Earl of Wemyss
and March : the minister's stipend averages £250, with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £26 per annum. The
late church, an ancient edifice containing details of the
Norman and of the early and later English styles of
architecture, having become dilapidated, a new church
was erected, and opened for divine service in December
1S38; it is a handsome structure in the later English
style. There is a place of worship at Mountains-Cross
for members of the United Presbyterian Church. New-
lands parochial school affords a good education, and is
well attended ; the master has a salary of £34, with £15
fees, and a house and garden. In the eastern portion
of the parish is another school, the master of which re-
ceives a salary of £8 from the heritors, in addition to
the fees. A savings' bank has been established. On
several of the hills are remains of circular intrenchments,
and near the junction of the Terth and Lyne waters are
the ruins of Drochil Castle, supposed to have been
erected by the Regent Morton ; it is in good preserva-
tion, and over one of the windows are the arms of the
Douglas family, sculptured in relief. Sir Robert Mur-
ray Keith, of Hallmyre, ambassador to the court of
Copenhagen, and who saved the life of the queen in the
atfair of Count Struensee ; his brother. Sir Basil, go-
vernor of Jamaica, who died in that island ; and Lord
Chief Baron Montgomery, one of the first sherifiFs of
royal nomination, after the abolition of the heritable ju-
risdictions, and the first, also, of his countrymen that
attained the office of chief baron, were natives of this
parish.
^ NEWMILLS, a village, in the parish of Keith, county
of Banff, 1^ mile (N. by E.) from Keith; containing
449 inhabitants. This is a thriving village on the estate
of Lord Fife, by whose great-grandfather it was built,
about the middle of the last century, and of whom it is
Vol. II.— 313
held in feu. It is situated on the north side of the
Isla, and contains about 100 feus, with five acres of land
to each : most of the population are engaged in the cul-
tivation of the ground. A well-frequented market for
cattle, horses, and sheep is held annually in the month
of October.
NEWMILLS, a hamlet, in the parish of Fordyce,
county of Banff, 3 miles (S.) from Portsoy; containing
46 inhabitants. It is a small place, situated on the west
side of the Boyne burn, and a short distance east of the
high road from Huntly to Portsoy.
NEWMILLS, or Torry, in the county of Fife. —
See Torry.
NEWMILNS, a village, and a burgh of barony, in
the parish of Loudoun, district of Cunninghame,
county of Ayr, 8 miles (E.) from Kilmarnock, and 18
(N. E. by E.) from Ayr; containing 1 988 inhabitants.
This place was made a burgh of barony under a charter
of James IV., dated the 9th January, 1490, and which
vested the superiority in the Earls of Loudoun. It is a
thriving village, situated on the river Irvine, and at about
the middle of the south boundary-line of the parish :
nearly the whole of the population are engaged in weav-
ing, the principal article being muslin. There is a post-
office for the convenience of the surrounding district.
The village is governed by two bailies, a chancellor,
treasurer, fiscal, and thirteen councillors : the nomina-
tion of the magistrates and council is annual, the bur-
gesses choosing the council, and these, again, appointing
the bailies, chancellor, and other officers. Here is an
excellent market ; and four annual fairs take place in
February, May, August, and October. The parish church
is situated in the village, which also contains the paro-
chial school, and a place of worship for the United
Presbyterian Synod. A bequest of £60 per annum by
Mr. James Smith, a native of the place, is appropriated
to decayed burgesses, their widows, and children, not
receiving parochial relief.
NEWPORT, a village, in the parish of Forgan,
district of St. Andrew's, county of Fife, IO5 miles
(N. N. E.) from Cupar; containing, in 1841, 260 inha-
bitants. This is a small but thriving village, situated
on the southern bank of the river Tay, and forming a
ferry-station for the opposite town of Dundee : the
Edinburgh road terminates at Newport, and on the east
a new road has been opened from the village to Ferry-
port-on-Craig. Newport harbour is capacious, of ample
depth of water, and in every respect well adapted to its
use. The chief feature of the place is its fine pier, con-
structed under the superintendence of the late Thomas
Telford ; it is 350 feet in length and sixty feet in breadth,
with a good carriage-road on each side, and is furnished
with every requisite for facilitating the business of the
ferry, which since the recent improvements has been
rapidly increasing. The width of the Firth of Tay, be-
tween Newport and Dundee, is about a mile and a half;
and the passage, once dangerous and uncertain, is now-
performed with perfect safety and with the utmost re-
gularity. In the year 1819 an act was obtained, consti-
tuting the justices of the peace and the commissioners
of supply in the two counties of Fife and Forfar, with
other official persons, trustees for the erection of piers,
and for otherwise improving and regulating the ferry.
By that act, the trustees were authorized to construct
piers at Dundee and at Newport ; and the works for
2S
N E WT
NEWT
the purpose were completed at an expense of £40,000.
The ferry, which is in the occupation of lessees, pays an
annual rent of fS'iOO to the proprietors ; part is appro-
priated to the payment of the interest of the sum bor-
rowed, and the remainder to the liquidation of the prin-
cipal. The lessees, who are bound to maintain the
harbour in repair, lately introduced a steam-vessel of
sixty-horse power ; in addition to which a large sailing-
packet, a pinnace, and a yawl are kept in readiness,
with the recjuisite number of men, for the accommoda-
tion of the public when wanted ; and Newport ferry,
now one of the best and most frequented on this part
of the coast, yields to the lessees an annual income of
£5000. In 1846 an act of parliament was passed au-
thorizing the extension to Newport of the Cupar branch
of the Edinburgh and Northern railway, now called the
Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway. The village is
rather straggling, and numbers of neat houses and cot-
tages are interspersed over the beautifully-wooded banks
of the Tay. From the salubrity of the place, it is fre-
quented in summer by families from other parts ; and
its delightful walks add to its advantages as a genteel
watering-place. Tayfield is a pleasant residence in a
romantic glen, surrounded by fine plantations. Upon
the road to the hamlet and creek of Woodhead, on the
west, is a small Independent chapel ; and the members
of the Free Church have also a place of worship.
NEWSTEAD, a village, in the parish and district of
Melrose, county of Roxburgh, 1 mile (E.) from the
town of Melrose ; containing 2,50 inhabitants. This
place lies on the Edinburgh road, by Drygrange bridge,
to Jedburgh ; occupying a pleasant spot in the vale of
Melrose. Its population is chiefly employed in agricul-
ture. The scenery is diversified ; and below the village,
a small rivulet, emanating from the Tweed above the
town, returns into it, insulating in its course a rich
tract of level ground called the Ana. There is a school,
for which a house has been built at the expense of the
heritors.
NEWTON, a village, in the isle and parish of Great
CuMBRAY, county of Bute ; containing 444 inhabit-
ants. It is seated at the head of a capacious and finely-
sheltered harbour, called Karnes bay, where vessels of
considerable burthen may have safe anchorage at the
depth of six feet at low water : the bay opens south-
ward into Fairley roads. Millport, the chief village in
the island, lies at a very short distance on the west.
NEWTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Kirkpatrick-
Fleming, county of Dumfries; containing not more
than 34 inhabitants.
NEWTON, a parish, in the county of Edinburgh,
2 miles (N. W.) from Dalkeith ; containing, with the
villages or hamlets of Adamsrow, Backdcan, Claybarns,
Edmonstone, New Engine, Old Engine, Easter and
Wester Millerhill, Pentecox, Redrow, Sheriffhall-Enginc,
and Squaretown, 1743 inhabitants. This parish, in-
cluding the old parish of Woolmct, united with it at the
Reformation, is about two miles in length and a mile
and a half in breadth ; comprising an area of 12.56 acres,
nearly the whole of which is under profitable cultivation.
Its surface is generally level, and the soil fertile ; the
scenery is finely varied, and the tract of country between
this place and Pidinburgh abounds with interesting fea-
tures. The substratum is chiefly coal, of wliich there
are several mines in extensive operation ; and freestone
314
is found at a great depth below the surface, but no re-
gular quarries have yet been opened. In the strata of
coal occur various geological specimens, some of which
are very beautiful. The collieries have been worked for
more than a century, and afford employment to about
1000 of the population. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £9739. Edmonstone House, the
seat of John Wauchop, Esq., is a handsome modern
mansion, situated in an ample demesne tastefully laid
out, and embellished with thriving plantations. Newton
House, also of modern erection, is a neat mansion plea-
santly seated ; and Woolmet House, an ancient mansion,
retaining much of its original character, is also a plea-
sant residence. There are several villages, chiefly in-
habited by persons engaged in mining, of which the
principal are Edmonstone, Easter Millerhill, Wester
Millerhill, and Adamsrow ; and various small hamlets,
among which are Little France and SherifFhall. Some
others, from the exhaustion of the mines wherein the
inhabitants were employed, have become extinct. The
Edinburgh and Hawick railway intersects the parish.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Dalkeith and synod of Lothian and Tweed-
dale ; patron, Mr. Wauchop. The minister's stipend is
about £148, with £4. 8. 10. for communion elements, a
rent-charge of £5. 11. 2. on lands in Edmonstone, a
glebe valued at £20 per annum, and the interest of
capital paid for the purchase of the coal under the glebe,
producing £ 1 1 5. 6. 4., and making the whole income equi-
valent to about £293 per annum : there is also a manse.
Newton church, rebuilt, with the exception of the ancient
tower, in 1742, and repaired and reseated in 1819, is a
neat structure, but containing only 430 sittings. The
chapel at Edmonstone is a handsome edifice in the
later English style, now used only as a mausoleum for
the Wauchop family. The parochial school, to which a
good library is attached, is well conducted, and is at-
tended by about 180 children : the master has a salary
of £34. 4., with a house and garden ; and the fees, with
other perquisites, average £100, part arising from the
interest of money paid for the coal discovered under his
garden.
NEWTON, a village, in the parish of Glammis,
county of Forfar, 5 miles (S. by W.) from Kirriemuir ;
containing 105 inhabitants. This village is situated in
the north-western part of the parish, and on the high
road from Meigle to Forfar. The Dean river flows at a
short distance on the north.
NEWTON, a village, in the parish of Pencaitland,
county of Haddington, 1 mile (S.) from Penston ; con-
taining 168 inhabitants. It lies in the northern part of
the parish, and, as its name implies, is of recent origin,
having been built for the accommodation of persons
employed in the collieries of the district. A school for
the children of the colliers has been some time esta-
blished here ; the master receives an annual donation
from Lady Ruthven and the lessees of the collieries, in
addition to the fees, by whirii he is chiefly supported.
NEWTON, a small hamlet, in the parish of Wiston
and RoBF.RTON, Upper ward of the county of Lanark ;
containing 48 inhabitants.
NEWTON, a village, in the pari.sh of Abercorn,
county of Linlithgow, 2 miles (W. by S.) from South
Queensferry ; containing 250 inhabitants. This village
is situated in the eastern part of the parish, on the high
NEWT
NEWT
road from South Queensferry to Linlithgow ; and is a
small place, in which are a few shops. On the farm of
Newton, in its vicinity, is a limestone-quarry ; the stone
is of a dark grey colour, but becomes pure white when
calcined, and is extremely friable in the process of
burning.
NEWTON, a village, in the parish of Urciuhart
and Wester Logie, county of Nairn ; containing 118
inhabitants. This place is situated in the detached
portion of the county of Nairn surrounded by the county
of Ross and Cromarty, and not far distant from the town
of Dingwall.
^ "f- NEWTON, a village, in the parish of Mearns,
Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 4 miles (E. by
S.) from Neilston ; containing 6'29 inhabitants. This
village, which is a burgh of barony, and has the right of
holding a weekly market and two annual fairs, is situ-
ated on the road from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, in the
north-eastern part of the parish, and consists of two
rows of houses, about half a mile distant from the
church. The inhabitants are partly employed in the
printing of calico, for which there are some large print-
fields at Wellnieadow and Netherplace, in the immediate
vicinity. The market, if ever held, has been long dis-
continued ; and one fair only, of no importance, takes
place. A penny-post has been established under the
office at Glasgow, and there is an excellent inn on the
high road.
NEWTONMORE, a village, in the parish of Kin-
gussie, county of Inverness ; containing 111 inhabit-
ants. This is one of two villages in the parish, both of
which are of modern date, having been built within the
last fifty or sixty years. It is a very small place, situ-
ated on the north side of the river Spey.
NEWTON OF BELLTREES, a hamlet, in the parish
of Lochwinnoch, Upper ward of the county of Ren-
frew, 3 miles (N. E. by N.) from Beith ; containing 58
inhabitants. It is a small place, situated in the south-
east portion of the parish, and on the east of Castle-
Seniple loch. There is a preaching station at Belltrees,
containing 200 sittings; also a school, the master of which
is paid £.5 per annum bv the parochial master.
NEWTON OF FALKLAND, a village, in the parish
of Falkland, district of Cupar, county of Fife, 1 mile
(E.) from Falkland; containing 236 inhabitants. This
village is situated in the east part of the parish, and on
the high road from Falkland to Cupar. A portion of
the population is engaged in hand-loom weaving, and
the remainder chiefly in the business of husbandry. A
school is supported by the inhabitants.
O V NEWTON-RALSTON, a village, in that part of the
parish of Neilston which formed the quoad sacra
parish of Barrhead, Upper ward of the county of
Renfrew; containing 893 inhabitants. This place,
and Dovecothall, may be considered as parts of the
populous and flourishing village of Barrhead, situated on
the stream of the Levern, in the north-east portion of
the parish. Its population participates in the manufac-
tures of the district, consisting of cotton spinning and
weaving, and printing, bleaching, and dyeing, all of which
are extensively carried on, principally for the Glasgow
and Paisley markets.
V NEWTONSHAW, a village, in the parish and county
of Clackmannan, I5 mile (N. by E.) from Alloa ; con-
taining 798 inhabitants. This place, also called Newton
315
of Sauchie, was originally built for the accommodation
of the work-people employed by the Devon Iron Com-
pany. It is situated about a mile south of tlie river
Devon, and on the road from Tillycoultry to Alloa.
Considerable mining operations are carried on in the
neighbourhood. A school here has been for some years
well taught and well attended ; the school has a garden,
and a few pounds a year are given by the Earl of Mans-
field to assist in the maintenance of the teacher
NEWTON-STEWART, a market-town, in the pa- -
rish of Penninghame, county of Wigtown, 7^ miles
(N. by W.) from Wigtown, and 26 (E. by N.) from Stran-
raer; containing 2172 inhabitants. This pluce derives
its name from its foundation, in the eighteenth century,
by a younger branch of the Stewarts, Earls of Galloway,
proprietors of the lauds of Castle-Stewart, on which they
built the original village. Owing to its advantageous
situation on the river Cree, between the Ferrylown of
Cree and Glenluce, the village rapidly increased in extent
and importance ; and on its subsequently becoming the
property of Sir William Douglas, of Carlingwark, it was
erected into a burgh of barony, of which he became supe-
rior. From this circumstance the place assumed the
appellation of Newton-Douglas ; and for some time it con-
tinued to flourish under the auspices of its superior, who
introduced various branches of manufacture, which were
pursued with much success, and tended greatly to aug-
ment the population. These branches were, the cotton
manufacture, for which a spacious mill was erected at an
expense of about £25,000 ; a carpet manufactory ; and
several others ; but in a few years they began to decline,
and ultimately became extinct ; and the place has since
resumed its original name of Newton-Stewart, by which
it is now generally known.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated on the banks of the
river Cree, over which is an elegant bridge of granite of
five arches, connecting it with the village of Creebridge,
in the parish of MinnigafF. It consists chiefly of one
spacious street, extending along the shore, and in the
centre of which is the town-hall. The houses, generally
two stories in height, are neatly built, and roofed with
slate. A public library, and a news and reading room
well supplied with journals and periodical publications,
are supported by subscription, and a horticultural and
an agricultural society hold their annual meetings in the
town. The principal trade is the tanning and currying of
leather, and the buying and selling of wool. The weav-
ing of cotton is still carried on by hand-loom weavers
at their own dwellings for the Glasgow manufacturers,
though gradually diminishing ; and the curing of bacon,
which is of recent introduction, is extensive, producing
annually a return of £6000. Many of the inhabitants
are employed in the usual handicraft trades requisite
for the wants of a district ; there are numerous shops
well stored with articles of merchandise, and also an
extensive brewery. Branches of the British Linen
Company and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Bank, as
well as several insurance agencies, have been established.
The post-office has a good delivery; and facility of
communication is maintained by the military road from
Dumfries to Portpatrick, and by the road from Wigtown
to Ayr. Port-Carty, about a mile south of the town, is
accessible to vessels of eighty tons at spring tides. A
market is held on Friday ; and there are fairs on the
second Fridays in January, March, April, May, August,
2 S 2
NEWT
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J^-
T
September, and December, for cattle ; on the second
Fridays in February, June, and November, for horses ;
and on the second Fridays in July and October, for
wool : the October fair is also for hiring servants. The
government of the place is vested in a constable ; the
town-hall is a neat building, and there is a small prison
for the temporary confinement of petty offenders. In
the town are the parish church, and places of worship
for members of the United Presbyterian Church, Came-
ronians, and Roman Catholics. The parochial school
is also situated here, and the master has an excellent
dwelling-house attached, with a large garden : there are
several other schools, one of which is the Douglas en-
dowed charity school, described under the head of Pen-
NINGHAME.
-p NEWTON-UPON-AYR, a burgh, market-town, and
\ parish, in the district of Kyle, county of Ayr ; con-
taining 44S'2 inhabitants. This place derives its name
from its being of more recent foundation than the
county town, and from its position on the opposite bank
of the river Ayr. The precise time of its erection is not
distinctly known; but it appears to have obtained some
importance at a comparatively early period ; and an
ancient castle of which the last remains have been re-
moved within the present century, was for many ages
the residence of the family of Wallace of Craigie, whose
descendant Sir Thomas Wallace, the fifth baronet, built
the mansion of Craigie House on the bank of the river.
The inhabitants adhered to the fortunes of Robert Bruce,
and distinguished themselves at the battle of Bannock-
burn in 1314, for which important service that monarch,
after he had secured the crown, granted them a charter
of incorporation. Newton may be almost regarded as a
suburb to Ayr, with which it is connected by a handsome
bridge, and in the trade of which it participates. Its
more ancient part consists of one street of considerable
length, the houses in which are irregularly built, and of
very indifferent appearance : the more modern part,
which has arisen within the last fifty or sixty years,
comprises several streets regularly disposed, and con-
taining some handsome houses; and a few pleasing
villas have been erected.
Ship-building, which afforded occupation to more than
'200 men, afterwards very materially declined, but has
in some degree revived, and at present gives employ-
ment to about ninety men: a patent-slip was constructed
in 1831, since which time numerous vessels of different
sizes have been repaired, and some ships have been
built, registering from fifty to more than 400 tons' bur-
then, for the ship-owners of Greenock, one of which was
destined for the East India trade. Rope and sail making
affords employment to ten persons, who are regularly
engaged for the supply of the yard. Four iron and brass
foundries on a moderate scale occupy about sixty men
and fifteen boys, and, in connexion with some forges,
are employed in the manufacture of machinery of all
kinds. Five men, also, are engaged in some salt-works.
There are numerous weavers emi)loyc(l by agents for
Glasgow houses ; and the Ayrshire needle-work, so well
known, gives support to a number of females, working
muslins for the (ilasgow manufacturers. The maritime
trade is almost limited tr) the export of coal : the pro-
duce of tlie collieries in the parish of St. Quivox is con-
veyed to this side of the river by a railroad ; about 300
vessels annually depart in this trade, and the quantity
316
shipped averages 40,000 tons. A lighthouse of stone,
erectea by the Coal Company on the north-east part of
the harbour, and destroyed by the encroachment of the
sea, was replaced in 18'27 by one constructed of wood.
The market is little more than nominal, the chief busi-
ness being transacted in the market of Ayr. Some
boats are employed in fishing. Facility of communica-
tion with places in the vicinity is afforded by the bridge
over the river, and by good roads which are common to
both Ayr and Newton ; and the railway from Glasgow
to Ayr has its terminal station at this place. The town
received its first charter of incorporation from Robert
Bruce, who conferred upon forty-eight of the inhabitants
the lands of the burgh, and granted them many privi-
leges : this grant was confirmed by charter of James VI.,
in 1.595 and in 1600. The lands appear to have been
divided among the original number of burgesses for
certain definite periods, which have been increased by
successive arrangements from seven to 999 years ; and
to have since descended as a patrimonial inheritance to
their sons, or, in failure of issue male, to have passed to
such as have been elected burgesses when vacancies in
the number have occurred. The government is vested
in two bailies, a treasurer, and six councillors elected
annually by the burgesses. Both civil and criminal
jurisdiction is exercised, but the former is generally con-
fined to the recovery of debts of small amount, and the
latter to petty breaches of the peace. By the act of the
2nd and 3rd of William IV., the burgh is included with-
in the parliamentary boundary of Ayr. The council-
house is a plain building, surmounted with a spire.
The PARISH is about one mile and a half in length
and one mile in breadth. It is bounded on the south by
the river Ayr, and on the west by the Firth of Clyde,
and comprises 4*29 acres, of which 350 are arable, and
the remainder meadow and pasture. With the exception
of a rocky headland projecting into the firth at the
north-eastern extremity, the coast is a level sandy beach ;
the surface of the interior is uniformly flat, and, from
the want of wood, possesses little variety of character.
In general the soil is sandy, but it has been greatly
improved by good management ; and several tracts, pre-
viously unprofitable, have been reclaimed and rendered
fertile. The crops are, grain of all kinds, potatoes, and
turnips ; the system of agriculture is in an advanced
state, and the lands are inclosed with stone dykes, and
hedges of thorn. The farms are in the possession of
the burgesses, and the recent improvement of the lands
has added m»ich to the value of the freedom. Coal is
found in the parish, and was formerly worked exten-
sively, yielding to the proprietors more than £300 per
annum ; but since 1832 the mines have t)een exhausted,
and the working of them has been discontinued. Free-
stone and sandstone arc quarried to some extent, pro-
ducing an income of about £400. Tlie annual value of
real property in Newton is £3*07. It is ecclesiastically
in the presbytery of Ayr, synod of Glasgow and Ayr,
and in the patronage of thirteen delegates chosen by the
burgesses: the minister's stipend is £178, being aug-
mented to that sum by a grant from government of £90,
and subject to an increase arising from the scat-rents ;
there is a manse, and the glebe is valued at £15 per an-
num. Tiic cliurch, a neat substantial edifice, was erected
by tlie corporation at an expense of £'2000, in 1778, and
was enlarged in 1 832, affording accummodation to about
NEWT
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1000 persons. The members of the Free Church of Scot-
land have a place of worship here. Newton parochial
school affords a useful course of instruction, and the
master has a salary of £34 per annum, with the fees :
a new school-bouse was erected in the year 1845. A
parochial lihrary, established in 1829, now comprises
above 500 volumes. Among the ruins of the ancient
castle of Newton were found an antique mathematical
quadrant, and the barrel of a very ancient gun, about
seven feet in length and of massive form : they are pre-
served in the library of the Mechanics' Institution at
Ayr.
/. NEWTOWN, a village, in the parish of Abbots-
hall, county of Fife ; adjacent to Kirkcaldy, and con-
taining 860 inhabitants. This village, which is of com-
paratively recent origin, consists of one long street of
well-built houses, extending at right angles from the
eastern extremity of Linktown ; and is partly inhabited
by persons employed in weaving. It is well lighted with
gas, and has a neat and cheerful appearance. There are
extensive spinning-mills here belonging to Mr. Aytoun,
in which more than 120 of the inhabitants are regularly
engaged. The whole of the buildings of the town,
which appear to be rapidly increasing in number, are
erected on land let for that purpose by the Ferguson fa-
mily, of Raith. Great facilities of communication are
afforded by the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway.
NEWTOWN, a village, in the parish of Aberdour,
district of Dunfermline, county of Fife ; containing
152 inhabitants.
NEWTOWN, a village, in the parish of Borrow-
STOUNNESS, county of Linlithgow; containing 138 in-
habitants.
NEWTOWN, a hamlet, in the parish of Bedrule,
district of Jedburgh, county of Roxburgh, 1\ miles
(W.) from Jedburgh ; containing 56 inhabitants. It
is situated in the north-western part of the parish, on
the high road from Eckford to Hawick. Anciently, it
was the property of a family named Ker, and had a
house of great strength : this has been demolished ; but
the foundations, with the venerable avenue of trees, still
evidence the grandeur of the mansion. Newtown is now
a farm. Distinct vestiges of a camp may be traced.
NEWTOWN, a village, in the parish and district
of Melrose, county of Roxburgh, 3 miles (S. E.) from
the town of Melrose ; containing 164 inhabitants. This
village is beautifully situated in the south-eastern part
of the parish, in the romantic dell through which the
river Bowden flows into the Tweed. There is a place of
worship for a congregation of the United Presbyterian
Church ; and a school-house has been erected for the in-
struction of poor children.
•^ NEWTOWN, a village, in the parish of Fintry,
county of Stirling, h a mile (N. W. by W.) from Fintry
church ; containing 556 inhabitants. This place is
situated in the western part of the parish, on the high
road from Kippen to Campsie, and is of modern erec-
tion, and now the principal village. It owes its origin
to the establishment, about fifty or sixty years since, of
a considerable cotton- factory, round which houses con-
tinued to spring up for the accommodation of the work-
people, and of others, until the village attained its pre-
sent extent and population. The cotton-mill contains
20,000 spindles, and employs 260 hands, the machinery
being partly driven by the water of the Endrick, col-
317
lected in a reservoir of thirty acres. Here is also a large
distillery producing annually 70,000 gallons of whisky ;
and a good intercourse is kept up with Glasgow. Besides
the parochial school, a school has been opened lately, for
the instruction of the children engaged in the factory.
In the village are also a savings' bank, and a small sub-
scription library.
NEWTOWN OF PITCAIRN, a village, in the parish
of Dunning, county of Perth, 1 mile (S. E.) from the
village of Dunning ; containing 319 inhabitants. This
village has been built within the present century, on the
estate of Mr. Graham ; it lies in the eastern part of the
parish, near the road from Dunning to Arngask. The
inhabitants are chiefly employed in weaving. The man-
sion-house of Pitcairn, erected within the last twenty or
thirty years, is the seat of the Pitcairn family.
NEWTYLE, a parish, in the county of Forfar ; ~^ ^
containing 1264 inhabitants, of whom a large part are
in the New Village, 1\ miles (S. by E.) from Meigle.
This place is conjectured to have taken its name from
the slate, or material for tiles, found in the hills of the
parish. It measures almost four miles in length from
east to west, and above two miles in breadth from north
to south, comprising upwards of 4000 acres, of which
2630 are arable, 1370 pasture, 189 wood, and the re-
mainder roads, &c. The Sidlaw hills stretch along the
south, chiefly from east to west, and, being covered with
verdure nearly to their summits, have a pleasing appear-
ance, and form fine sheep-walks. Between the hills of
Hatton and Newtyle, two of the most considerable eleva-
tions, is the pass to the beautiful valley of Strathmore,
commonly called the Glack of Newtyle, which introduces
the spectator, advancing towards the north, to the rich
and picturesque scenery, suddenly expanding before him,
of the valley below. To the level of this valley the sur-
face gradually declines from the northern base of the
hilly part of the parish on the south. In the southern
division the soil is mostly a black earth, or clay, mixed
with sand or gravel, and incumbent on rock, mortar, or
clay ; the soil in the north is nearly of the same cha-
racter, but richer in many places, and resting on a sub-
soil of sand, gravel, clay, or marl. The grain chiefly
raised is oats and barley, and all the crops are cultivated
according to the most approved system of husbandry.
A large extent of barren and swampy ground has been
brought under tillage. The rearing and feeding of cattle
receive much attention ; and several of the farmers pur-
chase sheep for eating off winter turnip, and sell them,
when fattened, in the following spring. On the farm of
Auchtertyre, tenanted by Hugh Watson, Esq., an enter-
prising agriculturist, who introduced the use of bone-
manure into this district, a stock of South-down sheep
is regularly kept. The farms vary much in size, rang-
ing from small allotments of one or two acres to a rental
of £700 : land under tillage lets at £1. 10. or £1. 15.
per acre on an average. In general the farm houses and
offices are substantial and convenient ; several of a supe-
rior description have been built. There are thirteen
threshing-mills, one of which is impelled by steam, and
the rest by water or horse power. Whinstone, which is
abundant, is used for the repair of roads ; and several
quarries of freestone are in operation, supplying an ex-
cellent material for building. There is also in the hills
an inferior kind of slate, but it is little wrought. The
plantations, of small extent, consist chiefly of larch and
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Scotch fir, occasionally intermixed with different kinds
of hard-wood : a small copse of natural birch on the
northern declivity of the hill of Newtyle, has an in-
teresting and picturesque appearance, and contributes to
the improvement of the scenery in that locality. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £4521.
The parish contains the villages of Kirkton, New-
bigging, and several hamlets ; besides Newtyle or the
New Village, separated from the village of Kirkton by the
Dundee turnpike-road,and containing nearly 500 persons.
Newtyle is built on a regular plan, upon a site of
about fifteen acres, let out in 1832 in lots for building,
under leases of ninety-nine years, by the late Lord
Wharncliffe, proprietor of nearly the whole parish. It
consists of streets of good width, crossing each other at
right angles ; each house has a kitchen-garden at the
back, and the inhabitants are supplied with water from
two excellent wells. Newbigging is the next in size to
the New Village, and contains about 230 persons. Many
of the inhabitants of the parish, young and old, are em-
ployed in different branches of manufacture, consisting
chiefly of sacking and Hessian sheetings ; coarse linens
called Osnaburghs are also produced, with some shirt-
ing and common sheeting. Nearly as many women as
men are engaged in the weaving, having applied them-
selves to it since the spinning-wheel was supplanted by
machinery. There are two meal-mills, and two saw-mills
driven by water. Peat is obtained from a moss in the
southern part of the parish, now in progress of draining;
but coal is chiefly burned, being readily brought from
Dundee, with which place the general traffic is carried
on. The public road from Dundee to Meigle passes
through the parish, between Kirkton and the village of
Newtyle ; and county and statute-labour roads cross
each other in different parts. The railway from Dundee
to Newtyle was commenced at each end of the line in
1826, and opened in 1S32 ; it is about ten miles and a
half long, and was completed at an expense of about
£50,000. This line joins the Scottish Midland Junction
railway near Newtyle, and an act for its improvement
was passed in 184*.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Meigle, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patron-
age of Lord Wharncliffe : the minister's stipend is £164,
with a manse, and a glebe of about six acres. The church
is a plain edifice, erected in 176", with its spire, contrary
to custom, on the cast side : it will now accommodate
from 500 to 600 persons, some new sittings having been
added of late years. There is a place of worship for
members of the United Presbyterian Church. Newtyle
parochial school, for which new premises have been built
iu a superior style, adapted for about 1*0 scholars, affords
instruction in the usual branches ; the master has a
salary of £34. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees.
A parochial library was established in 1822, and there is
a branch of the Dundee National-Security Savings'
Bank. Grahame's Knowe and King's Well, in the north-
western part of the parish, are traditionally said to mark
the track of Macbeth nortiiward from his fortress on
Dunsinnan liill, when fleeing before the Thane of Fife.
Not far from the hamlet of Auchtertyre, adjoining a
well called the Crew Well, are the remains of a camp of
square form, occupied by the army of Montrose for
some nights, while the marquess lodged at a castle in
the neighbourhood, after having burned the house of
318
Newton of Blairgowrie. Near this place, also, has been
discovered an artificial subterraneous cavern of consi-
derable extent and contrivance, supposed to be of Pict-
ish construction. The Castle of Hatton, now in ruins,
was built in 1575, by Laurence, Lord Oliphant, and
appears to have been originally a strong and spacious
structure ; it is situated on the north-western declivity
of the hill of Hatton, in the pass called the Glack, and
commands a beautiful view of the subjacent strath. On
the hill of Kilpurnie, the most northern of the Sidlaw
hills ranging from the south, and the highest ground in
the parish, stands an observatory, built in the last cen-
tury by the proprietor, with a keeper's residence adjoin-
ing ; the latter, however, has entirely disappeared, and
the walls alone of the former remain. This eminence
and turret are valuable as a landmark for mariners ; and
the summit of the hill is supposed to have been formerly
used for beacon-fires, commanding, as it does, an exten-
sive range of observation in every direction. It embraces
views of the vale of Strathmore, the Grampian moun-
tains, the river Tay with its estuary, the Bell-rock light-
house in the German Ocean, and the picturesque towers
of St. Andrew's.
NICHOLAS, ST., in the county of Oreney.— See
Stronsay.
NIDDRY, a village, in the parish of Kirkliston,
county of Linlithgow, 2 miles (W.) from the village
of Kirkliston ; containing 111 inhabitants. The head
of the barony of Niddry was anciently hereditary bailie
of the ecclesiastical regality of Kirkliston ; and it is
mentioned that during the reign of David II., Alexander
Seton granted to Ade Forest two ploughs of land in the
town of Niddry. The celebrated castle stands a little
south of the Edinburgh and Linlithgow road. It was at
one time possessed by the Earls of Wintoun ; and Mary,
Queen of Scots, rested, and, it is said, slept, at this castle
when on her flight from Lochleven to join her adherents
at Hamilton, in 1568. It is now the property of the
Earl of Hopetoun, and is a fine old ruin. The Edinburgh
and Glasgow railway, and the Union canal, pass by
Niddry. The Earl of Hopetoun derives his title of Ba-
ron Niddry from this place.
NIGG, a parish, in the county of Kincardine,
2^^ miles (S. S. K.) from Aberdeen ; containing, with the
villages of Burnbanks, Cove, andTorry, 1642 inhabitants,
of whom S66 are in the rural districts. This place, an-
ciently called St. Fittick's from the name of the saint to
whom its church was dedicated, derives its present
appellation, signifying in the Gaelic language " a pro-
montory or headland", from the projection of its north-
eastern extremity, (iirdleness, into the German Ocean
near the harbour of Aberdeen. Previously to the Re-
formation the lands were part of the possessions of Ar-
broath Abbey ; subsequently, one-half became the pro-
perty of a predecessor of the late proprietor, John
Menzies, Esq., of Pitfoddels, and the other half was
ac(|uircd by the corporation of Aberdeen. In 17f>6, the
j)arish was by arbitration divided into two parts, of
which that extending along the coast and the harbour
of Al)erdeen was assigned to the town council, and the
remainder, and more inland portion, to the family of
Menzies.
The I'AUisii occupies the north-eastern extremity of
the county, and is about five miles in length and three
miles in breadth ; comprising an area of 3537 acres, of
N I GG
NIGG
■which 1885 are arable, about sixty woodland and plan-
tations, and the remainder moss, moor, and waste. By
the sea on the east, and the river Dee on the north and
north-west, the parish is formed into a peninsula. Its
surface rises gradually from the east by a range of hills
covered with heath, which at the western boundary
attain an elevation of 200 feet above the level of the sea,
and are crowned with two cairns, visible at the distance
of several leagues, and on the higher of which, during
the late war, a flag-staff was sometimes erected to an-
nounce the approach of hostile vessels. These hills
form part of the Grampian range, which terminates in
this parish, near the coast, in the hill of TuUos, an emi-
nence partly covered with thriving plantations. The
coast is bold and elevated, rising in a chain of rugged
rocks varying from sixty to eighty feet in height. It is
indented with several small bays forming natural har-
bours for fishing-boats, and in many places is perforated
with caverns of considerable extent, the roofs of which,
by the action of the water, have been worn into arches
of graceful form. The chief headlands are, Gregness,
on the south of the bay of Nigg ; and Girdleness, on
which a lighthouse was erected in 1833 by the Commis-
sioners of Northern Lights, under the superintendence
of their engineer. The tower rises to a height of 131
feet above the basement, and exhibits towards the east
two polygonal lanterns ; the lower has an elevation of 96
feet, and the upper, which is perpendicularly above it,
an elevation of 166 feet, above the level of the sea, dis-
playing fixed lights visible at a distance of sixteen miles.
This lighthouse is under the management of an inspector
and two resident keepers. The lands are watered by
numerous springs, and some of them, near the centre of
the parish, are chalybeate, though not medicinally used.
Not far from the south-west boundary is the loch of
Loirston, about twenty-seven acres in extent, from which
issues a stream that gives motion to several mills.
In this parish the soil is generally a black loam vary-
ing in depth, but in some parts clay ; the crops are oats,
barley, potatoes, and turnips. The system of husbandry
is improved, and considerable portions of waste ground
have been reclaimed by draining ; the farm-buildings are
substantial and commodious, and the lands inclosed
chiefly with stone dykes. Few sheep or cattle are reared
here ; but great numbers of cows are kept for supply-
ing the city of Aberdeen with milk, which is sent there
daily in the morning and evening. The plantations con-
sist of oak, beech, elm, plane, alder, pine, larch, and
Scotch fir. Granite of good quality for paving abounds
in the parish, and was formerly wrought to a very great
extent, affording employment to more than 600 men in
quarrying and dressing paving-stones, which were sent
to Aberdeen, whence they were shipped to London ; but
since the introduction of wood pavement, the demand is
greatly diminished, and comparatively few men are now
engaged in the quarries. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £6419. The village of Charleston,
of recent erection on the lands of Mr. Menzies, who por-
tioned out a barren hill in allotments for building, has
considerably increased of late, and at present contains
nearly "200 inhabitants. Facility of communication is
afforded by good roads, and by bridges connecting the
parish with the city of Aberdeen on the opposite bank
of the Dee : the elegant suspension-bridge, called the
Wellington bridge, was erected in 1833, at the northern
319
extremity of a road constructed at the same time through
the centre of the parish. The Aberdeen railway enters
the parish from the south, and passing along the roman-
tic coast, afterwards curves round towards the Dee, where
it leaves the parish for Aberdeen, crossing the channel
of the river by a majestic viaduct. The villages or fish-
ing-hamlets of Burnbanks, Cove, and Torry are noticed
under their respective heads. For ecclesiastical pur-
poses the parish is within the bounds of the presbytery
and synod of Aberdeen. The minister's stipend is
£160. '2., of which more than one-third is paid from the
exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £60
per annum : patron, the Crown. The old church, situ-
ated at the north-eastern extremity of the parish, having
fallen into decay, the present church was erected in a
more central situation, by the heritors, at a cost of
£1800, in IS^29 ; it is a handsome structure, with a
square tower, and contains 900 sittings. Nigg parochial
school is attended by about sixty children ; the master
has a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and the
fees average £'20. There are also a school in the village
of Cove, the master of which has from the heritors of
the parish a house and garden, £7 per annum from an
endowment, and £15 fees ; and a school in the village of
Charleston, the master of which has a house and garden,
with £12 fees, besides a donation of £5 from the trustees
of the late Mr. Donaldson. James Calder, Esq., of
Aberdeen, some years since bequeathed £500 to the poor
of the parish. In the parish are numerous large cairns,
supposed to have been raised over the bodies of persons
killed in battle in former times ; also some remains of
an ancient house, a summer residence of the abbots
of Arbroath. When cutting through some low ground,
in order to form a drain to the sea, in 1804, the work-
men met with the timbers of a vessel of considerable
burthen, embedded in the soil.
NIGG, a parish, in the county of Ross and Cro- *'
MARTY, 2 miles (N.) from Cromarty ; containing, with
the village of Shandwick, 1426 inhabitants. The name
appears to have been corrupted from the word ll'igg, by
which the parish is called in some ancient records ; and
this word is thought to be a derivation of the Saxon
H'ich, signifying " a bay or harbour". From the relics
of antiquity, and the names attached to them, we may
conclude that in the tenth or eleventh century the Danes
effected a settlement here; and in 1 179, William, King
of Scotland, erected a castle on the top of a rock oppo-
site Cromarty, the site of which still remains, and which
is said to have been raised as a security against robbers,
and hence to have received its name of Dunskeath Castle.
In the sixteenth century, the bishops of Ross resided
during the summer in the vicinity of the present church,
and enjoyed, as a glebe, nearly the whole of the parish
lands. At the present time, indeed, all the lands of
Nigg, with the exception of the estate of Dunskeath,
pay bishop's rents to the Crown amounting to £200 or
£300 per annum.
The PARISH is nearly six miles long and from two to
three broad, and contains 5000 acres. It is bounded on
the north by the parishes of Logie-Easter and Fearn, on
the south and west by the Firth of Cromarty, and on the
east by the Moray Firth. The general appearance of the
surface is broken and rugged, and the aspect of the shores
abrupt and rocky. About one-third of the parish is oc-
cupied by the hill of Nigg, formerly called the Bishop's
N I G G
N I N I
forest, which runs from the north Sutor of Cromarty
along the Moray Firth for about five miles ; its breadth
is about a mile, and its height from 300 to 500 feet, the
hill commanding a view of nine counties, easily discern-
ible with the naked eye, viz., Sutherland, Ross, Caith-
ness, Inverness, Nairn, Cromarty, Moray, Banff, and
Perth. The remaining portion of the parish consists of
an extensive declivity ou the western side of the hill, and
a plain commencing at its base, and reaching to the pa-
rishes of Logie-Easter and Fearn. There is a curious
rock projecting from the shore, and rising to a perpen-
dicular elevation of 300 feet ; it is indented with caves,
and covered in many places with ivy of an unusual size.
In different parts are excellent springs, and several wells
of some note ; but the only conspicuous piece of water
is the bay of Cromarty, which resembles an inland lake,
and which was called by the Romans Portus Salutis.
The SOIL varies considerably. In the neighbourhood
of the hill of Nigg, which is partly planted with Scotch
firs, it is poor and wet ; in other parts, clayey ; while
in the western quarter is a deep layer of light sand,
which is said to have been cast by some marine convul-
sions over the bed of clayey loam that is found beneath
it. The larger portion, however, of the arable land is a
fine loam, from one to four feet in depth, and resting on
red sandstone. About 2.500 acres are in tillage ; 100
are under fir wood ; 1000 are waste capable of profitable
cultivation ; and 100 in common. Great quantities of
wheat are now grown; and the parish was famous some
years ago for its large supply of barley, very little of
which is at present raised : Chevalier barley has been
recently introduced, and is gaining ground. Angus and
potato oats are freely cultivated, and the Hopetoun are
incr^sing in favour. Beans, potatoes, and turnips are
also raised in considerable quantities ; the last attain a
fine size by the use of bone-dust manure. Lime and
sea-weed are likewise extensively employed in agricul-
ture. Much land has been recovered within the last
twenty or thirty years by embankments, and great im-
provements have been made in other parts by draining
and trenching ; the size of the farms is from thirty to
400 acres, and generally the buildings are in good con-
dition. There is still, however, considerable room for
improvement. The few sheep reared are South-Downs
and Cheviots ; black-cattle are but little attended to.
Numerous goats are to be seen feeding upon the herbage
of the rocks of Castle-Craig, at a height beyond the reach
of other animals. In this parish the strata are of very
different kinds, consisting of granitic gneiss, conglome-
rate, red and white sandstone, belemnites, shale, and
limestone. The only seat of note is the mansion-house
of Bayfield, built about half a century ago, but which,
though a good building, is destitute of ornamental
grounds and picturesque scenery. There are four thrcsh-
inp-mills worked by water, and three mcal-mills.
The inhabitants are chiefly employed in agricultural
|)nrsuits ; but there are several families of fishermen, by
whom the two small villages of Balnabruach and Balna-
paling, in the western extremity of the parish, seem to
be inhabited. In the eastern part, at Shandwick, is
also a fishing settlement. Both of the firths are well
stocked with almost every kind of white fish, and the
rocks afford crabs, lobsters, and oysters : in the Moray
Firth, during the season, is also a regular herring-fishery,
in which about sixteen boats have been employed, but
3'^0
which is now in a declining state. There is no harbour ;
but ic a large bay of the Firth of Cromarty, called the
Sands of Nigg, small craft discharge lime, slate, and
coal, and take back cargoes of timber and potatoes.
About thirty-two boats are used for fishing. The roads
from Cromarty Ferry to Tain and Tarbat pass through
the parish. A fair is held in November for general pur-
poses. Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds
of the presbytery of Tain, synod of Ross, and the pa-
tronage is vested in the Crown : the stipend of the mi-
nister is about £234, with a manse, and a glebe of four
acres and a half, valued at £10 per annum. Nigg
church, built in 1626, underwent extensive repairs in
1*25 and 1/86, and accommodates 425 persons. The
members of the Free Church and United Presbyterian
Church have places of worship. There is also a parochial
school, the master of which has a salary of £34, and £5
fees, with a house and garden. Another school is partly
supported by a society, who allow the teacher a salary
of £10 per annum. At the village of Nigg is a monu-
mental stone, in the churchyard j the top is of a trian-
gular form, and on the stone are depicted two figures
in the attire of priests, with books in their hands, over
whose heads a dove is hovering, ready to take away the
sacrifice from an altar below. Crosses and various sa-
cred hieroglyphics appear on the other parts of this
monument, which has always strongly excited the curi-
osity of strangers, and is evidently of great antiquity.
There is a monument at Shandwick, somewhat similar
to the former, called the Stone of the Burying-ground.
Of the several chalybeate springs in the parish, the
most esteemed is one at Wester Rarichie, called " the
Cow's Eye": it is impregnated with sulphur and mag-
nesia.
NINIAN'S, ST., a parish, in the county of Stirling; -/. O
containing, with the former quoad sacra parishes of Ban-
nockburn and Plean, and the villages of Cambusbarron,
St. Ninian's, Torbrex, and the Whins of Milton, 10,080
inhabitants, of whom 1295 are in the village of St.
Ninian's, 1 mile (S.) from Stirling. The original name
of this place was Egglis, from a church founded here at
a very remote period, and which is thought to have
been for ages the only church between the rivers Forth
and Carron. The place is supposed to have subsequently
derived its present appellation from Ninianus, an emi-
nent disciple of Palladius, and who was sent by Pope
Celestiue to oppose the Pelagian heresy, which at that
time infested the Scottish Church. Owing to its situa-
tion, bordering upon the confines of Northumbria and
Cumbria on the south, and the territories of the Picts
and the Scots on the north, the district appears to have
been exposed to incessant devastation from the hostilities
and incursions of contending rivals ; and even after the
final establishment of the Scottish monarchy under
Kenneth II. in the ninth century, it seems to have been
for many years the seat of turbulence and war.
In 1314 the memorable battle of Bannockburn took I
place in this parish between the English army, consist- |
ing of 100,000 men under Edward II., and 30,000 of /
the Scots, commanded by Robert Bruce : it terminated
in the entire defeat of the English, and the permanent
establishment of the independence of the Scottish crown.
The English, on the night previous to the battle, were
encamped at West Plean ; the Scottish forces were drawn
up in three divisions, in front of an eminence called the
N I N I
NINI
Gillies Hills, on the opposite bank of the rivulet or burn
which has given name to the encounter. On the follow-
ing morning of the '24th of June, the English, descending
from the heights, crossed the Bannock burn, and, their
cavalry falling into numerous pits which the Scots had
by order of Bruce dug for their annoyance, and filled
with iron caltrops, were thrown into confusion. A total
rout of the English troops ensued, and Edward, after the
loss of nearly half his men, narrowly escaped. Daring
the engagement, the Scottish standard was placed in the
cavity of an upright block of granite, on the summit of
an eminence named Caldan Hill, within half a mile of
the village of St. Ninian's. The stone is still preserved,
under the appellation of the " Bored Stone", as a memo-
rial of the victory ; and to secure it from the avidity of
numerous visiters to obtain fragments for converting
into trinkets, it has lately been inclosed with an iron
palisade.
In 1448 a battle took place at Sauchieburn, in the
parish, not far from Bannockburn, between James HI.
and the confederate lords who had rebelled against him ;
on which occasion the king, retreating unattended from
the field, in attempting to cross the burn on his way to
the Forth, was cast from his horse at Milton, and carried
into the house of a miller near the spot. On the king's
recovery from the state of insensibility into which the
fall had thrown him, he made himself known, and
requested his host to send for a priest ; when one of his
pursuers, coming up at the time, and personating a con-
fessor, obtained admission to the king, and stabbed him
to the heart. In 1511, the Earl of Lenno.x, who was
holding a parliament at Stirling as regent of Scotland,
during the minority of James V., was attacked by a
party that had marched from Edinburgh during the
night, and, in a skirmish on the following day at New-
house, near the village of St. Ninian's, received a wound
of which he afterwards died. During the time of Crom-
well and of Charles II., though no battle took place
within the limits of the parish, it was harassed by the
contending armies marching through it, or encamping
in the vicinity. In September 1/45, the Young Pre-
tender with his army passed through the parish, and
spent one night at Bannockburn House, upon the invi-
tation of Sir Hugh Paterson, its proprietor ; and on his
return in 1746, he made it his head-quarters, while his
followers were quartered in the surrounding villages.
On the morning of the I'th of January, he assembled
his forces on Plean moor, whence they marched to Fal-
kirk, and obtained a victory over the Royalist troops ;
but on the approach of the Duke of Cumberland, they
retreated towards the north, previously blowing up the
church of St. Ninian's, which they had converted into a
powder magazine, and which, with the exception of the
steeple, was entirely destroyed.
The PARISH is partly bounded on the north by the
river Forth, and on the south by the Carron. It is
about thirteen miles in length, and seven miles in ex-
treme breadth ; comprising an area of about 35,000
acres, of which 20,000 are arable and in good cultivation,
2000 woodland and plantations, and the remainder mea-
dow, pasture, moor, and waste. The surface is pleasingly
diversified with hills and gentle undulations. Of the
hills the principal are the DundafF and the Earl's hill,
forming part of the Lennox range in the south-west ;
but the loftier of the two has not an elevation of more
Vol. II.— 391
than 1000 feet above the level of the sea. In one dis-
trict of the parish the high lands are mostly covered
with heath, alTording tolerable pasturage for sheep and
cattle. Along the banks of the rivers are some fine
tracts of even ground. The principal river is the Forth,
which flows along the boundary of tlie parish in strikingly
picturesque windings, and afterwards expanding into a
spacious firth in its course towards the east, unites with
the German Ocean between Crail and Dunbar. The Car-
ron, which has its source in the adjoining parish of Fin-
try, and for some miles bounds this parish, runs east-
ward into the Firth of Forth at Grangemouth. There
are numerous smaller streams, which intersect the lands
in various directions : the Bannock burn rises in Loch
Coulter, in the parish, and, winding to the north, joins
the river Forth ; the Endrick flows westward, and be-
coming a considerable stream falls into Loch Lomond,
while the Earl's burn and other streams run southward
into the Carron. Loch Coulter, in the south-west, is
about two miles in circumference, and in some parts of
great depth. Salmon, whiting, sea-trout, and smelts are
found in the Forth, and perch and pike in Loch Coulter;
common trout are found also in the smaller streams, and
other kinds of fish. The moorlands abound with grouse
and other game ; partridges are to be seen in great num-
bers, and wild-ducks frequent the lake.
Though varying greatly in different localities, the soil
is generally fertile, and in many parts luxuriantly rich.
The carse grounds along the banks of the Forth appear
to have been at some remote period an extensive morass,
and gradually reclaimed from the encroachment of the
river, above the level of which they have now attained a
moderate degree of elevation, forming a fine tract of
arable land. The central districts, as distinguished from
the carse and the moorlands, arc called dry-field, and
are the most extensive portion of the parish : they are
usually arable ; and the soil, though inferior to that of
the carse lands, from which the ground rises abruptly
to a considerable height, is fertile and productive. The
crops are wheat, barley, oats, beans, peas, potatoes, and
turnips, with the usual grasses. The system of husbandry
is in a very improved state ; a rotation of crops is care-
fully observed, and the lands generally are in a high
state of cultivation. Thorough-draining and subsoil-
ploughing have been extensively practised ; and the
lands have been well inclosed, the lower with fences of
thorn, and the higher with dykes of stone, both kept in
good order. Several of the farm houses and offices
have been rebuilt in a substantial and commodious style,
but there are still many of a very inferior description.
The hills and moorlands afford good pasture for sheep
and cattle, of which considerable numbers are reared,
the former in the higher parts and the latter in the lower
moorlands, where the heath has been supplanted with
grass ; the sheep are about 5000 in number, and of the
cattle there are more than 1000. Dairy-farming is well
managed, and large quantities of butter and cheese of
excellent quality are forwarded to Stirling. The sheep
and cattle are chiefly sent to Falkirk, and sold to dealers
for the supply of the sDuthern markets. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £49,082.
There are but few remains of ancient wood : the forests
with which this part of the country was overspread are
supposed to have been cut down by the Romans, to
prevent their affording shelter to the natives, who, con-
2 T
NI N I
NINI
XI
cealing themselves, frequently issued thence in numbers.
The plantations consist of firs of all kinds, not surpassed
in luxuriance by any in the country, and of other kinds
of trees, for which the soil is well adapted. Many of
the ash-trees in the park of Carnock are of very stately
growth, and on the lands of Touch are some oaks, and
a cedar of Libanus said to be the largest of the sort in
Britain. In this parish the substrata comprise sand-
stone, limestone, greenstone, clay-slate, and coal. The
limestone, which is very abundant, is wrought at Craig-
end and Murray's Hall, affording constant occupation to
about forty men j and there are extensive quarries of
freestone at Catscraig, Blackcraig, and Craigbeg, where
about seventy persons are employed. Coal of excellent
quality has been long in operation. The principal col-
lieries are at Greenyards, Bannockburn, Plean, and Au-
chenbowie ; the two last are wrought by the proprietors
of the lands, and those of Greenyards and Bannockburn
by a company holding the mines on lease. The several
collieries give employment to more than 400 persons,
for whom, in addition to their wages, houses and gardens
are provided at a nominal rent : the quantity of coal
annually produced averages above 60,000 tons. Clay
of good quality for bricks and tiles is also found in the
parish; and at Throsk some works have been established,
which are in full operation, engaging nearly thirty men:
great numbers of tiles for draining are made at these
works. There are numerous mansion-houses belonging
to landed proprietors, and the tastefully embellished and
richly planted demesnes attached to them add much to
the beauty of the scenery ; the principal houses are
Auchenbowie, Bannockburn, Craigforth, Carnock, Plean,
Polmaise, Sauchie, Throsk, and Touch.
The village of St.Ninian's is pleasantly situated at the
junction of the roads from Edinburgh and Glasgow to
Stirling. It consists principally of one narrow street of
ancient houses irregularly built, but most of the houses
being whitewashed, it has a cheerful and lively aspect.
The steeple of the church destroyed by the Highland
forces of the Pretender is still remaining entire, and, be-
ing at a considerable distance from the new church built
on a different site, forms a singularly striking feature in
the scenery of the village. The inhabitants are chiefly
employed in the manufacture of carpets, tartans, and
plaidings, of which the most extensive establishments
are at Bannockburn, and which is also carried on at
Carabusbarron and in some of the hamlets, affording
occupation to more than 1500 persons, and producing
goods to the amount of £130,000 annually. The tanning
and currying of leather, for which there are two establish-
ments at St. Ninian's, and one at Bannockburn, arc also
pursued to a considerable extent : in these works fifty
persons are employed, and the value of the hides annually
prepared is estimated at £.'50,000. Al)out 200 persons
are engaged in making nails, which form a staple article
of trade. Tiie making of malt is carried on in the village,
and also at Bannockburn and Sauchenford, and the
quantity annually averages nearly .'iO,000 bushels. There
were formerly not less than six distilleries in the parish,
but at present there is only one, near the hamlet of
Chartrcsliall ; and of numerous breweries, the only one
rcmaiiiijie is that at St. Ninian's, upon a very moderate
scale. The villages of Bannockburn, Cambusbarron,
Plean, Tnrbrcx, and the Whins of Milton, arc all described
under their respective heads. The nearest market-town
is Stirling, whence letters are brought to St. Ninian's and
to Bannockburn ; at which latter place, fairs for cattle
are held on the second Tuesday, O.S., in June and
October. Great facility of intercourse is afforded by
the Scottish Central railway ; the line intersects the pa-
rish, and has a station at Bannockburn. Facility of
communication is also maintained by the high road from
Edinburgh to the north by Stirling, which runs for six
miles through the parish ; by the post-road from Glas-
gow to Stirling, which intersects it for four miles, and
joins the former at the village of St. Ninian's ; by the
road from Dumbarton to the ferry at Alloa, passing for
twelve miles through the parish ; and the road from
Carron-Bridge, which connects the southern district with
the roads to Glasgow and Edinburgh. The river Forth,
also, is navigable.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Stirling and synod of Perth
and Stirling. The minister's stipend is about £345, with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per annum ; patrons,
the heads of families who are communicants. There is
also an assistant minister, who receives a stipend of £.50
from the teinds, and contributions from the parishioners
amounting to about £80 per annum. The church, situ-
ated in the village of St. Ninian's, was built in 1750, and
is a plain substantial structure containing 1500 sittings.
At Buckieburn is a chapel built about the middle of the
last century, for the accommodation of the inhabitants
of that moorland district, who are five miles distant from
the parish church : divine service is performed here by the
parochial minister or his assistant. Churches, also, were
erected at Bannockburn and Plean, to each of which a
quoad sacra district was for a time assigned under act
of the General Assembly. There are places of worship
in the parish for members of the Free Church and the
United Presbyterian Church. St. Ninian's parochial
school affords a very complete course of instruction to
about 100 children : the master, who keeps an assistant,
has a salary of £34. 4., with a house and garden, and the
fees average £65. There are several other schools ; two
or three of them have a trifling endowment, and the rest
are solely dependent on the fees. The late Francis
Simpson, Esq., of East Plean, built a large cottage for
the reception of aged and poor men, chiefly soldiers and
sailors, and in his will bequeathed property in money
aud land, producing an income of nearly £1000 per an-
nimi, in trust, for their benefit. The trustees have en-
larged the building into a spacious asylum, in which there
are more than thirty aged men, who are lodged, clothed,
and fed, and have each a moderate allowance of |)ocket-
money. The same Mr. Simpson, a few years before his
death in 1831, gave to the Kirk Session £,')0(), of which
he directed the interest to be annually divided among the
poor of the parish, but " so as not to relieve the heritors
from their Ixiundcn duty of supporting tliem." William
Wordie, Esq., of Cambusbarron, towards tlw.' close of the
last century, bequeathed £1 120 to the Kirk Session, ap-
propriating the interest for distribution on the 4th of
October among the poorest inhabitants of the parish, not
being common beggars. Mr. Greenock, of Whitehouse,
left £500 for the ])aymentof £10 annually to the school-
master of Cambusbarron, and for the application of the
remainder of tin; proceeds to pious uses ; and the late
Mr. IMc(;i1)bon, of Greenyards, Ijequeathed .£200, and
Mrs. Brotherstoue, of Touch, £50, to the poor.
NITS
NO RT
The Roman road from the Forth to Stirling, of which
some vestiges may be traced, passed for several miles
through the parish ; and there are remains of not less
than five Roman stations. The ancient castle of Sir John
de Graham, the intimate friend and zealous adherent of
Sir William Wallace, and who was killed while fighting
by the side of that hero in the battle of Falkirk, is still
standing, though in ruins ; it appears to have been a
place of great strength. In the massive walls of the
old house of Sauchie, the loop-holes for the discharge of
arrows and other missiles are yet in good preservation.
On the lands of Carnock are some remains of Bruce
Castle, a circular tower of moderate dimensions ; and at
no great distance from it, at Plean Mill, are the ruins of
a square fortress, of which the greater portion has been
removed at various times to furnish materials for build-
ings on the farm. There are numerous cairns and tumuli,
remains of Druidical monuments, and ancient fortresses
in various parts ; and on the removal of a cairn on the
lands of Sauchie, some years since, two coffins of free-
stone, of unequal size, were discovered. While levelling
a field on the lands of Craigengelt, a circular mound
twelve feet high, and 300 feet in circumference at the
base, which was surrounded by twelve upright stones,
was found to contain a stone coffin with the remains of
a skeleton of ordinary stature, and other relics of an-
tiquity, of which a stone battle-axe of fine workmanship,
and a ring of chased gold in which had been a gem of
some kind, are preserved. Sir John de Graham ; Henry,
the historian ; and Harvey, a painter, were born in the
parish. The Duke of Montrose takes his title of Viscount
Dundaff from lands here.
NISBET, a hamlet, in the parish of Pencaitland,
county of Haddington, 2 miles (S. E. by S.) from Pen-
sion ; containing 43 inhabitants. It lies in the north-
eastern part of the parish, on the western bank of the
Tyne water, and is chiefly inhabited by persons engaged
in trades. The weaving of cloth was formerly carried on
to some extent.
NISBET, EAST and WEST, a village, in the parish
of Crailing, district of Jedburgh, county of Rox-
burgh, Ig mile (W.) from Eckford ; containing 320 in-
habitants. Nisbet was anciently a parish, and is famous,
by tradition, for having been a stronghold of some of the
marauders of the border. By the forfeiture of William
Soules in the reign of Robert I., the barony of Nisbet
became the property of Walter, steward of Scotland ;
and in 1371 the baronies of Nisbet and Ednam were
granted by Robert II. to Sir Robert Erskine and Chris-
tian de Keth his wife. The church was demolished many
years ago, but its cemetery is still used by the old families :
for a long time after the union of Nisbet with Crailing,
divine service was performed in the church of the former
place on alternate Sabbaths. The village is small, but
pleasantly situated on the north side of the river Teviot,
and on the road from Roxburgh to Ancrum ; and is the
property, with the lands around it, of the Marquess of
Lothian. There is here a good parish library, the gift of
the marquess. At the village are the ruins of two strong
towers, where stones of excellent workmanship have been
occasionally dug up.
y NITSHILL, a village, in the Abbey parish of the
town of Paisley, Upper ward of the county of Renfrew,
4 miles (S. E.) from Renfrew; containing 821 inhabit-
ants. This place is situated in the south-eastern part of
323
the parish, and on the high road from Paisley to Strath-
aven. The district around it abounds in coal ; and in
the village and its neighbourhood, extensive mineral and
other considerable works are carried on. In 180*,
copperas-works were established here by a company, who
subsequently purchased a similar concern at the village
of Hurlet, in the vicinity, which they converted into an
alum manufactory. On the banks of the Levern, a short
distance from the village, are several bleaching and print
fields.
NORRIESTOWN, for a time a quoad sacra parish,
consisting of parts of the three parishes of Kilmadock,
Kincardine, and Port of Monteith, in the county of
Perth ; and containing 1284 inhabitants, of whom 105
are in the village of Norriestown, 3 miles (W. by s.) from
Doune. This place takes its name from the original
founder of the chapel of ease, Mr. Gabriel Norrie, who
in 1674 bequeathed funds for the erection and endow-
ment of a place of worship in connexion with the Esta-
blished Church of Scotland. The parish was about four
miles and a half in length, and three and a half in breadth.
It is mostly arable land, with small plantations ; a por-
tion is good dry-field, and some is part of the beautiful
carse which extends from Gartraore, on the west, to
Stirling, eastward. The villages of Norriestown and
Thornhill, pleasantly situated on the road from Stirling
to Port of Monteith, have been so extended as to form
one spacious village, with a population of 636. A post-
office has been established ; and a fair for cattle and for
general purposes is annually held in January. The
Goodie river flows a short distance south of the united
village. Ecclesiastically the place is within the limits of
the presbytery of Dunblane and synod of Perth and
Stirling; the patronage being vested in the male com-
municants. The stipend of the minister is £95, arising
from the endowment, consisting of two farms, by Mr.
Norrie, and from lands purchased by subscription under
authority of the General Assembly ; with a manse, and a
glebe of six acres, the latter valued at £24 per annum.
The present chapel, the third erected on the same ground,
and which serves as the church of the district, was built
in IS 12, at the cost of£l 100 ; it was repaired in lS33,and
is a plain but neat and substantial structure, containing
870 sittings. A bell was presented by Mr. 31 c Gregor, and
communion plate by Mr. Downie of Appin. The members
of the Free Church have a place of worship. There are
two schools, one of which is supported by the General
Assembly, who, aided by some of the heritors, pay the
master a salary of £22 per annum, in addition to the
school fees ; he has also a good dwelling-house, and gar-
den, rent-free, from the proprietor of the Blair-Drum-
mond estate. The other school is solely supported by
the fees.
NORTH BERWICK.— See Berwick, North.—
And all places having the same distinguisld7ig prefix, will be
found under the proper name.
NORTHCHURCH, for a time a quoad sacra parish,
in the parish of Lesmahagow, Upper ward of the county
of Lanark ; containing 1800 inhabitants. This place is
situated on the western bank of the small river Nethan,
and on the road from Glasgow to Carlisle. — See Lesma-
hagow.
NORTH ESK, for a time a quoad sacra parish, com-
prising the sea-port of Fisherrow, in the parish of In-
veresk, county of Edinburgh, 5 miles (E. by S.) from
2T2
N O RT
NO RT
Edinburgh ; and containing 3414 inhabitants. The
town of Fisherrow is situated on the western bank of
the Esk, near its influx into the Firth of Forth, and
forms part of the town of Musselburgh, with the rest of
which it is connected by three bridges over the river.
One of these, erected after a design by the late eminent
Sir John Rennie, is of very handsome appearance. The
spacious High-street, on a line with the London road,
contains many substantial and well-constructed houses ;
and Bridge-street, leading to Musselburgh proper, is
also elegantly built ; but the houses in most of the
other streets, and in the lanes, are of a far inferior de-
scription, and inhabited chiefly by persons employed in
the fishery ofl" the coast. The fish caught here are had-
dock, cod, turbot, ling, skate, flounders, whiting, and
occasionally soles and mackerel ; in the taking of which
twenty-eight boats, averaging twenty tons' burthen, and
having each a crew of five men, are, with nearly an equal
number of smaller boats, constantly engaged during the
season. The owners of the larger boats proceed to
Caithness, Dunbar, and Sunderland, from the middle of
July till September, during the herring season. They
also, in December, make voyages to the east of the Isle
of May. The produce of the fisheries is usually carried
ill baskets by the fishermen's wives and daughters to
Edinburgh and other places in the vicinity.
The trade of the port is identified with that noticed in
the article on Musselburgh ; and the inhabitants of this
place, in addition to their participation in the manufac-
tures of that town, are engaged in the salt-works of the
parish, and in the making of bone-dust for manure, in
which about 200 persons are employed. In the vicinity
are some handsome seats and villas ; the principal are
Belfield, Campie, and Olivebank. There is a post-office ;
and facility of communication is afforded by the road
from Edinburgh to Berwick, and by the North-British
railway. The church was built by subscription at a
cost of £2500, of which £375 were a grant from the
Assembly's fund, and £200 from the presbytery of Dal-
keith. It was opened for public worship on the 9th of
September, 1838; the structure is in the later English
style of architecture, and contains 1000 sittings. The
minister derives his stipend from the rents of the seats,
and collections : the patronage is vested in trustees
chosen by the male communicants, heads of families.
There are places of worship for Burghers, Independents,
and Wesleyans. One of the schools of the burgh of
Musselburgh is here ; also a school maintained by Sir
Charles Fergusson, Bart. : in connexion with the church
is a Sabbath school, to which is attached a library of
500 volumes ; and there is an infant school, supported
by subscription. — See Inveresk, and Musselburgh.
NORTHMAVINE, a parish, in the Mainland dis-
trict, county of Shetland, 30 niih's (N. \V. by N.) from
Lerwick ; containing 2504 inhabitants. This is a penin-
sula of nearly triangular form, joined to the parish of
Delting and the great body of the Mainland by the
isthmus of Mavine, a neck of land not more than 100
yards wide, and which is almo.>;t covered by the sea at
spring tides. The parish is thought to take its name
from its situation being northward fnmi the isthmus,
while some suppose it to have been designated North
Main, or Northinavine, from its relative bearing to the
rest of the Mainland. It is about sixteen miles in length
from north to south, about eight miles in breadth, and
324
is computed to contain 60,000 acres, 6000 of which are
under cultivation. The surface of the interior is uneven,
rugged, and hilly, and for the most part covered with
short coarse grass or heather ; while the shores, which
are surrounded with islands, holms, and rocks, are lofty
and precipitous. They are deeply indented with nume-
rous fissures, forming excellent creeks and bays, and
frequented at all seasons of the year by wild geese,
ducks, and a variety of other water-fowl. The most
spacious and celebrated of these harbours is St. Magnus'
Bay, on the west, from which several voes run into the
land, affording commodious and safe retreats for shipping
in stormy weather. Hillswick voe is most resorted to,
on account of its greater security. On the south and
east of the bay is Sullom voe, eight miles long ; and on
the north are Ronan's voe, a narrow channel six miles
in length, and Hamna voe ; both of them, especially the
latter, considered superior harbours. At the back of
Hillswick Ness is an immense rock called the Drongs,
which rises perpendicularly to the height of 100 feet ;
and not far distant is the rock of Dorholm, rising to an
elevation of about seventy-six feet, and distinguished by
an arch, whence it takes its name, and the height of
wiiich is fifty-four feet. A few miles north-westward
is another rock, called Osse-Skerry, forming a conspi-
cuous object from a great distance, and also entered by
a very spacious arch ; and between the two last-named
rocks is a third, bearing the name of Maiden-Skerry,
rising from the sea at a small distance from the shore,
and on which, tradition asserts that no person has ever
trodden. Near Fetheland, to the east of the parish, is a
range of lofty rocks called the Romna Stacks, which,
with the adjacent holms and promontories, invest the
locality with a picturesque appearance : they have long
been well known as landmarks by mariners. Of the
numerous islands and holms around the shore, the chief
are Eagleshay, Nibon, Steuness, Gluss, Gunister, and
Lamba : they are all uninhabited, but afford excellent
pasturage for sheep and cattle, which graze both sum-
mer and winter without shelter or fodder, and are re-
markable when killed for the flavour of their flesh.
None of the hills are of great height, except that of
Rona, which is 1500 feet above the level of the sea, and
is the most lofty elevation in Shetland, commanding
on a fine clear day, which seldom happens, extensive
and beautiful views of sea and land. Not far from the
summit are some powerful springs. The parish contains
upwards of 100 lochs, and many of them are of consi-
derable size, and well stocked with trout. The soil is
of various kinds, but generally very thin and wet ; a
circumstance which, in connexion with that of the tena-
cious impenetrable subsoil, greatly impedes the opera-
tions of agriculture. The rocky parts are mostly covered
with peat-moss, affording to the inhabitants an inex-
haustible supply of fuel ; while along the shore, in some
places the earth is light and sandy, and in others clayey
and loamy, producing usually very good crops. Several
sorts of grain are cultivated, to the yearly value of about
£3000; meadow-hay to the amount of £100 ; and po-
tatoes, turnips, and cabbages, to the value of £1000.
Some of the native sheep yet remain, but in general the
sheep are a cross between these and the Cheviot or the
black-faced ; and large numbers of the native cattle and
ponies are annually reared. The state of farming, how-
ever, is very low. The scarcity of money, and the want
NOSS
OATH
of roads, but especially the absence of the men during
the summer seasou at the fishing stations, and the
tenure on which the farmers hokl their land, form ob-
stacles to any extensive improvements in husbandry.
Ploughs are occasionally to be seen ; but for the most
part they have yielded to the spade since the distribution
of the farms into smaller allotments, and the selection of
many portions from the common ground for cultivation.
The fences are principally of turf, and form but little
security against the ravages of the sheep, from which
the crops sustain much damage every year, as well as
from the storms that visit the locality. The annual
value of real property in Northmavine is only £256.
In this parish the rocks comprise old red sandstone and
coarse limestone, and chromate of iron of inferior quality
has been found ; the higher grounds consist chiefly of
granite, gneiss, porphyry, sienite, and sienitic greenstone.
The mansions are, OUaberry, a very neat modern struc-
ture ; and Tangwick.
The parish is entirely destitute of roads ; but there is
a communication, by post, with Lerwick twice a week.
The trade consists partly in the sale of cattle and horses,
which are sent by steamers to the southern markets,
but principally in the curing offish, of which the cod is
chiefly sent to Spain, and the ling and tusk to Leith, Liver-
pool, and Ireland. It appears, however, that the former
of these fisheries has been nearly given up, on account of
its almost total failure for several years past. The latter,
for which there are three stations, namely, Stennies,
Hamna voe, and Fetheland, is carried on from May till
August, at the distance of forty or fifty miles from the
shore. The inhabitants also take sea-trout, haddock,
whiting, codlings, and piltocks, for their own subsistence;
and are tolerably well supplied with mussels, cockles,
oysters, lobsters, and other shell-fish. In the month of
May there is a sale or fair for milch-cows, cattle, and
horses; in November is one for fat-cattle and horses ;
and at several fairs of an inferior kind many persons
attend and much business is done.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Bur-
ravoe, synod of Shetland, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Zetland : the minister's stipend is £150 per an-
num, with a manse, and a glebe situated in four different
parts of the parish, and valued altogether at £15 per
annum. Northmavine church is a plain building, situ-
ated inconveniently for the population, at no great dis-
tance from the sea, and capable of accommodating 5S3
persons with sittings; it was built in 1733, repaired in
1764, and the interior renovated in 1822. There is a
place of worship for Wesleyans, and another for Inde-
pendents. The parochial school affords instruction in
reading, writing, grammar, arithmetic, book-keeping, and
navigation ; the master has a salary of £25. 3. 4., with
about £4 fees. There is also a school supported by the
Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, in which
the same branches are taught. The principal antiquities
are, an immense stone of the granite species, raised on
the top of a hill encircled at the base by smaller stones ;
the remains of a large Picts' house ; a watch-tower on
the summit of Rona's hill ; and the ruins of a church
at OUaberry, of one at North Roe, and other religious
houses.
NORTHMUIR, a village, in the parish of Kirrie-
muir, county of Forfar ; containing 297 inhabitants.
NOSS, county of Shetland. — See Ness.
325
o
OA, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the parish
of KiLDALTON, district of IsLAY, county of Argyll, 9
miles (S. S. E.) from Bowmorc ; containing 1023 inha-
bitants. This place, which is in the south-eastern por-
tion of Islay, was separated for ecclesiastical purposes
from Kildalton, and erected into a quoad sacra parish,
under act of the General Assembly. The village is situ-
ated on the road from Port-Ellen to Bowmore ; and the
inhabitants are partly employed in agriculture, and in
the rearing of black-cattle, of which considerable numbers
are sold at the fairs held at Port-Ellen. There are no
regular fisheries established ; but cod and other white-
fish are occasionally taken off the coast in great abun-
dance. The church, erected by parliament in 1828, is a
neat plain structure : the minister's stipend is £120,
with a manse, and a small glebe ; patron, the Crown.
There is a parliamentary school with a salary of £30.
OAKFIELD, a village, in the parish of Beath, dis-
trict of Dunfermline, county of Fife ; containing 102
inhabitants. This is one of two small villages in the
parish, the other, and more considerable, being Kelty.
It is chiefly inhabited by colliers.
OATHLA'W, or Fin haven, a parish, in the county
of Forfar, 5 miles (N. by E.) from Forfar; containing
420 inhabitants. The original name of this parish
appears from ancient documents to have been Fyniven
or Finavon, now corrupted into Finhaven ; but no pre-
cise account can be given of the time or cause of its
change to Oathlaw. It is supposed, however, upon the
authority of an old record, that a chapel formerly stood
upon some property called Oathlaw, and that, when the
ancient church of Finavon fell to decay, this chapel, being
used as the church, gave the name of the estate on which
it was situated to the whole parish. The appellation Fin-
avon is compounded of two Gaelic words. Fin, signifying
" white or clear", and Avon or Aven, signifying " a water
or a river". The parish seems in early times to have
been the theatre of extensive and important mihtary
operations. Upon the beautiful hill of Finhaven, which
rises to , a considerable height above the level of the
surrounding country, is a celebrated vitrified fort, in the
shape of a parallelogram, extending about 476 feet from
east to west. It is a very strong work, and is supposed
to have been the head post of some warlike chief, with
his several native tribes, and designed to command the
passes in this part of the country. Another supposition
is, that it was a temple erected to the god of fire, wor-
shipped by the Druids ; there are remnants of smaller
temples all over the country, and this great temple
seems to have commanded a view of many of them. On
the low grounds, about two miles and a half to the
north-west, are the remains of an extensive Roman
camp called Battledykes, thought to have been capable
of containing between 30,000 and 40,000 men. This
camp is situated at the entrance of the great valley of
Strathmore, commanding the whole of the lowlands be-
neath the base of the Grampians, and also the passes of
the highlands. The ancient castle of Finhaven, the
ruins of which are still to be seen on the north side of
the hill, was in former times the scene of great adven-
tures. It was the residence of the well-known Earl of
OATH
OBAN
Crawfurd, who, from his ferocity, received the name of
" the tiger earl" ; he was chief of the Lindsays, who
possessed a large part of the county, and his furious
contests with the Ogilvys are among the most memorable
conflicts of the kind recorded.
The PARISH is about five miles in length, and about
one mile and a half in breadth, containing 3870 acres.
It is bounded on the north by the parish of Tannadice,
on the south by the parishes of Rescobie and Aberlemno,
ou the east by Aberlemno, and on the west by the parish
of Kirriemuir. The surface is tolerably uniform, except
in the southern quarter, in which rises the hill of Fin-
haven, cultivated to the very summit, and partly co-
vered with larch and beech. Tradition reports the parish
to have been formerly part of a great forest called the
Forest of Claton. The chief properties are the estates
of Finhaven and Newbarns, the former of which compre-
hends four-fifths of the whole lands, and was purchased
in 1815 by the Marquess of Huntly for £65,000. The
river Esk intersects the parish in several places ; it is here
140 feet broad, and its banks being low, it frequently
overflows, to the injury of the neighbouring grounds.
Another stream is the Lemno rivulet, which, after a
winding course of twelve or thirteen miles round the hill
of Finhaven, falls into the Esk, only about a mile north-
ward from its source.
The SOIL is in general clayey, and its retentive nature
has been found a great obstacle to agricultural improve-
ment. It is fast being improved by thorough-draining.
About ^850 acres are occasionally cultivated or in tillage ;
900 acres are in wood, and 120 waste. All kinds of
crreen crops and of grain are grown ; of the latter, oats
are most cultivated : the character of the husbandry is
very good, and the crops are heavy and of fine quality.
The cattle are the Angus : the few sheep that are kept
are of the common black-faced breed, with some Cheviots,
Leicesters, and South-Downs. This parish was behind
most others in its husbandry at the commencement of
the present century ; but its advance since that period in
the most approved usages, particularly in thorough-
draining, has been rapid. Much land has been reclaimed ;
thorn-hedge inclosures have been extensively formed,
plantations have been made, and the farm-buildings are
also in very good condition. The prevailing rock is
sandstone, of which a quarry is wrought for building
and other purposes. The population are mostly agri-
cultural : till within the last few years a spinning-mill
was in operation, which employed about sixty hands.
Coal is the fuel generally used, being brought from other
parts : an attempt was made by Mr. Ford, a late pro-
prietor, to procure coal in the parish, but though he
bored to the depth of 160 feet, his search for it was un-
successful. There is a bridge over the Esk, and five
small bridges cross the Lemno. Near the church is a
very small village. The annual value of real property in
Oathlaw is £3056. Ecclesiastically this place is in the
presbytery of Forfar and synod of Angus and Mearns ;
patron, .1. Carnegy, Esq., of Finhaven. The stipend is
£158, communion elements included; and there is a
manse, with a glebe of about ten acres of arable laud.
Oathlaw church is a small handsome building with a
finely proportioned tower, situated about the centre of
the parish, and surrounded by a number of old ash-
trees j it was built in 1815, and seats upwards of 200
persons. The ancient church stood on the bank of the
326
Burgh Seal.
Esk. There is a benefaction called " Hanton's bequest",
left in 1833 for the poor, at the discretion of the minister
and elders. A parochial school is supported, in which
Latin and the usual branches of education are taught ;
the master receives a salary of £34. 4., with about £10
fees, and has the accommodation of house and garden.
There is also a parochial library, consisting of several
hundreds of volumes.
OBAN, a burgh of barony,
a sea-port town, and for a
time a quoad sacra parish, in
the parish of Kilmork and f/^^i
Kilbride, district of Lorn, '^\.]//|
county of Argyll, 32 miles <
(VV. N. W.) from Inverary,
and 136 (W. by N.) from
Edinburgh; containing 1554
inhabitants, of whom 1398
are in the burgh. This place
is situated on the western
coast of Mid Lorn, at the
head of a fine bay formed by the island of Kerrera on
the west, and having facilities of entrance on the north
and south. Oban owes its origin to the establishment
of a storehouse in 1713, by a company of merchants
from Renfrew, attracted by the convenience of its posi-
tion for trade, and the safe and extensive accommoda-
tions of its bay. It was much increased in importance
in 17/8 by Messrs. Stevenson, who, settling here, intro-
duced several branches of traffic, which added greatly to
the number of buildings ; and during the same century,
Oban was constituted a custom-house port. The town
is beautifully seated on the banks of a small river which
divides it into two parts. As approached either by sea
or by land, it has a strikingly picturesque and interesting
aspect. It consists of various well-formed streets of
neat and substantial houses ; and in the main street is
a commodious hotel, for the reception of the visiters and
families who resort hither during the season for sea-
bathing, and for whose accommodation there are also
comfortable lodging-houses. In Her Majesty's visit to
Scotland in 1847, the royal squadron stayed for a short
time in the bay here, and a royal salute was fired from
a battery formed on one of the hills behind Oban.
The manufacture of silk and straw hats is carried on
to a con.<iderable extent ; and there are two large dis-
tilleries in the town. The trade of the port consists
chiefly in the exportation of wool, kelp, pig-iron, fish,
whisky, and slates from the quarries of the surrounding
district ; and in the importation of merchandise from
Glasgow and Liverpool. The number of vessels regis-
tered as belonging to the port is thirteen, of the aggre-
gate burthen of 360 tons. Oban bay, which is sheltered
from all winds by lofty mountains, has from twelve to
twenty-four fathoms' depth, and is sufliciently capacious
to contain more than 500 sail of trading-vessels. There
are two spacious quays, of which that on the north was
enlarged and improved in 1836; and since the opening
of the great Caledonian canal, steamers from Greenock,
Glasgow, Inverness, Mull, lona, StafFa, and Skye, have
touched at the port. In 1846 an act was passed for the
construction of a railway from Oban to Crianlarich, in
the county of Perth, with a branch to Loch Lomond.
The custom-house, erected in 1763, occupies a command-
ing site overlooking the bay. The post-ollice has a good
OC HI
OCHI
delivery. A branch of the National Bank of Scotland,
a savings' bank, four insurance agencies, and an excise-
office, have been established. Markets are annually
held in May and October for black-cattle, and in March
and November for horses.
The town was first erected into a burgh of barony by
charter granted to the Duke of Argyll in 1811, and
subsequently by a new charter granted to the duke, and
also to Mr. Campbell, in 1820. There were a provost,
two bailies, and four councillors annually chosen by the
burgesses ; but since the passing of the Municipal Re-
form act, six councillors have been elected by the £10
householders, of whom two are bailies ; and the office of
provost has been set aside. The authority of the ma-
gistrates is co-extensive with the territory of the burgh,
but, except in cases of petty delinquency, they exercise
no criminal jurisdiction ; and since the establishment of
the sherifF's-court for small debts, which is held quarterly,
few civil actions have been tried before them. This
burgh is associated with Ayr, Campbelltown, Inverary,
and Irvine, in returning a member to the imperial par-
liament ; the number of qualified voters is about sixty.
The late parish, which for ecclesiastical purposes was
separated from Kilmore and Kilbride under act of the
General Assembly in 1834, included the town of Oban
and adjacent district, comprising an area nearly six
square miles in extent. The church, built as a chapel
of ease in 1821, at an expense of £1142, is a neat struc-
ture containing .530 sittings. The minister had a sti-
pend of £100, derived from the seat-rents and an annual
donation of £20 by the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge. There are places of worship for members
of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church,
and Independents ; and a congregation of about forty
Baptists assemble in a private room.
OCHILTREE, a parish, in the district of Kyle,
county of Ayr, 3^ miles (W. by N.) from Old Cumnock ;
containing 1601 inhabitants. This place, in various
ancient records called Uchletree, has sorne pretensions to
antiquity. In 1296, Simon de Spalding, then rector of
the parish, swore fealty to Edward I. at Berwick ; and
in the reign of Robert I. the church, with all its appur-
tenances, was granted by Eustace de Colville to the
monks of Melrose Abbey, to whom it belonged at the
time of the Reformation. The lands that constituted the
barony of Ochiltree were in 1530 exchanged by the pro-
prietor. Sir James Colville, for the barony of East
Wemyss, and became the property of Sir James Hamilton
of Finnart, who conveyed them to Andrew Stewart,
Lord Evandale, who in 1543 was created Lord Stewart
of Ochiltree. After passing to various proprietors in
succession, the lands were at length vested in William,
first Earl of Dundonald, who gave them to his second
son. Sir John Cochrane. They were forfeited to the
crown by Sir John in 1685; but were afterwards re-
granted to his son William, and remained in the family
till they were purchased, about 1730, by Governor Mc
Rae, whose legatee conveyed them by marriage to the
Earl of Glencairn. The lands of the barony now belong
to different families.
The PARISH is about eight miles in length, and five
miles in breadth. It is bounded on the north by the
parish of Stair, on the east by the parishes of Old Cum-
nock and Auchinleck, on the south by those of New
Cumnock and Dalmellington, and on the west by the
327
parishes of Stair and Coylton. The surface, which has
an elevation varying from 400 to 1000 feet above the
level of the sea, is intersected with ridges, running in
nearly parallel directions from east to west, with tracts
of level ground intervening ; and the scenery is in some
parts enlivened with small patches oi wood and young
plantations. The lands abound with springs of excel-
lent quality, affording an ample supply of water • and
there are two lochs, the larger of which covers about
twenty-seven acres. The rivers are, the Lugar, which
separates the parish from that of Auchinleck, and in its
course receives the Burnock water and some other
streamlets ; and the Coila, which divides the parish
from Coylton. Both of them fall into the Ayr.
In general the soil is a clayey loam, resting on a
subsoil of retentive clay ; but in the upland parts of the
parish, mossy, resting also upon clay. The number of
acres is estimated at 15,387, of which 10,242 are under
tillage and in good cultivation, and the remainder hill-
pasture, plantations, and waste : the crops are, grain
of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips. The system of
husbandry is improved, and the lands have been par-
tially drained ; but much still remains to be done in
order to render the soil fully productive ; the farm-
buildings are inferior to those of many other parishes,
and only a few of the houses are slated, by far the
greater number being thatched. The fences are partly
stone dykes, and partly hedges of thorn. Considerable
attention is paid to the rearing of live-stock. From 3000
to 4000 sheep are fed, for which the hills afford good
pasture : they are of the black-faced breed, with a few
of the Leicester, South-Down, and Cheviot breeds ; and
some of the black Egyptian breed, of which the wool is
remarkably fine. About 1050 cows are kept for the
dairy, and there are about 1200 head of cattle besides ;
they are all of the Ayrshire breed, and thrive well. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £9521.
Ochiltree House is the residence of the Dowager Lady
Boswell. The village is situated on the site of what is
said to have been an ancient camp, from which circum-
stance probably the name of the parish may have been
derived ; it is neatly built, and well inhabited. There
is a manufactory for reaping-hooks, some of which are
sent to distant places ; and many of the females are
employed in working muslin for the manufacturers of
Glasgow and Paisley. The nearest market-town is Avr,
with which, and with other towns in the vicinity, facility
of intercourse is maintained by good roads kept in repair
by statute labour, and by the turnpike-road from Dum-
fries and Cumnock to Ayr, which passes for nearly seven
miles through the parish. Fairs for horses and cattle
are held in the village on the second Wednesday in May,
and the first Tuesday in November ; and a savings' bank
has been formed, which is well encouraged. A post-office
is established under Cumnock.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the limits of the
presbytery of Ayr and synod of Glasgow and Ayr. The
stipend of the incumbent is £247 : the manse, erected
in 1800, and enlarged in 1833, is a comfortable resi-
dence ; and the glebe comprises about nine acres of
land, valued at £20 per annum. Ochiltree church, which
is in the centre of the village, is a neat substantial edifice
erected in 1/89, in good repair, and adapted for a con-
gregation of 900 persons. The parochial school, also
situated in the village, affords a useful education to
O LD H
O L R I
about 100 children : the master has a salary of £34. 4.,
with a house and garden ; also £6. 3. 4. per annum, a
bequest by Mr. Patrick Davidson, charged on the lands
of Shield, in the parish of Stair ; and school fees ave-
raging £30. There is a library connected vrith the
school. At a place called the Moat, on the turnpike-
road to Ayr, was found an urn containing calcined bones,
and subsequently a crown-piece of the reign of James I.
of Scotland, in excellent preservation. There are no
other remains of the ancient castle of Ochiltree than
the foundations, which may still be traced on the bank
of the river Lugar ; the walls have been levelled to fur-
nish materials for buildings and other purposes. On the
same river a detached portion of rock, which rises from
its bed, sixty feet in height, forty feet long, and twenty
feet broad, covered on the summit with shrubs and heath,
presents a singularly romantic appearance, and from its
resemblance to a fort has attained the appellation of
Kemps Castle.
OLA, ST., county of Orkney. — See Kirkwall.
OLD BROCKLEHURST.— See Brocklehurst,
Old. — And all places having a similar distiiigtdshing prefix
tcill be found under the proper name.
OLDCASTLE, a hamlet, in the parish of Slains
and FoRviE, district of Ellon, county of Aberdeen,
7 miles (E.) from Ellon; containing 51 inhabitants.
This is a small fishing-hamlet, situated on the eastern
coast : the fishing is carried on with success.
V OLDENEY, an island, in the parish of Assynt,
county of Sutherland ; containing 60 inhabitants.
It lies on the western coast of the county ; is about a
mile in length, and a quarter of a mile where broadest ;
and has two small harbours. Oldeney is attached to
the sheep-farm of the same name, and is valuable for its
pasturage.
OLDHAM STOCKS, a parish, partly in the county of
Berwick, but chiefly in the county of Haddington ;
containing, with the villages of Bilsdean, Birnieknows,
and Oldhamstocks, 694 inhabitants, of whom 138 are in
the village of Oldhamstocks, 7 miles (S. E. by S.) from
Dunbar. This parish, the name of which (anciently
Aldhamstocs) is derived from the village in which its
church is situated, appears to have been formerly more
populous than it is at present, a decrease having arisen
from the abandonment of some collieries and salt-works
that were carried on here in the last century. The pa-
rish lies on the shore of the German Ocean ; is about
six miles in length from north-east to south-west, and
from two to three miles in breadth. It is bounded on
the north by the parish of Innerwick, on the cast by the
sea, on the south by the parish of Cockburnspath, and
on the west also by the parish of Innerwick. The sur-
face ascends gradually from the shore, and is diversified
with numerous hills of inconsiderable elevation, rising
one above another in succession towards the higher
portion of the parish j the grounds near the sea are
level, and the coast is indented with small bays. A
creek flows up to the village of Bilsdean ; but there is
no river. The scenery, like that of almost every other
parish in East Lothian, is in general deficient in wood
and plantations ; but round Dunglass, the elegant seat
(if Sir John Hall, Bart., there is more fine old wood than
in any other part of tlie county, except Tyninghame.
There arc also several young and thriving plantations in
the parish. The lower grounds are in the highest state
328
of cultivation ; and even that part of the surface which
runs up into the hills of Lammermoor, though cold, is
by no means cheerless.
In general the soil is dry ; towards the sea-shore,
very fertile ; but towards the higher parts of the parish,
inferior and heathy. The state of agriculture is ad-
vanced, and the crops are favourable; the farm-buildings
are substantial and commodious, and on most of the
farms threshing-mills have been erected. The high
lands afford pasture for sheep, of which a considerable
number are reared ; and much attention is paid to the
improvement of the breed. There are limestone, ironstone,
coal, and freestone : the coal has been worked, though
now discontinued ; and as the upper seam only has been
taken, it is supposed that there is still an abundant supply,
should it be requisite to renew the workings. The North-
British railway runs through the parish, parallel with
the Dunbar and Berwick road, and has a splendid via-
duct over the small burn or rivulet of Dunglass, which
separates East Lothian from Berwickshire : this viaduct
is 140 feet high from the water to the top pf the main
arch, and has altogether six arches, three of them upon
land on the East Lothian side of the rivulet, two on the
Berwickshire side, and one over the burn in the middle.
There is also a fine bridge over the Dunglass glen, on the
line of the Dunbar and Berwick road. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £.5775, of which amount
£4690 are returned for the Haddingtonshire portion.
Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery of Dunbar
and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale ; patrons, the
Hunter family, of Thurston. The stipend of the incum-
bent is £'297. 15. 6.; the manse is a comfortable residence,
and the glebe comprises about nine acres and a half.
Oldhamstocks church, erected in 1701, is a neat and
substantial edifice in good repair. The parochial school
is well conducted; the master has a salary of £'25. 15.,
with a house and garden, and the fees average about
£■20 per annum. There are two other schools, supported
by the fees. It may be mentioned that James VI., with
all his retinue, remained a night at the ancient castle of
Dunglass on his way from Scotland to take possession
of the crown of England: he also made it a resting-place
in his coming back to visit his ancient kingdom of Scot-
land. At that time Dunglass belonged to the Earls of
Home.
OLDROME, a village, in the parish of Dundonald,
district of Kyle, county of Ayr ; containing "257 inha-
bitants. Here is one of three considerable coal-works in
the parish ; and the population is, consequently, for the
most part colliers.
OLRICK, or Olrir, a parish, in the county of
Caithness, 5 miles (E. byS.) from Thurso; containing,
with the village of Castletown, 1584 inhabitants, of
whom 1107 arc in the rural districts. This place, which
is of remote antiquity, seems to have derived its name,
signifying the " son of Erick", from one of the Norwe-
gian chieftains, who is supposed to have made himself
master of it during the general invasion of Caithness by
the King of Norway, about the commencement of the
ninth century. There are not any events of historical
imi)ortaiice. It appears that an inconsiderable descent
of the Danes took place here at a distant period, on which
occasion the force landed at the bay of Murkle, but was
totally defeated by the inhabitants in a sanguinary con-
flict on a height called, from the slain, Morthill, of which
OL RI
ORDI
the present name of the bay is supposed to be a corrup-
tion. The PARISH is bounded on the north by the bays
of Dunnet, Murkle, and Castlehiil, and is about five miles
in length and three miles in average breadth; comprising
an area of 10,000 acres, of which nearly 6000 are arable,
and the remainder meadow and pasture, with about 500
acres of links and moss, and twenty acres of plantations.
Its surface is diversified with hills of moderate eleva-
tion, interspersed with pleasing and fertile valleys ; and
most of the hills and high grounds are clothed with
verdure, affording pasturage for sheep and cattle. Olrick
hill commands from its summit an extensive view of the
coast and the adjacent country : the view embraces the
bays of Sandside, Scrabster, Dunnet, Freswick, and Reiss,
the heights of Canisbay and Nosshead, and several of the
islands of Orkney, with the mountains of Sutherland,
Moray, Banffshire, and Aberdeenshire ; forming together
one of the finest and most comprehensive prospects
in the north of Scotland. The only lake in the parish,
Loch Durran, from which issued a rivulet flowing by the
village of Castletown into the bay of Dunnet, was about
three miles in circumference, but has been drained for
the sake of its marl, and laid down in pasture. The
coast is not more than two miles in extent; it runs from
east to west, and is generally shelvy and rugged, but not
precipitous. On the east is the bay of Castlehiil, form-
ing a commodious harbour at the village of Castletown ;
and on the west is Murkle bay, which, from its superior
shelter and depth of water, might at a moderate cost be
improved into one of the best harbours on this part of
the coast. There is a salmon-fishery; and cod, ling, and
other white-fish abound.
Along the coast generally, and in some of the other
low lands, the soil is a deep rich clay alternated with
sand and till ; towards the interior, mostly of lighter
quality, but fertile : the higher grounds, and such other
portions as are not arable, afford excellent pasture. The
crops are oats, bear, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual
grasses. On the lands of Murkle, a species of black
oats, which almost every where else degenerates by re-
peated sowing, thrives luxuriantly without any change of
quality, and the produce is consequently in great demand
as seed in the surrounding country. The system of
husbandry has for many years been gradually advancing,
and is now in a highly improved state. Furrow-drain-
ing has been introduced by Mr. Traill with great success,
and large tracts of waste land have been brought into
profitable cultivation. On most of the farms due regard
is paid to a regular rotation of crops ; and on the larger
farms the buildings are substantial and well arranged,
and the lands well inclosed, partly with hedges of thorn
and partly with stone dykes : all the more recent im-
provements in the construction of agricultural imple-
ments have been adopted. Great attention is paid to
live stock ; the cattle are generally of a cross breed
between the Highland and the Teeswater, and the sheep
are of the Leicester breed. Considerable quantities of
grain are sent to the Edinburgh market ; and large
numbers of cattle and sheep are shipped for London
and the southern markets, for which steam navigation
affords abundant opportunities. The plantations are
chiefly on the lands of Castlehiil and Olrick, and consist
of ash, for which the soil seems peculiarly favourable,
plane, elm, oak, mountain-ash, and larch ; all in a
thriving condition. The annual value of real property
Vol. IL— 329
in the parish is £4122. There are large quarries of
what is called Caithness paving-stone, of very hard and
durable texture, and varying from grey to blue in colour.
In these quarries a number of persons are constantly em-
ployed ; and at Castlehiil is machinery for sawing and
polishing the stone, which is there formed into slabs,
mantel-pieces, and other ornamental parts of the interior
of buildings. Great quantities are sent to Glasgow,
Edinburgh, Newcastle, and London. Castlehiil, one of
the seats of George Traill, Esq., of Ratter, an elegant
mansion beautifully situated near the shore of the bay
of Castlehiil, in a tastefully embellished and richly-
planted demesne ; and Olrick House, the seat of James
Smith, Esq., a neat modern mansion near the base of
Olrick hill, are the only houses of any importance. The
village of Castletown is described under its own head.
Fairs are held on the second Tuesday in March, and the
third Tuesdays in June and November. Facility of com-
munication is maintained by the turnpike-road from
Wick to Thurso, which passes through the parish ; and
by cross-roads kept in excellent repair.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Caithness and synod of
Sutherland and Caithness. The minister's stipend is
£191. 8. 8., with a manse,and a glebe valued at £10 per
annum ; patron. Sir James Colquhoun, Bart. The old
church, erected in 1633, and containing 400 sittings,
having become ruinous, and inadequate to the increased
population, was deserted, and a handsome structure was
erected at the eastern extremity of Castletown, affording
ample accommodation. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship. Olrick parochial
school, also situated in the village, affords instruction to
upwards of eighty children ; the teacher has a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees average
£15 per annum. There are numerous Picts' houses;
and on the lands of Murkle, it is said, was a nunnery,
the site of which is supposed to be indicated by a small
burn called Closters, thought to be a corruption of
Cloisters. On the summit of the hill of Olrick are some
remains of an ancient watch-tower ; and near the eastern
boundary of the parish, at a place called St. Coomb's
Kirk, was a church dedicated to St. Columba, and sup-
posed to have been the church of the united parishes of
Olrick and Dunnet : this, with the adjoining manse, was
overwhelmed during the night by a drift of sand.
OMOA, a village, in the parish of Bertram-Shotts,
Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 5 miles (S. W.)
from the village of Bertram-Shotts ; containing '206
inhabitants. This place is situated in the south-western
part of the parish, and owes its origin to the erection of
considerable iron-works, in 1787, on the estate of Colonel
Dalrymple ; the ironstone in the neighbourhood is very
abundant, and the ore is wrought to a great extent.
The village lies on the road from Airdrie to Cambus-
nethan.
OPSAY, an isle, in the parish of Harris, county of
Inverness. It is one of the small islands of the Hebrides,
lying in the sound of Harris, between Hermitray and
Bernera; and is distant northward about three miles
from the main land of North Uist. The isle is very
small, and uninhabited.
ORDIQUHILL, a parish, in the county of Banff,
1 1 miles (E. N. E.) from Keith ; containing, with the
village of Corncairn, 637 inhabitants. This place, which
2 U
O RDI
O R K N
is situated within seven miles of the North Sea, derives
its name, signifying in the Gaelic language " a hollow
near an eminence ", from the nature of its surface, and
its position with respect to the mountainous elevation of
Knockhill, which rises on its western border to the
height of more than 1600 feet above the level of the
sea. It is not connected with any event of historical
importance ; and the only document of antiquity in
which notice of it occurs, is a charter of Alexander II.
in 1242, setting forth the boundaries of the estate called
Park, now the property of Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon,
sole proprietor of the parish. The parish is about three
miles and a half in length and two and a half in breadth,
and comprises 5500 acres, of which 2200 are under
tillage, about the same number in pasture, and about
1000 woodland. The system of agriculture is improved ;
the chief crop is oats, and great attention is paid to the
rearing of cattle. Draining has been extensively carried
on under the encouragement, and by the assistance, of
Col. Gordon, who generally divides the expense with the
tenant. Cattle-fairs take place in the village, where
shows of cattle have also been held for several years ;
and ten markets are held annually near the village of
Corncairn, but in an adjoining parish, for the sale of
grain. The surface is intersected by numerous rivulets,
over which are four good bridges. In this parish the
plantations consist of larch, Scotch fir, ash, beech, elm,
and birch, and are mostly in a flourishing state. The
substratum varies in different parts, but is usually a
coarse mica-slate passing into gneiss, and resting on a
bed of granite. In the eastern portion is an extensive
bed of thick moss, under which is coarse clay. Masses
of whinstone and trap rock, and also blocks of granite,
are scattered in various places ; and garnets and tourma-
line, some of large dimensions, are frequently found em-
bedded in them. Across the eastern base of Knockhill
passes the serpentine rock of Portsoy, which may be
distinctly traced ; and specimens occur of asbestos and
rock-cork. The summit of Knockhill is a bed of moss
from fifteen to twenty feet in depth, in some parts con-
tinued down the declivity to the mosses around the base.
The farm-buildings are comfortable and substantial ; the
inclosures are few in number, and in very inditferent
condition. Considerable facilities of communication with
the neighbouring markets are afforded by good turn-
pike-roads, which intersect the parish in various direc-
tions. The mansion-house of Park, the seat of Colonel
Gordon, is a handsome building, enlarged in 1829, and
situated in the midst of thriving plantations. The an-
nual value of real property in Ordiquhiil is £2246.
It is in the presbytery of Fordyte, synod of Aberdeen,
and in the patronage of the Earl of Seafield : the mi-
nister's stipend is £185. 6. 7., with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £6. 10. per annum. Ordiquhiil church, erected
in 1805, at the extremity of the parish, affords accom-
modation to a congregation of 500. The parochial school
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £21. 9. 6.,
with £10 fees, and a portion of the proceeds of the Dick
bequest. A parochial library has been some years esta-
blished ; it forms a collection of about .'100 volumes, and
has been productive of much benefit. There is also a
Sunday-school library, and a i)arochial association has
been tormed for promoting religious objects at home
and abroad. Mr. Walter Goodall, author of a defence of
Mary, Queen of Scots, was a native of this place.
330
ORINSAY, an island, in the former quoad sacra pa- /^
rish of Trumisgarry, island and parish of North
UisT, county of Inverness; containing 102 inhabitants.
This is an isle of the Hebrides, lying between Boreray
and North Uist, and separated from the latter by a
narrow sound, which is dry at low water. The isle is
half a mile in length ; the soil for the most part is sandy,
and tolerably fertile in favourable seasons.
ORKNEY ISLANDS, a group forming, with that of p
Shetland, a maritime county, in the northern ex- *-
tremity of Scotland. They are bounded on the north
by the waters which divide Orkney from Shetland ; on the
east by the North Sea ; on the south by the Pentland
Firth, which separates the isles from Caithness ; and
on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. They lie between
58° 44' and 59° 24' (N. Lat.) and 2° 25' and 3° 20'
(W. Long.), and extend about fifty miles in length and
nearly thirty miles in breadth ; comprising an area of
235 square miles, or 150,000 acres ; 6325 houses, of
which 6181 are inhabited ; and containing a population
of 30,507, of whom 13,831 are males and 16,6*6 females.
These islands, anciently the Orcades, most probably
derived that name from Cape Orcas, opposite to which
they are situated, and which is noticed by Ptolemy as a
remarkable promontory on the Caithness coast : it is
supposed that the isles were origiually peopled from
Caithness. The Orkney and the Shetland Islands ap-
pear to have been explored by the Romans, who, how-
ever, retained no permanent possession of either ; and
they were both subsequently occupied by the Picts, a
Scandinavian tribe who, settling at first in the Western
Isles, soon spread themselves over the greater portion
of Scotland. Under the Picts, the islands of Orkney
seem to have been governed by a succession of petty
kings, that exercised a kind of independent sovereignty
till the year 8*6. At that period Harold Harfager, King
of Norway, landing here with a powerful force, reduced
them to his dominion ; and on his return to Norway, he
appointed Ronald, a Norwegian earl, to be their go-
vernor, whom he invested with the title of Earl of
Orkney, and under whose successors they remained for
many generations, as an appendage of the crown of Nor-
way, till the reign of James III., since which time they
have formed part of the kingdom of Scotland.
The first Earls of Orkney under the kings of Scotland
were the St. Clairs, from whom the earldom reverted to
the crown ; and the lands, for nearly a century, were
leased to various tenants. Mary, Queen of Scots, in
1564, granted a charter of the crown territory to Lord
Robert Stewart. On her marriage with the Earl of
Bothwell, she revoked this gift in favour of the earl,
whom she had engaged to create Duke of Orkney : he
never, however, obtained possession ; and the dukedom
was forfeited. Lord Robert Stewart afterwards became
Earl of Orkney, but on the second earl's being brought
to the scaffold in 16 15, the islands again came to the
crown. In 1*07 they were mortgaged to the Earl of
Morton ; and the mortgage being subsequently declared
irredeemable, the rights of the islands were in 1766 sold
by the then Earl of Morton to Sir Laurence Dundas,
ancestor of the Earl of Zetland. In 1814 it was calcu-
lated that the family drew annually from the ancient
earldom of Orkney £2187 in money and produce, in
addition to tlieir large private estates in the isles. For
many ages, lands in these islands were held by what
O RKN
O RKN
was called Udal tenure. They were exempt from all
taxes to the crown, and the proprietor acknowledged no
superior lord ; at the death of the father, the property
was equally divided among all the children; and no
fines were levied on entrance. Under the later earls,
however, this system of tenure, which was supposed to
be adverse to their interest, was gradually discouraged ;
and on the last annexation to the crown, it was wholly
discontinued.
Before the abolition of episcopacy, the islands were
included in the diocese of Orkney, the precise date of
the foundation of which is not accurately known. Chris-
tianity is, however, supposed to have been introduced
here by St. Columba, about the year 570, and again by
Olaus, King of Norway, in the year 1000; and the
cathedral church of St. Magnus, in Kirkwall, is thought
to have been founded about 1138. The see flourished
under a succession of at least twenty-nine prelates, in-
eluding seven Protestant bishops, till the Revolution,
since which it has constituted the synods of Orkney and
.Shetland ; the former containing the presbyteries of
Kirkwall, Cairston, and North Isles, and eighteen pa-
rishes. For civil purposes, Orkney, which was previously
a county of itself, has, since the passing of the act for
amending the representation, been united with Shetland,
under the jurisdiction of one sheriff, by whom two
sheriffs-substitute are appointed. One of these holds
his courts weekly at Kirkwall. Here, also, the justice-
of-peace courts are held on the first Wednesday, and at
Stromness on the last Tuesday, in every month ; and
courts for the recovery of small debts occur several
times a year, at Stromness, St. Margaret's Hope, and
Sanda ; but no particular days are fixed. The towns are,
Kirkwall, which is a royal burgh and the county town,
and Stromness, which is a burgh of barony ; there are
several villages, and some fishing-stations on the coast.
Under the provisions of the act above mentioned, Shet-
land joins with Orkney in returning a member to the
imperial parliament.
The Orkneys comprise a cluster of sixty-seven islands,
of which twenty-nine are inhabited, and the remainder
chiefly small holms affording pasturage for cattle. Of
the inhabited islands the principal are Pomona or
the Mainland, Rousay, Westray, Papa-Westray, Eday,
Sanda, North Ronaldshay, Stronsay, Shapinshay, Hoy,
Flotta, South Ronaldshay, Eagleshay, Burray, and the
smaller islands of Faray, Gairsay, and Gra;msay. To-
wards the east the surface is level, and of very moderate
elevation above the sea ; but the ground rises gradually
towards the west, where the coasts are bounded by hills
of considerable height. The lands are intersected by
numerous streams, but none of them entitled to the
appellation of rivers ; and are diversified with numerous
lakes, most of which are also of small extent, varying
from a mile to four miles in circumference. That of
Stennis, however, in the parish of Firth, in Pomona, is
more than fourteen miles in circumference ; and is
divided into two parts by a peninsular projection, on
which are some highly interesting Druidical remains.
Of the lands, about 30,000 acres are arable, nearly an
equal quantity in meadow and pasture, 4000 in fresh-
water lakes, and the remainder chiefly heath, peat-moss,
and undivided common. Though destitute of timber,
the scenery is pleasing from the alternation of hill and
dale ; many of the hills are covered with verdure to the
331
summit, and others, for some distance above their bases,
are under profitable cultivation. The soil in the jjlains
is sandy ; in some other parts, a clayey loam alternated
with gravelly soil : there are several tracts of grass-land
of luxuriant growth, and the mosses afford abundance of
peat for fuel.
The crops are barley, oats, rye, flax, and a moderate
portion of wheat, with potatoes and turnips, of which
very fine crops are raised. The general system of agri-
culture, however, though gradually imjiroving, is com-
paratively in a backward state. The farms, also, are
mostly of very small extent, some not exceeding ten
acres ; but there are several exceptions, and an ex-
ample of skill and a spirit of enterprise have been set
forth by some of the proprietors of lands, which may
soon produce important alterations. Though limestone
is plentiful, the principal manure is the sea-weed ob-
tained on the coasts. Both the sheep and the cattle are
of the native breed ; the horses are of the Shetland
breed. From the roots and trunks of trees found in the
tracts of peat-moss, it would appear that there were
anciently extensive woods ; yet very few trees are now
to be seen, except such as are of modern plantation, and
these only thrive in sheltered situations. They are chiefly
the plane, common and mountain ash, elm, and willow.
The substrata of the lands are mainly sandstone of vari-
ous colours, schistose-clay, limestone, and in some parts
breccia, and specimens of basaltic formation. Attempts
have been made in search of iron-ore, and hsematites of
iron were discovered in tolerable plenty, and of rich qua-
lity ; but similar attempts to discover lead-ore have not
been attended with success. In Orkney the gentlemen's
seats are Burness, Brugh, Burgar, Carrick, Cliffdale,
Cairston, Woodwick, Holland, and Tankerness.
The manufactures pursued here are, those of stock-
ings, blankets, and coarse woollen-cloth, for home use ;
the spinning of yarn and the weaving of linen, which are
increasing ; the manufacture of thread for the firms of
Montrose ; the platting of straw for bonnets, in which
more than '2000 females are employed ; and the manu-
facture of kelp, formerly much more extensive than at
present, but still far from being inconsiderable. A pro-
fitable trade is carried on at the several ports on the
coast, in the exportation of beef, pork, salt, fish, butter,
tallow, hides, oil, feathers, linen yarn and cloth, and kelp;
and in the importation of timber, iron, flax, coal, tobacco
and snuff, wines, spirits, soap, leather, broad cloth, printed
linens and cottons, groceries, and hardware. The build-
ing of boats, also, and the making of sails, nets, and
cordage, are pursued in connexion with the shipping.
In a late year there were registered, as belonging to Ork-
ney, seventy-eight vessels of the aggregate burthen of
4050 tons. The cod and herring fisheries are extensive.
In the former about twenty vessels are employed, and in
the latter about 750 boats; and 500 tons of cod, and
50,000 barrels of herrings, upon the average, are annually
shipped off from the several ports. The principal fishing-
stations are Papa-Stronsay, Deer Sound, Holm, Burray,
and St. Margaret's Hope in South Ronaldshay. Lob-
sters of very superior quality are found in great abun-
dance, and sent in smacks to London : crabs, mackerel,
grayling, trout, salmon, turbot, halibut, haddock, com-
mon and conger eels, and skate, are also found. The
coasts are indented with numerous" havens, in which the
largest ships may anchor in safety. In some parts the
2 U2
O R MI
O RM I
shores are low and sandy ; in others, rocky and preci-
pitous, especially the shores on the west of Hoy island,
which rise perpendicularly to a height of more than 1000
feet ahove the level of the sea, and are frequented by
sea-fowl of every kind, that build their nests in the cliffs.
Facility of communication throughout the Mainland and
the other large islands is maintained by good roads ; and
intercourse with the smaller islands, on some of which,
during the season, temporary huts are erected for the
manufacture of kelp, is afforded by the tides in the seve-
ral firths, which, though rapid and dangerous, are to
those who know them an expeditious mode of communi-
cation. Between Kirkwall and Caithness is a ferry for
the mail, and for passengers, across the Pentland Firth,
here about twelve miles in breadth. A steam-packet
sails weekly during the summer between Shetland and
Leith, touching at the intermediate ports; and also
sailing-packets monthly from Kirkwall and Stromness
to the port of Leith. The annual value of the real pro-
perty in Orkney is £2^2,858, of which £21,430 are re-
turned for lands, and the remainder for houses.
There are numerous monuments of antiquity in the
islands ; the principal are the ancient Picts" houses,
which are found in many places. In the island of Wes-
tray are a large number of graves, probably covered
originally by tumuli or barrows, but now exposed to view
by the drifting of the sand : some are formed of nume-
rous small stones, others of four larger stones ; and in
all have been found warlike instruments and other ancient
relics. There are various remains of Druidical circles ;
the most interesting are those of Stennis, once consisting
of thirty- five stones, thirteen of which remain, varying
from ten to sixteen feet in height. In Kirkwall are the
ancient cathedral, dedicated to St. Magnus, nearly entire,
and now used as the parish church ; the bishop's palace,
near the cathedral, but a ruin ; the remains of the palace
erected in 160* by Patrick Stewart, Earl of Orkney,
which are considerable ; and the ruins of King's Castle,
erected in the fourteenth century by Earl St. Clair, of
which little more than the site is remaining.
ORMISTON, a village and parish, in the county of
Haddington ; containing 826 inhabitants, of whom
335 are in the village, 7 miles (W. S. W.) from Hadding-
ton. This place, which is situated on the vi'estern borders
of the county, derives its name from the family of Orme,
the earliest proprietors concerning whom any authentic
notice occurs, and whose descendants continued in pos-
session till the end of the thirteenth century. From the
Ormes the lands passed to the Lindsay family, of whom
Sir Alexander Lindsay was also proprietor of Paistou
and Templehall, which, together with the estates of
Ormiston and Muirhouse, he gave with his only daugh-
ter in marriage to John, second son of Sir Alexander
Cockburn, constable of Haddington. This grant was
confirmed by a charter of David Bruce, King of Scot-
land, in 1363; by which, also, the ofTice of constable
was made hereditary in the family. Patrick Cockburn,
a descendant, defended the castle of Dalkeith in the
coimty of Edinburgh in 14,52, from the assaults of James,
ninth Earl of Douglas, who had rebelled against his so-
vereign, and whom, having put himself at the head of
the king'.s forces, he compelled to retire. In 1545, the
celebrated reformer, (jeorge Wishart, having preached
at Haddington, returned to Ormiston with Sir Alexan-
der Cockburn and two of his friends ; and in the night,
332
the house was surrounded by the Earl of Bothwell and
his followers, who demanded that Wishart should be
delivered into their custody. This was ultimately com-
plied with, on a solemn promise of his safety, which
Bothwell observed so far as to refuse to give him up to
Cardinal Beaton ; but he afterwards surrendered him to
the Earl of Arran, governor of Scotland, by whom he
was delivered into the hands of the cardinal, who carried
him to St. Andrew's, where he was executed. In 1747,
John, second Earl of Hopetoun, having acquired posses-
sion of part, purchased the remainder of the estate of
Ormiston from the last representative of the Cockburn
family, and became sole proprietor of the parish, which
is now the property of his descendant, the present earl.
The PARISH is about five miles in length, and of ex-
tremely irregular form, varying from a mile and a half
to little more than half a mile in breadth, and comprising
an area of about five square miles. It is bounded on the
north by the parish of Tranent, on the east by that of
Pencaitland, on the south by the parish of Humbie, and
on the west by Cranston. In general the surface is flat,
admitting of scarcely any variety ; but the scenery is
much enriched with woods and plantations, scattered
over several parts ; and the inclosures of hedges of white-
thorn, interspersed with sweetbrier and honeysuckle,
and the trees on each side of the roads that intersect the
parish, forming pleasing avenues, give the district an in-
teresting and beautiful appearance. The river Tyne flows
through the lands in the north-east ; but except after
continued rains or floods, it is a narrow and shallow
stream. There are numerous copious springs, some of
which are strongly impregnated with iron. The soil is
greatly diversified : to a small extent on each side of the
river, and about the village, is found a light loam, resting
upon a gravelly bottom ; in other parts, clay, more or
less tenacious ; and in some parts, land bordering almost
on sterility, but rendered profitable by diligent cultiva-
tion. There is a considerable tract of good meadow-
land, which yields early and abundant crops of grass ;
and in the village are two gardens for raising vegetables
and fruits for sale, from which during the season 200 or
300 pints of strawberries are sold daily. The whole
number of acres is estimated at 3270 ; of these about
3000 are arable and in a profitable state of cultivation,
130 meadow and pasture, and about 140 in woods and
plantations. The chief crops are, grain of all kinds,
peas, beans, potatoes, and turnips. From the encourage-
ment given to the tenants by the grant of long leases of
their farms, the lands have been improved nearly to the
utmost. The farm-houses are substantial and commo-
dious, some of them even handsome ; the lands are well
inclosed, the fences well kept, and on almost every farm
threshing-mills have been erected, some of which are
driven by steam. Rape and bone-dust manures have
been introduced with success. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £5524.
The substrata are chiefly limestone and coal, both of
which are wrouglit, and the latter from a remote period.
The principal vein of coal lies in the grounds of Ormiston
Hall, in various parts of which the surface, being under-
mined, has fallen considerably ; the Hall itself appears
to have been much endangered, and rendered secure only
by under-building to a great extent. Upon the south
side of the river are tliree seams of good coal, the upper-
most thirty inches in thickness; the second, of equal
OR M I
O R P H
quality, thirty-three inches ; and the lowest from thirty-
three to forty-three inches thick. On the north side of
the river the seams are all, with some trifling cross
workings, entire. The limestone in the southern part of
the parish is wrought, and there are kilns for burning it
into lime. Freestone of various quality is also abundant :
a quarry which was opened to the north of the Hall, pro-
duced stone only of a coarse and easily friable quality ;
but on the western confines of the parish, another was
opened in 1808, of which the stone was more compact
and durable, well adapted for building, and used in mak-
ing additions to the house ofOrmiston. Ironstone is
likewise plentiful, as is manifest from the quality of many
of the springs ; but no attempt has been hitherto made
to explore it.
Ormiston Hall is a handsome mansion, erected by Mr.
Cockburn in 174.5, near the site of the ancient baronial
castle, which now forms part of a court of offices and
servants' apartments. It is situated in an extensive and
richly-wooded demesne ; the garden contains every va-
riety of fruits, flowers, and shrubs, and is laid out with
taste and judgment. Here are some fig-trees, planted
by the then proprietor in the beginning of the last cen-
tury, and which produce the finest specimens of that
fruit in this part of Britain ; also a remarkable yew of
ancient growth, which is still in full vigour, and measures
seventeen feet in girth at a height of five feet from the
ground. The village is pleasantly situated on the north
bank of theTyue, and consists of one broad street, shaded
with rows of trees, and having good gardens attached to
the principal dwellings. In the centre of the village is
an ancient cross, that appears to have been connected
with some religious establishment near the spot, of which
the chapel was for a time used as a schoolroom, but of
which scarcely any thing authentic is known : the lower
part of this cross was becoming dilapidated, but the relic
has been secured, and forms an interesting feature in the
landscape of the village. A post-office has been esta-
blished here ; and facility of intercourse with the market-
towns in the neighbourhood is afforded by good roads,
of which the turnpike-road to Tranent passes for five
miles through the parish.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dalkeith and synod of Lo-
thian and Tweeddale. The Earl of Hopetoun is patron,
and the stipend of the incumbent is £230 : the manse,
situated near the village, is a comfortable residence, en-
larged in 1779 ; and the glebe comprises seven acres and
a half of profitable land, valued at £ 1 5 per annum. Or-
miston church, about a mile and a half from the village,
is a very plain edifice with a small belfry, erected in 1696,
and adapted for a congregation of 345 persons. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship and
a school. The parochial school is well conducted ; the
master has a salary of £29. 18. 9., with a house and gar-
den, £1. 1. 9- from a funded bequest, and the fees. There
is a school at Paiston, three miles distant, the master of
which has a house and garden rent-free, with the interest
of a bequest, amounting to £1. .5., and a small sum paid
annually by the proprietor, in addition to the school fees,
which average £20. A similar school is maintained in
the hamlet of House of Muir, chiefly inhabited by colliers;
the mistress has a house, and a small salary from the
Hopetoun family, besides the fees. Branches of the
East Lothian Itinerating Library have been established
333
in the village of Ormiston and at Paiston ; and there is
a library of about 100 volumes, belonging to an associa-
tion for the protection of property, kept in the parochial
school-house, under the care of the master. At the
southern extremity of the parish are the remains of a cir-
cular camp, surrounded by a double intrcnchment, but
rapidly disappearing under the extension of agricultural
improvements. Between East and West Paiston, half a
mile distant from each other, the interval appears to have
been occupied by houses, of which scarcely any of th9
foundations are to be traced. There was a cemetery,
supposed to have belonged to a religious establishment
called Templehall ; but the site is now planted.
John Cockburn, of Ormiston, to whom the district is
eminently indebted for the present prosperous state of
its agriculture, was born at Ormiston Hall in 1685, and
during the lifetime of his father sat as a member of the
Scottish parliament, and distinguished himself by the
active part he took in the Union. Having, during his
subsequent residence in England, made himself ac-
quainted with the improvements in English agriculture,
he resolved to introduce them into this part of his native
country ; and in order to induce his tenantry to the re-
quisite exertions for their full reception, he granted them
leases of their farms for thirty-eight years, renewable for
nineteen years at the end of that time, and at the ex-
piration of every nineteen years afterwards. He died in
1 747, after having devoted his whole life to the benefit of
the district. -^
ORONSAY, county of Argyll. — See Colonsay.
ORPHIR, a parish, in the county of Orkney, 8 miles (^ ^
(S. W.) from Kirkwall ; containing, with the island of
Cava, 1064 inhabitants. This place derives its name, in
the Norwegian language Orfer, from the mossy nature of
its soil. Towards the close of the eleventh century it ap-
pears to have been distinguished as the residence of Paul,
second Earl of Orkney, of whose palace there are still
some remains. The parish is bounded on the south and
east by the bay of Scalpa, and extends for almost four-
teen miles along the coast, which is deeply indented by
numerous smaller bays. Its average length is more than
six miles and a half, and the average breadth two miles
and a half, comprising an area of 12,000 acres, of which
about 1570 are arable, 2500 in pasture, and nearly 8000
peat-moss and waste. The surface is boldly diversified,
rising in a continuation of hills from Houton Head, a
promontory at the south-western extremity 300 feet
above the level of the sea ; the hills are intersected with
valleys, and gradually increase in height throughout the
whole parish, towards the north-east, to the hill of
Wart, which has an elevation of 7OO feet. From the
summit of this hill is obtained an extensive and in-
teresting view over the greater part of the Orkney Isles,
the western coast of Caithness from Duncansbay Head
to Cape Wrath, the Pentland Firth, and the loftier hills
in the interior of Caithness and Sutherland. The coast
from Houton Head westward is nearly level ; and
towards the east the banks are scarcely more than ten or
twelve feet high, except the headlands of some of the
bays, which have an elevation of thirty or forty feet. In
the bay of Houton is a small island called the Holm of
Houton, about 400 yards in length and nearly of equal
breadth : the channel which separates it from the main
land becomes dry for nearly two hours at low water.
The island was cultivated for one season ; but the crop
O R PH
O R WE
not proving favourable, it has not since been tilled, and
now produces only rough pasture. To the east of it is
an inlet, which even at low water is navigable for sloops ;
and it has been some time in contemplation to make it a
medium for conveying the mail from Thurso to the bay
of Houton, whence letters might be speedily forwarded
to Kirkwall and Stromuess by land. About a mile and
a half south-eastward of Houton is the island of Cava,
of which about twenty-five acres are in cultivation, the
•oil, a rich black loam, producing excellent crops of oats ;
the remainder is covered with peat-moss : the island
is nearly three miles and a quarter in circumference, and
contains about twenty inhabitants. The bay of Sicaii-
bister, the most extensive of the bays that indent the
coast, is nearly two miles broad ; the shore is sandy, and
at stream tides cockles are found in abundance.
The rocks along the shore of the parish are generally
sandstone, alternated with slate and ridges of the schis-
tose formation. Freestone is also found, on the shores
of Swanbister ; and on the hill of ^Midland, near Hou-
ton, is a quarry of grey slate at an elevation of 400 feet,
the property of Hector Moncrieif, Esq., and from which,
in 1841, about 12,000 slates were sent to Kirkwall and
South Roualdshay. The soil in the valleys between the
ranges of hills is a black loam, producing good crops of
grain of various kinds ; in other parts, of inferior quality ;
and in some, a cold clay. Crops of clover and rye-
grass are also obtained, with potatoes, turnips, and other
green crops. Considerable improvement has been made
in agriculture, and the rotation system of husbandry is
every year growing more into use. There is little wood ;
the trees are found only in the gardens, and become
stunted in their growth after they have risen above the
height of the walls. The cattle are small, but hardy ; a
few of the Dunrobin breed have been introduced, and
thrive pretty well. The breed of horses is also small,
with the exception of some upon the larger farms ; and
the sheep, except a few of the Cheviot breed, also on the
larger farms, are of very diminutive size.
There is no village. The manufacture of kelp, for-
merly a lucrative employment, has greatly diminished ;
not more than twenty tons have been for some years
annually made, and the price is reduced from £12 to £5
per ton. Fishing is carried on with success. Eight
boats are employed in the herring-fishery, each of which
has four men ; they pursue their occupation for about a
fortnight at the island of Stronsay towards the end of
July, and afterwards at South Ronaldshay for about a
month, or till the herrings leave this part of the coast.
As soon as they are barrelled, the fish are sent to Rothe-
say and Ireland, in vessels that come here for their con-
veyance. The lobster-fishery is also carried on, upon a
limited scale, employing one boat and two men ; the
lobsters are kept in a floating chest in the bay of Houton,
and are sent weekly to Stromness to be forwarded for
the London market. Cod, haddock, skate, and ling are
taken at no great distance from the shore ; dog-fish are
also taken, for their oil ; and the coal-fish, when one or
two years old, form wholesome and nutritious food. About
forty-three boats are employed in the white-fishery, and
in conveying agricultural produce to Stromness. The
only manufacture pursued here is that of straw-plat, in
which 100 of the population, principally females, arc en-
gaged. The nearest post-oflicc is at Huna, in Caithness,
whence the mail crosses the Peutland Firth to South
334
Ronaldshay, where a branch is established from which
letters are conveyed by a carrier to Kirkwall and Strom-
ness. In the bay of Houton is a small harbour accessible
to sloops and larger vessels, which are sheltered from the
south and south-east gales by the Holm of Houton.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Cairston and synod of Ork-
ney. The minister's stipend is £158. 6. /., of which
£34. 3. 6. are paid from the exchequer; with a manse,
aud a glebe worth £12 per annum : patron, the Earl of
Zetland. Orphir church is beautifully situated on rising
ground, on the eastern shore; it was erected in 1829,
and contains 574 sittings. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship. The parochial school
is well conducted ; the master has a salary of £26, with
a house and garden, and the fees average about £6 per
annum. A school was founded by Magnus Twatt, who
bequeathed to the heritors and kirk session £700 for that
object ; and a similar school is supported by a bequest
of £100 by James Tait, who also left £100 to the parish
of Stromness for a similar purpose. The late Sir Wil-
liam Honyraan, Lord Armadale, an eminent judge in the
court of session, was a native, and the principal landed
proprietor, of the parish.
ORWELL, a parish, in the county of Kinross, 2
miles (N. N. E.) from Kinross ; containing, with the vil-
lages of Middleton and Milnathort, 2715 inhabitants.
This place derives its name, of Gaelic origin, from an
estate so called on the banks of Loch Leven ; and the
term is supposed to be descriptive of that property as a
green or fertile retreat. The parish is about seven miles
and a half in length, and three miles and a half in
breadth. It is bounded on the south partly by the loch,
and comprises 13,500 acres, of which SOOO are arable,
about 700 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
rough pasture and waste. The surface is finely undulated,
rising in some places into gentle eminences, and on the
north having a gradual ascent to the Braes of Orwell,
and thence to the Ochil hills, which are partly within the
parish, and vary from 1000 to 1100 feet in height above
the level of the sea. The principal river is the North
Queich ; it rises in the higher land, and falls after a
course of five or si.x miles into Loch Leven, which also
receives various smaller streams that intersect the pa-
rish. There are numerous springs of excellent water,
and wells may be easily formed at a small depth below
the surface. The scenery is finely varied, aud enriched
with thriving plantations, and some few trees of majestic
growth still remaining ; but the river is not distinguished
by any striking features : in its progress through the
hilly part of the parish it displays some pleasing falls.
In the more level lands the soil is mostly of a clayey
nature, intermixed sometimes with sand or gravel ; but
in the higher districts is of lighter quality, and well
adapted for potatoes and turnips : a small portion of
rich loam is also found in some parts. The crops are,
oats of every variety, barley, the quality of which has
been nnich inqiroved within the last few years, and a
small quantity of wheat on some of the richest lands,
with potatoes and turni])s. The system of husbandry
is in a very advanced state ; the lands have been well
drained, and inclosed partly with stone dykes, and partly
with hedges of thorn. The farm houses and oflices have
been also greatly improved ; those of more recent erec-
tion are substantially built ; aud threshing-mills have
OSN A
OXN A
been erected upon most of the farms, several of which
are propelled by water-power. The hills afford good
pasturage for cattle, generally of the Fifeshire breed. In
this parish the chief substrata are, the old red sandstone,
whinstone varying in colour, and claystone-porphyry :
both the sandstone and the whinstone are quarried,
the latter being used for the construction of dykes. A
post-office has been established at Milnathort (which see);
and facility of communication with the neighbouring
towns is maintained by roads kept in good order by
statute labour, and by turnpike-roads which pass for
fourteen miles through the parish. A weekly grain-
market is held at Milnathort on Wednesday, and several
fairs for cattle take place during the year. The annual
value of real property in Orwell is £12, ,533.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the presbytery of
Dunfermline, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of Sir
Graham Montgomery, Bart., of Stanhope : the stipend
is £156, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £'20 per
annum. The church, erected in 17^29, is an exceedingly
plain cruciform edifice, but conveniently situated, on a
knoll above the village of Milnathort ; it is adapted for
a congregation of 646 persons. There are places of
worship for the Free Church and the United Presbyterian
Church. The parochial school affords a useful course of
instruction ; the master has a salary of £34. 4., with £40
fees, and a house and garden. A branch of the Kinross
Savings' Bank has been established. On the shore of
Loch Leven are the remains of the old parish church,
once an appendage of the monastery of Dunfermline.
Near the village of Milnathort are the remains of Bur-
leigh Castle, anciently a place of considerable importance
and of great strength. Little more, however, than a por-
tion of its inclosing rampart is remaining ; and all the
timber that grew about it has disappeared, including an
ash of large dimensions, in the hollow trunk of which
one of the Lords Burleigh concealed himself from the
pursuit of justice, but was at length apprehended
and sentenced to be beheaded for murder. Upon a
branch of the Ochil hills is Cairn-a-Vain, formerly an
immense heap of stones raised over the grave of some
warrior chief, but now much reduced by removing the
stones for dykes to inclose the lands : in the centre of
it was found a rude stone coffin, containing an urn filled
with burnt bones and charcoal. Urns of clay, contain-
ing burnt bones and ashes, have been discovered in
various other places along the ridge of these hills. On
Orwell farm are two upright stones about eight feet in
height, supposed to be part of a Druidical circle ; and
near the same spot, stone coffins have been occasionally
found, and great quantities of calcined bones and ashes
are frequently turned up by the plough, at a depth of a
foot and a half below the surface, and covered by a
layer of loose small stones. Dr. Young, in whose arms
the gallant General Sir Ralph Abercromby expired, was
a native of this parish ; and Dr. Coventry, late professor
of agriculture in the university of Edinburgh, was pro-
prietor of the estate of Shanwell.
OSNABURGII, a village, in the parish of Dairsie,
district of Cupar, county of Fife, 21 miles (N. E. by E.)
from Cupar ; containing 205 inhabitants. This is a
neat village, situated in the eastern part of the parish,
and on the high road to St. Andrew's. It is built upon
both sides of the road, in scattered groups of houses ;
and the common appellation given it is Dairsie-Muir.
335
OVERTOWN, a village, in the parish of Cambus-
NETiiAN, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 1 mile
(S. by W.) from the village of Cambusnethan ; contain-
ing 109 inhabitants. It lies in the south-western part
of the parish, on the road from Stewarton to Dalserf.
OXNA, an isle, in the parish of Tingwall, White- ;^
NESS, and Weesdale, county of Shetland ; containing
19 inhabitants. This is a small island in the bay of
Scalloway, about four miles south-west of the village of
Scalloway, and close to the isle of Pa])a. It has a rocky
shore, and is nearly surrounded by rocks, among which
are those known as the Stags.
OXNAM, a parish, in the district of Jediuirgh, '^'^
county of Roxburgh, 4 miles (E. S. E.) from Jedburgh ;
containing 653 inhabitants. This place is supposed to
have derived its name, anciently Oxenham, from the
number of oxen in the immediate vicinity. It formed
part of the possessions of Gaufred de Percy, who granted
a portion of the lands to the abbey of Jedburgh, then
recently founded ; which grant was confirmed by Mal-
colm IV. and William the Lion, Kings of Scotland. The
parish is bounded on the south by the county of North-
umberland ; is about ten miles in length, and five miles
in extreme breadth; and comprises 21,120 acres, of
which 34S0 are arable, 650 woodland and plantations,
and 16,990 hilly moorland, pasture, and waste. Its
surface is strikingly diversified with hills and dales : on
the south is a small part of the Cheviot range, to the
north of which are various hills of conical form and
verdant aspect. The valley of the Oxnam, traversing
the whole length of the parish, is pleasingly undulated,
and enlivened with the meanderings of its beautiful
stream, whose banks are in many places richly crowned
with wood. The scenery of the entire parish, indeed, is
vai-ied, comprehending much natural beauty, and many
highly picturesque and romantic features. Among the
principal rivers is the Oxnam, which has its rise about
two miles from the English border ; it receives nume-
rous tributary streams from the higher lands in its
course, and falls into the Teviot near Crailing. The
Coquet water, also issuing from the mountains on the
border, skirts the parish on the south for nearly a mile,
and, flowing through part of Northumberland, falls into
the sea between Alnwick and Coquet isle. The Kale,
whose source is in the same heights, runs through the
upper portion of the parish, and, after a circuitous
course of about seventeen miles, joins the Teviot at
Eckford. The Jed flows along a rocky channel, and
forms the western boundary of the parish for nearly two
miles. There are numerous springs of excellent water,
and a spring supposed to be chalybeate, but which, on
being analyzed, was found to possess no medicinal pro-
perties whatever. The streams all abound with trout,
and salmon are sometimes taken in the Oxnam.
In this parish the soil is various, combining almost
every kind of loam, clay, and gravel, with considerable
portions of heath and peat-moss: the crops are oats,
barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips. The system of
agriculture is in an improved state ; the five-shift course
of husbandry is prevalent, and the lands have been well
drained and inclosed. Lime and bone-dust are applied
to the soil, and the crops are generally favourable and
abundant, the farm houses and offices substantial, and
some of them handsome. Much care is bestowed
upon the management of live stock : the sheep are of
O YNE
O YNE
the Cheviot breed, with a few of the Leicester on the
richer pastures ; the cattle are of the short-horned
breed. There are limestone, sandstone, greywacke, whia-
stone, and seams of clay-slate : the limestone, from its
great depth and the distance from coal for burning it,
cannot be worked to advantage ; but the sandstone, of
durable quahty and of a white colour, is quarried for
building. The hills are mainly of trap rock ; and clay-
porphyry affords an ample supply of material for the
roads : it is interspersed with veins of quartz, and the
cavities abound with beautiful crystallized incrustations.
Greenstone is also found in some places, intersected
with veins of jasper. A manufacture of tiles, for which
there is clay of good quality, is carried on. The parish
has facility of communication with Jedburgh, Kelso,
Hawick, and other places, by means of good roads. A
fair is held at Pennymuir in August for sheep and lambs,
of which about 1400 are on the average sold ; and on
the 25th of March a statute fair is held for hiring shep-
herds and farm-servants. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Oxnam is £76.54.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Jed-
burgh, synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the pa-
tronage of the Crown : the minister's stipend is about
£227, with a manse, and the glebe is valued at £16 per
annum. The church, erected in 1*38, is a neat and
substantial edifice in good repair, adapted for a congre-
gation of 260 persons. Oxnam parochial school affords
education to about forty children ; the master has a
salary of £25. 13. 4., with £12 fees, a house and garden,
and £4. 3. 4., the interest arising from a bequest by
Lady Yester 'for gratuitously teaching poor children.
Lady Yester also bequeathed some cottages, and £1000
Scotch, for the relief of the poor not on the parish list ;
one cottage is still remaining, and the interest of the
money, £4. 3. 4., is annually distributed. There are
some remains of the ancient chapel of Plenderleath, but
the cemetery has long ceased to be used. Circular
camps are to be seen in various parts : the most con-
spicuous of these is one on a height near Bloodylaws ;
and on a hill at Cunzierton is another, with a double
rampart surrounding the level summit of the hill. On
the eminence called Pennymuir are vestiges of a Roman
camp of quadrilateral form, rounded at the angles, and
comprising an area of about thirty acres ; and the Ro-
man Watling-street may be traced on the north-eastern
boundary of the parish, passing near Pennymuir. There
are two Druidical circles, tolerably entire, especially the
smaller, sixteen yards in diameter ; also remains of an-
cient strongholds and towers, erected during the times
of the border warfare, as places of security, and for the
concealment of cattle. To the west of one of these,
called Heuwood, is a rising ground named Galla-Know,
formerly the place of execution for criminals ; it is now
inclosed and planted. In the heart of a natural amphi-
theatre, near the Crag Tower, is an artificial tumulus
supposed to have been a place for dispensing justice.
Various relics of antiquity have been found at different
times, and some coins, among which was a shilling of
Robert Bruce.
/P OYNE, a parish, in the district of Garioch, county
of AiiKRDEKN i containing "96 inhabitants. This pa-
rish is bounded on tlie south by the river Don, which
separates it from Monymusk : the Shcvock, a tributary
of the Ury, separates it on the north-west from lusch
336
and Culsamond ; and the Ury itself, on the north, from
Rayne. The latter river is joined on the east, on the
borders of Chapel of Garioch, by the stream of the
Gady, which intersects the parish. Oyne is of irregular
figure, and measures in extreme length six miles, and
three miles and a half in breadth; comprising 11,000
acres,of which 3200 are under tillage, 450 in natural grass,
furze, and hill pasture, 2000 in wood and coppice, and the
remainder in heath, moss, and outlying rock. Its surface
is boldly distinguished by the lofty mountain of Benochee,
"the mountain of mist", or "the mountain of paps",
extending from east to west about five miles, and from
north to south about three and a half, and rising nearly
1400 feet from its base, and 16/7 feet above the level of
the sea. This eminence has on its summit six round
protuberances, the highest being called the " mother
top". It is a royal forest or commonty, with certain
rights granted by charters to estates in the vicinity, but
is surrounded for about three-fourths of its ample extent
by cultivated grounds belonging to this parish. The
scenery, which embraces much diversity of surface, and
a large proportion of wood, is in some parts picturesque
and beautiful, and derives additional interest from its
winding streams. The river Don, in its course along
the boundary of Oyne, affords excellent salmon and
trout-fishing ; and the Ury, and its tributary the Gady,
are well stocked with trout, eels, and pike. Though a
boundary of the parish, the Don is distant from the
most populous and cultivated part of it, and accessible
only to the occupants of one property lying on the south
side of Benochee.
In general the soil is a rich fertile earth, especially
near the church and along the course of the Gady, where
the crops are usually early : on the sides of the moun-
tain, and towards the south, it is inferior, being much
mixed with rocky or sandy deposits ; but it is still for
the most part of good average quality. The principal
grain raised is oats and bear, the amount being nearly
6000 quarters a year ; and black-cattle, chiefly of the
native breed, also produce a profitable return, about
1 200 head being commonly in stock, and 200 annually sold
at the age of three years. Few sheep comparatively are
kept ; those on the hills are the black-faced, and some
few are fed on the lower grounds of a larger and mixed
breed, principally for the sake of the lambs and wool.
The swine formerly reared, which were remarkable for
their high back-bones, long snouts, and strong wiry
bristles, have given place to a very improved short-
legged cross from the continental breeds. The hus-
bandry partakes of all the best usages of the surrounding
districts, and is altogether on a respectable footing ; the
old system of in-field and out-field is exploded, and the
rotation of crops has been introduced. The implements
of agriculture are constructed on the most approved
principles. Large tracts of waste laud have been re-
claimed and cultivated within the present century, and
most of the farms have the appendage of a good thresh-
ing-mill, driven either by horses or l)y water. The pre-
vailing rock is red granite, of which the craggy tops of
the mountain of Benochee consist ; it also lies on the
sides of the hill in large blocks, and beneath in masses,
capable of being cut out to almost any size, and supply-
ing an excellent material for various purposes. The stone
used in the docks at Shecrness was quarried from the
south side of Benochee, about twenty or thirty years
P A B A
PAIS
ago. In the mountain are also Scotch topaz, felspar,
and jasper, embedded in the granite. The rocks entirely
change towards the northern base, and whinstone alone
is found, of a dark-blue colour, and very compact tex-
ture, well adapted for dykes and common walls. Beds
of peat-moss cover the rocky tops of the mountain, and
the inhabitants of this and some neighbouring parishes
obtain thence a plentiful supply of good peat fuel. Coal
is also used occasionally, being brought from Newcastle
to Aberdeen, and thence by canal to Port-Elphinstone,
about eight miles distant. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £3113.
Weslhall, a mansion in the northern part of Oyne,
is ornamented with beautifully laid-out gardens and
grounds ; and the plantations, formed in the seventeenth
century, contain ash-trees, elm, beech, plane, lime, and
holly, some of them of considerable size. The mansion
of PUtodrie, which, like the ancient mansion of Westhall,
has been enlarged and modernised, is situated on high
ground on the east side of the mountain, bordering on
Chapel of Garioch, and is surrounded with plantations
of larch and other trees, among which are Scotch firs of
the finest kind. TUlijfour, on the south side of Benochee,
and once belonging to the Earls of Mar, is an old man-
sion with a slated roof; it is situated in the vicinity of
some extensive coppices of oak and birch, producing a
valuable revenue from their bark, and in the same part
are good plantations of fir. There are considerable faci-
lities of communication. Two branches of the turnpike-
road from Inverury pass through the parish, one leading
by Pitmachie towards Huntly, and the other by Insch
to the same place ; and besides other coaches, the In-
verness mail takes this route. The inhabitants send
their produce, comprising grain, meal, and large quan-
tities of butter, cheese, and eggs, to Port-Elphinstone,
to be conveyed by canal to Aberdeen. Statutes or
markets are held at Pitmachie for hiring servants, just
before Whitsuntide and Martinmas. There is a post-
office in the small village of Old Rain, in the parish of
Rayne. Oyne is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of
Garioch, synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of
Captain H. Knight Erskine, of Pittodrie : the minister's
stipend is £l6l, with a manse, and a glebe of eight acres
valued at £15. 15. per annum. The church, situated on
a gentle eminence at the north-east end of the parish, is
a small plain edifice with a belfry, built in 1806. There
is also a place of worship for members of the Free
Church. The parochial school affords instruction in
Latin and mathematics, and all the usual branches ; the
master has a salary of £30, with a house and garden, a
portion of the Dick bequest, and £12. 10. fees. On the
north side of Benochee are the ruins of the castle of
Harthill, once an important stronghold, and the last
occupier of which was a notorious freebooter who, ac-
cording to tradition, on a confederacy being raised to
attack him, set fire to the building and fled to London,
where he died in the King's Bench.
o
PABAY, an island, in the parish of Strath, Isle of
Skye, county of Inverness ; containing 21 inhabitants.
Vol. II.— 337
This is a small island at the entrance of Broadford bay,
about two miles from the eastern coast of Skye, and
south-east of Scalpa. It is about a mile in length and
six furlongs in breadth, and is flat and fertile. In one
part are indications of iron-oro. Many of the rocks are
of limestone, approaching to the nature of marble ; they
exhibit beautiful specimens of petrified fish and shells,
and otherwise abound in petrifactions. It was some
years since uninhabited, and used as a wintering-place
for cattle. At its northern extremity are vestiges of a
small chapel.
PABBA, an island, in the parish of Barra, county
of Inverness ; containing 25 inhabitants. It lies about
eight miles southward of Barra, in the sound of Pabba ;
is nearly one mile and a half long, and one mile broad ;
and c(msists of a single hill of gneiss. Its inhabitants
are fishermen, who reside at its western end.
PABBAY, an island, in the parish of Harris, county ^
of Inverness ; containing 338 inhabitants. This isle
lies at the mouth of the sound of Harris, and is distant
northward from Bernera about four miles ; it is of nearly
circular form, and measures in diameter two miles and a
half. Its shape is conical, terminating in a peak con-
siderably higher than any other islands in the sound.
Pabbay at one time supplied the district with corn, and
was called the granary of Harris ; but from the sand-
drifts which now cover its south-east side, it has lost
much of its fertility ; and on the north-west, where it is
exposed to the spray of the Atlantic, scarcely any vege-
tation is to be seen. Towards the south-west, however,
which is in some degree sheltered by Bernera, it is very
productive, and well cultivated.
PABBAY, an island, in the parish of Uig, county of f^
Ross and Cromarty. It is about a mile and a half in
length, and forms one of a group of isles lying on the
western side of the main land of the parish : the isle is
south-westward of Little Bernera about three miles.
PADANARUM, a village, in that part of the parish
of Kirriemuir which formed the quoad sacra parish of
LoGiE, county of Forfar; with 155 inhabitants.
PAISLEY, a burgh, mar-
ket-town, and ancient parish,
in the Upper ward of the
county of Renfrew, of which
it is the principal place, and
the seat of a wide manufac-
turing district, 7 miles (W.
by S.) from Glasgow, and 50
(W. by S.) from Edinburgh ;
containing 60,487 inhabit-
ants, of whom 48,426 are in
the burgh and suburbs ; 5626 ^^^^^ g^^^
in the village of Johnstone ; °
1086 in that of Eldershe; 1504 in the villages of Nits-
hill, Hurlet, Crossmill, and Dovecothall ; 775 in those
of Thorn, Overton, and Quarrelton ; and 3070 in the
rural districts of the parish. This place, the name of
which is of very uncertain derivation, is by most anti-
quaries identified with the Fanduaria of Ptolemy ; and
of its having been a Roman station of considerable im-
portance, there is positive evidence in the traces of a
spacious and strongly- fortified camp, which, from the
vestiges yet remaining, appears to have comprehended
the site of the present town, and, in connexion with its
several out-posts, to have extended to the river Cart.
2X
PAIS
PAIS
It occupied a commanding situation, comprising within
its intrenchraents the hill called Oakshaw Head, on
whose acclivity the praetorium was seated, overlooking
the surrounding country. Of the triple intrenchraents
by which it was defended, there are still left portions of
the ramparts, of lofty elevation and of great breadth ;
and parts of the ancient Roman road from Carlisle to
Paisley are also distinctly to be traced in the immediate
vicinity. The original town seems to have been in-
debted for its rise to the foundation, by Walter, proge-
nitor of the royal race of the Stuarts, of a monastery
for a prior and thirteen brethren of the Cluniac order,
brought from the abbey of Wenlock, in the county of
Salop, in 1163, by the founder, who was a native of that
place. This monastery was built upon the eastern bank
of the Cart, on the opposite side of which soon afterwards
arose a village, consisting chiefly of conventual buildings,
and dwelling-houses for various persons connected with
the religious community, or attracted to the spot by the
vicinity of a rich and prosperous establishment. The
monastery was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, St. James,
and St. Mirin or Mirren ; and continued to flourish as
originally founded till the year 1'2'20, when it was raised
to the rank of a mitred abbey by Pope Honorius III.
In addition to its ample endowment by the founder and
his descendants, it received numerous munificent dona-
tions from different families of distinction ; and thus
became one of the wealthiest institutions in the country.
Its lands were erected into a royalty, under the jurisdic-
tion of the abbots, who obtained from succeeding sove-
reigns many valuable privileges ; and it continued to
increase in importance until 1307, when it was burnt by
the English army under Aymer de Valence.
The Abbey was soon afterwards rebuilt, on a more
extensive scale, and in a style of great magnificence.
The church, a stately cruciform structure, was completed
by Abbot Tarvas in 14.59, and, with the conventual
buildings, and immediately adjacent lands forming the
Abbey park, was inclosed by a lofty wall of hewn stone,
more than a mile in circumference, by Abbot Schaw, in
1485. Thus, constantly augmenting in wealth, the
monastery flourished till the Dissolution, when its reve-
nues were estimated at £2468 in money, exclusively of
155 chalders of grain ; and not less than twenty-nine
parish churches were dependent upon it at the time.
After the Reformation, the site of the Abbey and con-
ventual buildings, with all its lands and possessions,
was erected into a temporal seigniory by the king and
parliament, in favour of Claude Hamilton, third son of
the Duke of Chatelherault, who was created Lord Paisley
in 1587. The lordship remained in his family till the
year 1652, when it was purchased from his descendant,
the Earl of Abercorn, by the Earl of Angus, who sold
the greater portion of the lands to William Cochrane,
first Earl of Dundonald, and the remainder to various
other proprietors, with whom they continued till the
year 1764, when the lordship was repurchased by James,
Earl of Abercorn. It is now the property of his descen-
dant, the Marquess of Abercorn. The Abbey was suc-
cessively the residence of the Lords Paisley and the Earls
of AbiTcorn and of Dundonuld ; but after the demolition
of part of tiie buildings by the Earl of Dundonald, and
the appropriation of the adjacent lands to the different
purchasers, it ceased to be any longer a baronial resi-
dence, and was let in separate tenements. The fine
338
massive wall by which the whole demesne was sur-
rounded, was, with the exception of a very small portion
still remaining, entirely removed ; and the Abbey park
is now the site of the New Town of Paisley, a conside-
rable part of which was erected with materials obtained
from the ruins of the venerable and truly magnificent
Abbey.
In the year 1597, the consort of James VI. paid a
visit to the Earl of Abercorn in his baronial residence
called the Place of Paisley, while the ancient Abbey was
still the seat of that nobleman ; and in 1617 the monarch
himself, on revisiting his native country, was received in
the great hall, when an address in the name of the com-
munity of the town and neighbourhood was delivered in
his presence by a youth of nine years of age, the son of
Sir James Semple, at that time sheriff of the county,
lu the rebellions of 1715 and 1745, the inhabitants of
Paisley maintained a firm adherence to their sovereign.
On the former occasion, anticipating an attempt of the
Pretender to land upon the coast, they appointed a nightly
guard of twenty men to patrol the town, and themselves
remained under arms, ready at a moment's notice to
repel any assault that might be made. In 1745, the
troops of the Young Pretender having entered Glasgow
to levy contributions from the citizens, the inhabitants
of this town prepared themselves for a similar visit.
They concluded arrangements for treating with the assail-
ants, whom they were not sufficiently strong to with-
stand by force ; and the magistrates, having been sum-
moned to appear before the secretary of the Young
Pretender, procured exemption from molestation by
submitting to an imposition of £500. In 1S22, when
George IV. visited Scotland, the authorities of the burgh
waited upon His Majesty with an address of congratula-
tion, and an invitation to Paisley, in the Abbey of which
many of his royal predecessors had been interred.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated on the banks of the
White Cart, by which it is divided into two portions
called respectively the Old and the New Town, the for-
mer on the west, and the latter on the eastern, bank of
that river. It consists principally of two streets inter-
secting each other at right angles ; one of them, nearly
two miles in length, forms part of the road from Glasgow
to Beith and the Ayrshire coast, and the other is part
of the road from Inchinnan to Neilston. These two
lines are crossed in various directions by numerous
spacious and well-built streets, of which George-street
and Forbes-street contain many very handsome houses.
Of late years, the appearance of the town has been much
improved by the removal of numbers of the older houses,
and the erection of others of more modern style ; and
among the most recent additions, Garthland Place, at
the eastern entrance to Paisley, is distinguished as a
most elegant range of building. The environs are pleas-
ing, and several of the adjacent villages are seen with
peculiar effect in the general landscape of the jdace.
The streets are lighted with gas by a company incorpo-
rated in 1823, who embarked a capital of £16,000, and
erected very extensive works for the supply of the
neighbourhood. In 1844, an act for a second company
was passed ; but a compromise took place between the
two bodies, and a new act for lighting the town was
passed in 1845. Until lately the inhabitants were but
indifferently furnished with water from the river, and
from public and private wells. A company therefore
PAIS
PAIS
was formed in 1825, and an act of parliament obtained
for the supply of the town. After a sufhcient capital
had been subscribed, this project was abandoned, from
the objections of some proprietors of land ; but a new
company, for bringing water from the GleniiTer hills,
■was formed in 1835, and a capital of £40,000 subscribed.
An act was procured for carrying this plan into opera-
tion ; and two very capacious reservoirs, covering nearly
100 acres, and having an average depth of almost forty
feet, have been constructed, furnishing an abundant
supply of pure water for the use of the inhabitants, and
of the different works carried on in the vicinity.
There is a public library, supported by subscription
of about 200 proprietary shareholders ; it comprises
more than 4500 volumes in the various departments of
literature. In the town is also a library containing
several thousand volumes, maintained by subscription
of the operative classes. A library connected with the
Faculty of Procurators forms a large collection of the most
approved law books ; and a medical library is attached
to the House of Recovery, under the management of the
Medical Society. One newspaper is published weekly.
The Philosophical Institution was established in 1808,
for promoting the study of natural philosophy, general
literature, and science, by the delivery of single lectures
by the members gratuitously, and occasionally courses
of lectures by eminent professors : connected with it
are a library of above 500 volumes, and a museum con-
taining a very valuable collection of minerals and na-
tural curiosities. An agricultural society was founded
here in 1819, for the advance of improvements in hus-
bandry by the distribution of prizes ; the meetings are
held annually, when a show of cattle and some plough-
ing-matches take place. There are likewise two horti-
cultural societies, one established in 1782, and the other
in 1832 ; both are well supported, and they have tended
greatly to improvement in the management of gardens,
and the raising of flowers and vegetables. To the east
of the town, in the suburb of Williamsburgh, some
commodious barracks have been erected within the last
thirty or forty years ; they are pleasantly situated, and
adapted to the reception of half a regiment of infantry.
In the immediate vicinity of Paisley are also some very
pleasant gardens called Hope Temple, comprising several
acres of ground tastefully laid out, and forming an in-
teresting place of resort.
The almost unequalled increase in the extent and
population of Paisley, which at one time consisted of a
single street, and contained scarcely 2000 inhabitants,
is to be attributed to the introduction of the manufac-
TCRKS of which it is the seat, and for which its situation
a few miles from the river Clyde, affording great faci-
lity of communication, renders it peculiarly favourable.
Not long after the union of the two kingdoms, when a
free trade was opened, the few articles manufactured
here, principally coarse checked linens and Bengals, were
purchased by pedlers from England, who, selling them
among their friends at home to advantage, regularly fre-
quented this town as the principal mart, and, after ac-
quiring some little property as itinerant merchants, took
up their abode in Paisley, and became factors for sup-
plying their correspondents in the south. The impetus
thus given to the manufactures soon excited the atten-
tion of the Glasgow merchants, who bought large quan-
tities, which they sent to London and to foreign markets.
339
The manufacture of checked linen handkerchiefs, of
different colours tastefully blended, was soon added to
the articles previously made ; and to these succeeded
various fabrics of lighter texture, consisting cliiefly of
plain and figured lawns, and a new sort of sewing-thread,
known by the appellation of ounce or nuns' thread, to
distinguish it from other kinds manufactured at Aber-
deen and Dundee. The manufacture of silk gauze, in
imitation of that of Spitalfields, London, was introduced
here about the year 1760, and was carried on with such
success, and in such a variety of elegant patterns, as
totally to supersede the making of that article by the
London weavers. It soon became the staple manufac-
ture of the place, and several companies from London
settled in the town for the purpose of conducting it on
a more extensive scale ; the manufacture furnished em-
ployment to numbers of persons in the surrounding dis-
trict for almost twenty miles, and the manufacturers
had agents for the sale of the article in London, Dublin,
Paris, and other parts of the continent. This manufac-
ture, however, after a period of unexampled success for
nearly thirty years, dechned with the change of fashion,
and was almost immediately succeeded by that of muslin,
which was carried on by the same parties with much
spirit and perseverance, and soon rose to a great degree
of prosperity. The working of muslins with embroidery
shortly followed ; it was pursued with only tolerable
success for some time, but has been rapidly increasing
within the last twenty or thirty years, and now gives
employment to thousands of females in a widely-extended
manufacturing district. The value of the silk and linen
gauze, and white sewing-thread, manufactured here in the
year 1/84, was estimated at £579,185; and about 1790,
the aggregate amount of all the goods of every kind ma-
nufactured annually was computed at £660,385. The
number of persons employed in 1784 in the gauze and
thread works was 27,484. From the reports of the Board
of Trustees for the encouragement of manufactures, it ap-
pears that the linen trade had in 1 7 84 reached its greatest
height ; the number of looms that year was 2000, and
nearly 2,000,000 of yards were stamped. About 5000
looms were then, according to the same authority, em-
ployed in the silk gauze manufacture, and the quantity
produced was estimated at £350,000.
At the beginning of the present century, the manu-
facture of shawls in imitation of those of India was at-
tempted, at first only with comparatively moderate suc-
cess ; but by the perseverance and ingenuity of the per-
sons who embarked in it, the manufacture at length suc-
ceeded even beyond expectation, and shawls of soft and
spun silk, and of cotton, were produced of admirable
quality. Imitations, also, of the scarfs and turbans worn
by the eastern nations were made, and exported in great
quantities to the islands in the Archipelago and to Tur-
key ; and the same style of work was introduced in
several varieties for ladies' dresses. This trade flourished
for some time, affording employment to great numbers
of persons ; and is still carried on to a considerable ex-
tent. A more perfect imitation of the Indian shawl was
eventually obtained, by mixing fine wool and silk in the
production of what was called Persian yarn ; and a still
nearer approximation was made by the introduction of
the fabric called Thibet, originally manufactured in
Yorkshire, but afterwards adopted with improvements
by the weavers of this place. The manufacture was at
2X2
PAIS
PAIS
length brought to its present state of perfection by the
use of cashmere wool from the east : this had been im-
ported for some time by the French ; and by obtaining
yarn from France, the Paisley manufacturer produced an
article of most beautiful quality. The manufacture of
crape for dresses, and of embroidered crape and damask
shawls resembling those of China, was introduced here
about the year ISSS, and largely carried on, affording
lucrative employment to numbers of females, whose in-
genuity and skill produced specimens in many instances
equal to those imported from Canton: this manufacture
is still pursued, though less extensively than formerly.
At present the shawls chiefly made are of three kinds ;
either entirely of silk, a mixture of silk and cotton, or
wholly of cotton. The trade in them has been rapidly
increasing, and the value of the quantities produced in a
late j'ear was estimated at nearly £1,000,000. Cheneille
shawls were introduced into the town by Mr. Buchanan,
afterwards of Glasgow, and are made on a very extensive
scale : these shawls, of velvet on silk, from their extreme
softness and the variety of their colours, are in great es-
timation. The thread manufacture, in which cotton has
been lately used in the place of linen, affords employment
to many persons, and the quantity annually made is es-
timated in value at £100,000. The total number of looms
in the town is more than 6000 ; there are 2000 in the vil-
lages ; and in the surrounding districts, great numbers of
persons are employed by the Glasgow houses. The weav-
ing of tartan has of late been carried on to a considerable
extent, and a factory has also been erected by Mr. Ker
for weaving by the jacquard machines. Machinery of
every kind, and on the most improved principles, is used
in the factories ; and for facilitating the operations, and
bringing to greater perfection the articles made, nume-
rous ingenious contrivances have been suggested, and
successfully applied, both by the masters and the
workmen.
The printing of silks and muslins is carried on to a
limited extent. The cotton manufacture, which was
first attempted at Dovecothall, is also pursued, and on a
considerable scale : there are at present three factories in
the town, two of which arc very extensive ; and sixteen
in the rising town of Johnstone and the village of Elders-
lie. An iron-foundry on a large scale has been esta-
blished more than fifty years ; and connected with it are
works for the manufacture of steam-engines and all
kinds of machinery. There arc also a manufactory for
gasometers, anil iron-boats for canal navigation ; three
large brass-foundries in the town ; two iron-foundries
and one brass-foundry in the village of Johnstone ; and
five manufactories for machinery connected with the
factories of the district. The fastest steamers on the
Clyde have of late been built here by Messrs. Bar and
Mc Nab. A very extensive tannery is conducted with
success. There are three breweries, two of which are
extensive; three distilleries; a large soap-manufactory;
and seven bleachfields, to most of which capacious re-
servoirs have been attached by the company for sup-
plying Paisley with water. Two banks have been esta-
blished in the town, in which are also branch banks con-
nected with Edinburgh and Glasgow, and numerous
offices for fire and life insurance : the post-office has
several deliveries daily ; and the annual revenue, before
the adoption of the system of the penny-postage, amount-
ed to £3'200. The market, which is amply supplied, is
340
weekly, on Thursday. There are four annual fairs, for
three oays each, respectively commencing on the third
Thursday in February, the third Thursday in May, the
third Thursday in August, and the second Thursday in
November. At the August fair are held the Paisley
races, which have been long established, and attract a
numerous assemblage of visiters. A fair is also held at
Johnstone, in July, for cattle ; and a horse-fair is held
in December.
The town has great facility of intercourse with Glas-
gow, and with all other parts of the country, by excellent
roads and bridges, of which latter, one of ancient struc-
ture, across the Cart, connects the Old and New Towns;
while two others, over the same river, afford communi-
cation between the Abbey and town parishes. One of
these, called, from its situation near the Seedhill Craigs,
the Seedhill bridge, was built with materials taken from
the ruins of the Abbey. The Glasgow, Paisley, and John-
stone Canal, for which an act of parliament was obtained
in 1805, was commenced in 180"; and that part of it
forming a communication between Paisley and John-
stone was finished in 1810. In the following year, the
portion between this town and Glasgow was opened.
The whole line of navigation is eleven miles in length,
about twenty-eight feet in width, and four feet and a
half in average depth ; and was completed at an expense
of £130,000. In its progress it passes along two tun-
nels, one of which, under the Causewayside-street of the
town, is 240 feet long, and the other, near the western
extremity of the town, 210 feet : it is carried across the
Cart by a handsome aqueduct 240 feet in length, twenty-
seven feet in breadth, and thirty feet in height, and the
span of the arch over the river is eighty-four feet. It
was not found necessary to construct a single lock. In
addition to the boats for goods and merchandise, three
boats were at first handsomely fitted up for passengers,
each capable of conveying one hundred persons ; and
the facilities were afterwards greatly extended by the
addition of lighter craft, called gig-boats, which were
drawn by horses, and left the basin at Paisley every
hour, from nine o'clock in the morning till eight at
night, for Glasgow. The passage was performed in less
than an hour ; the number of passengers annually con-
veyed was 423,186, and the amount of fares received
by the proprietors more than £9000. Not less than
sixty-four horses were employed for these boats. By a
recent arrangement, however, with railway companies,
the conveyance of passengers is discontinued for twenty-
one years, and the traffic confined to heavy goods, of
which 68,063 tons were carried in the year ending 30th
September 1844. The Paisley and Renfrew liailwatj,
from the New Town of Paisley to the river Clyde at
Renfrew, was constructed by a comjjany under an act
obtained in 1835; and the line was opened in May ISS/".
It is three miles and a quarter in length, with a rise of
about sixteen feet upon the whole distance ; the earth-
works are light, and there is only one stone bridge
(having a semi-elliptical arch) over the railway, and
four level road- crossings. An act was obtained in 1847,
authorising the sale of this line to the Glasgow, Paisley,
Kilmarnock, and Ayr railway company, and its improve-
ment by that company. Tlic Glasgow, Paisley, and
Greenock railway W'as commenced under an act passed
in 1837. It begins at the south end of Glasgow bridge,
proceeds to Paisley, and running nearly parallel to the
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Clyde, terminates at Greenock, near the harbour ; the
whole hne being twenty-two miles and a half. The
portion between Glasgow and Paisley, common with the
Ayr railway noticed below, was opened on the 14th
July, 1840 ; and the line was opened throughout on the
31st March, 1841. The Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmariiuck,
and Ayr railway, authorized by an act passed in 1837,
proceeds through Paisley on a viaduct resting on several
arches of different spans, according to the width of the
streets and roads passed over, which are seven in number.
Here, also, the railway is carried over the river Cart on a
bold and splendid bridge of one arch, eighty-five feet in
span ; after which it curves, and passes over the Glasgow,
Paisley, and Johnstone canal thrice in the distance of a
mile in its course to the south-west. The works of this
railway were commenced in May 1S38 ; it was partially
opened in August 1839, and the whole line, forty miles,
between Glasgow and Ayr, was opened on the 12th
August, 1840. The easy means of communication with
so many important places now afforded to this town by
these various lines of road, tend materially to increase
its trade.
Paisley was in 14SS formed into a free burgh of
BARONY by James IV., in favour of the abbot of Paisley
and his successors, to whom power was given of ap-
pointing a provost, bailies, and other officers. The pri-
vileges were confirmed by a charter granted in 1490 by
the abbot to the provost, bailies, burgesses, and com-
munity of the recently-created burgh; and in 1576,
James VI. bestowed on the burgh a charter of the altar-
ages, chapelries, and lands here. This charter is regarded
as the foundation of the right of patronage in the burgh
exercised by the noble families of Abercorn (or Hamil-
ton) and Dundonald (or Cochrane), and acquired from
the latter family by the magistrates and council in 1733.
In 16,5S the corporation, in consideration of certain
sums of money, obtained from Lord Cochrane, at that
time proprietor of the lordship, the right of superiority
of the burgh, with all its privileges and immunities, to
be held of the crown ; which liberties, rights, and pos-
sessions, with the power of electing magistrates, were
confirmed to the inhabitants by charter granted by
Charles II., in the year 1666. The government is at
present vested in a provost, four bailies, a treasurer, and
a council of ten burgesses, assisted by a town-clerk,
chamberlain, and others. The provost, who is also a
deputy-lieutenant of the county, the bailies, and the
council, are all annually elected on the first Monday in
November, under the authority, and subject to the re-
gulations, of the Municipal Reform act ; and the town-
clerk, chamberlain, and other officers are annually ap-
pointed by the provost and council. The magistrates
have jurisdiction over the whole of the ancient royalty,
and hold courts twice in the week for the determination
of civil actions, the town-clerk being assessor ; also a
court of requests, called the Conveners' court, in which
parties appear on summons, and state their cases, when
ulterior proceedings in the civil court are frequently
obviated by the advice given by the magistrates. The
sheriff courts were removed from Renfrew to this place
in 1705. A police court is held daily by the magistrates,
assisted by the town-clerk as assessor, for the decision
of petty offences and breaches of the peace : the police
establishment consists of a superintendent, two Ser-
jeants, four corporals, and twelve constables, appointed
341
by the commissioners for the wards into which the town
and suburbs are divided. Prior to the adoption of the
Police act, an organization of special constables had been
established, which, from its efficiency in preserving
order, is still kept up, at the trifiing expense of furnish-
ing batons to the constables as ensigns of their autho-
rity. Before the passing of the act for amending the par-
liamentary representation, the burgh merely shared in
returning a member for the county ; but since that time
it has sent one of its own, and the limits of the ancient
burgh have been extended over a wide agricultural dis-
trict on the opposite side of the river Cart, which is now
included within the parliamentary boundary.
The County and Town Hall is a spacious quadrangular
edifice in the castellated style, erected in 18'.!0, at an ex-
pense of £'28,000, raised by assessment on the county
of Renfrew. In the front, or western, range of the
quadrangle are a large court-house, county-hall, council-
chambers, and offices for the different departments of
the public business of the town and county. The east-
ern range comprises the house of correction, the common
gaol, and a chapel between them for their joint accom-
modation, in which divine service is regularly performed
every Sunday evening by the ministers of the Establish-
ment and dissenting Presbyterians. In the gaol are
nineteen apartments for criminals, and fifteen for
debtors ; of the former class of prisoners there were
319, and of the latter 195, committed during a late year :
there is a large airing-yard. The house of correction
consists of forty-two cells, an hospital for the sick, and
two convenient airing-yards. The average number of
inmates is thirty-two : they are employed in winding
yarn, weaving, needle-work, picking wool, and other
useful works ; and such as need instruction are attended
by a teacher daily for one hour. Classification and moral
discipline are strictly observed, and attached to the prison
is a library of religious books. The steeple of the
former court-house and prison is still remaining, near
the market-cross ; and opposite to it are the coffee-room
buildings, of handsome style, ornamented with pilasters
of the Ionic order, and containing a spacious reading
and news room.
The whole of the Paisley portion of the county, at
present so populously inhabited, and forming so exten-
sive a manufacturing district, was previously to the
year 1736 one parish, now divided into the Abbey parish
and the town parishes. The district is situated in the
upper part of the shire, within two miles of the river
Clyde ; and is nearly nine miles in length, and of very
irregular form, varying from half a mile to about five
miles and a half in breadth. It is bounded on the north
by the parish of Renfrew, on the north-east by that of
Govan, on the east by the parish of Eastwood, on the
south-east by Neilston, on the west by the parish of
Kilbarchan, and on the south and south-west by the
parishes of Neilston and Lochwinnoch. The surface
is beautifully diversified, consisting around the town of
numerous gentle eminences, either in rich cultivation or
clothed with wood. To the north of the town the lands
are generally level, being chiefly reclaimed moss ; but
towards the south they rise into hills, called the Braes
of Gleniffer, the highest points of which have an eleva-
tion of about 700 feet above the river Cart, but which
afford excellent pasturage for sheep, and in some of the
lower heights are in a state of cultivation. The chief
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river is the Cart, or White Cart, which has its source in
the high grounds between Eaglesham and the parish of
Kilbride, and after forming its boundary for some few
miles, enters the Abbey parish on the eastern side, and
flows with a gentle course towards the town, whence it
runs into the Clyde, after having united with the Black
Cart near Inchinnan bridge. Above the town its banks
exhibit much rich scenery, being in some parts very ele-
vated, and crowned with wood. It formerly abounded
with perch, trout, flounders, and other fish ; but they
have not been found in such numbers since the esta-
bhshment of so many works upon its stream. The river
has been rendered navigable to the town for vessels of
sixty or eighty tons, by the construction of a short canal
to avoid the shallows near Inchinnan bridge ; and by
additional improvements of more recent date, for which
an act of parliament was obtained. The Levern, a
smaller stream, on whose banks are numerous cotton-
mills, bleachfields, and other works, after forming part
of the eastern boundary of the Abbey parish, joins the
Cart, neai-ly at its entrance into the parish. The Black
Cart has its source in Castle- Semple loch, borders the
parish on the north-west, and falls into the Cart, as al-
ready remarked, near Inchinnan bridge. Various rivu-
lets, also, descend from the higher grounds ; the Espedair
and Alt-Patrick burns are the principal.
On the upper lands the soil is dry and light ; in the
lower parts, a stiffish clay, retentive of moisture. The
number of acres is estimated at 16,160, of which about
12,700 are arable, 1000 in woods and plantations, I'OO
moss, and about 700 waste. The system of agriculture
has been greatly improved, and the rotation plan of
husbandry is prevalent; the chief crops are oat.s, wheat,
barley, beans, potatoes, and turnips. The farm-build-
ings are substantial and well arranged, the lands gene-
rally inclosed, and all the more recent improvements
in the construction of implements have been adopted.
Tile-draining has been carried on to a considerable ex-
tent ; much waste land and moss, also, has been re-
claimed and brought into cultivation. Due attention
is paid to the rearing of live-stock, under the encourage-
ment of the Agricultural Society : the dairy-lands are
well managed, and the proximity of populous towns and
villages affords a ready market for their produce. The
cattle are of the Ayrshire breed, the sheep generally of
the Leicester ; the horses are in general Clydesdales, and
are considered of superior character. A number of
racers and hunters are bred in the district. The woods
and plantations are well attended to, and add greatly to
the beauty of the scenery.
In the higher lands the substrata are mainly com-
posed of trap rock of the secondary character ; and in
the lower, of rocks belonging to the coal formation.
Greenstone, hornblende with quartz and felspar, and
porphyry of a greyish colour, arc found in the hills :
the greenstone is traversed with veins of jasper and
chalcedony. The substrata in the lower division include
ironstone, limestone, sandstone, fire-clay, and aluminous
and bituminous shale. The sandstone is of a yellowish
white colour, tinged more or less with iron ; it is exten-
sively (jiiarried at Nitshill, and the works afford constant
employment to atnuit 100 jjcrsons throughout the year.
The linicstone occurs in beds under the sandstone, and
alternating with coal and ironstone ; it is of a grey
colour, and is quarried at Hurlet and Blackball, where
342
it is thickly embedded with shells, crystal of calcareous
spar, ".nd small masses of mineral pitch. Coal is abun-
dant in the lower portion of the Abbey parish ; it has
been found within the town, near Meikleriggs, and at
Quarrelton, Hurlet, and other places. The coal at
Quarrelton is in ten successive seams, varying from
three to nine yards in thickness : a considerable quan-
tity is of light inflammable kind, and the remainder
closely resembles the Newcastle coal. It abounds with
inflammable gas, and is liable to spontaneous ignition.
The coal found at Hurlet occurs in a stratum about five
feet and a half thick, extending over an area of nearly
500 acres, and contains a large quantity of sulphur;
while at Nitshill are strata from one foot to almost
three feet in thickness. Coal is also found near the
road from Paisley to Beith, on the high grounds of
Auchenlodmont, at Elderslie, and at Craigenfeoch ; in
the last place it occurs in four under-seams varying in
thickness from three to five feet, and is wrought in sepa-
rate lofts. The ironstone was formerly wrought to a
great extent, and sent to the smelting-works on the
river Clyde ; it is still found in considerable quantities
at Hawkeshead, Hurlet, and other places, occurring
generally in round or lenticular masses of moderate size.
Aluminous schist is abundant at Hurlet, the strata vary-
ing from six inches to three feet and a half in thickness.
It is wrought by a company for the purpose of making
alum, of which, in a late year, not less than 1200 tons
were manufactured here ; and about 300 tons of copperas
were produced by the same company at their works at
Nitshill. Large quantities of muriate of potash and
sulphate of ammonia are manufactured at Glasgow, and
sent to the alum-works by the Glasgow canal and the
Hurlet railway. At this company's works and collieries
at and near Hurlet about 400 persons are constantly
employed ; and about 200 more are engaged in other
works in the same vicinity. From the abundance of
ironstone and coal diffused through the district, it is not
improbable that iron-works on a very extensive scale
may be ultimately established here, and give a fresh im-
petus to the enterprising genius of the inhabitants. The
annual value of real property in Paisley is £132,829,
whereof £66,941 are for the Abbey parish, which com-
pletely encircles, and includes part of, the town.
The principal modern mansions in the Abbey parish
are, Johnstone Castle, the residence of Ludovic Houston,
Esq., a spacious and elegant castellated mansion, in a
richly-wooded demesne forming one of the chief orna-
ments of the county ; Househill, a handsome residence,
pleasantly situated on the banks of the Levern near its
confluence with the river Cart ; and Ralston House,
built by the late William Orr, Esq. Hawkhead House
is an ancient structure, the property of the Earl of
Glasgow. There are numerous other houses scattered
over the parish, inhabited l)y o])ulent families, and sur-
rounded with grounds tastefully embellished ; and in the
immediate vicinity of the town are many pleasing villas,
erected by persons retired from business.
Pai-sley is the seat of a presbytery established in 1590,
and until 1834 having jurisdiction over all the county,
except Eaglesham and Cathcart : in 1834 the presby-
tery of (ireenock was formed, chiefly out of that of
Paisley. The county is in the synod of Glasgow and
Ayr. The stipend of the incumbent of the Old or Abbey
parish, the population of which is 28,^46, is £3/6, with
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a manse, a comfortable residence, erected in 1824, and a
glebe valued at £67 per annum. A second minister was
in 1641 appointed as a colleague to the incumbent, who
at that time gave five chalders out of his own income
for his support ; and this allowance, having been subse-
quently augmented, produces to the minister of the
second charge a stipend of £363, but without either
manse or glebe. The church of this parish is part of
the Abbey church, which was fitted up for the purpose,
and will be more minutely described hereafter. The
increase of the population early rendered the erection of
an additional church indispensable ; and in 1736, a
church afterwards called the Low Church having been
completed, the burgh was erected into a separate parish
by the Lords Commissioners, and a charter was obtained
from Lord Dundonald, granting to the magistrates per-
mission to build other churches within its limits, of
which he conceded to them the patronage. In 1756, a
church was erected on the eminence called Oakshaw
Head, and, from its situation, was called the High Church.
About twenty-five years afterwards, a third church was
built in the burgh parish, to accommodate the rapidly-
augmenting population, and, from its relative position
between the other two, obtained the appellation of the
Middle Church. After its erection, the parish was, by
an act of the Court of Teinds in 1 78 1, divided into three
parishes, called the Low Church, the High Church, and
the Middle Church parishes. The population of these
parishes respectively is 7OSO, 14,798, and 10,363 ; and
the stipends of the incumbents are £300 per annum
each, paid out of the common property of the corpora-
tion, who are patrons of the livings. A new church
was built by the corporation in the Low Church parish,
and dedicated to St. George, in 1819, by which an
increase of 6OO sittings was obtained, being the differ-
ence between the number of seats in the Low church
and in this, to which the incumbent of that parish was
transferred ; and after its erection the original Low
church was no longer appropriated as a place of public
worship.
The still increasing population requiring further ac-
commodation, a Gaelic church and six chapels were at
different times erected. The Gaelic church was built in
1793, for the use of the Highlanders in the town of
Paisley and the vicinity; and to each of the chapels was for
a time annexed a quoad sacra district. Of the six chapels
or churches, that of Johnstone was erected in 1792, the
church at Levern in 1835, and that of Elderslie in 1840;
and in the burgh, the North church, the Martyrs, and
the South church, were completed. The South quoad
sacra parish was partly in the Abbey parish and partly
in the parish of Low Church, and was about half a mile
in length and a quarter in breadth, having a population
of 3135, wholly in the town: the church, built in 1835-6,
at a cost of £21'29, contains 972 sittings. The North
quoad sacra parish was separated from the Middle parish
in 1834; it was in extent about one square mile, and
wholly a town parish, having a population of 2876. The
church was built in 1833-4, at a cost of £1700, raised
by means of collections and subscriptions, aided by a
grant of £300 from the General Assembly ; it contains
nearly 1000 sittings. The quoad sacra parish of Martyrs
was separated from High Church parish in 1836, and
extended over about twenty acres, its greatest length
being about 400 vards. and its greatest breadth 220 ;
343
this was also quite a town district, and had a population
of 3471. The church was built in 1835, at an expense
of £2120, raised chiefly by subscription, and contains
1200 sittings. There are several elegant and costly
erections connected with the Free Church, and other
places of worship for the United Presbyterian Church ;
also an episcopal chapel; places of worship forWesleyan
Methodists, Independents, Reformed Presbyterians, Bap-
tists, and others ; and a Roman Catholic chapel. A
home mission has been established, and is supported by
subscription : under its direction, three licentiates of
the church are appointed to preach in the most popu-
lous parts of the town and neighbourhood. There are
two Sabbath-school Societies, one of which is main-
tained by members of the Established Church, and the
other by the different denominations of Evangelical dis-
senters.
The grammar school, of which the corporation are
trustees, had an endowment in land, with certain altar-
ages, and revenues of chaplainships in the church of
the monastery, given to the magistrates of the burgh for
its foundation; but most of these endowments have been
lost, and the rector receives only £17 per annum, with a
school and dwelling-house from the corporation, by whom
he is appointed, in addition to the fees. A school for com-
mercial instruction is also partly maintained by the cor-
poration, who pay the master a salary of £8. 6. 8., with
a house. There are in the Abbey and burgh parishes
about seventy schools, the masters of which, with some
few exceptions, are supported exclusively by the fees :
the master of a school at Seedhill has a schoolroom
and dwelling-house, and £5 per annum bequeathed by
Mr. Park about fifty years since for the instruction of
children. Schools were lately established in the Abbey
parish by the heritors, who assessed themselves for the
maintenance of three teachers, and a school has been
erected in the New Town with funds bequeathed for that
purpose by the family of Corse, of Greenlaw. The pa-
rishes within the burgh obtained a grant of £700 from
government for the erection of schools, with which, toge-
ther with additions by the inhabitants, three new schools
were built; and a salary of £15 per annum was gua-
ranteed to each of the masters : in these schools are
about 700 pupils. A charity-school, founded in the town
by Mrs. Margaret Hutchinson, has been additionally en-
dowed with £500 bequeathed by the late Walter Carswell,
Esq.; and a commodious schoolroom has been built, in
which are about 250 scholars. An infant school has
been erected in the New Town, by subscription, on a site
given by James Kibble, Esq., of Greenlaw ; it is attended
by eighty children. Of the other schools, one at John-
stone is supported by subscription of the inhabitants of
that place. The whole number of scholars in the Abbey
and town parishes was returned in 1834 as amounting
to 4876 ; and since that period it has considerably in-
creased. The poor have the interest of various bequests
amounting together to £700. The Town's hospital was
built in 1752, and an addition has been made to it for
the reception of lunatics ; it is under the control of
fifteen directors chosen annually, and is visited daily by
an experienced surgeon. Inmates who are capable of
work are employed in some useful pursuit ; and the
children are duly instructed by the master, who takes
them all with him to church twice every Sunday. The
number of inmates in a late year was 220, and the ex-
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pense of their maintenance, £1347. There are six in-
corporated societies of trades, and numerous friendly
and benefit societies, that distribute largely among their
members when in need of help. A dispensary was
erected by subscription in 1*86, and a house of recovery
subsequently added ; they are under the direction of a
committee of subscribers, and a house-surgeon and
apothecary, and are visited by six medical practitioners
in the town. The building is capable of receiving at
once forty-five in-patients ; and in the course of a late
year not less than 463 were admitted, exclusively of
patients who merely received medicines and advice : the
total expenditure of the establishment for the year was
£466. A savings' bank, called the Paisley Provident
Bank, was established in 1815.
Of the ancient monastery of this place, a venerable
cruciform structure in the decorated English style of
architecture, the chief remains are the nave of the
church, which is now the Abbey parish church, and a
portion of the north transept, and of the cloisters, with
St. Mirin's chapel. The western entrance is divided
into three compartments by panelled and niched but-
tresses, terminating in conical pinnacles of recent addition
and incongruous character. In the centre is a richly-
moulded and deeply-recessed archway of Norman cha-
racter, supported on each side by a series of fifteen
slender clustered shafts. Above the doorway are two
handsome windows of three lights, the upper part filled
with geometrical tracery ; and these are surmounted by
one large window of five trefoil-headed lights, with flowing
tracery of elaborate design in the upper part. The fine
nave, ninety-three feet in length and thirty-three feet in
breadth, is separated from the aisles by ranges of mas-
sive clustered columns with plainly-moulded capitals,
sustaining the arches of the triforium, which are of cir-
cular form, richly moulded, and subdivided by a central
mullion into two pointed arches headed in cinquefoil.
The nave is lighted by a series of twelve clerestory win-
dows on either side, each window of two lights, headed
with elegant tracery. Its original groined roof, embel-
lished with sculptured bosses at the intersection of the
arches, has been concealed by the insertion of a coved
ceiling, which detracts greatly from the grandeur of
effect produced by the arrangement and style of the
interior. The aisles are lighted by handsome windows
of the decorated style, divided into two, three, and in
some instances four lights, and enriched with tracery of
various kinds ; and in some parts the groined roof, in
the same style as that of the nave, is still preserved.
That portion of the transept which is remaining has a
spacious and elegant window of two lights, with flowing
tracery of beautiful design. Of the choir, a few feet of
the walls remain above the foundation ; and the bases
of the massive clustered pillars that supported the
tower are to be seen. The cloisters appear to have in-
elosed a quadrangular area of about sixty feet, from
which is an entrance to the chapel of St. Mirin on the
east side. St. Mirin's chapel is about forty-eight feet
in length and twenty-four feet in breadth, with a lofty
and finely-groined roof. At its east end is a large win-
dow of four lights headed with trefoil, but now blocked
up ; beneath which is a cluster of sculptured figures in
bold relief. In its south wall is a niche in which a
piscina is placed; and in the north wall are two spacious
arches, built up. Under the elevated portion of the
344
pavement at the east end is a vault forming the place of
sepulture of the Abercorn family. Nearly in the centre
of the floor of the chapel is the altar-tomb of Queen
Bleary, which was found in the area of the cloisters in a
mutilated state, and, being re-constructed, was placed
here under the direction of the late Dr. Boog. The sides
and ends of this monument are divided into compart-
ments, ornamented with sculptured figures of ecclesi-
astics, armorial shields, and other devices in bold relief;
and on the slab is the figure of a female in a recumbent
posture, with the head resting on a cushion, under a rich
canopy, and the hands folded as in the attitude of prayer.
Various conjectures have been made respecting the per-
son to whose memory the monument was raised ; but
nothing satisfactory has been established. The chapel,
from its extraordinary reverberation of sound, has ob-
tained the appellation of the " sounding aisle". Within
what was formerly the choir of the monastery, and in
the adjoining cemetery, are numerous gravestones, and
monumental inscriptions: Walter, the great steward, and
his wife, and the queens of Robert II. and Robert III.,
were interred in the Abbey church.
There are some remains of the ancient residence of
the Abercorn and Dundonald families, let out in different
tenements. Three miles south-eastward of the town
are the shattered ruins of Cruickston Castle, the resort
of Mary, Queen of Scots ; and about two miles to the
south of Cruickston are the remains of the tower of
Stewarts-Raiss, seated on the bank of the river Levern.
Near the Braes of Gleniffer, by which it is overlooked, is
the tower of Stanley Castle, rising to the height of forty
feet, and crowned with a boldly-projecting battlement
supported by corbels ; it is still in good preservation,
and forms an interesting feature in the landscape.
Hawkhead House, already mentioned, one of the seats
of the Earl of Glasgow, is an irregular quadrangular
edifice, with a strong tower, round which additional
buildings have been erected ; the grounds are finely laid
out with avenues of trees forming an approach to the
castle, and are deeply embosomed in woods. Blackwall
House, situated on the banks of the river Cart, was a
mansion of great strength, but is now a ruin ; and Car-
donald, a spacious castellated mansion, formerly the seat
of Lord Blantyre, is let out in tenements. Near the
village of Elderslie is a house in which it is said the re-
nowned Sir William Wallace was born ; and near it is
a tree called " Wallace's Oak", from its having afforded
shelter and concealment to that hero and his friends,
when pursued by a hostile force of superior strength.
About two miles and a half eastward of the town is a
saline spring called Candren Well, on the properties of
which a treatise was written by the late Dr. Lyall, a
native of Paisley. Among other natives may be enu-
merated, Andrew Knox, a relative of the Reformer, who
was ordained as minister of this parish, and was after-
wards bishop of Raphoe ; Patrick Adamson, archbishop
of St. Andrew's ; Thomas Smcton, principal of the col-
lege of Glasgow ; Robert Boyd, successively principal of
the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow ; Alexander
Dunlop, father of the principal of that name ; Robert
Millar, author of the I'npagdlixni of i'hnsliiinity, and
other treatises of merit; John Witherspoon, president
of the college of New Jersey, and an eminent divine ;
Robert Findlay, professor of theology in the college of
Glasgow ; Robert Tannahill, the lyric pout ; Alexander
PANE
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Wilson, the American ornithologist ; Dr. Robert Watt,
author of the Bihliotheca Brilannka ; John Henning, a
distinguished modeller ; the gifted Professor Wilson, of
Edinburgh ; and William Motherwell, the poet, latterly
0 editor of the Glasgow Courier.
PALNACKIE, a village and sea-port, in the parish
of BuiTTLE, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 6 miles
(S. E.) from Castle-Douglas ; containing 200 inhabitants.
This place is situated on the river Urr, which is naviga-
ble from its influx into the Solway Firth up to the village,
for vessels not drawing more than seventeen feet water
at spring, and twelve feet at neap, tides ; and from the
village up to Dalbeattie, for vessels of smaller burthen.
The port appears to have grown into consideration with
the increase of Castle-Douglas, of which it is the chief
shipping-place ; and at present carries on a good trade
in coal, lime, timber, slate, and various kinds of mer-
chandise, and in fat-cattle, sheep, and other agricultural
produce, with Glasgow and Irvine ; with Liverpool,
Whitehaven, and Workington, in the north of England ;
and also with North America. The number of vessels
registered as belonging to the port is twenty, of the
aggregate burthen of 1303 tons, and navigated by
seventy-five men. A custom-house officer is stationed
here ; and all vessels in the coasting-trade are cleared
at the port both inward and outward. There is no
regular harbour ; but on one side of the creek a quay of
wood has been constructed, at which six vessels can
land or take in their cargoes at one time ; and if it were
extended along the bank of the river, and also on the
opposite side of the creek, abundant accommodation
would be provided for a very considerable number of
vessels. No harbour-dues are exacted ; but one far-
thing per ton is levied for the purpose of maintaining
the quay in repair. About 11,000 quarters of grain,
12.5 tons of meal, 700 tons of potatoes, 3800 tons of
timber, planks, and bark, and about 8000 head of fat-
cattle and sheep, are annually shipped from the port.
A mail passes daily from Castle-Douglas through the
village to Dalbeattie, and returns in the evening ; and
great facility of communication and conveyance is afforded
by steam-packets.
PANBRIDE, a parish, in the county of Forfar ;
containing, with the villages or hamlets of East Haven,
Gallowlaw, Muirdrum, and West Haven, 1380 inhabit-
ants, of whom 134 are in the village of Panbride, and
75 in Newtown of Panbride, 6 miles (S. W. by W.) from
Arbroath. This place derived its name, in the Celtic
language signifying "the town of St. Bride", probably
from the dedication of its church to that saint. The
parish is rather more than five miles in length, and full
two miles in breadth ; it is bounded on the south by the
sea, and comprises 5400 acres, of which 4100 are arable,
600 woodland and plantations, and 700 natural pasture
and moorland. The surface is generally level, and rises
by a gentle elevation towards the north-west to about
500 feet ; the shore is flat, and interspersed with rocks,
and towards the water's edge gravelly, and abounding
with pebbles, some of which are found of a very handsome
kind, resembling agate. A considerable portion of the
land appears to have been anciently covered by the sea ;
and in several parts of the coast are evident traces of
the waters having retreated. There is no river of any
importance ; but two small rivulets intersect the lands,
and unite their streams about a mile before they fall into
Vol. n.— 345
the sea : in some parts of their course they flow past
rocky banks, which rise perpendicularly to the height of
fifty feet. In this parish the soil is various : towards
the coast it is light and sandy ; in some places, a rich
loam ; towards the centre, clayey ; and in other parts,
inclining to a sterile moor. The crops are, grain of all
kinds, turnips, and potatoes. The system of agriculture
is in a very improved state ; the lands have been drained,
and inclosed partly with stone dykes and partly with
hedges of thorn, which are kept in excellent order. The
farm-buildings are substantial and well arranged ; and
all the more recent improvements in the construction of
implements have been adopted. Due attention is paid
to the rearing of cattle, generally of the common breed ;
but no sheep are bred, except for domestic uses.
The woods and plantations, which consist of the ordi-
nary forest-trees, and of Scotch fir, are well managed,
and in a flourishing condition. The substrata are, sand-
stone of soft texture, intermixed with large masses of
limestone of great compactness ; and, in some parts,
freestone of excellent quality for building purposes : the
freestone, which is of good colour, is extensively quarried ;
but the limestone is neither of good quality nor in suffi-
cient quantities to remunerate the expense of working
it. Panmure House, the seat of Lord Panmure, sole
proprietor of the parish, is a spacious and handsome
mansion, situated on an eminence in the north-western
part of the parish, in a demesne richly embellished with
woods and plantations, and commanding some beautiful
views. At a short distance are the remains of the castle
of Panmure, consisting chiefly of the foundations, and
some of the vaults of that ancient structure, which was
long the residence of the Earls of Panmure, whose an-
cestor, Galfred de Maule, obtained from Edgar, King of
Scotland, a grant of these lands in the year 1072. A
lucrative fishery is carried on by the inhabitants of East
and West Haven. The fish generally taken are cod,
haddock, lobsters, and crabs ; the cod and haddocks are
in great abundance, and considerable quantities of both
are salted and dried for exportation. The fresh fish find
a ready market at Dundee. The lobsters are caught
from February to the end of May ; and great numbers
are sent to the London market, preserved alive during
the passage in wells so constructed as to admit the sea-
water to pass through them freely. Three boats at each
of these places are employed in the fishery ; and there
are four vessels for general trade, varying from forty to
sixty tons' burthen, belonging to the parish. The Dundee
and Arbroath road and railway afford great facilities of
intercourse. About 100 persons in the parish are em-
ployed in hand-loom weaving, and there is a bleachfield
which occupies thirty persons. The annual value of real
property in Panbride is £4572.
It is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Arbroath,
synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage of the
Crown: the minister's stipend is £231. 1. 11., with a
manse, and the glebe is valued at £10 per annum. The
church is a very ancient, and was originally a cruciform,
structure : by the removal of the transepts, and other
alterations, its external character has been destroyed,
but the interior of what remains is neatly fitted up, with
a handsome gallery in the east end for the Panmure
family. It was repaired in 1775, and is adapted for a
congregation of 600 persons. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship at West Haven. The
2 Y
PAPA
PART
parochial school is well conducted ; the master has a
salary of £34. 4., the fees, and an excellent house and
large garden. A Sabbath school is kept ; and there is
a parochial library, containing volumes chiefly on reli-
gious subjects. The ancestors of Hector Boetius were
for several generations owners of property at Panbride ;
and that eminent historian is supposed to have been
born here. James Traill, Bishop of Down and Connor
in Ireland, who died in 1783, was also a native of this
parish, of which his father was minister ; and his grand-
son, the Rev. David Traill, D.D., is now incumbent.
PAPA, an isle, in the parish of Bressay, Burra,
and QuARFF, county of Shetland ; containing 21 in-
habitants. This is a small isle, lying in Scalloway bay,
a short distance north-east of Oxna, and north-west of
Burra about one mile.
PAPA, LITTLE, an island, in the parish of Sand-
sting and Aithsting, county of Shetland; contain-
ing 11 inhabitants. It lies in St. Magnus' bay, near
the island of Vementry, and is a small place, having two
families, and appropriated to the pasturage of cattle and
sheep.
PAPA-STOUR, an island, in the parish of Walls
and Sandness, county of Shetland; containing 382
inhabitants. This island lies at the entrance of St.
Magnus' bay, about a mile west of the main land of the
parish, and is about two miles in length and one in
breadth. The surface is flat, and the soil sandy ; ex-
cellent crops of oats, barley, and potatoes are often pro-
duced, and the pasturage is exceedingly rich. There
are numerous voes, or small harbours, which afford safe
anchorage for fishing-boats ; and from the convenience
of the beach, buildings have been erected for drying
fish, a branch of trade extensively carried on here. The
elevated grounds are irregular-shaped ridges, with
roundish summits ; and in almost every part of the
coast are marks of the devastation of the Western Ocean
in the form of stupendous cli£fs and deep excavations.
On the coast are also numbers of isolated rocks, one of
which is called the Lady's Rock ; and there is a very
remarkable cave called Christie's Hole, into which the
tide flows : here boats' crews attack the seals at certain
seasons, well armed with thick clubs, and provided with
lights. The inlet of Hanna Voe, though of difficult ac-
cess, is a secure harbour for vessels. Divine service is
performed in the church of Papa, by the minister of the
parish, every fortnight, when Papa Sound is passable :
on those alternate Sundays upon which the minister is
absent, the schoolmaster supported here by the Society
for Propagating Christian Knowledge acts as a kind of
pastor. The church was built in 1806.
PAPA-STRONSAY, an isle, in the parish of St.
Peter, Stronsay, county of Orkney ; containing 28
inhabitants. This is a small isle, near the island of
Stronsay, and at the mouth of a sound to which it gives
name ; its circumference is about three miles, and it is
pleasant, remarkably fertile, and produces excellent crops.
Tliere were anciently two chapels, one dedicated to St.
Nicholas, and the other to St. Bride, between the ruins
of which is an eminence called Earl's Knoll, ou which
are vestiges of buildings and graves.
PAPA-WESTRAY, an isle, in the parish of West-
ray, North Isles of the county of Orkney ; contain-
ing 340 inliabitants. This isle lies about three miles
north-cast of Westray, and is about four miles long and
346
one broad, having a very fertile soil, and remarkable for
the excellence both of its arable and pasture land. Its
surface for the most part rises gently towards the middle,
and terminates on the north in the well-known Mull of
Papa, a bold and lofty headland, where there is a cave,
deemed one of the greatest natural curiosities in the
Orkneys. The interior of this cave presents the appear-
ance of an immense amphitheatre : the roof, upwards of
seventy feet in height, is like a regularly built arch ; the
beds of rock on every side rise one above another in the
form of steps of stairs, and the ground is smooth and
even. The entrance is about fifty feet in width ; the
breadth of the middle part is about sixty, and of the
farthest part of the interior forty-eight feet. In the
southern extremity of the island is a beautiful fresh-
water lake, which extends nearly across it from one side
to the other ; and in one part of this lake is an islet,
containing the ruins of a chapel said to have been dedi-
cated to a female saint named Tredwall. The island
belongs almost exclusively to one proprietor, who, with
his family, constantly resides upon it. Kelp in consi-
derable quantity is manufactured by the population.
PAPLAY, Isles of Orkney. — See Holm.
PARKHEAD, a village, in the parish of Barony,
suburbs of the city of Glasgow, county of Lanark, 1
mile (E.) from Glasgow; containing 1150 inhabitants.
This populous village is situated on the Clyde river, in
the vicinity of the Glasgow water-works, and in a district
abounding in coal and iron mines, in which a large part
of the population is employed. Hand-loom weaving is
carried on, and there are other branches of manufacture.
The water-works here were erected in 1806; the water
of the river is filtered through sand-banks, and then
conveyed to the city.
PARTICK, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish of Govan, Lower ward of the county of Lanark;
containing 3628 inhabitants. This place was separated
under an act of the General Assembly from the parish of
Govan, and erected into a distinct ecclesiastical district.
It is a romantic suburb of Glasgow, about two miles
west-north-west of the city, and is the seat of several
public works. Within its limits are the flour-mills and
granaries belonging to the incorporation of bakers, the
lands attached to which they received as a grant from
the regent Murray, after the battle of Langside, as a re-
ward for having liberally supplied his army with bread
while quartered in the neighbourhood. The village of
Partick extends into Barony parish, and contains, in the
whole, 2747 inhabitants ; it is seated on the banks of
the Kelvin, and a short distance northward of the river
Clyde. The lands adjacent to it were given by David I.
to the see of Glasgow ; and the Hutchesons, founders of
the hospital in Glasgow which bears their name, pos-
sessed a mansion in the village that hadat one time been
the country residence of the archbishops of Glasgow.
Partick is in the presbytery of Glasgow and synod of
Glasgow and Ayr: the stipend of the minister is £130,
arising from seat-rents and collections ; the church con-
tains .516 sittings, and the patronage is in the subscribers
and managers. There are places of worship for the
United Presbyterian Synod and the Free Church.
PARTON, a parisli, iu the stewartry of Kirkcud-
bright, 7 miles (N. W.) from Castle-Douglas; con-
taining 808 inhabitants, of whom 40 are in the village
of Parton, and 38 in that of Corsock. This parish.
y
PATH
PATH
which is situated nearly in the centre of the stewartry,
takes its name from a Gaehc term signifying " the Hill
Top". On the east runs the river Urr, which separates
it from the parish of Kirkpatrick-Durham ; on the
north-west, the river Ken j and on the south-west the
river Dee. It is almost seven miles in extreme length
and about five miles in breadth, comprising nearly
17,000 acres, of which about 9190 are arable and pas-
ture, 1400 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
uncultivated waste. The surface towards the north is
diversified with hills, but of no great elevation ; the most
considerable are Mochrum Fell and Cruckie Height,
commanding a fine view of the vales of the Ken and the
Dee, which rivers, uniting about half a mile above the
village of Parton, flow together under the name of the
latter into the Solway Firth. There are several lakes,
of which the principal are those of Corsock, Lurky, and
Falbey ; but they are not of sufficient importance to
require description. The soil on the arable lands is
light and sandy, and the chief crops are oats, barley, and
potatoes, of which last large quantities are raised ; the
farms are of moderate extent, and the lands inclosed with
stone dykes. Numbers of sheep and cattle, generally of
the native breeds, are pastured in the hills ; and the
mosses afford an ample supply of peat for fuel. A slate-
quarry has been many years in operation, producing
slates of good quality for roofing ; but since the reduc-
tion of the duty on English slates it has been less exten-
sively wrought. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £5210.
In this parish the principal seats are Parton House,
Corsock, and Nether Corsock, all of them handsome
modern mansions finely situated. The villages of Par-
ton and Corsock, though inconsiderable, are neatly
built ; and the surrounding scenery is pleasingly diver-
sified. There is a post-office under that of Castle-Doug-
las _: and facility of communication is afforded by good
roads, of which those from Castle-Douglas and Dum-
fries to New Galloway pass through the parish. Eccle-
siastically, this place is within the bounds of the pres-
bytery of Kirkcudbright and synod of Galloway. The
minister's stipend is £231. 6. 2., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £25 per annum ; patroness, Miss Glen-
donwyn. Parton church, situated on the bank of the
Dee, is a neat structure erected in 1834 ; and part of
the old church, of which about one-half is still remain-
ing, has been converted into a burial-place for the fami-
lies of Glendonwyn and Maxwell. A chapel has been
erected on the bank of the Urr ; the minister derives
his income from the seat-rents and an annual donation
from Mr. Fletcher of Corsock. There are two parochial
schools, the masters of which have respectively salaries
of £31. 6. 6. and £20, but without either house or gar-
den ; the fees of the one average £16, and of the other
£8. Near the church is an artificial mount, surrounded
by a deep ditch ; and about half a mile to the north of
it is a larger, of similar character, about 200 yards in
circumference at the base ; not far from which are some
Druidical remains. There are also some cairns, and at
Corsock the remains of an ancient castle.
PATHHEAD, a village, in the parish of New Cum-
nock, district of Kyle, county of Ayr; containing 325
inhabitants. This is an agricultural village, not far
distant from Afton-Bridgend, Castle, and Mansfield,
also in the parish. It contains a Free church.
347
PATHHEAD, a village, in the parish of Crichton,
county of Edinburgh, 4i miles (S. E.) from Dalkeith ;
containing 843 inhabitants. This is a neat village, situ-
ated on the high road from Dalkeith to Fala, and is of
a remarkably cheerful appearance, on which account,
and from the beautiful scenery in the vicinity, it is a
favourite summer retreat. The principal street is broad
and well built, and in the neighbourhood are several
elegant residences. At the foot of the village is a hand-
some bridge over the Tyne water, lately erected on the
Ford property, under the direction of Sir John Dal-
rymple ; it consists of five arches, eighty feet high, and
fifty feet in span, and crosses the beautiful vale between
Ford and the finely-wooded grounds of Preston Hall
and Oxenford. A post-olhce has two arrivals and de-
spatches daily. Many of the inhabitants are engaged in
the collieries of the district. In the village is a Free
church, and near it is another place of worship for dis-
senters : there are also two or three schools, one of them
an infants' school under the patronage of Mrs. Burn Cal-
lender, of Preston Hall.
PATHHEAD, a town, in the parish of Dysart, IT
district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife ; embracing
Hawkley-Muir, St. Clairtown, and Dunnikier ; and con-
taining about 5000 inhabitants. This place, which stands
on the shores of the Firth of Forth, is bounded on the
north-east by Easter and Wester Gallaton ; it is conti-
guous to Kirkcaldy on the south-west, and is distant
about three-quarters of a mile from Dysart, the village
that gives name to the parish. As there are three
places known by the name of Pathhead, and confusion
often arises in the post-office arrangements, it has been
contemplated to change the name of this town into
either Dunraven or Dunniclair. The old mansion-house
of Dunnikier, at the head of the Path, close to Kirkcaldy,
forms an interesting object, and is in a good state of
repair. But what attracts the stranger is the old castle
of Ravenscraig, built on a bold projecting rock on the
shore : there is not a more picturesque ruin on the
whole coast of Fife, and it has for many years been a
favourite subject with Scottish painters. This castle
was given by James HI. to William St. Clair, Earl of
Orkney, when he resigned the title of Orkney : at pre-
sent it is in the possession of the Earl of Rosslyn. It
has not been occupied, since it was made a temporary
domicile by a party of soldiers during the usurpation of
Cromwell.
The chief part of the population are sailors and
weavers. During the continental war, as many as
thirty persons in the course of one week left to join the
navy : few returned, but a sprinkling of the men who
served in the battles of the Nile and Trafalgar yet re-
main. Still, the majority are weavers ; and in order to
evince the trade, the manufacturers some years ago met,
and after calculation came to the conclusion that the
trade in ticks, linens, and dowlas, and other lighter
fabrics that are sent to the colonies, involved an expen-
diture of not less than £108,000 per annum. Great
facility of communication is afforded by the Edinburgh,
Perth, and Dundee railway. The Original Seceders
have long had a place of worship here, and there is an
unendowed chapel in connexion with the Established
Church, having a massive tower which forms a pleasing
object in the landscape. A Free church has been built
since the Disruption of 1843; it has a pavilion roof,
2 Y2
PA XT
PEEB
and is seated for S30 persons. There are two unen-
dowed schools, at both of which the attendance is good ;
also the Philps Institution, where 150 children are edu-
cated free of expense, with books and clothes provided
gratis in addition.
PATIEMUIR, a village, in the parish and district of
Dunfermline, county of Fife, '2 miles from Dunferm-
line; containing 131 inhabitants. This village, which
is situated in the southern part of the parish, is small,
and chiefly inhabited by persons engaged in the various
works in its vicinity, and in agriculture.
PATNA, a village, in the parish of Straiton, dis-
trict of Carrick, in the county of Ayr, J miles (N. E.
by N.) from the village of Straiton ; containing '231 in-
habitants. This village, which is pleasantly situated on
the banks of the river Doon, and has been wholly rebuilt
within the last century, appears to have arisen from the
opening of collieries and lime-quarries in its immediate
neighbourhood. It consists partly of several neat and
well-built houses inhabited by persons engaged in the
various trades requisite for the wants of this portion of
the very extensive parish in which it is situated, and
partly of numerous cottages for those employed in the
collieries and quarries. In these about forty persons
are constantly occupied ; and the average annual pro-
duce of the pits and quarries is estimated at £1200.
The coal occurs in seams of different quality, varying in
thickness from three and a half to about eight feet. The
old road leading to the village, having become impass-
able, has been abandoned, and a more convenient road
formed ; but a still shorter road is highly requisite for
the greater facility of conveying the produce of the lime
and coal works to various parts of the parish. Coal,
which may be purchased at Patna for three shillings
and si.xpence per ton, cannot be delivered in the village
of Straiton for less than eight shillings. A chapel, in
connexion with the Established Church, was erected by
subscription for the accommodation of the inhabitants
of this distant portion of the parish, on a spot of ground
given for that purpose, in 1836, by Mrs. Leslie Gumming.
The building is substantial ; it is adapted for a congre-
gation of 340 persons, and has a gallery in front. The
United Presbyterian Synod have a place of worship. A
school affords instruction to sixty children ; the pro-
prietor of the estate grants the master a salary of £11
per annum, with a house and garden, in addition to the
fees, which average £'2.5. About thirty-five children also
attend a .Sabbath school.
PAXTON, a village, in the parish of Hutton, county
of Berwick, 45 miles (W.) from Berwick; containing
284 inhabitauts. Tliis is a pleasant little village in the
eastern quarter of the parish, and on the west bank of
the Tweed, which is crossed by a handsome suspension-
bridge, called Union bridge, near Paxton, and a short
distance below the English village of Horncliff. This
bridge has been of great advantage to Bervv'ickshire in
the introduction of coal and lime; and before Septem-
ber 1840, when a splendid bridge was built at Norham
into Ladykirk parish, the Union bridge was the only
connexion of the two sides of the Tweed between Ber-
wick and Coldstream. On the estate of I'axton is a
manufactory for bricks and tiles, where large quantities
of the latter are made for drainage. Paxton House,
beautifully seated on the bank of the river, is a spacious
mansion in the Grecian style, after a design by the
348
Bursh Seal.
architect Adam ; it is built of red sandstone, and con-
tains some very fine apartments, and a picture-gallery. In
the village is a school, for which a house and a dwelling
for the master were built by a late proprietor of the Pax-
ton estate ; and there is also a small library.
PEATIE, a hamlet, in the parish of Kettins, county
of Forfar, ^5 miles (S. by E.) from Cupar- Angus ; con-
taining 53 inhabitants. This is a small place situated
in the south-west part of the parish. A chapel which
formerly existed here has been demolished.
PEEBLES, a royal burgh,
a market-town, and parish,
in the county of Peebles, of
which it is the chief place ;
containing 263'2 inhabitants,
of whom 1898 are in the y;j
burgh, 21 miles (S.) from
Edinburgh. This place is of
great antiquity, and bears
evident indications of having
been once of much more im-
portance and of much larger
extent than it is at present.
In 1151, Ingelram, who was rector of the church, and
archdeacon of Glasgow, was made chancellor of Scotland
by David I., and in 1164 promoted to the see of Glas-
gow. At a very early period, from its proximity to the
royal forests, Peebles was the frequent resort of the
Scottish kings, and the favourite residence of Alexander
III., who founded a monastery for Red Friars, and built
and endowed the church of the Holy Cross. During
the invasion of Scotland by Edward I. of England, the
bailie and burgesses of Peebles, which appears to have
been made a burgh, though at what time or by what
charter is not precisely known, swore fealty to the Eng-
lish monarch at Berwick in 1296. In 1304 the burgh,
as then constituted, was granted by that king to Aymer
de Valence ; and in 1367 David II. conferred a charter,
bestowing on the inhabitants all the privileges of a royal
burgh, in acknowledgment of their loyalty in having
contributed to his ransom when taken prisoner by the
English at the battle of Neville's Cross. The town was
frequently plundered by the English, and in 1545 was
reduced to ashes by the Earl of Hertford, afterwards
Duke of Somerset, in revenge for the defeat sustained
by the English in a battle with the Scots under the
command of the Earl of Angus. During the usurpation
of Cromwell, the town was occupied by his troops while
besieging the castle of Noidpath, the stronghold of the
Frazers, sheriffs of the county ; on which occasion the
church of St. Andrew was appropriated as a stable for
the horses of the soldiers. In the rebellions of 1715
and 1745, the inhabitants strictly maintained their
loyalty ; and during the war with France, when the
country was threatened with invasion, the county raised
a corps of infantry and two troops of cavalry, consisting
together of 820 men, well accoutred and well officered,
for the protection of their native land.
The TOWN is beautifully situated on the north bank
of the Tweed, and at the mouth of the stream called the
Peebles or Eddlestone water, which here falls into that
river. The older portion of it is on the west, and the
more modern portion, called the New Town, on the east,
side of the Peebles water, over which are two bridges
affording a communication between them. Across the
y
PE E B
PEEB
Tweed, at the west end of the New Town, is a bridge
supposed to have been erected at different periods, and
which, forming but an indifferent means of communica-
tion, was widened and remodelled under the provisions
of an act of parliament, in the year 1834 : it adds con-
siderably to the beauty of the surrounding scenery. A
little below the town is a handsome iron bridge for foot
passengers, erected about thirty or forty years since by
Sir John Hay, to connect portions of his grounds. The
streets have been modernised, and are gradually improv-
ing in appearance by the erection of handsome new houses
as the old buildings are removed or fall into decay ;
but the place is not increasing in extent. It is amply
supplied with -water, and lighted with gas by the corpo-
ration. The chief trade carried on here is the woollen
manufacture, which has been established several years,
and affords occupation to a number of persons : the
making of stockings is carried on upon a small scale,
and the weaving of cotton for the Glasgow houses gives
employment to a few individuals, who work at their own
dwellings. Branches of the British Linen Company and
the City of Glasgow Bank have been founded. The
market, which is toll-free, after having been some years
discontinued, has been revived, and is held weekly on
Tuesday ; it is well supplied with grain and other articles
of merchandise. Fairs are held on the second Tuesday
in January, the first Tuesday in March, the second Wed-
nesday in May, the Tuesday after the 18th of July, the
Tuesday before the 24th of August, the Tuesday before
the 12th of September, the second Tuesday in October,
and the Tuesday before the 12th of December, for cattle,
sheep, wool, various kinds of wares, and for the hiring
of servants.
This burgh, under a charter of James VI., confirming
all previous grants, is governed by a provost, two bailies,
a dean of guild and treasurer, and a council of twelve
burgesses, assisted by a town-clerk and subordinate
officers. The provost and bailies are elected by the
council, and have the appointment of the other officers
of the corporation, except the treasurer and town-clerk,
who are also appointed by the council. The provost is
a justice of the peace by virtue of his office, and the
magistrates hold courts, as occasion requires, for the
determination of civil pleas, and for the trial of cases of
misdemeanor, in which the town-clerk acts as assessor.
Peebles was formerly joined with Selkirk, Linlithgow,
and Lanark, in returning a member to the imperial par-
liament, and the right of election was vested in the bur-
gesses ; but since the passing of the Reform act, it has
had the privilege of voting only in the election of a mem-
ber for the county. The town-house is a neat edifice,
in the centre of the High-street of the New Town ; and
the County Buildings, at the west end of the street,
erected about 1843, form a handsome structure, for the
convenience of the sheriff courts, and other meetings
connected with the administration of the county business.
Attached to the County Buildings is a prison, fitted up
in the most approved manner.
The PARISH is about ten miles in length from north
to south, and six miles in breadth from east to west ;
comprising 18,200 acres, of which 3000 are arable, 1500
woodland and plantations, and the remainder meadow
and pasture. Its surface is diversified with numerous
hills of small elevation, and with some fine tracts of level
land along the banks of the rivers. Towards the north
349
the hills are covered with heath, and abound with moor
game ; but in the other parts the hills are clothed with
verdure. The scenery is finely enriched by the planta-
tions which have been formed on many of the lands, and
which are in a flourishing condition. .Of the streams, the
Tweed pursues its pleasing course for more than five
miles through the parish, which it divides into two
nearly equal parts : soon after entering the parish it
expands into a fine sheet of water, augmented by the
Lyne ; and in its progress it receives also the waters of
the Manor, the Eddlestone, the small burn of Haystone,
&c. The streams abound with trout of excellent quality,
of which large numbers are taken during the season ;
and salmon are also found in the Tweed, but not of any
great size, nor in any great quantity. The soil is mostly
light, but tolerably fertile : the crops are oats, barley,
wheat, turnips, and potatoes : the system of agriculture
is advanced, and the rotation plan of husbandry pursued.
Considerable progress has been made in draining and
inclosing the lands ; the farm-buildings are substantial
and well arranged, and all the more recent improvements
in the construction of implements have been adopted.
Great attention is also paid to the rearing of cattle, and
to the improvement of the breeds : the cattle, of which
about 300 are pastured, are chiefly of the Teeswater
breed ; and 8000 sheep of the Cheviot breed are fed on
the pastures. The substratum is chiefly greywacke, of
which abundance is found in the hills ; it is of a fine
texture, and has been quarried for building and other
purposes. Transition limestone occurs in some parts of
the parish, and a quarry was opened ; but the quality of
the stone was very inferior, and from the high price of
the coal for burning it into lime, the works were dis-
continued. King's Meadows, Venlaw, Rosetta, Langside,
Minden Cottage, and Kerfield are all handsome residences
beautifully situated. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £12,.'J58.
It is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Peebles, synod
of Lothian and Twceddale, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Werayss and March : the minister's stipend is
£298. 3., with a manse, and the glebe is valued at £24
per annum. The church, a substantial edifice of stone,
with a handsome spire, was erected in 1784, and is
adapted for a congregation of 800 or 900 persons. There
are places of worship for members of the Free Church,
the United Presbyterian Church, and Episcopalians.
Two schools are supported by the corporation ; one of
them a grammar school, the master of which has a good
house for the accommodation of boarders, a salary of £10
per annum, and £I6 from sixteen additional scholars,
with the school fees ; and the other an English school,
the master of which has a salary of £38, and the fees,
which average about £40 per annum. There is also a
school in connexion with the Free Church ; and the
mistress of a school for young children has a salary of
£10 per annum, paid by the corporation. The poor
receive the interest of funded bequests amounting to
£700 ; and there are two friendly societies. The tower
of the ancient church of the Holy Cross is still remain-
ing i and the market-cross, which was sold as building
materials, was purchased, and erected in the pleasure-
grounds of King's Meadows, by Sir John Hay, the pro-
prietor of that estate. On the summit of Cademuir are
some remains of a Roman camp ; and on an eminence
called Janet's Brae, about half a mile eastward of the
PEEB
PEEB
town, are remains of two other camps. The last Duke
of Queensberry was born in this town, and was brought
up in the castle of Neidpath, the family seat. Peebles
is the birthplace of the enterprising Messrs. Chambers,
of Edinburgh.
PEEBLESSHIRE, or TWEEDDALE, an inland
county, in the southern part of Scotland, bounded on
the north by Edinburghshire, on the east by Selkirk-
shire and Edinburghshire, on the south by the county of
Dumfries, and on the west by Lanarkshire. It hes be-
tween 55° 24' and 55° 50' (N. Lat.) and ^°45' and 3° 23'
(W. Long.), and is thirty miles in length and twenty-
two miles in extreme breadth ; comprising an area of
about 360 square miles, or 234,400 acres ; 2275 houses,
of which 2118 are inhabited ; and containing a population
of 10,499, of whom 5U8 are males and 5381 females.
This county takes the name of Peebles from its principal
town, and the name of Tweeddale, the more ancient and
descriptive, from its chief river, the Tweed, which divides
it into two nearly equal parts, flowing in a winding course
along an ample vale of great fertility and beauty. It
appears to have been originally inhabited by the Gndeni,
aBritish tribe, who maintained their independence against
the attempts of the Romans to reduce them under their
authority ; and who, after the abdication of the Roman
government, associated themselves with the Britons of
Strathclyde, descendants of the ancient Damnii. During
the frequent aggressions of the Picts they continued to
retain their distinction as a people ; and, secured by
their extensive forests, they maintained their power
against the invasion of the Saxons of the south, long
after the conquest of the Picts by the Scottish kings, till
they became identified with the emigrants from the coasts
of Ireland, who, settling in the peninsula of Cantyre, were
soon mingled with the native inhabitants.
Afterwards, a party of Anglo-Saxons, under Eadnlph,
who had settled in Lothian, established themselves in
the valley of Eddlestone, where they obtained a perma-
nent settlement, and built a town to which they gave the
name of their chieftain ; and from these are descended
many of the most ancient families in the county. During
the wars consequent on the disputed succession to the
Scottish throne on the death of Alexander III., the
county became subject to Edward I. of England ; but
being rescued from the English yoke by the valour and
intrepidity of Sir AVilliam Douglas, it maintained its in-
dependence till it again submitted to the English after
the battle of Neville's Cross. Upon the restoration of
David II., however, its independence was finally secured.
For many years this part of tlie country suffered from
incursions during the border warfare ; and many of its
gentry who attended James IV. to the battle of Flodden
Field, fell in that disastrous conflict. Prior to the abo-
lition of episcopacy, the county formed part of the dio-
cese of Glasgow ; it has since been included in the synod
of Lothian andTwceddale, and comprises the presbytery of
Peebles, and fourteen parishes. For civil purposes the
county was originally under the jurisdiction of two
shcrilfs, one of whom resided at Tra(]uair, and the other
at Peebles ; but since the al)olition of heritable jurisdic-
tions, it has been under one sheriff only, by whom a
sheriif-substitute is appointed, and who holds his several
courts at Peel)les, which is the shire town. Besides
Peebles, the only royal Inirgh in the county, it contains
Linton, a burgh of barony ; the villages of Innerleithen,
350
Carlops, Eddlestone, Skirling, and Broughton, and a few
inconsiderable hamlets. By the act of the 2nd of Wil-
liam IV., it returns one member to the imperial parlia-
ment.
In general the surface is hilly and mountainous, with
intervening tracts of level and fertile land. The most
mountainous district is on the south side of the Tweed,
towards the source of which the hills are usually covered
with verdure, but towards the confines of Selkirk are of
bleak and barren aspect. Most of the hills in the other
parts of the county are easy of ascent, and afford good
pasturage for cattle and sheep ; they are chiefly of
conical form, and several of them are cultivated to a
considerable height above the base. The principal rivers
are the Tweed, the Lyne, the Peebles or Eddlestone, and
the Leithen. Of these the Tweed has its source in a
spring in Tweedsmuir, towards the western extremity of
the county, which has an elevation of 1500 feet above
the level of the sea ; it takes a winding course eastward
between banks richly wooded, and, flowing through the
most romantic parts of the county into that of Selkirk,
ultimately falls into the German Ocean at Berwick. The
Lyne has its source near the western extremity of the
Pentland hills, on the northern confines of the county :
taking a direction southward, it passes the village of
Linton, to which it gives name, and, after a course of
about fifteen miles, joins the Tweed about three miles
above Peebles, the county town. The Peebles or Eddle-
stone water rises near the south-west boundary of Edin-
burghshire, and after a rapid course, in which it turns
several mills, falls into the Tweed at Peebles. The
Leithen water has its source in the north-east of the
county ; flows through the village of Innerleithen, to
which it gives its name ; and falls into the Tweed oppo-
site to Traquair House. Of several smaller streams
tributary to the Tweed, the Manor and the Quair are the
principal ; and the Megget water, flowing through the
district of that name, falls into St. Mary's loch, in the
county of Selkirk. There are some lakes, but none of
sufficient importance to require particular notice, except
the lake of Eddlestone, as being the source of the river
South Esk, which flows into the North Esk at Dalkeith,
in the county of Edinburgh.
Not more than 35,000 acres are arable, about 8000
meadow and pasture, and the remainder moorland, hill
pasture, woodland, plantations, and waste. The soil on
the level lands is chiefly a sandy loam, interspersed with
tracts of richer loam resting on a gravelly bottom ; on
the skirts and acclivities of the hills, a loose friable earth,
with a mixture of clay in some parts ; and in other
places, unprofitable moss and moor. The crops are
barky, oats, potatoes, turnips, and a small quantity of
wheat. In the level districts the farms have a larger
proportion of arable land, and those in the hilly districts
a larger proportion of pasture. The system of agricul-
ture is in an improved state ; the lower lands have been
well drained, and are inclosed partly with fences of stone
and (ialloway dykes, but chiefly with hedges of thorn and
ditches, and the plantations with mounds of earth. The
farm houses and offices of the larger tenants are sub-
stantial and commodious, the former roofed with slate,
and tlie hitter with tiles. Lime is found only in the
northern part of the county, and is but little employed
in farming, for which purpose farm-dung and various
composts are used. Few cattle are pastured, the hill
PENC
PENC
pastures being chiefly appropriated to sheep, of which
more than 100,000 are reared ; they are chiefly of the
Cheviot breed, and great numbers are sent to the English
markets. Though anciently abounding with timber, and
celebrated as the resort of the Scottish kings for hunting
in the forests, there are now scarcely more than twenty
acres of natural wood in the county. Within the last
thirty or forty years, however, extensive plantations
have been every where made ; many of the hills, for-
merly of barren aspect, are now crowned with thriving
trees, and the banks of the rivers richly wooded. The
plantations are of oak, ash, elm, beech, and Scotch, silver,
and spruce firs ; but of the firs the Scotch only, of which
there are very large tracts, appears to thrive well.
In this county the principal substrata are whinstone
and freestone, of which the former is by far the more
abundant, and of which most of the houses are built :
coal is found towards the north-east extremity of the
county, but not under circumstances favourable to the
working of it. At Stobo is a quarry of blue slate of fine
quality, which is extensively wrought, and the produce
sent to Edinburgh and other parts of the country. The
seats are Traquair House, Cardrona, Kailzie, Cringletie,
King's Meadows, Hallyards, Darnhall, Pirn, Scotstown,
Romanno, the Whim, La Mancha, Stobo Castle, New
Posso, Quarter, Polmood, Portmore, Callends, Castle-
Craig, Cairnmuir, Mossfennan, Rachan, Broughton Place,
the Glen, and various other residences. The chief
manufactures are, those of carpets, serge, and coarse
woollen-cloths, to a very limited extent ; and the weaving
of linen and cotton for the manufacturers of Glasgow.
In general the population is pastoral and agricultural,
and very little attention has been paid to any other
pursuits, though the county possesses many requisites
for the establishment of various branches of manufac-
ture. Facility of communication is afforded by roads
kept in good repair. The annual value of real property
in the county is £74,810, of which £67,675 are returned
for lands, £6247 for houses, fe^S for quarries, and the
rest for mines. Among the antiquities are the remains
of numerous peel-houses, of which in some instances
several are found within the limits of a single parish.
There are considerable remains of baronial castles, the
most important of which are those of Neidpath, Oliver
Castle, Henderland, and Drochil ; the sites of camps,
chiefly of Danish origin, and of one thought to be Roman,
near which a handsome vase of bronze was discovered ;
a few slight Druidical remains ; and some tumuli. Stone
coffins containing human bones have been found ; also
battle-axes and other military weapons ; some Roman
coins ; and, near Cairnmuir, a chain of twisted gold
with some gold-beads, supposed to have been worn by
the Celtic chieftains. Remains exist of ancient religious
houses ; and other monuments of antiquity are noticed
under the names of the several parishes in which they
occur.
PENCAITLAND, a parish, in the county of Had-
dington ; containing 1127 inhabitants, of whom 48 are
in the village of Easter Pencaitland, and 171 in that of
Wester Pencaitland, 4 miles (S. E.) from Tranent. This
place derives its name, properly Pencaithlan, from its
situation at the head of a narrow valley watered by the
river Tyne. It is of very ancient date, and appears to
have been granted by William the Lion to Everard de
Pencaithlan, who gave the churchy with the tithes and
351
other property belonging to it, to the monks of Kelso,
in whose possession it remained till a short time prior
to the accession of Robert Bruce. The manor subse-
quently became the property of a younger branch of the
Maxwell family, who granted the advowson and tithes
to the monks of Dryburgh, who held them until the
Reformation. Pencaitland parish is about four miles in
length from east to west, and about three miles in
breadth. It is in the most western part of the county,
and is bounded on the north by the parish of Gladsmuir,
on the east by that of Salton, and on the south and west
by the parish of Ormiston. The surface rises on both
sides from the banks of the Tyne (by which it is divided
into two nearly equal portions) in a gentle acclivity till
it attains a moderate degree of elevation ; and is pleas-
ingly diversified with fields in rich cultivation, and with
meadows of luxuriant verdure. The river, here a very
inconsiderable stream, flows silently along a narrow but
highly picturesque valley in its progress towards the sea ;
and there are numerous springs, affording an ample
supply of excellent water.
In general the soil is fertile, though not well adapted
to green crops ; and by good management it has been
much improved : the whole number of acres in the parish
is estimated at 4800, of which 4300 are under tillage,
200 in pasture, and 300 in woods and plantations. Crops
are raised of wheat, barley, oats, peas, beans, potatoes,
and turnips ; the system of agriculture is in an advanced
state, and the six-shift course of husbandry prevalent.
The lands are well inclosed, and have been benefited by
furrow-draining, which is extensively practised ; the
farm houses and offices are substantial and commodious,
and on most of the farms are threshing-mills, several of
them driven by steam-power, which is rapidly coming
into use. About 1500 sheep are pastured, chiefly for
the Edinburgh market. The woods and plantations are
mostly on the lands of Winton and Fouutainhall, and
contain some trees of venerable growth. In this parish
the substrata are limestone and coal, with some veins of
freestone of excellent quality, which is quarried to a
considerable extent for building and other purposes :
the coalfield is part of the East Lothian range, which
appears to terminate in this parish. The coal is found
chiefly at a depth of about sixty feet, in seams varying
from three feet to nearly five feet in thickness ; below
which, at a depth of nearly seventy feet, lies a vein of
splint coal, from a foot and a half to three feet thick :
three mines are wrought, affording employment to more
than 200 persons. There is also a vein of carboniferous
limestone, wrought with profit. The nearest market-
towns are Haddington and Dalkeith, to which the agri-
cultural produce of the parish is chiefly sent ; and
facility of communication with these and other places
is maintained by good roads : that from Edinburgh to
Dunse passes a little to the east of Easter Pencaitland.
The annual value of real property in Pencaitland is
£7396.
Winton House, the seat of the Earls of Winton until
the estates were forfeited in 1715, and now the property
of Lady Ruthven ; and Fountainhall, belonging to Sir
John Dick Lauder, Bart. ; are both very ancient struc-
tures. The villages of Easter and Wester Pencaitland
are separated from each other by the Tyne. The latter
is of corresponding antiquity with the parish, and ap-
pears to have been formerly of more importance than it
PE NI
P ENI
is at present ; it contains an ancient cross, and hence
it is supposed that a market was formerly held. A pro-
clamation inserted in the Edinburgh Gazette, in August
1699, authorized the holding of two fairs in this village,
for the sale of horses, cattle, and sheep, and of linen and
woollen cloths, on the Sth of June and 4th of October
yearly, " free of customs for three years." The popula-
tion of both places are chiefly employed in agricultural
pursuits, and in small handicraft trades ; but the inha-
bitants of the village of Newtown, also in the parish,
almost exclusively in the collieries.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Haddington, synod of Lo-
thian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage of Lady Ruth-
ven : the stipend of the minister is £'^91, with a manse,
a comfortable residence, and a glebe of six acres of good
land, valued at £14 per annum. The church is a vene-
rable structure, of which by far the larger portion was
erected in 1631 ; the other portion of it, called the Pent-
caitland aisle, is of much greater antiquity, and most
probably part of the original church. It is situated
nearly in the centre of the parish ; and adjoining to it is
an ancient building, known as the " College", probably
from having been a seminary previous to the Reforma-
tion. The members of the Free Church have a place of
worship. Pencaitland parochial school affords education
to about seventy scholars ; the master has a salary of
£34. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees amount
to £30 per annum. The schoolroom, which is ample
and commodious, is situated in the village of Wester
Pencaitland. A school at Easter Pencaitland was esta-
blished by the late Mrs. Hamilton, for instructing girls
in elementary learning and in needle-work. There is
also a school in the village of Newtown, for the children
of persons employed in the collieries, the master of which
receives from Lady Ruthven and the lessee of the mines
certain donations, in addition to the fees.
Sir John Lauder, Bart., Lord Fountainhall, an emi-
nent lawyer and statesman, who took his title as a lord
of session and justiciary from lands in this parish, was
the author of ■FountdinhaU's Decisions, published in two
volumes, and of three quarto and ten folio volumes of
MSS. James Hamilton, who was also one of the judges
of the court of session, and a lord justiciary, by the title
of Lord Pencaitland ; and George Seton, the fifth and
last Earl of Winton, who was taken prisoner at Preston,
and sentenced to death for his attachment to the Pre-
tender, were likewise connected with this place. The
late Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, Bart., of Fountainhall,
who died at the Grange House, Edinburgh, in 1S48,
was author of The H'ol/e of IJadenoch, Account of the
Floods in Moray, and other works. Among the ministers
of the parish have been, Caldcrwood, the ecclesiastical
historian, who entered on his spiritual duties here some
time after his return from Holland, whither he had been
banished during one of the most eventful periods in the
history of the Scottish Cliurch ; and the Rev. Robert
Douglas, who, in tlie capacity of chaplain, accompanied
a brigade of auxiliaries sent over to (icrniany from this
country, to aid the Protestant cause under the celebrated
Gustavus Adolphus, by whom he was held in high esti-
mation.
PENICUICK, a parish, in the county of EniN-
BiiRfJH ; containing, with the hamlets of Howgate, Nine-
Milc-Burn, and Kirkhill, 2.57'2 inhabitants, of whom 907
are in the village of Penicuick, 9 miles (S. by W.) from
Edinburgh. The present name of this place is supposed
to be derived from a British or Gaelic word signifying
" Cuckoo's hill "; and as several places in the neigh-
bourhood also received their names from the same bird,
it is probable that it was a frequent visiter in these
quarters. Formerly the parish was called St. Mungo,
this being the popular name of St. Kentigern, to whom
the first church was dedicated, and of whom some me-
morials still remain, especially a spring near the church,
called St. Mungo's well. Penicuick was considerably
augmented in 1635 by the annexation of the parishes of
Mount- Lothian to the east, and St. Catherine's to the
north-west : the former of these was an ancient chapelry
belonging to the monks of Holyrood, who pastured their
flocks on its rich and extensive grounds, from which it
was often called by the name of Monk's-Lothian. There
are few events of historical importance recorded ; but
mention may be made of New-Hall House, an ancient
and interesting edifice, situated about three miles above
Penicuick House, and which appears to have been a re-
ligious estabhshment. It was held in 15'29, and during
the rest of the sixteenth century, by a family of the name
of Crichtoune ; and not far from it is the ruin of Brun-
stane Castle, which was occupied bj' a family of the same
name in 1568. New Hall lies on the border of a deso-
late moor, on the principal route from Edinburgh to the
south-west. Here was a pass over the Pentland hills ;
and it is supposed that the house afforded at night a
refuge and lodging for travellers in the midst of their
dreary journey, the lands in the neighbourhood and a
farm-house being still denominated Spital. There was
formerly a cross on the summit of the pass 1500 feet
above the sea, intended, as is thought, for a signal or
directory, and of which the stone forming the pedestal
still remains. The lands of New-Hall successively passed
from the families of Crichtoune, Penicuick, and Oliphant,
into that of Forbes, in which they remained for some
time. It is also worthy of notice that near Logan House,
surrounded on all sides by the Pentland hills, was a
favourite hunting tract of the Scottish kings, where the
celebrated match took place between the hounds of
Robert Bruce and Sir William St. Clair of Roslin.
This match led to the erection by the latter, out of gra-
titude for his victory, of the chapel of St. Catherine, the
beautiful ruins of which were submerged some years ago
in the construction of the great reservoir of the Edin-
burgh Water Company.
The PARISH is nearly twelve miles long, averaging
four miles in breadth, and containing 20,000 acres. It
is bounded on the north by the parishes of Glencross,
Colinton, and Currie ; on the south by the county of
Peebles ; on the east by the parishes of Temple and
Lasswade ; and on the west by the parish of Kirknewton.
The surface is greatly diversified, exhibiting in the south-
eastern parts a tolerably level country, but rising in
numerous undulations and abrupt breaks towards the
north-west, and comiirehending a considerable portion
of the Pentland hills, which rise 1/00 feet above the
level of the sea, and are overspread with numerous flocks
of slicep. The proportion of wet moorland is very large ;
and this circumstance, together with the lofty elevation
of many of the hills, renders the aspect of the parish
in several i)arts wild and barren, and the climate bleak
and damp. Much interesting scenery, however, is
PEN I
PEN I
formed by the Pentland hills, extending from north-east
to south-west J and the lands are enlivened by the river
Esk, which, rising among the mountains, and flowing
for a distance of some miles, leaves the parish a little
below the village of Penicuick. The valley of the Logan
water, also, which divides the Pentland range, presents
some romantic scenery.
The SOIL about the village consists of sand and gra-
velly earth resting upon sandstone and schistus. In
other parts clay is predominant ; with large tracts of
moss, beneath which, at the depth of ten or twelve feet,
is found a soil of great richness and fertility. About
1000 acres in the parish lie under wood : some thou-
sands of acres are mere barren heath, moor, and moss,
capable, however, to a great extent, of profitable culti-
vation ; while the remaining parts consist of arable
ground producing most kinds of crops of good quality,
the total annual value of which is upwards of £'20,000.
Sheep are bred in considerable numbers, and the stock
has been of late much improved by crossing. The Gal-
loway breed of cattle was that which formerly prevailed,
but the Ayrshire is now preferred : dairy-farming is
much attended to, being chiefly relied on by the tenants
for the payment of their rent. The horses are mostly of
the Clydesdale breed. Among the changes recently in-
troduced, the superior character of the farm houses and
steadings deserves particular notice : all of these, in the
Penicuick barony, have been rebuilt with good slated
roofs, or improved in various ways. Large tracts of
waste land in the parish have been brought into tillage ;
and south-westward of the village is a vast tract of
barren moor, the reclaiming of which, commenced some
time since, has received an impulse from the construc-
tion of two new turnpike-roads. Inclosures have been
formed in the parisb to a considerable extent ; they
generally consist of stone dykes, but on the superior
estates hedges and ditches are usually to be seen : drain-
ing, also, has been extensively prosecuted. Lime is used
as a stimulant in very large quantities ; and for obtain-
ing it, in order to the reclaiming of waste, great facilities
are afforded by the landlords. The land is portioned
among numerous heritors, of whom Sir George Clerk,
Bart., occupies more than one-half ; and the annual
value of real property in the parish amounts to £60/0.
The rocks most common are sandstone, limestone, and
schistus, which are abundant in every direction. In the
eastern quarter the limestone is quarried on a consider-
able scale, and on the plains the sandstone and schistus
run into the various alluvial formations of clay and
gravel ; fossils of shell-fish and plants have frequently
been found, and of the latter class a very fine fossil-tree
was taken out some years ago. The Pentland hills con-
sist chiefly of porphyry, and on other high grounds
chlorite, granite, and sienite are often to be seen : some-
times garnets are found, and iron-ore is met with in
beds and veins of schistus. Coal is abundant, and is
now rather extensively wrought.
Penicuick House, the seat of Sir George Clerk, built
in 1761, is an elegant structure in the Grecian style,
with a portico of great beauty, and commands a fine
prospect of the valley along which the Esk flows, em-
bracing the interesting ruins of Brunstane Castle, and
terminated by the western extremity of the Pentlands.
Its chief attraction to the visiter is Ossian's Hall, a spa-
cious room the ceiling of which is ornamented with
Vol. II.— 353
numerous designs from the poems of Ossian, painted by
the celebrated Runciman, whose death is supposed to
have been occasioned by tlic painful position and the
flexures of his body rendered necessary in painting this
roof. The library is well selected and extensive, and
there is a superior collection of Roman antiquities. The
village of Penicuick, the only village in the barony, con-
tains good shops of every description ; and two fairs are
held in it during the year, (me on the third Friday in
March, and the other on the first Friday in October, the
chief business being the hiring of servants. A bailie
holds a monthly court, and has at command a police
force consisting of several special constables, whose ser-
vices, however, are seldom required. The three hamlets
of Kirkhill, Howgate, and Nine-Mile-Burn contain toge-
ther about 600 persons. There are a few weavers ; but
the leading manufacture is that of paper, which has
been long established. The mills consume about 1200
tons of rags annually, manufacturing paper to a large
amount ; and about .500 hands, including women and
children, are employed. In 1810 the premises were con-
verted by government into a depot for prisoners of war,
and the adjacent cottages adapted to military purposes ;
the Valleyfield mill was fitted up to receive 6OOO pri-
soners, and the Esk mill, used at that time as a cotton-
manufactory, quartered 1500 British troops. In 1814,
the premises were again ocrupied for manufacturing
purposes ; an event which was hailed throughout the
parish with joy, manifested by a public illumination.
An iron-foundry employs about thirty hands.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Dalkeith, synod of Lo-
thian and Tweeddale, and the patronage is vested in Sir
George Clerk. The stipend of the minister is £158, of
which about a third is received from the exchequer ;
with a manse, a commodious residence, and a glebe of
six or seven acres, valued with the farm-offices at about
£26 per annum. Penicuick church is a neat structure
in the Grecian style, with a chaste portico of four Tuscan
columns supporting a pediment with architrave and
entablature; it was built in 1771, and has been since
enlarged. There are a place of worship for members of
the Free Church, and two places of worship for the
United Presbyterian Synod ; one of the latter, at How-
gate, was built in 1750, and accommodates about 400
persons. A parochial school is supported, the master of
which has the maximum salary, with a house and gar-
den, and £40 fees ; but only the common branches of
education, as reading, writing, and arithmetic, are taught.
There are also several private schools in the parish, sup-
ported by fees ; two infants' and four Sunday schools ;
and a good subscription library, containing about 1200
volumes, with one or two other libraries of a minor cha-
racter. Of three friendly societies one has a capital of
£1200; and there is a savings' bank, in which the
manufacturing class are the chief depositors. It may
be observed in reference to this parish, that the romantic
scenery about the Esk, at New-Hall, is generally sup-
posed to have furnished the celebrated poet, Allan Ram-
say, with some of the pictures of his admired pastoral.
The Gentle Shepherd : on the opposite side of the river
is an obelisk raised to his memory. Near Valleyfield
is a neat monument in memory of 300 prisoners of war
who were buried in a beautiful spot here, while the mill
constituted a government dep6t. It has upon it the
2 Z
P EN N
PE N N
following inscription, Grata qides patria, sed, et omnis
terra sepulchrum ; and underneath is added, " Certain
inhabitants of this parish, desiring to remember that all
men are brethren, caused this monument to be erected."
Chalybeate and petrifying springs are to be met with in
the parish.
PENNAN, a village, in the parish of Aberdour,
district of Btjchan, county of Aberdeen, 2 miles (N.N.
W.) from the village of Aberdour ; containing 168 inha-
bitants. This is a thriving fishing-village, situated on
the Moray Firth, in the north-west quarter of the parish,
and on the coast-road from Banff to Fraserburgh. The
Firth here abounds with fish in great variety, principally
cod, ling, haddock, turbot, halibut, sole, mackerel, and
herrings ; and lobsters, crabs, and other shell-fish are
taken. Six boats, with a complement of four men each,
are usually employed upon the station. In the rocks
of Pennan is a millstone-quarry : at one period the
stones were sent to the south and west of Scotland, the
demand being very great ; but at present a few men only
are engaged, and the quarry is comparatively little
wrought. A school has been established in the village,
for the children of the fishermen.
PENNINGHAME, a parish, in the county of Wig-
town, 8 miles (N. W.) from Wigtown ; containing, with
the market-town of Newton-Stewart, 3666 inhabitants,
of whom 1500 are in the rural districts. This place,
the name of which is of obscure and doubtful derivation,
is not distinguished by any events of historical im-
portance. There are some memorials of a battle having
occurred at a very early period near Killiemore, in the
parish, supposed to have been between the Romans under
Agricola and the ancient Caledonians under Galdus ;
but no particulars have been recorded. The residence
of the bishops of Galloway appears to have been at this
place ; and the celebrated Bishop Ale.xander Gordon,
who died here in 1576, was also proprietor of the lands
of Clary, in the parish. These he settled upon his only
daughter and heiress, who married Anthony Stewart,
rector of Penninghame, amember of the Galloway family;
and they are now the property of the ninth Earl of
Galloway. The parish is bounded on the north and
east by the river Cree, and on the west by the Blade-
noch ; and is about fourteen miles in average length,
and about four miles in average breadth ; of very irre-
gular form ; and comprising nearly 38,000 acres, of
which 1'2,000 are arable, 600 woodland and plantations,
1600 meadow, and the remainder hill pasture, moorland,
moss, and waste. The surface rises to a considerable
height in the centre of the parish, the eminences ranging
from north to south, and sloping gradually towards the
rivers on the east and west. It is also diversified with
numerous hills of moderate elevation, and with tracts of
level land, of which latter the moss of Cree, in the
south-east, is almost 2000 acres in extent. The rivers
are, the Cree, which rises on the confines of Ayrshire,
and after flowing for some distance along the border of
the parish, expands into a considerable lake, and pur-
suing its course southwards, falls into the bay of Wig-
town ; and the Bladenoch, which, issuing from Loch
Mabery, at the north-west angle of the parish, forms the
boundary of Penninghame, and runs eastward through
the parish of Wigtown into the Cree. There are various
small streams, tributaries to the rivers ; and several
lakes in the northern part of the parish, but none of
354
them of any considerable extent, or distinguished by fea-
tures deserving particular notice. There are also numer-
ous springs of excellent water, and a chalybeate spring,
strongly impregnated, but which has long ceased to be
medicinally used. Salmon and grilse are taken in the
Cree in great abundance, during the advanced period of
the season, which commences in January, and continues
till the end of September ; sea-trout are caught during
the summer, and fresh-water and yellow trout at all
times. In the month of March the Cree abounds with
smelts, of which great numbers are sent to England ;
and in the lakes, and the streams that flow from the
hills into the Cree and the Bladenoch, trout and pike of
large size are found.
On the higher lands the soil is usually dry and fer-
tile, and on the lower lands in the south a rich loam of
considerable depth ; but the land in the intervals be-
tween the hills is in general wet and marshy. In the
northern district the soil is extremely various, but mostly
of inferior quality. The crops are, barley, for which
the ground seems peculiarly favourable, oats, potatoes,
turnips, and the usual grasses, with wheat on the
border of the Moss of Cree. Great improvement has
been made under the encouragement of an agricultural
society established within the last few years ; and many
tracts of moss and waste land have been reclaimed, and
brought under profitable cultivation. The lands have
been drained, and embankments have been constructed
by the Earl of Galloway. A due rotation of crops is
regularly observed ; and the iuclosures, which are well
adapted to the size of the farms, are chiefly stone dykes,
but occasionally hedges of thorn. The farm-houses have
been also improved, and are generally substantial ; and
all the more recent improvements in the construction
of implements have been adopted. Much attention is
paid to live-stock, for which the pastures afford ample
scope. The sheep, which are reared in great numbers,
are mostly of the original native breed on the sheep-
farms, with some of the Leicester and Cheviot breeds in
the southern district of the parish : the cattle are mainly
of the Galloway breed, with some few Irish ; and Kyle
cows have been lately introduced, especially for the
dairies in the neighbourhood of Newton-Stewart. Much
of the agricultural produce, and numbers of sheep and
cattle, are sent by water to Glasgow and Greenock, and
to the Liverpool market, for which the river Cree affords
every opportunity, being navigable for vessels of forty
tons, and at spring tides for vessels of greater burthen,
to Carty-Port, about a mile south of Newton-Stewart,
where there is a convenient harbour. There are scarcely
any remains of ancient woods : the plantations consist
of larch, Scotch, and spruce firs, oak, ash, elm, and
beech, which are all in a thriving state ; some of them
are on lands not available to any other use, and ever-
greens of all kinds grow luxuriantly on damp soils when
the stagnant waters have been drained off. The chief
substrata are of the grcywacke formation, and stone is
extensively quarried for building pin'i)oses, though some-
times with difliculty ; it forms walls of great strength
and iK'auty, and, when managed with care, is perfectly
dry. Galloway granite is also found in several parts,
occurring in masses occasionally mixed with green
sienite, and of many tons' weight ; it is much used in
buildings in lien of freestone. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £1 1,324. The mansion-houses
P E N N
PENP
here are, Penninghame House, beautifully situated on
the Cree, about halt' a mile distant from the picturesque
ruins of Castle-Stewart, an ancient seat of the Galloway
family ; Merton Hall, two miles to the west of Newton-
Stewart ; Corsbie, belonging to the Earl of Galloway ;
and Corrisel. There are no villages : the town of Newton-
Stewart is described under its own head. Facility of
communication is maintained by good roads, of which
the military road from Dumfries to Portpatrick inter-
sects the parish ; and by two good bridges respectively
over the Cree and the Bladenoch, the former of which is
a handsome structure of five arches.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Wigtown and synod of
Galloway. The minister's stipend is about £232, with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £22. 17. 2. per annum ;
patron, the Earl of Galloway. The church, erected in
1777, and enlarged in 1827 by the addition of galleries,
contained 700 sittings ; but being in a decayed state,
and inconveniently situated, a new church was erected
at Newton-Stewart in 1841. The present church is in
the later English style, with a tower surmounted by a
lofty spire ; it stands upon an eminence, and has 1200
sittings. There are places of worship for members of
the United Presbyterian Church and Reformed Presby-
terians, both in the town, where is also a Roman
Catholic chapel. The parochial school is well attended ;
the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and
garden, and the fees average about £15 annually. There
are also several endowed schools, one of which has a
salary from the Earl of Galloway, with a school-house
and dwelling-house, built by subscription, to which his
lordship liberally contributed. Another of them was
founded by Achibald Mc Creddie, Esq., who endowed it
with £.500, the interest of which is paid to the master
for the gratuitous instruction of poor children. A third
school was founded by Samuel Douglas, of Jamaica, a
native of the parish, who bequeathed, in trust, to the
ministers of Penninghame and Kirkmabreck and the
three oldest acting elders of each parish, property since
vested in land producing £300 per annum ; from which,
after deducting the cost of the erection of an appro-
priate building in Newton-Stewart, on a site given by
the Earl of Galloway, the trustees pay £S0 as a salary
to a master, and £20 each for the boarding, clothing,
and education of as many children as the remainder of
the funds will maintain. There are numerous graves
near Killiemore ; and near them have been found coins
of great antiquity, but the inscriptions on which were
altogether illegible. The head of a Roman spear, nine
inches in length, and a Roman battle-axe, were discovered
near Merton Hall early in the present century ; and celts
of granite, and other relics, have at various times been
dug up. To the north of Newton-Stewart are the ruins
of Castle-Stewart ; and there are yet some remains of
the old house of Clary, the property of Gordon, Bishop
of Galloway, in the ancient gardens of which are trees
still bearing fruit. There are ruinous vestiges of the
chapel of St. Ninian, and also of the old church and
burying-ground of Penninghame : near the latter are a
few small cottages called the Clachah, through which
hamlet James IV. passed in 1507 on a pilgrimage to
Whithorn.
PENNYCUICK, in the county of Edinburgh.—
See Penicuick.
355
PENPONT, a parish and village, and the seat of a
presbytery, in the county of Dumfries, 2 miles (W. S.
■yv.) from Thornhill ; containing 1266 inhabitants, of
whom 492 are in the village. This parish is supposed to
have derived its name from a very ancient bridge erected
over the Scarr, the abutments of which rested on the
summits of two precipitous rocks on opposite banks of
the river, and which, from the singularity of its appear-
ance, obtained the appellation of the " Hanging bridge".
It is a place of great antiquity, and appears to have been
a Roman station ; vestiges of a causeway may still
be traced along the bank of the Scarr, and through the
parish of Tynron, and there were also several forts, of
which no vestiges now exist. Near the confluence of the
Scarr and the Nith to the south-east of the parish, are
some slight remains of a fortress said to have been
erected, during the occupation of this part of the country
by the Romans, by one of the Roman generals ; and
which was called Tiber's Castle in honour of the Em-
peror Tiberius. This castle was subsequently held by
a detachment of the English army under Edward I., who
placed in it a garrison to keep the Scots in subjection,
and which committed frequent depredations through-
out the neighbouring districts. To deliver his country-
men from this tyranny. Sir William Wallace, assuming
the disguise of an itinerant mendicant, ascertained from
the keeper of a kiln near the castle, which prepared the
corn for the garrison, their probable number, and so
far ingratiated himself in the good opinion of the keeper
as to be entrusted with the care of the kiln during his
temporary absence. Taking advantage of the oppor-
tunity, Wallace set fire to the building, and retired.
The garrison, on seeing the flames issuing from the roof,
at once repaired to the spot to save their grain from de-
struction ; and Wallace, advancing with his party from
his concealment in a thickly-wooded dell, made him-
self master of the castle, which he burned to the ground.
The foundation of this castle may still be distinctly
traced ; and till the year 1812 a portion of the doorway,
and a winding staircase, were remaining, near which a
labourer, who had been employed to remove part of
the ruins for the sake of the materials, discovered a
number of arrow-heads, fragments of pottery, and the
head of a spear.
The PARISH is bounded on the west for almost five
miles by the river Scarr, and on the north-east for about
three miles by the Nith. It is nearly eighteen miles in
length and five miles in breadth, comprising by computa-
tion 20,640 acres, of which by far the greater portion is
grazing land. The surface is hilly and partly moun-
tainous. The hills mostly vary from 500 to 1000 feet in
height : the bases of many of them are clothed with
copse wood, and the acclivities and summits of these
afford excellent pasturage for numerous flocks of sheep ;
while others are rugged and precipitous, resembling
those of the Highlands. Of the latter the most con-
spicuous are, the Craig of Glenquhargan, which has
an elevation of 1000 feet, terminating a range of heights
that intersects the parish from north-west to south-
east ; and Chanlock, at the extremity of a similar range, of
nearly equal height, formerly planted with trees to its very
summit, and still presenting in the verdure of its aspect
a fine contrast with the barren Craig of Glenquhargan.
Almost in the centre of the parish is a ridge, extending
towards the north, and terminating in Cairnkinnow ; it
2 Z 2
PE N P
PENS
rises by a gradual ascent to 2080 feet above the level of
the sea, and commands a richly-diversified prospect over
a country abounding with the most interesting features.
By these several ridges the parish is divided into three
deeply-secluded but picturesque and fertile valleys, each
watered by its own peculiar streamlet, and in the highest
state of cultivation, enlivened with verdant pastures and
with plantations. The Scarr has its source in the hills
to the north-west of the parish, and after a course of
ten miles through the interior, forms its western boun-
dary, as already stated, separating it from the parish of
Tynron. It subsequently flows eastward for nearly three
miles along the southern boundary, and falls into the
Nith. In its course through the district the Scarr re-
ceives numerous tributary streams, of which the prin-
cipal are the Glenmanow burn, the Chanlock burn, the
Homer burn, and the Druid Hill burn, all of which have
their respective glens ; and in the north-west is the
Mar burn, which runs through the grounds of Drum-
laurig Castle into the Nith river. The only lake is
Dowloch, a sheet of water originally 120 yards in length
and seventy yards in breadth, but now much diminished
by draining : it is situated near the summit of the hilly
ridge to the south of Druralanrig, and in early times was
supposed to possess miraculous efficacy in curing all
kinds of disease.
Little more than one-tenth of the land is arable and
in cultivation ; and of the remainder, which consists
chiefly of sheep-walks, but a very inconsiderable portion
is thought to be capable of improvement. The soil of
the arable land is generally fertile, and the system of
husbandry has been gradually advancing. Oats form
the chief crop : barley and wheat are likewise raised ;
and the growth of turnips to be eaten off by the sheep,
has been introduced with great advantage. The dairies
are under good management, and the produce forwarded
to the Glasgow and Liverpool markets. The farm
houses and buildings, especially on the lands belonging
to the Duke of Buccleuch, are substantial and commo-
dious ; and under the favourable leases granted, con-
siderable progress has been made in draining and in-
closing. The wood, which is increasing in extent, con-
sists, in the highland districts, of natural copse, chiefly
hazel ; and in the glens, of oak, for which the soil seems
well adapted, and various other kinds of trees, all in a
thriving state. Sandstone of good quality for building
purposes abounds, and there are two quarries in opera-
tion, one on the lands of the Duke of Buccleuch, and one
on the estate of L. Maitland, Esq. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £9.:i97.
The only mansion is Ecrirs House, the seat of Mr.
Maitland, beautifully situated in a richly-planted demesne
commanding a fine view of the vales of the Nith and the
Scarr for several miles ; the grounds arc tastefully laid
out, and near the house are two beech-trees of luxuriant
growth. Part of the pleasure-grounds, and the whole
of the extensive new gardens, of Drumlanri'; Castle, a
seat of the Duke of Buccleuch's situated in the adjoin-
ing parish of Durisdeer, are within the limits of this pa-
rish. The gardens were commenced, and have been
completed, within the last fifteen years, at an expense of
£11,000; and an elegant cottage for the residence of
the gardener has been erected, under the superintendence
of Mr. Burn, architect. The vegetable garden occupies
aD area of four acres within the walls, and abounds with
356
every variety of produce, of the choicest quality, and ia
the highest perfection. Nearly 1000 square feet of glass
are contained (in the fruit garden) in the forcing-frames
for melons, cucumbers, and similar plants, and in the
vineries, pine-stoves, and peach-houses, in all of which
the requisite degree of heat, for each, is produced by
water raised to different degrees of temperature. In the
conservatories is every species of exotics, in the richest
profusion. All the various departments are contrived
with a due regard to scientific arrangement, and pre-
served in the most beautiful order ; and by the liberality
of the noble proprietor, the gardens are accessible to the
visits of strangers, who are also permitted to inspect the
flower-gardens in the immediate vicinity of the castle.
The village of Penpont is situated on the turnpike-
road leading from New Galloway to Edinburgh, and con-
sists of several clusters of houses, which once formed
the hamlets of Townhead, Brierbush, and Burnhead ;
the last is within half a mile of the Nith, and may be
regarded as a suburb. The inhabitants are chiefly em-
ployed in agricultural and pastoral pursuits ; but the
smelting of old iron, and the making of spades and
other implements, afford employment to about four or
five persons. There are, also, some inns, and small
shops for the supply of the neighbourhood ; and some
of the inhabitants are employed in the usual handicraft
trades. Letters are forwarded from the post-office at
Thornhill ; and facihty of communication is maintained
by good turnpike-roads, and bridges over the different
streams : the ancient bridge across the Scarr, from
which the parish is supposed to have taken its name,
has been rebuilt. Ecclesiastically the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Penpont, synod of Dum-
fries. The minister's stipend is £236. 6. 9.. with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per annum ; patron,
the Duke of Buccleuch. Penpont church, which is situ-
ated at the lower extremity of the parish, about 1,50
yards from the village, was built in 1782, and since sub-
stantially repaired at an expense of £340, including the
session-house ; it is a neat plain structure, partly cruci-
form, and contains 408 sittings. There are places of
worship for Reformed Presbyterians and members of
the United Presbyterian Church. Two parochial schools
are supported, the masters of which have salaries of
£27. 6. 6. and £24 respectively, with a house each, and
one a small garden, in addition to the fees, which aver-
age £16 and £9 : in one of these schools, the Greek and
French languages are added to the usual routine.
PENSTON, a village, in the parish of Gladsmuir,
county of Haddington, 3 miles (!•;. by S.) from Had-
dington ; containing 233 inhabitants. This village,
which is chiefly inhabited by persons employed in col-
lieries, is irregularly built, and the houses of a very infe-
rior description : it appears to have been indebted for
its extension, if not for its origin, to the valuable seams
of coal found in the immediate vicinity. The inhabit-
ants are supplied with water from three open wells. A
friendly society is established, which has been produc-
tive of much benefit ; and there is a branch of the Had-
dington Itinerating Library in the village. The coal
is of excellent quality ; the scams are generally from
thirty to thirty-five inches in thickness, and have been
worked almost from time immemorial. The rental of
the mines in the seventeenth century averaged about
£400. Several of the older mines have been exhausted.
P ERS
PERT
and new ones opened to the north of the village : their
operation was formerly much retarded by a copious
influx of water, but they have been perfectly drained by
the erection of steam-engines. More than a hundred
persons are regularly employed, and the quantity of coal
produced annually averages 15,000 tons. A saw-mill
has been erected, which is applied to the preparation of
wood for the use of the mines, and for various other
purposes. The site of a church built at Thrieplaw is
now occupied by a few huts, raised when some of the
coal-pits in this part of the parish were opened, and in
the erection of which the walls of that edifice, having
been suffered to fall into decay, were incorporated. The
spot where these cottages stand is called the Old Kirk ;
and the old manse, in which Principal Robertson wrote
part of his History of Scotland, is still remaining.
PENTECOX, a hamlet, in the parish of Newton,
county of Edinburgh, I5 mile (W. N. W.) from the
village of Newton; containing 41 inhabitants. This is
a small place in the western extremity of the parish,
situated on the road from Edinburgh to Dalkeith.
PENTLAND, a small village, in the parish of Lass-
wade, county of Edinburgh, 2 miles {vf.) from the
village of Lasswade. This place, which is in the Pent-
land district of the parish, on the borders of Liberton,
is chiefly the property of Mrs. Gibsone, of Pentland
House, an elegant mansion finely situated ; and a hand-
some school-house has been erected here by that lady,
with a dwelling for the master, to whom she allows a
salary of £20 per annum. The adjacent mountainous
ridge of the Pentland hills commences about four miles
south-west of Edinburgh, and extends for a considerable
distance towards the western borders of the county,
some of the highest elevations being upwards of I7OO
feet above the level of the sea.
PENTLAND SKERRIES, in the district of St.
Mary's, parish of South Ronaldshay, county of Ork-
ney. The Pentland Skerries are several small islets,
situated at the east end of the Pentland Firth ; and the
largest of them contains eleven inhabitants. It is a
mile long and half a mile broad, and has a lighthouse
where two fixed lights are exhibited, a hundred feet
apart, and seen at the distance of from sixteen to eighteen
nautical miles : the lighthouse was erected in 1794,
previously to which time the Skerries were most formi-
dable to mariners. No anchorage can be found in any
part of the Firth ; and when a west or south-west wind
causes an increase in the current, scarcely any vessel is
able to withstand the tremendous surge, which dashes
with such violence against the coast, that the spray is
often carried a great distance inland, and falls like a
shower of rain. This strait has been the terror of the
boldest sailors, and the grave of thousands ; it connects
the Atlantic with the North Sea, and from the Hebrides
and Cape Wrath the flow of the former comes rolling in
one unbroken and irresistible stream.
PERSEY, a district, on the river Shee, in the parish
of Bendochy, county of Perth, 13 miles from the
church of Bendochy. This place, which includes North
and South Persey, belonged to the monks of Cupar-
Angus, from whom it was purchased about the time of
the Reformation ; it is now the property of Capt. John
Stewart, and Charles Farquharson, Esq. The lands form
part of the Highland district of the parish, and comprise
I871 acres, of which 287 are arable, 412 woodland, and
357
Burgh Seal.
1 1 72 pasture. A chapel was erected here about the year
178.5, at an expense of £150, paid by contributions, for
the accommodation of the inhabitants of this distant
portion of the parish, and adjoining portions of the neigh-
bouring parishes. It is a neat structure containing 400
sittings ; and the minister derives a stipend from the
seat-rents, averaging £70, and has a manse, erected in
1835 by subscription. The proprietor of North Persey
granted the site for the chapel and the manse, with half
an acre of ground for a garden. Persey chapel is under
the superintendence of trustees for maintaining it in con- '
nexion with the Established Church.
PERTH, a city, a royal
burgh, and anciently the me-
tropolis of the kingdom of
Scotland, in the county of
Perth, of which it is the
capital; comprising the pa-
rishes of East Church, Mid-
dle Church, St. Paul, and
West Church, and the for-
mer quoad sacra district of
St. Leonard ; and containing
19,293 inhabitants, of whom
12,616 are in the burgh, 45
miles (N. by W.) from Edinburgh, and 62 (N. E.) from
Glasgow. This place is of remote antiquity, and is sup-
posed to have derived its name, originally Bertha, from
the Celtic terms Bhar, " high," and Tatha, " the Tay,"
signifying "the height of the Tay ", from a lofty eminence
on the opposite bank of that river, on the west side of
which Perth is situated. The origin of the town is in-
volved in much obscurity ; but it is generally ascribed
to the Roman general Agricola, who, about a.d. 85, esta-
blished a winter station here, and founded a colonial
town. He fortified the new town with walls, and with a
strong castle surrounded by a broad and deep fosse sup-
plied with water from the Almond, a stream tributary to
the Tay, over which river he erected a bridge of wood.
Little, however, is known of the history of the place from
this period till 1210, when William the Lion, confirm-
ing a series of charters from the year IIO6, and which
are still extant, erected it into a royal burgh. From these
several charters, it appears to have been at an early date
of considerable importance, the seat of government, and
the residence of the Scottish kings, who were crowned in
the abbey of Scone, in its immediate vicinity. The re-
mains of the ancient house of parliament were still in
existence in 1818, when they were removed to afford a
site for the erection of the Freemasons' Hall, on the
north side of the High-street, in an area yet called the
Parliament-close. The Flemings frequented the port at
a remote period, and several of them fi.xed their abode in
the town ; but from the impolitic restraints imposed
upon them by David I. and his grandson, William the
Lion, they ultimately emigrated to England, where, meet-
ing with a more favourable reception, they established
the woollen trade, and thus laid the foundation of that
country's manufacturing prosperity. In 1210, the town
was almost destroyed by an inundation of the rivers Tay
and Almond, which swept away the bridge, an ancient
chapel, and other buildings ; the king, with his family
and household, and many of the inhabitants, made their
escape in boats, and such as remained found safety only
on the flat roofs of their houses.
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In the reign of Alexander III., the inhabitants carried
on a very extensive trade with the Netherlands in vessels
of their own, for the encouragement of which that mo-
narch used every means in his power, mailing provision
for the protection of their shipping from the attacks of
pirates, and for guarding it against detention in foreign
ports. During the disputed succession to the throne,
Perth largely participated in the hostilities of that dis-
turbed period. After the battle of Falltlahd in 1298,
Edward I. of England, having obtained possession of all
the Scottish fortresses, rebuilt the walls of the ancient
castle, and fortified the town, which he placed under the
government of his deputies, and in which his son Edward
resided for some time. In ISIS, Robert Bruce took ac-
tive measures for the recovery of the fortresses and the
expulsion of the English garrisons. Of all the strong-
holds, the castle of Perth was the most formidable, not
onlyfrom its situation, being surrounded witha deep fosse,
which prior to the use of artillery rendered it impregnable,
but also from the numbers of the garrison ; and though
repeatedly assailed by the Scottish forces, it long resisted
all their efforts to recover it. On his return from an in-
cursion into England, in the above year, Bruce laid siege
to it in person, but, after a protracted attempt, fearing
for the health of his forces, abandoned the enterprise.
Still, however, persevering in his resolution to effect his
purpose, he soon renewed the assault, and furnishing his
forces with ladders, took the opportunity of a dark
night; and while the garrison, fancying themselves in
perfect security, were off their guard, partly swam across,
and partly waded, the fosse at the head of his forces ;
carried the castle by escalade ; and, overpowering the gar-
rison, made himself master of the fortress, and set fire to
the town. Thus reducing the whole of Perth and Strath-
earn into his power, he completed the expulsion of the
English from his dominions. In 1332, Edward Baliol,
after the battle of Dupplin, seized Perth, and was crowned
at Scone ; but, returning southward to open a commu-
nication with the English marches, the loyal adherents of
David Bruce besieged the castle, expelled the garrison
which had been placed in it by the usurper, and recovered
possession of the town.
In 1336, Edward III. of England, standing before the
great altar in the church of St. John, in conversation with
his brother, the Earl of Cornwall, who had recently arrived
from England, reproached him for some highly aggravated
cruelties inflicted on the inhabitants of the western coun-
ties on his route to Perth. The earl repelling the accusa-
tion, a violent altercation ensued, in the heat of vvhich
the king drew his dagger, and stabbed him to the heart.
In 1339, the regent, Robert Stuart, afterwards king, who
had succeeded to the regency on the death of the Earl
of Murray, besieged the castle of Perth, at that time de-
fended by an English garrison ; but it had been so
strongly and so skilfully fortified by Edward, that, after
three months' siege, he resolved to give up the enterprise.
At this moment, however, Douglas, Lord Liddesdale, who
had been sent to France on an embassy to David Bruce,
returning with several shi|)S and a ])lentiful supply of
men and provisions, Robert renewed the contest with
vigo\ir. Douglas, in attempting an escalade, was severely
woinided, and the castle still held out for a considerable
time ; but at length, the Earl of Ross, having contrived
to drain off the water from the fosse, opened a passage
for the assailants by land, and the governor. Sir Thomas
358
Ochtred, finding the place no longer tenable, surrendered
it on hjnourable terms, after having sustained a second
siege of one month. Not long after this time, a deadly
feud arose between the powerful clans of the Me Intoshes
and the Mc Kays ; and Robert III. sent the Earls of
Dunbar and Crawfurd with a strong force to reduce
them to order, for which purpose they proposed to the
chiefs to select thirty men from each clan to decide the
contest at Perth, in presence of the king. On this occa-
sion, one of the Mc Intoshes was not forthcoming, and
his place was taken by a saddler of the town named
Wynd, upon condition of receiving half a French dollar
of gold. After a sanguinary battle, in which twenty-nine
of the Mc Kays were killed, the surviving individual,
seeing no hope of victory over Wynd and the ten remain-
ing Mc Intoshes, bursting from the lists, swam across
the Tay, and made his escape. In 1437, James I, was
barbarously assassinated in the monastery of the
Black Friars, by Walter, Earl of Atholl, Robert Stuart his
grandson, and Sir Robert Graham, who were subse-
quently taken, and executed after being put to the tor-
ture : the mangled remains of the king were interred in
the Carthusian monastery, which he had founded in
1429. In 1512, the plague committed dreadful havoc in
the city; and for the purpose of arresting its spread, a
proclamation was issued by James V. to the magistrates,
a copy of which is preserved among the records.
The doctrines of the Reformation were eagerly
embraced by the citizens of Perth, on their earliest
introduction ; and to check their progress. Cardinal
Beaton, with the bishops and clergy, obtained under the
sanction of the Regent Hamilton, Earl of Arran, a com-
mission for the punishment of such of the inhabitants
as maintained the new opinions. For this object, the
cardinal and Hamilton came to Perth to hold a court
for the trial of heretics, when Robert Lamb, with his
wife, and eight others of the citizens, were convicted,
and confined in the Spey tower. Intercession was made
for them by a number of the people, who, relying upon
the promise of Hamilton that they should be pardoned,
peaceably dispersed ; but the cardinal, who had the
regent under his own influence, insisted on their execu-
tion, and the men were consequently hanged, and the
woman drowned. In 1559, John Knox, the reformer,
having returned from Geneva, visited Perth, and preached
in the church of St. John a sermon in which he vehe-
mently condemned the idolatry of the Romish Church.
After the conclusion of the service, the congregation
were quietly dispersing, when, a priest coming forward
and preparing to celebrate the mass, those of the con-
gregation that still remained were exasperated into open
violence : they defaced the altar, broke the images, and
destroyed the other ornaments of the church ; and
afterwards proceeded to the monasteries, which they
plundered, and almost levelled with the ground. The
queen, incensed at the destruction of the monasteries,
and more esijccially at that of the Carthusian monastery,
in whicli the ashes of her ancestors were enshrined, ad-
vanced to Perth with an army consisting chiefly of French
troops, to |)unish the authors of that violence. But the
adherents of the Keforniation, animated with zeal for the
maintenance of their religious ])rinciples, assembled in
a body to defend the town, and were sufliciently nume-
rous to face the army of the queen, commanded by
D'Oysel, the French general. A mutual accommodation.
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therefore, took place, by which it was stipulated that
both armies should be disbanded, and the gates of the
city opened to the queen, who entered on the '29th of
May ; but after the Protestant army had dispersed, the
queen introduced the French forces, dismissed the
magistracy, and re-established the old religion. The
citizens, upon this, again assembled a considerable force,
and, imploring the aid of the lords of the congregation
without delay, Argyll, Ruthven, and others marched to'
their assistance, summoned the garrison to surrender,
and, on their refusal, laid siege to the place. Ruthven
attacked the town on the west, and Provost Halyburton,
with his men from Dundee, played on it with artillery
from the bridge ; the garrison capitulated on the 56th
of June, and the reformers, assembling in great num-
bers, went forward to Scone, destroyed the palace and
the abbey, and set fire to the village.
In the year 1600, James VI., then residing at Falkland,
while on a hunting party was allured by John Ruthven,
Earl of Gowrie, and his brother Alexander, to the castle
of that nobleman in Perth, and detained there for some
hours as a prisoner till rescued by his attendants, who,
in the scuffle that ensued, killed the earl and his brother.
Three of Gowrie's attendants, being convicted of assist-
ing him in an attempt on the king's life, were afterwards
executed at Perth. The exact nature of this transaction
has never been satisfactorily explained, but it is gene-
rally supposed that the object of the earl was to extort
from the king some concessions in favour of the Pres-
byterians. In 1651, the citizens raised a body of 100
men, which they sent to Burntisland to watch the move-
ments of Cromwell, who with a fleet and army had some
time before arrived in Scotland ; and being soon after-
wards joined by a detachment of the royal army at
Dunfermline, the united body was attacked by a supe-
rior number of Cromwell's forces, which had landed
at the Firth of Forth under the command of General
Lambert. An obstinate battle ensued, in which the Scots
were defeated : such of the citizens as escaped returned
to Perth, which they fortified against the usurper ;
while Charles II. with his army retreated to Stirling, on
his route to England. Cromwell and General Lambert,
advancing towards Perth, halted for one night at Fordel,
and on the following morning appeared before the gates
of the city, which they summoned to surrender ; but
the inhabitants assumed an air of contemptuous defiance,
and Cromwell, thinking them more powerful than they
were, offered honourable conditions, and the gates were
opened to admit him. In order to keep the citizens in
awe, he built a citadel on the South Inch, for the erec-
tion of which he demolished the walls of the convent of
Grey Friars, removed 300 tombstones from the cemetery,
destroyed the school-house and 400 dwellings, pulled
down the ancient cross, and took away even the buttresses
of the bridge, to furnish the materials. The building
was a quadrangle, inclosing an area 266 feet in length
and of equal breadth, with a circular bastion at each of
the angles ; and was surrounded by a moat.
In 1715, the Pretender, under the title of the Cheva-
lier de St. George, made Perth his head-quarters, but
was soon dislodged by the Duke of Argyll ; and in 1745
Prince Charles Edward, the Young Pretender, was pro-
claimed king in the town. He made a new election of
magistrates, and endeavoured to fortify the place. On his
complete defeat thefollowingyearatCuUoden bythe forces
359
under the Duke of Cumberland, the provost and council
presented to the duke the ancient castle of Gowrie, in
honour of his victory over the rebels. In 1842, the
city was visited by Tier present Majesty accompanied by
Prince Albert, arriving here in the afternoon of the 6th
of September. At the South Port they were received
by the magistrates and council, and the lord provost
presented the keys of the city, which were returned ;
the gates were then thrown open, and the royal cortoge
passed under a magnificent triumphal arch, and proceeded
through the city, the streets of which were occupied by
multitudes of people, interspersed with the various public
bodies of the place, in their appropriate dresses. In the
evening. Her Majesty honoured Lord Mansfield with her
presence at dinner, at Scone. On the 14th of August,
1849, Her Majesty slept in the town, at the Royal George
hotel, when on her way from Glasgow to Balmoral in
Aberdeenshire, after the royal visit to Ireland. Her
Majesty was met at the railway station, at half-past
three o'clock, by the magistrates of the town, and con-
ducted to the hotel amid the rejoicings of the people : a
little after six o'clock, accompanied by Prince Albert and
several of her suite, the Queen took a drive in the di-
rection of Moncrieffe hill, and returned to dinner about
half-past seven. In the morning of the following day,
August 15th, the royal party left for Balmoral.
Perth is beautifully situated on the western bank of
the Tay, over which is a handsome bridge of ten arches,
built in 1771 to replace the ancient structure, destroyed
by an inundation of the river in 1621. The bridge is
more than 900 feet in length, and about twenty-two feet in
width between the parapets, and was completed under the
superintendence of the architect Smeaton, at an expense
of £27,000, chiefly through the exertions of the Earl of
Kinnoull ; affording a communication with the populous
village of Bridgend, and with the road to Dundee. The
streets are spacious and regularly formed ; and the
houses, especially those of more modern erection, are
substantial and handsomely built. High-street and
South-street, the principal streets, intersect the city
from east to west in a parallel direction : crossing these
at right angles are Speygate, Watergate, and George-
street, in a line with each other, the last leading to the
bridge ; also Princes-street, Kirkgate, and Skinnergate.
Still further westward are New-row, and some pleasing
villas at the extremity of the city ; while on the north
side are several handsome streets, crescents, and terraces
of recent date. Perth is lighted with gas, partly sup-
plied from works erected in 1S24 at an expense of
£19,000: there are two gas companies. The inhabit-
ants are supplied with water from works established
in 1S30, at a cost of £13,609 : the water, filtered from
the river, is conveyed into a spacious reservoir at the
eastern end of Marshall-place, and forced by steam into
a lofty circular tower, which forms a great ornament.
An ancient cross, situated in the centre of High-street,
and demolished by Cromwell, as already observed, in
1652, was rebuilt after the restoration of Charles II.;
but being found an obstruction to the public thorough-
fare, the pile was removed in 1*65, and the materials
sold by order of the magistrates. Of the walls of Perth,
scarcely a vestige is remaining; and of the several towers
by which the gates were defended, the last, the Spey
Tower, was taken down at the commencement of the
present century. Adjoining the town are spacious
PERT
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greens called respectively the \orth and South Inch, one
on the north, and the other on the south side of Perth.
The former, which is on the margin of the river, was
considerably enlarged in 1785, and forras a beautiful
appendage to the city. On the west side of this green
is the ancient mansion of Balhousie, embosomed in lofty
and venerable trees, above which is an old rail! driven
by water from the canal originally formed from the
Almond for supplying the fosse by which the town walls
were surrounded. On the east of the green is a fine
level race-course, more than a mile and a quarter in
length. The South Inch is surrounded with avenues
of trees, and interspersed with pleasing villas ; on the
north side are Marshall- place and King's-place, and on
the west the villas of St. Leonard's Bank : the high
road to Edinburgh passes through the centre of this
green, between stately trees. The approaches to Perth
on every side are beautifully picturesque ; and from
many points the city, in combination with its noble river
and the sylvan scenery upon its banks, has an air of im-
pressive magnificence.
There are six circulating libraries, of which the prin-
cipal is the Perth Library, instituted in 1786, and sup-
ported by annual subscriptions of fifteen shillings ; it
contains about 6000 volumes, kept in an apartment
appropriated to its use in the building called Marshall's
Monument, and is under the care of a librarian who
attends for two hours daily. The Exchange Coffee-
house in George-street is well supported. There are
three weekly newspapers published : of these, the Courier
was first established in 1809, the Advertiser in 1829,
and the Constitutional in 1835. The Literary and Anti-
quarian Societij was founded in 1784 by the Rev. James
Scott, and is under the direction of a president and com-
mittee. It has an extensive collection of scarce and
interesting books, manuscripts, coins, and medals, with
various other antiquities and relics illustrative of the
history of Scotland ; and the society has received many
additions to its collection from natives of the county,
and from its president, the Marquess of Breadalbane.
Its annual meetings are held in the hall assigned to its
use in Marshall's Monument, when papers on literary,
scientific, and antiquarian subjects are read before the
society, prior to being deposited in the library. The
Eclectic Socitty, which meets once a fortnight during
winter for the reading of essays, and for discussion on
subjects of philosophy, literature, and science, was in-
stituted in October 1844 ; and the Anderson histitution in
February 1847. There are two or three other societies.
The building styled Marshall's Monument was erected
by public subscriptiim of the citizens, in honour of their
provost, the late Thomas Hay Marshall, Esq., of Glcn-
almond ; and is an elegant structure in the Grecian style
of architecture, of circular form, surmounted by a spa-
cious dome, and embellished with a portico of the Ionic
order ; it is finely situated at the north end of George-
street. The Theatre ^-AS built in 1820, at an expense of
£'2625, but is not much frc(|uentcd. The h'rccmnsons'
Hall, erected in 1818, on the site of the ancient house
of parliament, is a handsome building, and contains a
large hall occasionally used for public auctions. Races
are held annually, which are well attended. The bar-
racks, originally intended for cavalry, but now fitted up
for infantry, were erected in 1793, at the western ex-
tremity of AthoU-strcct ; they form a ucat range of
360
buildings, and are adapted to their purpose. An exten-
sive depAt erected by government in 1812, at an expense
of £130,000, and capable of receiving 7000 prisoners of
war, has been converted into the Penitentiary afterwards
noticed. Public baths have been established.
Among the principal manufactures carried on in
the town and its vicinity are those of gingham, muslin,
shawls, cotton goods and linens, handkerchiefs, scarfs,
and trimmings, in which more than 1600 persons are
employed. Of the ginghams, those for the making of
umbrellas are most produced, and great quantities are
forwarded to London and Manchester, and to other
towns in England ; the rest of the manufactures are
chiefly exported to North and South America, and the
East and West Indies, and many of the shawl pieces
are sent to Turkey. A mill for spinning flax and tow
was established, in which were at first but 850 spindles,
and the number of persons employed was only 100, the
greater portion of whom were females ; but the number
of spindles has been augmented to 1250, and the num-
ber of persons proportionally increased. In the neigh-
bourhood are extensive bleachfields and printing esta-
blishments. There are several breweries and distilleries,
and numerous corn-mills. The Perth and St. John's
iron-foundries, and some brass-foundries, are in operation
on a large scale ; and thei-e are rope-walks, tanneries,
and dye-works, in which considerable numbers of per-
sons are engaged. The manufacture of bricks and tiles
is extensive ; there are several coach-building establish-
ments, and some saw-mills are worked by steam for the
preparation of timber, with which the neighbourhood
abounds, for various uses.
The trade of the port consists chiefly in exporting
agricultural produce to the London market, principally
potatoes, which are said to have been first grown here
on their introduction into Scotland, and of which the
quantity annually shipped is about 30,000 tons : of
grain of various kinds, 40,000 quarters are exported ;
and a considerable quantity of timber and slates is sent
off. From the proximity of Dundee, the manufacturing
produce is generally forwarded to that place for expor-
tation. The imports consist chiefly of flax, clover seeds,
and linseed, cheese, foreign spirits, bark, hides, mad-
der, tar, Norway, Baltic, and American timber, bones for
manure, salt, lime, and coal from England and different
parts of Scotland. The number of ships registered as
belonging to the port, in 1848, was eighty-six, and their
aggregate burthen 8123 tons : the customs' duties
amounted to £20,954. The number of vessels that en-
tered in a late year was 758, of which twenty-two were
from foreign ports, and 736 coasting-vessels. Perth
harbour, at first near the bridge, was in 1752 removed
lower down the river ; but though at that period access-
ible to ships of tolerable size, it was in the course of a
few years, from its want of depth, frequented only by
small craft. In 1830, therefore, considerable improve-
ments were projected by Mr. Jardine, and a commodious
pier was constructed ; l)ut the works were discontinued,
and the original ini|)r()vcments not carried into effect,
till 1834. At that time others, also, on a more extended
scale, including the deepening of the river from Newburgh
to Perth, the removal of several fords by dredging ma-
chines, and the construction of a tide harbour, a ship
canal, and wet-docks, rendering the harbour accessible
in spring-tides to vessels of 380, and at neap-tides of 130,
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tons, were adopted by the town-council at the suggestion
of Messrs. Stevenson, and are now in progress, with
every prospect of being fully accomplished. The tide
harbour has been completed ; vessels of 300 tons now
reach Perth with ease, and the amount of the shipping
belonging to the port is on the increase. An act was
passed in 1S49, to equalize the rates and duties levied
at the port and harbour of Perth ; to authorize the bor-
rowing of an additional sum of money, and fur other
purposes in relation thereto. Ship-building is carried on
to a very considerable extent, the surrounding country,
as already observed, affording abundance of timber ; and
several vessels of 500 tons have been built in the dock-
yards. A ship-building company was established in
183S, chiefly through the great impulse communicated
by the firm of Messrs. Graham, who in their commercial
transactions employ vessels of their own, the aggregate
burthen of which exceeds '2400 tons. The first iron
steam -boat on the eastern coast of Scotland was made
here, in the foundry of Messrs. A. Mc Farlane and Sons :
this vessel, which plies on the river, between Perth and
Dundee, is 113 feet in length, and, with .500 passengers
on board, draws three feet water, being propelled by an
engine of seventy-horse power. Since that time, several
iron and other steam-vessels have been launched from
the port.
The salmon-fishery of the Tay is carried on with very
encouraging success. The whole of the fisheries on the
river afford employment to nearly 500 men ; and the
average number of fish taken annually at this place only
is '25,000 salmon, and 50,000 grilse, all of which are
exported to the London markets. To promote the
commerce and manufactures of the town, there are two
provincial banks established, namely, the Perth and the
Central Banks ; with branches of the Bank of Scotland,
the British Linen Company, the Commercial Bank, and
the National Bank. The general market, which is on
Friday, is plentifully supplied with corn and provisions
of every kind ; and there is a market on Wednesday,
also well attended. Fairs are held on the first Fridays
in March, April, and July, and the second Friday in
December, for horses and cattle ; on the first Friday in
September, for the hiring of servants and for general
business ; and on the third Friday in October, for cattle,
horses, and cheese. A savings' bank was founded in
1815; the amount of deposits is above £4000. The
post is frequent ; and the revenue of the office formerly
amounted on an average to about £4000 a year. Faci-
lity of communication is afforded by excellent roads
diverging from the city ; and these means of intercourse
have been of late vastly increased by the construction of
several railways, which have imparted to the city the
character of a general railway terminus. The Dundee,
Perth, and Aberdeen-Railway Junction, the Scottish
Midland Junction, the Scottish Central railway, and the
Perth line of the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway,
all terminate here as in a common centre. Of these, the
Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen- Railway Junction consists of
a line from Perth to Dundee, authorized by an act passed
in 1845, and of a line from Dundee to Arbroath, completed
in 1840. The former line was opened from Barnhili, on
the other side of the Tay, to Dundee, in May 1847 ; and
was subsequently extended into the city of Perth, by the
construction of a fine wooden bridge over the river, con-
necting it with the South Lich, on which the central
Vol. IL— 361
railway terminus is situated. This bridge is of great
length, spanning the Tay where the waters are divided
into two streams by an intermediate island, over which
the erection is continued. The Scottish Midland Junction,
formed under an act passed also in 1845, was opened to
the public in August 1847. It commences at the central
station just mentioned, and proceeds northward, on the
western side of the city, and by the North Lich, taking
a line for some miles parallel with the river Tay, and then
diverging north-eastward to the towns of Cupar-Angus
and Forfar. The Scottish Central railway, sanctioned by
parliament in 1845, and opened on the 15th of May,
1848, extends from Perth to Grccnliill, near Falkirk,
where it forms a junction with the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow and the Caledonian railways. The line commences
on the south side of the city, at the station on the South
Inch, and after running a short distance, enters a tunnel
under Moncrielfe hill, which was blasted with an expen-
diture of 250,000 lb. of gunpowder, and measures one
mile and a quarter in length. Quitting this tunnel near
Hilton, the line proceeds along part of the valley of the
Earn, in a western course ; then proceeds in a south-
western direction ; forms a curve by Dunblane to Stir-
ling, and at length reaches the Greenhill junction, be-
tween Castlecary and Falkirk. The Perth section of the
Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway commences at the
southern extremity of the great tunnel of the Scottish
Central railway, at Hilton, and thence for some miles runs
nearly parallel with the river Earn, towards the east.
The company shares in the benefits of the Perth ter-
minus.
The government of the burgh, by a succession of
charters from its erection into a royal burgh by William
the Lion to the time of James VI., who confirmed all
previous grants, was till lately vested in a provost, dean
of guild, three merchant-bailies and one trades'-bailie, a
treasurer, and nine merchant and three trades' council-
lors, assisted by a town-clerk and other officers. At the
present time the magistrates of Perth are, a provost, a
dean of guild, four bailies, and a treasurer ; and the
number of councillors is nineteen. Its ancient seal, which
bore upon the obverse the decollation of St. John the
Baptist, and on the reverse the enshrinement of that
saint, was disused after the Reformation, and the pre-
sent seal, alluding to the foundation of the town by the
Romans, adopted in its stead. The provost, bailies, and
other officers, are elected by the council from among
their own body ; and the council, under the JNIunicipal
Reform act, are chosen by the £10 householders: the
dean of guild is elected by the guildry or incorporation
of merchants. There are seven incorporated trades, the
hammermen, bakers, glovers, wrights, tailors, fleshers,
and shoemakers, in which the fees for admission vary
from £1 to £4 for the sons of freemen, and from £20
to £100 for strangers. The jurisdiction of the magis-
trates extends over the whole of the royalty, the limits
of which, however, are not clearly defined. The provost,
who is also sheriff and coroner, with the bailies, holds
burgh courts every Tuesday for the determination of
civil causes ; there is also a court holden for the reco-
very of small debts, and a court of guildry is held
monthly and occasionally at other times. Criminal
jurisdiction is rarely, if at all, exercised ; though the
magistrates' authority extends to capital offences, and
there are instances on record of persons having suffered
3 A
PERT
PERT
the extreme penalty of the law. Previously to the pass-
ing of the Reform act, Perth sent a member to the im-
perial parliament in conjunction with Dundee, Cupar,
Forfar, and St. Andrew's ; but since that period it has
returned its own representative.
The County Biiild'tugs, situated at the end of South-
street, near the margin of the river, were erected in
1819, at a cost of £3":>,000, after a design by Mr. Smirke.
They form an elegant structure of freestone in the
Grecian style, and the principal front has a stately
portico of twelve fluted columns, supporting an entabla-
ture and cornice surmounted by a triangular pediment.
The centre comprises the court of justice, of semicir-
cular form, sixty-six feet in length, and containing a
gallery for the accommodation of 1000 persons : behind
the bench are the judges' rooms, and rooms for wit-
nesses ; and leading from the bar is a flight of steps
communicating with a subterraneous passage from the
prison. In the south wing is the county-hall, a hand-
some apartment sixty-eight feet long and forty feet wide,
elegantly fitted up, and embellished with portraits of a
late Duke of Atholl and the late Lord Lynedoch by Sir
Thomas Lawrence, and a portrait of the late Sir George
Murray, G. C.B. ; the committee-room is thirty feet
square, and on the floor above is a tea and card room
forty-four feet long and thirty feet wide, with other
apartments. The sheriffs-court and clerk's offices form
the north wing ; and above them are an office for the
collector of cess, and a fire-proof room in which the city
and county records are deposited. Behind the County
Buildings is the new City and County Prison, inclosed
within a lofty wall, and containing two divisions, one
for debtors, and the other for criminals ; the latter has
ten cells, and one large day-room, with an airing-yard,
for males, and three cells, a day-room, and airing-yard,
for females. The governor's house is in the centre ; but
the prison is not well adapted for classification. The
old prison has been fitted up partly for a police office,
and partly as a house of correction ; it contains eight
cells, one of which is appropriated to refractory prison-
ers. The inmates are employed at their ordinary trades,
and on leaving the prison receive a portion of their
earnings. The Penitentiary, or General Prison for Scot-
land, which was opened on the 30th of March, 1842, is
one of the great government prisons, and the expense
of the establishment is defrayed from the public funds.
The principle is that of entire separation and constant
emjjloyment, and the buildings contain accommodation
for 260 males and 100 females, in as many cells ; with
a department for criminal lunatics, capable of accom-
modating thirty-five males and eighteen females. No
prisoner is received for less than twelve months. This
prison, which is under the management of twenty-one
directors who have also a superintendence of all prisons
in Scotland, was recently visited by His Royal Highness
Prince Albert, who, accompanied by Sir George Grey,
inspected the system of discii)line in operation here,
during Her Majesty's stay in the town in August 1 849.
The Penitentiary, as already mentioned, was once a dc-
pAt for French prisoners.
The RURAL DISTRICT, whicli is bounded on the east,
like the town, by the river Tay, and on the north by the
Almond, comprises an area of 3410 acres, whereof more
than 2.500 are arable, about 7")0 woodland and planta-
tions, chiefly of pine and larch, and the remainder meadow
362
and pasture. Its surface is diversified with ridges of
moderate elevation, and with several hills, of which that
of MoncriefFe rises to the height of 756 feet above the
level of the sea ; the scenery is varied, combining fea-
tures of beautifully picturesque and strikingly romantic
character, and the view of the surrounding country
from the summit of Moncrieffe hill is one of the finest
in Britain. In the uplands the soil is a rich loam, and
along the Tay a fertile clay resting upon gravel. It
is well adapted for grain of every kind, and the sys-
tem of agriculture is highly improved ; draining has been
extensively practised, and the lands lying on the side of
the river have been protected from inundation by effec-
tive embankments. The farm-buildings, also, are gene-
rally substantial and commodious; but little inclosure has
taken place, and what fences there are, are chiefly of
stone. The substratum is mostly of the red sandstone
formation, which extends throughout the vales of Strath-
earn and Strathmore. Nodules of granite, primitive lime-
stone, and porphyritic trap, are frequently embedded in
the sandstone, but no organic remains. Trap rocks and an
extensive bed of conglomerate are found in the southern
parts of the district. There are some quarries of free-
stone, and one appears to have been largely wrought ;
but the stone is of soft texture, and the buildings which
have been erected of it have soon become ruinous. There
are also quarries of trap stone of durable texture, afford-
ing excellent materials for the roads. The annual value
of real property in the town and rural district, according
to returns made under the income-tax, is £56,539.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs, this city is within the
bounds of the synod of Perth and Stirling, and presby-
tery of Perth ; the former holding their meetings alter-
nately at Stirling and here. The parish of St. John the
Baptist was formerly the only one, and the ancient
church was supplied by but one minister till the year
1595, when a second was appointed. In 171 6 a third
minister was appointed by the town-council, to meet
the wants of a rapidly increasing population, and the
church was converted into three separate churches,
called respectively East, Middle, and West. In 1S07,
the original parish was, by authority of the Court of
Teinds, divided into four parishes, namely, the East,
West, and Middle Church parishes, and the parish of St.
Paul. The East Church parish comprises the whole of
the rural district, and part of the town ; it is about five
miles in length and two miles in breadth, and contains a
population of 7031. The minister's stipend is, £130 in
money paid by the corporation, and eighty bolls of meal
and seventy bolls of barley paid by the heritors, together
equivalent to about £255 : there is neither manse nor
glebe. The church of St. John the Baptist, the choir of
which is approjiriated as the clmrch for this parish, is a
very ancient structure in the pointed style of architec-
ture, with a massive square tower surmounted by a spire
155 feet in height. After it was given to the abbey of
Dunfermline in 1226, it was suffered to fall into dilapida-
tion, but was repaired and partly restored by King
Roliert Bruce ; the eastern |)orti(Ui was afterwards re-
l)uilt, and in 1400 the whole of the edifice was in good
repair. The numerous altars at various times erected
within it were, with the exception of the high altar at
tlie east end of the choir, subsequently removed. In the
tower is a set of musical chimes. The portion of this
venerable structure which forms the East church con-
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tains 1'2S6 sittings. There are places of worship for
members of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian
Synod, and Glassites, and a Roman Cathohc chapel, in
the parish. The parish of Middle Church, which is
wholly a town parish, is about 250 yards in length and
160 yards in breadth : the population is 4498. The
minister's stipend is, eighty bolls of meal and seventy of
barley paid by the heritors, and £130 paid by the cor-
poration, who are patrons of this and the East, West,
and St. Paul's churches ; the whole income of the living
being equivalent to about £255. The church consists
chiefly of the area between the four massive and lofty
columns that support the tower of St. John's, and which
was fitted up for the purpose in 17*1 ; it contains 1208
sittings, and has some interesting details. There are
places of worship for members of rtie Free Church, the
United Presbyterian Synod, the United Original Seceders,
and Baptists. H'est Church, parish, almost entirely in
the town, is about half a mile long and nearly equal in
width ; it contains 5024 inhabitants. The minister's
stipend is £200, payable by the corporation. The
church consists of the nave of the collegiate church of
St. John, and retains many vestiges of ancient character,
among which is a fine west window ; it contains 967
sittings. There are a Free church and an episcopal
chapel. St. Paul's parish, wholly a town parish, is about
a mile in length and a quarter of a mile in breadth, and
has a population of 2740 : the minister's stipend is
£200, paid by the corporation. The church, which is
situated on the confines of the parish, is a handsome
structure in a modern style of architecture, with a tower
surmounted by an elegant spire ; it was erected by the
corporation in I8O6, at an expense of £7000, and con-
tains 884 sittings. There are places of worship for mem-
bers of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Synod,
and Independents.
The former parish of St. Leonard was separated for
ecclesiastical purposes from the parishes of East and
West Church, under act of the General Assembly, in
1835 ; it was about half a mile in length and one-eighth
of a mile in breadth, and chiefly a town parish, with a
population of 3039. The minister of St. Leonard's is
appointed by the heads of families. The church, or
chapel of ease, situated in King-street, is a handsome
structure erected in 1835, at an expense of £2450,
raised by subscriptions and donations; and contains 96O
sittings. There are places of worship for the United
Presbyterian Synod, members of the " Holy Catholic
Apostolic" congregation, and General Baptists. The
incumbency of St. Stephen's was created under act of
the General Assembly, in 1S36 ; it had no definite area,
but comprehended all the Highland population scattered
within a distance of four miles from the church, which
was built for their accommodation. The church was erec-
ted by voluntary subscription ; it contains 762 sittings.
The Grammar School is of ancient foundation, and is
under the superintendence of a rector and his assist-
ant, of whom the former has a salary of £50, and the
latter of £25, paid by the corporation, who are patrons
of all the public schools of the town ; the course of
instruction comprises the Latin and Greek languages,
ancient geography, history, and other subjects. The
Academy, originally instituted in 17 60, and for which
a very handsome building has been erected in the cen-
tre of Rose-terrace, is under the care of a rector and an
363
assistant, with salaries respectively of £100 and £25;
the course includes arithmetic, algebra, geometry, sur-
veying, mathematics, navigation, natural philosophy,
astronomy, and chemistry. Under the same patron-
age are a school for the French, Italian, and Spanish
languages, the master of which has a salary of £25 ;
a school for writing and arithmetic, and one for draw-
ing and painting, the masters of which have each a
salary of £25 ; a school for English, the master of which
receives likewise £25 a year ; and a school for singing
and church music, the master of which has £15. In
these several schools the fees vary from £1. 8. to £4. 6.
for the whole term of ten months and a half. There are
also an endowed school for the Trades, the master of
which receives a salary of £76 ; and an endowed school
for the poor, with a salary of £50. The Manufacturers"
school, the master of which is paid £20 ; the Guildry
school, with a salary of £26 ; two infant schools, the
mistresses of which have each £50 ; and a female school,
the mistress of which receives a salary of £20 are all
supported by subscription. A sum of £400 was raised a
few years since for building additional schools for the
poor, to which a grant of £400 was added by the trea-
sury ; the masters have a salary of £10, paid by the
corporation, and the fees, which vary from sixpence to
eightpence per month for each scholar. Schools of in-
dustry have been also estabhshed. Altogether there are
thirty-five schools in the town and parish, in which the
various branches of education are taught ; and nume-
rous Sabbath schools in connexion with the Established
Church and seceding congregations. The Hospital
founded and amply endowed by James VI., in 1569,
with all the lands and revenues of the dissolved monas-
teries, chapels, and altars in the city, was destroyed by
Cromwell in 1652 ; and the building near the site of
the Carthusian monastery, erected in its stead, has,
with the exception of the master's apartments and the
room containing the records, been appropriated to other
purposes, and the inmates made out-pensioners. The
annual proceeds of the endowment, which has been
greatly diminished, are £597- 8. 6., divided among more
than sixty pensioners.
The Citij and County Infirmary, at the extremity of
South-street, on the new Glasgow road, is a spacious
and handsome structure, erected in 1836 from a design
by Mr. Mackenzie, architect ; and contains wards and
accommodation for fifty-six patients. The institution
possesses funds of considerable value, derived from
donations and bequests, of which £500 were left by
Dr. Browne ; £600 were appropriated to its use from a
bequest of £3000, by the first Marquess of Breadalbane,
to the public charities of Perth ; and £400 subsequently
added bv the second marquess. It is also supported by
subscription. Tlie Royal Lunatic Asylum, not far from
Perth, incorporated by royal charter, was commenced in
1827, and greatly enlarged in 1834. The building is of
the Grecian-Doric order, from a design by Mr. Burn, of
Edinburgh ; it is 256 feet in length, and three stories
high. The Asylum is beautifully situated on an emi-
nence on Kinnoull hill, commanding a view of the Gram-
pian hills, the river Tay, and the adjacent country ; and
is surrounded with a fine park of twelve acres. Funds
for its erection and partial endowment were bequeathed
by James Murray, Esq., of Perth ; and the institu-
tion is further supported by donations. In 1660 James
3 A2
PERT
PERT
Butter, sheriff-clerk of Perthshire, left two-fifths of the
lands of Scone- Lethendy, for the maintenance of four
poor persons of Perth : in 1686 Mr. Jackson devised
one- tenth of the same lands for the support of one poor
relative, or, in failure of such, of a person of the name
of Jackson ; and in 1743 Mr. Cairnie bequeathed two-
fifths of the lands to the poor of Perth, reserving two-
thirds to two of his descendants nearest to the age of
fourteen years. This property comprises 610 acres, of
which 145 are under plantation, and produces a rental
of £513. Two persons of the name of Cairnie receive
together £130, and the hospital £50; twelve annuitants
receive £1*0, and the remainder is reserved for the liqui-
dation of a debt of £1500, incurred by the erection of
buildings and the improvement of the lands. Consider-
able sums are distributed to the poor by the incorporated
trades, amounting in the aggregate to more than £'2000
annually; and there were formerly numerous friendly
societies, of which the greater number have been discon-
tinued. The Destitute-Sick Society, the Aged and Indi-
gent Female Society, the Society for Clothing Indigent
Females, and the Indigent Old Men's Society, also dis-
tribute large sums in relieving the poor.
Among the religious houses destroyed at the Refor-
mation, was the monastery of the Black Friars, founded
by Alexander II. in 1231, and, after the demolition of
the castle of Perth, the residence of the Scottish kings
till the removal of the seat of government to Edinburgh
in the reign of James III. : in its church the parliament
occasionally assembled. A monastery of White Friars
was instituted in the reign of Alexander III. : the reve-
nues were eventually annexed to the hospital of James
VI. The Carthusian monastery was founded by James
I. in 14'29, and contained tombs of the founder, his
queen, and Queen Margaret, mother of James V. The
Franciscan monastery was founded in 1460 by Lord
Oliphant, and in 1580 its site was appropriated as the
common cemetery of the parish. There were the nunne-
ries of St. Mary Magdalene and St. Leonard, with their
chapels, and the hospital of the latter ; also numerous
chapels, of which that of Our Lady forms part of the old
prison : the chapel of St. Lawrence belonged to the an-
cient castle ; and those of St. Anne, St. James, St. Paul,
the Holy Cross, and St. Katherine, had attached hospi-
tals for the entertainment of the poor.
In IHO* some workmen, digging for the foundation
of St. Paul's church, discovered, at about ten feet below
the surface, a portion of well-built masonry extending
from north to south, and in the front of which there
were several massive rings and staples of iron. It
seemed to have been erected as a pier. The surface of
the street in this place has an elevation of twenty-
three feet above the level of the river. At some dis-
tance, in a northern direction, in Stormont-street, two
willow-trees were found standing erect at a depth of
twenty feet : another tree of the same kind, also erect,
was discovered at a deptli of eight feet. In digging the
foundations for houses at a more recent date, some rich
black earth was foiuid, in which were embedded small
cuttings of leather, a spur of antique form, a pair of
scissors, a small copper shield with a bend dexter, and
various other articles. Pavements have also been met
with, at a depth of even ten feet below the present pave-
ments ; and in erecting the buildincs on the south side
of the church, occupied by Mr. Balhngall, a boat about
364
ten feet long was found embedded in a layer of black
earth, resting on its keel, with a cauli<ing-iron and the
soles of shoes near it. These appearances indicate the
heightening of the site of the town subsequently to the
inundations of 1'210 and 16'21, by which it was nearly
overwhelmed. In digging the foundation for the rail-
way terminus at St. Leonard's, a quantity of human
bones and stone coffins vvas discovered : urns of burnt
clay, some of them containing ashes, were found ; and a
Roman road, many feet below the present surface, and
immediately beneath a deep bed of clay, was also brought
to light.
Among the eminent characters connected with the
city have been, the Earls of Gowrie, AthoU, and Erroll,
Lord John Murray, Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, and
Lord Chancellor Hay, all of whom had houses in Perth ;
Halyburton, Bishop of Dunkeld ; Patrick Adamson,
Archbishop of St. Andrew's, born in 1536, and educated
at the grammar school, and who was author of the tra-
gedy of Herod Agrippa, and a poetic paraphrase on the
Lamentations of Jeremiah ; Mylne, a celebrated archi-
tect, and father of Robert Mylne. the architect of Black-
friars bridge, London ; and James Crichton, commonly
called the Admirable Crichton, who is supposed to have
received his early education in the grammar school. The
last-named is thought to have been born at Eliock House,
in the county of Dumfries ; but soon after his birth,
which occurred in 1560, his father removed to an estate
in the parish of Clunie, only seventeen miles from Perth.
Dr. Adam Anderson, who was born in 17S0, at an early
age became a student at the university of St. Andrew's,
and devoting himself to the study of mathematics, che-
mistry, and natural philosophy, was appointed, in the
beginning of the present century, teacher of these
branches of science in the Academy of Perth. In 1809
he was advanced to the rectorship of the academy, and
in this office, for nearly thirty years, he distinguished
himself by the profundity of his scientific knowledge,
and his facility in communicating instruction. In 1838
he was elected professor of natural philosophy in the
United College of St. Andrew's, where he devoted him-
self with assiduity to the duties of his chair. He died
in 1846. Dr. Anderson introduced water and gas into
Perth, and planned the fine reservoir in this city.
PERTHSHIRE, an inland and a most extensive coun-
ty, nearly in the centre of Scotland, bounded on the north
and north-west by Inverness-shire; on the cast by the
county of Forfar ; on the south-east by the counties of
Fife and Kinross ; on the south by the Firth of Forth,
and the counties of Stirling and Clackmannan ; on the
west by Argyllshire; and on the south-west by the county
of Dumbarton. It lies between 56° 4' and 56° 57' (N.
Lat.) and 3°4' and 4° 50' (W. Long.), and is about 77 miles
in length and 6S miles in extreme breadth ; comprising
an area of 5000 square miles, or 3,'200,000 acres ; 30,796
houses, of which '2H,993 are inhabited ; and containing a
population of 137,390, of whom 64,9/8 are males and
7'2,41'2 females. This county, the name of which is of
doubtful and disputed origin, was anciently inhabited by
the Caledonians, and, from its situation on the north
side of the wall of Antonine, was among the last of those
portions of the kingdom which the Romans attempted to
add to their dominions in Britain. The latest struggle
for the independence of their country made by the Britons
agaiTist their Roman invaders, was the battle near the
PERT
PERT
Grampians between Agricola and the Caledonians under
their leader Galgacus, who, after having routed the ninth
legion of Agricola's army, was at length finally subdued.
For centuries the county of Perth was the metropolitan
county ; its chief town was the residence of the Scottish
kings till the reign of James III. ; and the abbey of
Scone, from a very early period to a comparatively re-
cent date, continued to be the place of their coronation.
But the history of the county is so identified with the
general history of the kingdom, that any further detail
would be superfluous.
It was anciently divided into the districts of Monteith,
Gowrie, Perth, Strathearn, the Stormont, Breadalbane,
Rannoch, Balquhidder, and AthoU, all of which were
stewartries under the jurisdiction of the great landholders
to whom they gave titles, but which, since the abolition
of heritable jurisdictions, have ceased to be under any
peculiar authority. Prior to the fall of episcopacy the
county formed two large sees, the bishops of which had
their seats respectively at Dunkeld and Dunblane ; but
from that period, it has been almost wholly included in
the synod of Perth and Stirling. It comprises several
presbyteries, and sixty-nine parishes, besides parts of
other parishes. Two sheriffs-substitute are appointed
by the sheriff, who reside respectively at Perth and
Dunblane ; and for civil purposes the county is divided
into the districts of Perth, Blairgowrie, Weem, Culross,
Auchterarder, Crieff, Dunblane, Carse of Gowrie, and
Cupar-Angus, in each of which petty-sessions are held
by the magistrates, and quarterly small-debt courts by
the sheriffs-substitute. Perth (the county-town) and
Culross are royal burghs ; and the county contains the
towns or villages of Alyth, Auchterarder, Blairgowrie,
Bridge-of-Earn, Callander, Crieff, Cupar-Angus, Doune,
Dunblane, Kincardine, Stanley, and other places; several
of which are burghs of barony.
The SURFACE is remarkably varied. It comprehends
a highland and a lowland district ; the former, to the
north and north-west, constituting a considerable portion
of the Grampian range ; and the latter, which is the
more extensive, lying to the south and south-east.
Perthshire abounds with the richest scenery of every
variety ; is beautifully diversified with mountains and
valleys, wide and fertile plains in the highest state of
cultivation, rising grounds, and gentle undulations ; and
is enlivened with numerous streams and picturesque
lakes. The principal mountain is Ben-Luwers, on the
north side of Loch Tay, rising by a gradual ascent from
the margin of the lake to an elevation of 4015 feet above
the level of the sea ; it is cultivated around its base to
a considerable height, and clothed nearly to its summit
with rich verdure, affording pasturage for many flocks
of sheep. Benmore, at the head of Glen-Dochart, has an
elevation of 3903 feet, and commands a richly-varied
prospect of unbounded extent, embracing both the Ger-
man and Atlantic Oceans. Schihallion, at the foot of
Loch Rannoch, rises in a conical form to the height of
3564 feet, presenting a vast mass of sterile rock, relieved
only by occasional tufts of heath. This mountain was
selected by Dr. Maskelyne, the astronomer royal, for his
observations on the influence of attraction upon the vibra-
tions of the pendulum. Beii-Ledi, near Callander, has an
elevation of 3009 feet, comprehending on the east a
fine view of the whole tract of country through which
the Forth takes its course to the German Ocean, and on
365
the south a prospect of the beautiful vale of the Clyde.
It appears to have been used in ancient times as a place
of devotion, and on the summit are some Druidical re-
mains. Ben-y-glue, in the forest of Atholl ; Bencltonzie,
at the head of Glenturret ; Ben-Vinrlkh, on the south
side of Strathearn ; and others in different parts of the
county, have elevations varying from 3000 to 4000 feet.
The Sidlaw Hills, a fine range nearly parallel with the
Grampians, inclosing that portion of the vale of Strath-
more which lies between Montrose (in Forfarshire) and
Perth, also attain a considerable elevation. Among the
eminences of this range are, Dunsinnan Hill, the strong-
hold of the usurper Macbeth, whose castle stood upon
its summit, rising to the height of 1040 feet, and com-
manding richly-diversified prospects ; and Birnam Hill,
near Dunkeld, 1580 feet in height, and still retaining
some portions of the forest from which the army of
Malcolm marched to dethrone the usurper. Turleum,
in the rear of Drummond Castle, rises to the height of
1400 feet ; and among the hills of Driimuachder is a de-
file of singularly romantic character, leading to the castle
of Blair-Atholl. The pass of Kitliecrcinkie, in which the
forces of William III. were defeated by Lord Dundee in
1689, is about half a mile in length, between rugged and
precipitously steep mountains, and so darkened by the
woods growing among the impending rocks that the
Garry river, which flows along this dangerous pass, is in
many parts of it invisible.
In this county the principal rivers are the Tay, the
Forth, the Earn, the Almond, the Isla, the Ericht, the
Bran, the Garry, the Tilt, the Tummel, the Lyon, and
the Teith. The Tay has its source in the district of
Breadalbane, in the western extremity of the county,
and flowing in an eastern direction, under the name of
Fillan, along the vale of Strathfillan, increases in breadth,
forming Loch Dochart, and continues its course as the
river Dochart through Glen-Dochart for nearly eight
miles. Then, again expanding its waters, it forms Loch
Tay, from which issuing at the village of Kenmore, it flows
under the name of the Tay for the rest of its progress,
and after receiving numerous tributary streams, makes a
wide firth, and loses itself in the German Ocean. The
Forth has its source in some small streams on the north
of Ben-Lomond, in this county, and passing through the
south-west portion of Perthshire for a few miles, enters
Stirlingshire, to which it more properly belongs, and
between which and Perth, in many points, it constitutes
a boundary. The Earn has its source in the loch of that
name ; flows through Strathearn in an eastern course for
nearly thirty miles ; and receiving a great number of tri-
butary streams, falls into the Tay a few miles below
Perth. The Almond rises in a deep glen among the
Grampians, in the parish of Kenmore ; and after a wind-
ing course of eighteen miles, in which it has some pictu-
resque cascades, joins the river Tay about two miles
above Perth. The Isla has its source also among the
Grampians, but in the county of Forfar, and after enter-
ing this county, and receiving the river Ericht (formed
of the Ardle and the Shee), runs into the Tay at Kin-
claven. The Bran has its commencement in Loch
Freuchie : taking a north-eastern course, and flowing
through the grounds of the Duke of Atholl, where it
makes a beautifully romantic cascade, it falls into the
Tay at Inver, near Little Dunkeld. The Garry issues
from the loch of that name, in the north-western part
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PERT
of the county ; it pursues a south-eastern direction, and,
being joined by the Tilt near the castle of Blair-Atholl,
runs through the pass of Killiecrankie into the Tummel.
The Tummel has its source in Loch Rannoch, in the
northern part of Perthshire, and taking an eastern course,
forms Loch Tummel ; it then pursues a southern direc-
tion, and falls into the Tay at Logierait. The Ltjon
issues from Loch Lyon, on the western border of the
county, and, watering the narrow vale of Glenlyon, joins
the Tay about two miles below Kenmore. Exclusive of
the Forth, the only river of any importance in the county
that is not tributary to the Tay is the Teitli, which has its
source in two distinct branches, uniting in the parish of
Callander ; the northern branch rises in the western ex-
tremity of the parish of Balquhidder, and the southern
issues from Loch Katrine. This river, after receiving
the waters of the Ardoch, flows through the pleasure-
grounds of Blair-Drummond and the lands of Ochter-
tyre, and falls into the Forth at the bridge of Drip.
Of the LAKES the principal is Loch Tay, a magnificent
expanse of water about sixteen miles in length, and vary-
iu<T from one to two miles in breadth. It is situated in
the Western Highlands, and is from fifteen to 100 fathoms
in depth, containing an abundance of salmon, trout,
pike, and other fish. The surrounding scenery, though
less remarkable than that of Loch Lomond, is generally
striking, and abounds with features of grandeur and of
beauty. Loch Ericht, in the north-west of the county, is
nearly of equal length with Loch Tay, but of inferior
width, being scarcely a mile in the broadest part ; it is
in the very heart of the Grampians, and inclosed with
precipitous and rugged banks. Loch Rannoch, also in
the north-west, near Breadalbane, is about ten miles in
length and one mile in width; the shores are richly
wooded, and the scenery around is singularly impres-
sive. In the same district is Locli Lijdoch, situated in
the moors ; it is as much as seven miles in length and
a mile in breadth, but of uninteresting and dreary aspect.
Loch Earn, a fine sheet of water in the district of Strath-
earn, is about eight miles long, varying from half a mile
to a mile and a half in breadth, and encircled with
scenery of strikingly romantic character. Its banks are
rocky and precipitous ; and the lofty hills by which it is
inclosed are intersected with numerous deep glens and
ravines, alternated with protruding masses of cliffs, and
relieved by tufts of wood growing wildly on the acclivi-
ties. Loch Katrine, in the western part of the district of
Monteith, between the parishes of Callander and Aber-
foyle, is also very beautiful, of serpentine form, and ex-
tending for about nine miles, though scarcely one mile
in width. Its banks are chiefly the lower acclivities of
the surrounding mountains, and are thickly wooded ; the
scenery combines great beauty and variety, and is cele-
brated by Sir Walter Scott in his poem of The Ladij of
the Lake. Near its eastern extremity is a picturesque
island ; and an outlet connects it with the lochs of Auch-
ray and Venachoir, and forms the river Teith. Anchruy
is a .small lake, but of a very lovely character. Loch
Venachoir, to the south-east of the two former, is a fine
sheet about five miles long and a mile and a half wide ;
it is inclosed with banks sloping gently to its margin, and
enriched with woods and plantations : on its surface is
a small islet of romantic ai)i)earancc. Loch Lubnaig,
situated at the north-eastern base of Bcn-Ledi, is about
six miles in length, and from a half to three-quarters of
366
a mile in breadth ; it has its name from its sinuous
form, i-nd, owing to the lofty and precipitous height of
the mountain, which casts a deep shadow over its sur-
face, possesses a dignified solemnity of character, that
powerfully predominates over its more picturesque fea-
tures. Loch Dochart lies in a barren tract in the western
part of the county, and is three miles long : the adjacent
scenery possesses little interest. There are two islands
in the lake, one of which, formed by the intertexture of
the roots and stems of aquatic plants, floats before the
wind ; it is about fifty-two feet in length, and thirty feet
in breadth, and affords pasture to a few sheep. Upon
the other isle, which is stationary, are the remains of an
ancient castle embosomed in woods, once the seat of the
Campbells of Lochawe. In the county are also the lochs
Tummel and Garry, the former measuring four miles in
length ; and many other lakes in various parts, most of
which are formed by the expansion of rivers in their
course to the Tay.
The SOIL is extremely various. In the Highlands the
hills are intersected with numerous glens, watered by
streams, and containing some tracts of fertile laud pro-
ducing grain, or affording good pasture. In the wide
straths between the Grampian and the Sidlaw hills, the
soil is chiefly argillaceous earth, and clay of different
colours, of which the blue is the most fertile. Along the
shore of the Forth is a level tract extending for eighteen
miles, chiefly a stiff clay. In Strathearn and the Carse
of Gowrie is a deep clay, alternated with loam, and of
extraordinary productiveness ; and near the town of
Perth, and towards Cupar-Angus, occurs a deep rich
mould. On the declivities of most of the hills, a strong
tenacious clay is the prevailing character. There are
many extensive tracts of moss in the Highlands ; and
towards Monteith, a tract containing more than 10,000
acres, called Flanders moss. The system of agriculture
throughout the straths, and in the Carse of Gowrie, is
in the highest state of improvement : the farms here
vary from thirty to 500 acres only in extent ; but those
of the Highlands are chiefly large sheep pastures. In
the low lauds, grain of every description is raised in
luxuriant crops, with potatoes, turnips, beans, peas, and
other crops ; flax is cultivated to a considerable extent,
and fruit of all kinds is abundant and of good quality.
The lower lands are well inclosed, partly with stone
walls, but principally with hedges and ditches : for the
hedges, hawthorn is mostly used ; but on some farms
they are formed of larch-trees, planted on the face of
ditches. In general the farm houses and offices are sub-
stantial and well arranged ; and all the more recent im-
l)rovements in the construction of agricultural imple-
ments have been adopted. The cattle are of the Gallo-
way and Ayrshire breeds, with a few of the Angus and
the Fifeshire, and some of the Devonshire, the last chiefly
on the lands of the Carse of Gowrie, and of recent in-
troduction. The numerous flocks of goats formerly to
be seen have been almost entirely superseded by sheep.
About '.J0,000 sheep arc fed in the glens among the Gram-
pian hills, .'')(),000 on the Sidlaw range, and on the Ochil
and Campsic hills more than 170,000; making in the
aggregate upwards of '240,000 in the county. The horses
are mainly of the Highland breed, of small stature, but
hardy and usel\il ; and in the districts of AthoU, Strath-
ardle, Glcnisla, and Glcnshee, great number of hogs are
reared, for the markets of Kinross and Cupar.
PERT
PETE
There are extensive forests in the district of Breadal-
bane and Monteith, and in many other parts woods of
ancient growth. Plantations, also, over wide tracts, have
been made by the AthoU family and other proprietors,
and have added greatly to the appearance of the country,
and the improvement of its climate. They consist chiefly
of larch, this description covering above SOOO acres. Of
eak there are more than 1000 acres ; and a large portion
of the surface is planted with ash, elm, beech, birch, and
plane ; Scotch, spruce, and silver firs ; laburnum, and
various other ornamental trees. The minerals are chiefly
coal, limestone, and ironstone. Coal has been wrought
for ages at Culross, but, from the situation of the mines,
they are comparatively unavailable for the supply of other
districts. The Carse of Gowrie, and the country around
Perth, obtain coal from Fife and the collieries of Eng-
land, and the district of Monteith from the mines of
Clackmannanshire ; while in many parts peat is the
general fuel, especially in the Highlands. The limestone
is abundant in several places ; but, from the scarcity of
fuel, very little is burnt for the improvement of the soil,
for which in some places moss is used to a considerable
extent. lu Monteith is a quarry of blue limestone
variegated with streaks of white, of a density equal to
marble, and susceptible of a fine polish ; and marble of
excellent quality is quarried on the lands of the Duke of
Atholl, near Glen-Tilt. The ironstone is found in the
district of Culross, on the Devon, and in various other
places ; but this also, from the scarcity of fuel for smelt-
ing, is not wrought. In the same neighbourhood are
fire-clay and slate : blue slate is found on Birnam hill,
and along the sides of the Ochils ; and grey slate, of a
harder texture, is diffused throughout the county. Near
Drummond Castle, and at Callander, are rocks of breccia,
parallel with which are beds of sandstone ; and on the
banks of the Tay is an extensive quarry of fine grey
freestone, of very durable texture, called Kingoodie
stone. The Grampian hills consist chiefly of granite.
The only mineral waters in the county are at Pitcaithly,
near Bridge-of-Earn ; they are in considerable repute for
their efficacy in the cure of scrofula and stomachic com-
plaints. The seats are Blair-Atholl Castle, Taymouth,
Methven Castle, Dupplin Castle, Drummond Castle,
Ochtertyre House, Dunira, Blair-Drummond, Castle-
Huntly, Castle-Lenrick, Belmont Castle, Arthurstone,
the palace of Scone, St. Martin's, Castle-Menzies, Meg-
ginch Castle, Lynedoch House, Reduoch House, Cambus-
more, Kippenross, Invermay, Murthly Castle, Delvine
House, Craighall, and others.
In this county the principal manufactures are those
of linen and cotton, both carried on to a considerable
extent. The former, in which large numbers are em-
ployed in several parts, is also carried on in smaller
towns and villages of the Carse of Gowrie ; and cotton-
works and printfields are established at Luncarty, Stor-
montfield, Stanley, Cromwell-Park, and various other
places. There are paper-mills at CrieiF, Auchterarder,
and Bridge-of- Almond ; numerous mills for the spinning
of flax at Blairgowrie ; also tanneries, breweries, distil-
leries, and other works. Facility of communication
through the interior is afforded by excellent roads, and,
for the export and import of goods, by the rivers Tay
and Forth. On the former of these rivers is the town
of Perth, the chief port in the county. The port of
Culross, on the Forth, formerly carried on a considerable
367
trade in the export of salt and coal, but has fallen into
decay : that of Kincardine, in the neighbouring parish
of Tulliallan, is in a flourishing condition, and does a
large amount of business in the export of coal, for which
it employs about seventy vessels, averaging from eighty
to ninety tons ; and also in ship-building, chiefly for the
coasting-trade. For a notice of the railways in the
county, see the article on the city of Perth. The annual
value of Perthshire, according to a return of real pro-
perty assessed to the income tax, is f Gl3,l68, of which
amount £551 ,078 are stated to be for lauds, £54,61 1 for
houses, £6520 for fisheries, £677 for quarries, £'27'2 for
mines, and the remainder for other species of real pro-
perty not comprised in the foregoing items. Among the
antiquities are the remains of several Roman camps, of
which the most important is that of Ardoch ; and the
Roman road towards Perth may still be traced in the
vale of Strathearn. There are numerous remains of
ancient castles, religious establishments, and Druidical
altars, and various other relics of antiquity.
PETER, ST., South Isles of Orkney. — See Ro-
NALDSHAY, SoUTH.
PETER, ST., North Isles of Orkney.— See Stron-
SAY and Eday.
PETERCULTER, a parish, in the district and county
of Aberdeen, 7 miles (W. S. W.) from Aberdeen ; con-
taining 1259 inhabitants. This place is said to have
derived the latter portion of its name, a compound of the
Gaelic terms Ciil, signifying "a back", and Tir, "a
country or district", from its situation on the side of the
river Dee ; and the former portion of its name, from the
dedication of its old church and wells to St. Peter. The
church anciently belonged to the monks of Kelso. The
place lays claim to a remote antiquity, and is supposed,
upon unquestionable authority, to have been a Roman
station. On a hill of moderate elevation, in the south-
west of the parish, are still some small remains of an an-
cient camp called Norman Dykes, which, till it was more
minutely examined within the last few years, was gene-
rally thought to have been constructed by the Danes or
the Norwegians, during their invasions of this part of
the country in the eleventh century. But from its form,
and situation on an eminence commanding the fords of
the river, and also on account of its distance from a
similar station on the river Ythan, which corresponds
exactly with the distance given in the Iter, it has been
clearly identified with the Devana of Ptolemy and
Richard, raised after the recall of Agricola from Britain.
The rampart and ditch on the north side, of which some
considerable portions are remaining, appear to have
extended for nearly three-quarters of a mile in a direc-
tion from E. N. E. to W. S. W. ; and from each extremity
were carried, at right angles, a similar rampart and
ditch, of which small parts can be traced ; inclosing a
rectangular area 938 yards in length and 543 yards in
breadth. Of its identity with the Devana, constructed
by Lollius Urbicus in his progress northwards through
the county of Aberdeen, a strongly corroborating testi-
mony is afforded by its dimensions, which are precisely
the same as those of Rae-Dyl<es, on the river Ythan, in
the parish of Auchterless, which is the second station in
the Iter.
The parish is bounded on the south by the river Dee,
and is about seven miles in extreme length ; an extent,
however, that includes a large portion of the parish of
PETE
PETE
Drumoak, by which Peterculter is deeply indented on
the west, and exclusively of which its length cannot be
estimated at more than five miles. It varies from four
to five miles in breadth. From the great irregularity of
its form, the superficial contents have not been strictly
ascertained ; but by estimation they are supposed to be
about 10,000 acres, of which probably 6000 are arable,
1600 woodland and plantations, and the remainder mea-
dow, pasture, and waste. The surface is far from uni-
form i rising in some parts abruptly into rocky hills
interspersed with level tracts of moss ; towards the
south, ascending by a gentle acclivity from the banks of
the river ; and in other parts, undulating with greater
or less degrees of boldness. The Dee is subject to fre-
quent inundations ; and in the summer of \8'Z9 the water
rose to such a height as greatly to damage the crops
growing near its banks, and to sweep down many stacks
of hay. The salmon-fisheries on this river, previously
very lucrative, have been much injured by the introduc-
tion of stake-nets at its mouth, and now scarcely remu-
nerate the labour of the fishermen. Numerous rivulets
flow through the lands into the Dee ; the principal are
the Leuchar, the Culter, and the Murtle. Of these the
Leuchar burn issues from Loch Skene, in the adjoining
parish of Skene, and, running eastw ard, near the northern
boundary of this parish unites with the Culter, which
passes at first from north to south, and, receiving the
waters of the Gormack burn at the eastern boundary of
Drumoak, afterwards flows south-eastward into the Dee
near Peterculter church. The scenery is boldly diver-
sified, and in many places enriched with thriving woods
and plantations, aud the tastefully embellished demesnes
of gentlemen's seats, imparting to it a highly pleasing
aspect. In the vicinity of a paper-mill situated in a
hollow surrounded by hills rising almost perpendicularly
to a height of 400 feet, is an aqueduct of wood, 700 feet
in length, supported on pillars of stone. It crosses the
Culter, at a height of ten feet from its surface, and con-
veys water to the mill from an extensive reservoir in the
rear. The reservoir is half a mile in length, and twenty
feet in depth.
In this parish the soil is in general light; on the
banks of the river, gravel alternated with sand, with
intervals of fine black mould ; in the northern portions,
mostly a red earth resting upon clay ; and in some of
the lower grounds, a mixture of black earth or peat-moss
which has been rendered fertile. The crops are oats,
l)arlcy, a very little wheat, turnips, and potatoes, with
the usual grasses. Of late years, the system of hus-
bandry has been greatly improved, and hirge tracts of
wasteland have been brought into i)rofitabIe cultivation ;
a due rotation of crops is invariably observed, and the
trenching and draining of low lands have been exten-
sively practised. The fields are well inclosed, usually
with fences of stone. The farm-houses are substantially
built of stone and lime, aud conimodiously arranged ;
they are upheld by the proprietor of the lands, and the
cottages on the various farms are neat and comfortable.
No sheep are kept, except some for domestic use and for
the sake of their wool ; these are all of I^nglish breeds :
the cattle are of the Aberdeenshire, polled Angus, and
Galloway breeds. In the parish are some trees of luxu-
riant growth, consisting of beech, chesnut, oak, ash,
pine, and plane : there is a double avenue of spruce-fir
trees of stately dimensions, forming the approach to the
.'i68
mansion of Countesswells ; and in the gardens of Murtle
House are a fine row of Athenian poplars, and also one
of arbor vitce of unusual size. The more recent planta-
tions are very extensive, aud consist principally of the
various kinds of fir ; they are regularly thinned, and,
under the most careful management, are all in a thriv-
ing state. In the tracts of moss are found remains of
ancient forests. Some of the rocks in the parish are a
kind of conglomerate, of great durability, but irregular
texture, and fit only for building fewces : in the south
and west districts is granite of good quality, of which
large quantities used to be sent to Aberdeen. The an-
nual value of real property in Peterculter is £5588.
The mansion-house of Culter is an ancient structure
of which the date is unknown, situated in a richly-
planted demesne, but at present occupied by a tenant.
The house of Countesswells, a handsome mansion of
more modern date, and occupied by a family from Aber-
deen, is to the north-east of the former, in grounds also
tastefully embellished with plantations. Murtle House,
an elegant mansion in the Grecian style of architecture,
is beautifully seated on the bank of the Dee, of which
it commands an extensive view ; and Binghill and
Bieldside are also substantial and pleasant residences,
lately erected by their respective proprietors. There is
no regular village in the parish ; but several of the in-
habitants are engaged in different branches of manu-
facture. On the burn of Culter, near its influx into
the river Dee, is a snuff manufactory ; it is carried on in a
low thatched building, and the machinery is driven by
a water-wheel of eight-horse power, producing on an
average about three hundred-weight of snuflf weekly.
The manufacture of paper is carried on in a spacious
pile of building erected in a romantic dell higher up the
burn. The works, originally established in 1*51, have
been purchased by Messrs. Arbuthnot and Mc Combie,
by wliom they have been extended and improved ; the
machinery is impelled by two powerful water-falls. The
articles produced are cartridge, wrapping, writing, and
printing papers, in the manufacture of which from sixty
to 100 persons are employed, to whose comfort the
greatest attention is paid by the proprietors. These
works are not inferior in extent, or in the quality of the
articles, to any establishment of the same description in
the county. A mill for carding and spinning woollen
yarn, aud for weaving the coarser kinds of woollen cloth,
was erected on the Leuchar in 1831, since which time it
has been gradually increasing : it affords employment to
about twenty persons. Facility of communication is
maintained by the turnpike-road from Aberdeen to Ban-
chory-Ternan, and by cross- roads kept in repair by
statute labour.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of the
presbytery and synod of Aberdeen : the minister's sti-
pend is £19G, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £11
l)er annum ; patron, R. W. Duff, Esq., of Fetteresso
and Culter. The church, beautifully situated on the
bank of the Dee, was built in 1779; it is a neat sub-
stantial structure, and contains 550 sittings. The mem-
bers of the Free Church have a jilace of worship. Peter-
culter parochial school, for which a handsome and ap-
|)ropriate building was lately erected, capable of receiving
r20 scholars, is well conducted. The master has a salary
of £'Zti, with £3. 14. '2., being the interest of a bequest
for the instruction of poor children; a portion of the
PETE
PETE
r
Dick bequest ; and a house and garden : the fees average
about £28 annually. There are also two schools chiefly
supported by private subscription : the attendance at
each averages thirty. In a plantation on the lands of
Binghill are the remains of a Druidical circle, and near
it a large tumulus said to have been the burying-place
of the ancient family of Drum, whose descendants now
reside in an adjoining parish. On Her Majesty's visit
to Scotland in September 1848, the royal party passed
through this parish on their way to Balmoral : tri-
umphal arches composed of evergreens, &c., had been
raised at Murtle and below Culter House, and at the
former place Her Majesty was pleased to stop, and re-
ceive fruit and flowers for the royal children from the
Misses Thurburn, of Murtle.
PETERHEAD, a burgh of barony, a sea-port, and a
parish, in the district of Buchan, county of Aberdeen ;
containing, with the villages of Boddam, Buchanhaven,
and Burnhaven, and the former quoad sacra district of
East Peterhead, 7619 inhabitants, of whom 4586 are in
the burgh, 32 miles (N. N. E.) from Aberdeen, and 145
(N. E. by N.) from Edinburgh. This place, formerly
called Keith-Inch, belonged to the family of Keith, earls-
marischal of Scotland, of whom George, the fifth earl,
and founder of Marischal College, Aberdeen, built the
town, which he also erected into a burgh of barony.
The property continued in the possession of the Keiths
till their attainder for participation in the rebellion of
1*15, when the title and estates were forfeited to the
crown, and the town and lands adjacent were purchased
by the York Buildings' Company. They are now chiefly
the property of the governor and trustees of the Mer-
chants' Maiden Hospital, Edinburgh. The town is situ-
ated on a peninsula projecting into the German Ocean,
aud connected with the main land by an isthmus not
more than 800 yards in breadth. It has several well-
formed streets, called Kirk-street, Marischal, St. An-
drew's, Broad, and Longate streets 5 with some smaller
streets diverging in various directions. In general the
houses are well built, chiefly of granite ; and many of
them are of handsome appearance. The town is paved,
aud lighted with gas by a company who have erected
works in Longate ; and the inhabitants are supplied
with water from springs at Auchtigall, two miles and a
half distant. The public subscription library, esta-
blished in 1808, contains about 1500 volumes of stan-
dard works ; and the Peterhead Mechanics' Library, in-
stituted in 1836, forms a collection of about SOO volumes.
A newsroom is well supported by subscribers, and
amply furnished with journals and periodical publica-
tions. There is also a scientific association, established
in 1835, which has a museum of natural curiosities and
antiquities. The museum belonging to Adam Arbuthnot,
Esq., and which by his permission is accessible to the
public, is a valuable and extensive collection of speci-
mens in the departments of natural history, mineralogy,
and geology ; and of Grecian and Roman coins, and
British coins from the earliest dates to the present time.
At this place the beach affords excellent accommodation
for bathing ; and during the summer months the town
is much frequented by visiters, for whose reception there
are good lodging-houses and a spacious inn, with an
establishment of hot and cold baths. Near the town are
several mineral wells, of various qualities and strength.
The principal of them, called the Wine-well from the
Vol. II.— 369
sparkling of the water, is in high repute for disorders of
the bowels, indigestion, debility, and nervous affections,
and is much resorted to ; it holds in solution muriates of
iron and lime, and glauber and common salt, and under
proper regimen has been found highly beneficial.
There are a few manufactures carried on here. Several
of the inhabitants are employed in hand-loom weaving
for Aberdeen houses ; and the usual handicraft trades
are exercised in the town, in which are also numerous
shops, well stocked with different kinds of merchandise.
There are rope- works and brick and tile works ; and
ship and boat building is pursued to a considerable ex-
tent. The post-office has a good delivery ; and the re-
venue, previously to the alteration in the rate of postage,
averaged about £900. Here are three branch banks,
and several insurance companies, established. The mar-
ket is on Friday, and is abundantly supplied with grain
and provisions of all kinds ; and fairs are held on the
first Tuesdays after Whit- Sunday and Martinmas, chiefly
for hiring servants. Facility of communication is af-
forded by turnpike-roads to Fraserburgh, Banff, and
Aberdeen, and by steamers, which touch at the port. In
1846 an act was passed for the construction of a railway
from Dyce to Fraserburgh, with a branch to Peterhead.
The trade of the port comprises the exportation of grain,
meal, eggs, butter, pork, and potatoes ; of various kinds
of fish, but chiefly cod and herrings ; and of blocks of
granite. Its imports are rum and whisky, molasses,
groceries, flour, salt, hoops, wool, lime, iron, foreign and
British timber, manufactured woollen goods, and bone-
dust for manure. The number of vessels registered as
belonging to the port in a late year was eighty-five, of
the aggregate burthen of 11,429 tons; and the number
of ships that entered inwards and cleared outvvards was
832, of 48,136 aggregate tonnage. A custom-house has
been established, in consequence of the rapidly-increasing
prosperity of the port, of which the shore-dues, amount-
ing in 1808 only to £367, have increased to nearly
£3000. There are two harbours, separated by the
isthmus which connects Keith-Inch with the main land,
and which is the extreme eastern headland on this coast.
They are highly valuable as harbours of refuge for vessels
navigating the German Ocean. The North harbour is
nearly eleven acres in extent ; it has a depth of eighteen
feet at spring tides, and fourteen feet at neap tides, and
the total length of the quays is 2219 feet. The area of
the South harbour is about six acres and a half, having
at spring tides a depth of from twelve to fourteen feet,
and from eight to twelve feet at neap tides ; the length
of the south quay is 480 feet, and of the west 653 feet.
Both harbours are easy of entrance ; and were they
united by cutting a canal through the isthmus, an im-
provement which has been often contemplated, vessels
might enter and depart at all times without being de-
tained by contrary winds. Access is greatly facilitated
by a lighthouse on Buchan Ness, finished in 1825 : this
building, which is of granite, and 1 18 feet in height,
displays a flashing light every five seconds, visible at a
distance of six leagues, and has fully answered the pur-
pose intended. The improvements of the harbour have
been successively completed at an expense of more than
£50,000 by the proprietors, exclusive of grants of
£15,000 each from government and the Trades of the
town, and the entire appropriation of the harbour dues.
There are very extensive fisheries off the coast, con-
3 B
PETE
PETE
ducted with great spirit : cod, ling, haddock, and whit-
ing are taken in abundance ; and flounders, plaice, soles,
turbot, halibut, and lobsters and crabs, are also plentiful.
The herring-fishery is likewise profitable, and the fish
generally of the best kind ; nearly 300 boats are en-
gaged in this branch, and the average quantity exceeds
40,000 barrels. The shoals of herrings are frequently
followed by spout-whales, several of which have been
killed upon this part of the coast. Many vessels used
to be engaged in the Greenland whale-fishery, which has
of late been less productive than formerly ; at present
only eleven vessels are employed, and the quantity of oil
obtained does not exceed 100 tons. In this parish the
principal fishing stations are, Ronheads, on the north
side of the harbour ; and the villages of Buchanhaven
and Boddara, which are both noticed under their own
heads.
The government of the burgh, by charter of the Earl-
Marischal, was vested in a baron-bailie and other officers
appointed by the superior. Since the passing of the
Municipal Reform act it has been vested in a town-
council of twelve members, of popular election, who
choose from their own body a provost, three bailies, and
a treasurer. The jurisdiction of the magistrates extends
over the whole of the boundaries, which have been en-
larged ; and is equal to the jurisdiction exercised in
royal burghs : a bailie, also, appointed by the governors
of the Merchants' Maiden Hospital, holds a court-baron.
The only important privilege enjoyed by the burgesses
is that of paying less for harbour-dues than strangers.
Peterhead is associated with Banff, Cullen, Elgin, In-
verury, and Kintore, in returning a member to the im-
perial parliament; the number of qualified voters is
about ^40. The town-house, situated at the head of
Broad-street, is a quadrangular building of granite, sixty
feet hmg and forty feet wide, and surmounted with a
spire 1 10 feet in height. It was completed at a cost of
£■2000, and contains on the ground-floor various shops,
and on the first-floor several schoolrooms ; above which
are two spacious rooms, one for transacting the general
business of the burgh, and the other for holding the
courts. Underneath the building is a vault, originally
intended for a gaol ; but it is not used. The cross, a
handsome Tuscan pillar of granite, crowned by the arms
of the Earl-Marischal, the founder of the town, was
erected by subscription in commemoration of the grant
of the parliamentary franchise, in 183'2.
The PARISH is bounded on the cast by the sea, and on
the north by the river Ugie, Tvliich separates it from the
parish of St. Fergus. It is nearly five miles in length
and from three to four in breadth, comprising about
9085 acres, of which 8266 are arable, seventy-two wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder waste. The
surface rises gradually towards the west, and is diver-
sified with hills and dales ; the highest of the hills are
Stirliughill and Blackhill, which have an elevation of
about 280 feet, and Methill, which varies from l.'jO to
200 feet in height. The Ugie has its source in the upper
Iiart of the district, in the union of the Striclien and
Deer waters, and, after winding along the northern
boundaries of the parish, falls into the sea at Buchan-
haven. In some parts the coast is low and rocky, in
others indented with bays, and broken by [jrojecting
headlands and promontories, the principal of which are
the North and South heads, Inveructty Point, and Bu-
370
chan Ness : the shore of the bay at Peterhead is for
some distance a fine sandy beach. The soil varies from
a sandy loam to a deep black mould of great fertility,
and a strong clay. The crops are, grain of all kinds,
turnips, and potatoes ; the system of agriculture has
been improved, and much waste land has been brought
into profitable cultivation. Few sheep are reared ; the
cattle are principally of the polled Buchan breed, with a
few of the Teeswater : the horses are all of the native
breed, and well adapted for the purposes of husbandry.
The lands are inclosed, and most of the recent improve-
ments in the construction of implements have been
adopted ; the chief manure is dung brought from the
tovin. In this district the plantations are on a very
confined scale : near the coast they consist of ash, elm,
birch, beech, mountain-ash, plane, alder, and willow ;
and in other parts, of white American spruce, silver-fir,
and Scotch fir, in a thriving state. The substratum of
the parish is mostly granite. There are extensive quar-
ries at Stirliughill, from which blocks have been raised
for numerous public works, including the docks of
Sheerness, and the Duke of York's column, London.
At Salthouse head is a quarry of beautiful grey or white
granite, and at Blackhill are also large quarries. All is
of excellent quality, and in the aggregate not less than
SOOO tons are yearly shipped from the port. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £22,410.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Deer and synod of Aberdeen :
the minister's stipend is £235. 9. 2., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £50 per annum ; patron, the Crown.
The parish church, erected in 1803, is a handsome
structure of granite, with a spire IIS feet high, and con-
tains 1863 sittings. A church built in I767 in the
eastern part of Peterhead, was purchased in 1834 at a
cost of £500, and repaired and improved at an additional
expense of £100; and in 1836 a portion of the town,
including a population of 1173 persons, was assigned to
it as a quoad sacra parish, under the designation of the
East Church: the building contains 702 sittings. There
is an episcopal chapel, a fine structure, erected in 1814
at a cost of £3500 ; and members of the Free Church,
the United Presbyterian Church, Independents, and
Wesleyans, have places of worship. The parochial school
is at present held in a room in the town-house ; the
master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with an allowance of
£13 in lieu of house and garden, and the fees vary from
£40 to £80 per annum. Another school, called the
Town school, is held in the same building, by a master
ap|)ointed by the fourth bailie, and to whom the land-
hoklers pay a salary of £10 from a bequest by Mr. Wil-
liam Rhind, for teaching seven poor children. There is
also a school in connexion with the episcopal chajjcl, the
master of which receives a salary of .£20 per annum
from a bequest by the late Dr. Anderson, of St. Chris-
topher's. A coal fund distributes from about £G0 in
coal annually ; and there are several friendly societies.
Some considerable remains exist of the old castle of
Ravenscraig, the baronial residence of the Keiths, who
eventually acquired by marriage the castle of Inverugie,
on the opposite bank of the river. There are also ruins
of Boddam Castle, the residence of a branch of the fa-
mily. A flagon of pewter, after the fashion of the age
fif James IV., has been discovered in cutting a deep
water-course through a peat-bog ; and on the summit of
P E TT
PETT
Methill is a tumulus, said to have been a seat for the ad-
ministration of justice in ancient times. On the north
side of the den of Boddam are various pits, generally
supposed to have been Pictish camps, but by some
thought rather to ha*'e been formed by the Danes when
they landed on the eastern coast of Scotland.
PETERHYTHE, a hamlet, in the parish of Rathven,
county of Banff ; containing 49 inhabitants. This is
a small place, contiguous to the village of Porteasie, and
two miles north-eastward of Buckie.
PETTIE, or PETTY, a parish, partly in the county
of Nairn, but chiefly in the county of Inverness, 65
miles (N. E. by E.) from Inverness ; containing, with the
villages of Connage and Stuartown, 1749 inhabitants, of
whom 88 are in that part of the parish within the shire
of Nairn. This place comprises the parishes of Petyn
and Bracholy, which were united previously to the Re-
formation under the vicar of Petyn, who held a prebendal
stall in the cathedral church of Elgin. The parish of
Bracholy is supposed to have derived its name, originally
Braichlich, from the Gaelic Eaglais-a- Bhraighe-choille,
descriptive of its situation on a wooded hill ; but the
etymology of the name of Pettie is involved in great ob-
scurity. Some of the lands formed part of the territories
erected into the successive earldoms of Moray ; other
portions seem to have belonged to the Mackintosh and
Kilravock families at a very early period, and to have
been subsequently held under the earls. In 1'28I, the
Earl of Ross, having plundered the churches of Petyn
and Bracholy, expiated his offence by a grant to the see
of Elgin, of the lands of Cattepol and Pitkanny. At the
battle of Clachnaharry, the Mackintoshes of Moy Castle
levied the men of Pettie to aid them in the pursuit
of Munro of Fowlis. In 1368, William, seventh Lord
Mackintosh, had his residence here, at Connage ; and
after the earldom of Moray was annexed to the crown, in
14.55, the barony of Pettie appears to have been held by
the laird of Findlater for some time under the crown, and
subsequently under the Earl of Moray, the title having
been revived.
The Earl of Huntly possessed Connage from 1495
till the birth of James V., on which occasion the barony
of Pettie was given to Sir William Ogilvie, of Banff,
whose wife was the first to announce to James IV. the
birth of the prince : Sir William resided in the castle
till it was besieged and burnt by the clan Chattan,
who slew his son and eight men who were found in it.
In 1548, the Earl of Huntly was invested with the earl-
dom of Moray, and soon afterwards, under the powers
he possessed as lieutenant-general in the north, put to
death William, the fifteenth laird of Mackintosh, and
declared all his lands to be forfeited. In 1551, the clan
Chattan, to revenge this murder, entered the castle of
Pettie by stratagem, and seizing Lachlan, Mackintosh's
kinsman, by whom the laird had been betrayed to the
Earl of Huntly, killed him on the spot ; and the queen
regent, to prevent further hostilities, annulled the act of
forfeiture. The Mackintoshes seem never to have for-
given the murder of their chieftain, and with avidity
took every opportunity of laying waste Huntly's lands.
On the murder of the regent. Queen Mary's brother,
upon whom she had bestowed the earldom of Moray,
and who was put to death at Donnybristle by Huntly in
1591, the Mackintoshes of Pettie, under Angus, ravaged
the Earl of Huntly's estates of Strathdee and Glenmuick,
371
and killed many of his retainers. The earl retaliated
by ravaging the district of Pettie, and slaying many of
the Mackintoshes ; but he had scarcely returned from
his expedition, and disbanded his troops, when the
clan, to the number of 800, entered his territories of
Achindown and Cabrach, in which they committed fear-
ful depredations. In recent times no events of any in-
terest have occurred in connexion with the district.
The I'AitiSH is bounded on the north-west by the
Moray Firth, along the shore of which it extends for
about eight miles ; varying from two to three miles in
breadth, and comprising 8120 acres, of which 5275 are
arable, 1575 woodland and plantations, and the remain-
der meadow, pasture, and waste. Its surface rises from
the Firth in undulations more or less abrupt, being in
some parts bold and precipitous, and in others gentle,
and subsiding into pleasant vales. Though the land in-
creases in elevation towards the south-east, it is no
where of mountainous character. The only streams of
any importance are, the burn of Ault-an-fhiler, which
separates the parish from that of Inverness on the west;
and a small burn flowing between it and the parish of
Ardersier on the east, which has been diverted from its
course to turn a mill. From some of the higher lands,
or braes, descend numerous small brooks, falling over a
rocky bed into the chief vale, and which formerly sup-
plied water to the tenants of the lands for the illicit
purpose of making whisky : they are now employed to
turn threshing-mills on their farms. The coast is not
marked by any indenture deserving the name of a bay,
with the exception of that portion of the Firth inclosed
between the headland of Altirlie and the small promon-
tory on which the church is built. On the beach at this
place, where a commodious harbour might easily be
formed, coal and lime are landed for the supply of the
district ; and on the beach at Connage, towards Stuart-
own, the timber that is cut down in the eastern part of
the parish is shipped for exportation. At low water the
sea recedes to a great distance from the shore, except at
Altirlie, which consequently during the bathing season is
much frequented by visiters from Inverness, who find
lodgings either in the fishing-villages or in the neighbour-
ing farm-houses. The lakes are Loch Flemington and
Loch Andunty, both situated on the ridge near the south-
eastern extremity, and in the old parish of Bracholy ;
but neither of them is of any considerable extent, or
distinguished by features of importance.
In the low lands near the sea the soil is generally
light and sandy, but on the braes and higher lands, a
rich black loam, of stronger and more fertile quality ;
the principal crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes,
and turnips. The system of husbandry, under the
stimulus afforded by the Pettie and Ardersier Farmers'
Society, established about half a century ago, has made
considerable advances; and the more liberal use of lime,
since the enlargement of the farms, has tended greatly
to improve the soil. Much attention has been given
to drainage, and subsoil ploughing and trenching are
growing into more general use : on the Earl of Moray's
lands, the main drains are formed and kept in order by
the landlord, and the tributary drains by the tenant.
The farm-buildings are substantial and well arranged ;
they are either built and kept in repair by the landlord,
or by the tenant, according to the terms of the lease.
The Aberdeen or Buchan polled breed of cattle is pre-
3 B 2
P ETT
P ETT
ferred to the Ayrshire for the dairy ; but few cattle are
reared in the parish, which is rather an agricultural than
a pastoral district ; though both cattle and sheep pur-
chased at the neighbouring trysts are fed here, the
former chiefly on turnips. The plantations, of which
about 1200 acres are on the lands of the Earl of Moray,
have been formed at successive periods ; and some have
attained more than sixty years' growth. They are
usually oak and fir, at Fleraington interspersed with
larch and spruce ; they are carefully managed, regularly
thinned, and all in a thriving state. In this district the
principal substrata are of the old red sandstone forma-
tion, of which the rocks in the ridge to the south chiefly
consist : there are also thin seams of limestone and bitu-
minous shale. The annual value of real property in Pettie
is £4700.
Castle-Stuart, one of the seats of the Earl of Moray,
and from which he takes the title of baron, is a spacious
and venerable structure erected about the year 16'24.
Not being occupied, it fell into a ruinous state ; but the
eastern wing of this once stately castle has within
the last few years been put into repair, and the place
is occasionally visited for a few weeks by the family
during the shooting season. The other mansions are
the houses of Gullarifield and Flemington, occupied by
their respective proprietors : these, with the lands
belonging to them, originally formed one estate. A
considerable portion of the village of Campbelton e.\-
tends into this parish, under the appellation of Stuart-
own ; and there are also the fishing-hamlets of Pettie
and Connage, the former containing fifty-eight, and
the latter ninety-seven inhabitants. Salmon are taken
by stake-nets along the shore of the Firth, but not in
any great numbers, the stations producing to the pro-
prietors scarcely a rental of £60. Oyster-beds have also
been formed, by bringing oysters from a distance ; but
the oysters are of very inferior quality. The principal
fish taken off the coast are haddocks, whiting, cod,
skate, flounders, and soles ; and during the season,
twenty-four boats are engaged in the herring-fisheries
at Helmsdale, Wick, and Burgh-Head, each boat having
a crew of five men and a boy : the herring season
generally commences about the middle of July, and
terminates in the early part of September. The pro-
duce of the fisheries is usually sent to Inverness, the
nearest market-town, whither is also sent the agricultu-
ral and dairy produce of the parish. A fair is held
annually at Lammas, in the village of Campbelton,
chiefly for hiring servants. There is no post-office ; the
inhabitants in the eastern district receive their letters at
Ardersier or Fort-George, and those of the western dis-
trict at Inverness. I'^acility of communication is main-
tained by the turnpike-road from Inverness to Aberdeen,
which passes through the whole length of the parish till it
enters the county of Nairn ; by other roads, of recent con-
struction, kept in excellent repair ; and by the steamers
that ply regularly between Inverness and London.
For ECCLESiASTiCAi, purposcs this place is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Inverness and synod of
Moray : the minister's stipend is £'2;i4. 3. 4., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £."> per annum ; patron,
the Earl of Moray. I'ettie church, built in 1H39, is a
handsome and substantial structure witli a campanile
turret; it is well arranged, and contains COO sittings.
From its situation, however, near the western boundary
372
of the parish, the inhabitants of the district of Bracholy
are at an inconvenient distance. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial
school is attended by about fifty children ; the master
has a salary of £36, with a house and garden, and the
fees average £5 per annum. A school at GoUanfield
is supported by the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge, and is held in a building towards the erection
of which the sum of £40 was granted by government.
The schools in several of the adjacent parishes are also
available to the children of the eastern district of this
parish. Among the relics of antiquity are some Druid-
ical circles, and near Loch Flemington are vestiges of
what is thought to have been a Flemish camp. In the
loch were found, a few years ago, pistols rudely mounted
with silver, and having the initials A. M. P. : they are
supposed to have lain there since the battle of Culloden.
Whilst digging the foundations for a house near the
loch, there was discovered an urn of clay, inclosed in
slabs of stone rudely formed. Stone coffins, containing
urns, have also been found near a moat on the farm of
Balniachree ; and on the farm of Culblair, the fragment
of a battle-axe was discovered in the moss. Near the
church are two artificial mounds called Tom-a-Mhoid,
"the Court hill," and Tom-a-Chroich, "the Gallows'
hill," in ancient times used for the administration of
justice. In the churchyard is the burial-place of the
chiefs of the clan Mackintosh. Dr. Eraser, of Chelsea,
the munificent benefactor of King's College, Aberdeen,
was the son of a minister of this parish.
PETTINAIN, a parish, in the Upper ward of the
county of Lanark; containing 416 inhabitants, of whom
SO are in the village of Pettinain, 5 miles (E. by S.) from
Lanark. The name of this parish is supposed to have been
derived from the old British word Pe'ithynan, signifying
" a clear space of flat ground ", in reference to a level
tract stretching along the north side of the village. It
is stated in ancient records that the district was originally
covered with wood, and that David I. gave to " Nicolas
his clerk " a carucate of land in the forest here, with
the right of common-pasture. This portion is thought
to have been cleared of the wood after being thus as-
signed, and to have in consequence fixed the name of
the place. No events of any interest are recorded in
connexion with Pettinain. In the southern vicinity of
the parish are the remains of a very extensive and well-
fortified camp, adjacent to which are a large number of
out-works, where urns and other relics of antiquity have
been found; and although no traces exist to identify this
camp with any particular people, it evidently indicates
the spot to have been the scene of important military
operations. The lands of Westraw, in the parish, were
awarded to Sir Adam Johnston in the time of James II.,
King of Scotland, for his vigorous efforts in suppressing
the rebellion of the Earl of Douglas. Tliese were after-
wards alienated, and came into the possession of the Earl
of Hyndford, at whose death they passed, for want of
male issue, into the family of Anstruther, an ancient
branch of which had married a sister of the carl.
Tiie I'Aiusii is about three miles long and two miles
and a half l)r()ad, containing 3060 acres. It is bounded
(m tlu" north by Carstairs and Carnwath parishes, on the
soutli by Covington, on the east l)y Lihberton, on the
west by Carniichael, and on the north- west by a small
part of Lanark. Tl\e figure of the parish, which stretches
PETT
PETT
along the banks of the river Clyde, is very irregular.
The climate is damp and variable : the pastures and the
blossoms suffer severely in the spring from east winds ;
and the plantations of young wood generally take an in-
clination north-eastward from the action of violent, and
sometimes long-continued, south-west winds. A hilly
ridge runs from Covington, in a north-westeru direction,
until it terminates in the western extremity of Pettinain,
where it rises 500 feet above the bed of the river ; the
highest peak is Cairn-gryffe, and the other parts are
called Westraw and Swaites hills, from the names of the
respective places to which they are opposite. Pheasants
and hares are to be seen in great numbers in almost every
direction. The river Clyde, whose source is twenty-five
miles southward, in Crawford parish, flows with great
impetuosity, till it arrives within a few miles of this pa-
rish, when it assumes a totally different character ; be-
comes deep and smooth ; and, slowly approaching by
numerous meanderings, quietly enters at the south-east
boundary. Afterwards changing its course by a flexure
from east to west, it runs along the northern limit of the
parish, and, within about half a mile of its departure,
rushes with considerable force over a bed of rocks. It
is well stocked with trout, perch, and pike, the last of
which make great depredations on the two first, and at-
tain in some cases to the length of three feet, and the
weight of upwards of twenty pounds.
The SOIL varies considerably. In the vicinity of the
river it is a mixture of soft clayey mould, running to a
depth of several feet, and resting upon a gravelly sub-
soil ; while in the neighbourhood of the village, as well
as in several other parts, it is a rich loam ; and in other
places, again, is mixed with large cjuantities of gravel
and sand. The haugh or holm land immediately close
to the river is very fertile, and frequently inundated by
the rising floods. On the high parts, which are covered
with heath and bent, the soil is a poor and thin earth
with a clayey or tilly subsoil. In this parish the num-
ber of acres under tillage is nearly 2320 ; and about 580
are waste or in pasture. The crops consist of oats and
barley, potatoes, turnips, and hay ; the high elevation
of the land above the sea renders it unfavourable to
wheat, little of which is grown. The manures used are
chiefly those obtained from the farm, many cattle being
kept, especially on the dairy-farms : in very few in-
stances is bone-dust employed. In general the character
of the husbandry is good : great care is taken in pre-
paring the ground by ploughing and harrowing, and in
the proper application of the manure; the result of which
is unusually heavy crops, especially of turnips, which are
grown in large quantities. Ayrshire cattle are preferred
on the dairy-farms, which are numerous, and managed
in the best possible manner. Within the last thirty
years, covered drains to the length of about twelve
miles, and from five to seven and a half feet deep, have
been constructed. In addition to these are nearly 5000
yards of open drains ; and surface-drains to a great ex-
tent have been formed, in order to prepare the ground
for plantations. Ninety acres of plantation on hilly
and waste land have been made within the last five-and-
twenty years by one proprietor, besides others in different
parts of the parish ; amounting in the whole to about
160 acres. The farm-buildings are an exception to the
general improvements that have taken place, being
inferior in many respects to those of neighbouring dis-
373
tricts. In most cases the inclosures and stone fences
are excellent, and the latter have been recently aug-
mented by an addition of 4840 yards. The land is
the property of tliree families, one of whom, of Car-
niichael House and Westraw, holds almost the whole.
The rocks in the parish are mainly felspar-porphyry and
sandstone, the former of which supplies an excellent
material for the construction and repair of roads : lime-
stone is wrought in two places, on a small scale, and
burnt into lime. The annual value of real property in
Pettinain is £3235.
The chief mansion-house is that on the estate of
Westraw, belonging to Sir Windham Carmichael An-
struther, Bart., representative of the ancient family of
Carmichael : it has been at various times enlarged and
improved, and is now a commodious building ; it has
plantations of almost all the trees common to the county,
and is encompassed with extensive grounds in the high-
est state of cultivation. With the exception of a few
persons employed in hand-loom weaving, the population
of the parish is entirely agricultural. About one-fifth
reside in the village of Pettinain ; the rest are scattered
throughout the parish. The intercourse is principally
with the town of Lanark, to which the inhabitants have
easy access by a bridge over the Clyde at Hyndford.
Carnwath, only three miles distant, was formerly the
chief place of resort ; but the obstruction often raised
by the swelling of the Clyde turned the traffic to Lanark.
Since this change occurred, however, a large float has
been placed at the Carnwath ferry-station, which is im-
pelled by machinery, and safely conveys passengers and
carriages at a small toll levied to defray the expense,
£500. The turnpike-road from Carlisle to Stirling passes
along the western boundary of the parish. The Cale-
donian railway intersects the parish for a mile at the
eastern boundary, and the point of divergence of the
respective forks to Edinburgh and Glasgow is precisely
at the place where, on crossing the Clyde by a timber
viaduct near the above-mentioned float, the line of rail-
way leaves the parish. Great facility of intercourse with
Carnwath, Lanark, &c., is afforded by the Caledo-
nian railway. For ecclesiastical purposes this place
is in the presbytery of Lanark, synod of Glasgow and
Ayr; and the patronage belongs to Sir W. C. Anstruther.
The stipend of the minister is £162, of which £4*. 6.
are received from the exchequer ; with a comfortable
manse built in 1S20, and a glebe of ten acres valued at
from £25 to £30 per annum : the old manse serves as
offices to the present residence. Pettinain church, which
is a very plain building, is conveniently situated, and
seats about 234 persons : the belfry, which is supposed
to have belonged to an older church, bears the date
1696, and the inscription "Holiness becomes God's
House." There is a parochial school, in which Latin
and all the ordinary branches of education are taught ;
the master's salary is £32, with the interest of 500
merks left in 1~08 by the Earl of Hyndford, fees
amounting to about £17, and a house and garden. The
only relic of antiquity of note is the camp already men-
tioned, situated on a lofty moor; it covers about six
acres, and is nearly of circular form. Its walls appear
to have been lofty and massive, composed of large un-
cemented stones ; and adjoining is a deep moss, in which
is a fort, formerly connected with the camp. In the
parish are also a number of tumuli.
PITC
PIT L
PETTY, in the counties of Inverness and Nairn.
— See Pettie.
PHARAY, an island, in the parish of Stronsay and
Eday, North Isles of the county of Orkney ; con-
taining 67 inhabitants. This isle, which lies in the
Westray Firth, about two miles west of Eday, is two
miles in length and nearly one in breadth, and forms
the northern point of the bay of Fersness. It is of level
surface, covered with verdure, and in ordinary years
supplies a sufficiency of grain for the use of the inhabit-
ants. A number of cattle are pastured on the island ;
and its situation is also very advantageous for fishing.
On Pharay was a chapel, now demolished.
PHARAY, an island, in the parish of Walls, South
Isles of the county of Orkney ; containing 55 inhabit-
ants. It is also called Faray Isle. — See Walls.
PHILIPSTOWN, a village, in the parish of Aber-
coRN, county of Linlithgow, 1^ mile (S. W. by W.)
from the village of Abercorn ; containing 140 inhabit-
ants. It is a very small place, situated in the western
quarter of the parish, and having a few retail shops for
groceries : the population is chiefly agricultural. Phi-
lipstown House stands a short distance north-eastward
of the village.
PIEROWALL, a village, in the island and parish of
Westray, county of Orkney ; containing 95 inhabit-
ants. It is situated on the north-east shore of the
island, and has a harbour where small vessels may
safely anchor, it being sheltered in nearly all directions.
There was formerly accommodation for ships of greater
burthen, but from the blowing of the sand the water
became more shallow : the sand has also spread over
some of the most fertile ground in this part of Westray.
The basin forming the harbour is remarkably fine, not
above three-quarters of a mile broad at the entrance, but
within wide and spacious, and of almost circular form.
PIPERHALL, a hamlet, in the parish of Kingarth,
isle and county of Bute ; containing 29 inhabitants.
PITCAIRN. — See Newtown of Pitcairn.
PITCAIRN-GREEN, a village, in the parish of
Redgorton, county of Perth, 2 miles (S. by W.) from
Moneydie; containing 279 inhabitants. This is a thriv-
ing village, of modern erection, built on the estate of the
Graham family, of Balgowan ; it is situated in the vici-
nity of the Almond river, and largely partakes in the
extensive manufactures of the parish, of which linen is
the staple article. One of three extensive bleachfields
within the limits of Redgorton is established here, and
there is also a large flax-spinning mill on the Almond.
Near the village are the remains of a circular camp,
probably a camp of the natives for watching the mo-
tions of the Romans, who had an important station at
Orrea, about two miles distant ; it stood upon an emi-
nence, and commanded a view, not alone of Orrea, but
of the whole line of approach to that station for several
miles.
PITCOX, a village, in the parish of Stknton, county
of Haddington, l:^ mile (K. N. E.) from Stenton ; con-
taining 95 inhabitants. This place, which is situated on
the road between Stenton and Dunbar, for ages gave
name to the parish ; but the stony nature of the soil
induced the inhabitants to call the parisli by its present
name. The jxipulation is purely agricultural, with the
exception, perhaps, of a few persons engaged in handi-
craft trades.
374
PITCUR, FORD of, a hamlet, in the parish of Ket-
tins, county of Forfar, 2^ miles (S. E.) from Cupar-
Angus ; containing 45 inhabitants. It is situated in
the southern part of the parish, on the road from
Cupar-Angus to Dundee, and is one of six villages or
hamlets within the limits of Kettins which formerly had
each a chapel : it is now a very small place. The castle
of Pitcur, not far from the hamlet, and which has been
some time in ruins, gave the title of baron, now ex-
tinct, to the ancient and noble family of Hallyburton,
the chief of that name. A tumulus here, found about
half a century since, contained at least a thousand loads
of stones : in the centre of it were some unwrought
stones, without date or character; in the hollow formed
by which, human bones were deposited. Hallyburton,
a laird of Pitcur, fell at the battle of Killiecrankie in
1689.
PITLESSIE, a village, in the parish of Cults, dis-
trict of Cupar, county of Fife, 3 miles (W. S. W.) from
Cupar ; containing 490 inhabitants. This is a consi-
derable village, on the road from Cupar to Kirkcaldy,
lying in the north-eastern quarter of the parish, and a
short distance south of the river Eden. A large part of
the population is employed in linen- weaving (of which
the chief article is dowlas) for the manufacturers of the
neighbouring towns, who have agents here, and by whom
the materials are supplied. Along the brow of Pitlessie
hill are extensive limestone-quarries. Though this is
the principal, and, properly so called, the only village,
the parish church is nearly a mile distant ; it contains
a place of worship in connexion with the United Pres-
byterian Synod, and the parish school. The estimable
and gifted Wilkie was a native of Cults parish. His
first regular effort, while yet a youth, was " Pitlessie
Fair", a fine picture, now in the possession of the Kin-
near family, of Kinloch. It contains upwards of 150
figures, graphically delineated and admirably grouped,
including portraits of himself, his father, who was in-
cumbent of the parish, brothers and sisters, and many
other persons well known in the neighbourhood during
the painter's earlier years.
PITLOCHRY, a village, in the parish of Moulin,
county of Perth, 12 miles (N. N. W.) from Dunkeld ;
containing 291 inhabitants. This village, which is situ-
ated on the road from Perth to Inverness, about a mile
southward of the village of Moulin, has within the last
few years acquired some degree of importance. Its ad-
vantageous situation on a public thoroughfare, affording
facilities of intercourse with the principal towns in the
south, has induced the settlement of enterprising per-
sons, from whose stores various articles of merchandise
are dispersed through the surrounding district. A labo-
ratory was established in 1834 ; and there are not less
than seven distilleries in the village and immediate vici-
nity, in which collectively 90,000 gallons of whisky are
annually distilled : these distilleries give employment to
about eighty persons, and pay to the excise, duties, in-
cluding those on malt manufactured here, amounting to
£20,000 per annum. Branches of the Central and
Commercial ]$anks of Scotland, and also a branch of
tlie Edinburgh Savings' Bank, were established in 1836.
There is a post-oflice ; and fairs for horses and cattle
are held in the village on the Saturday before the first
Tuesday in May, and on the third Wednesday in Oc-
tober, O.S. Facility of communication is afforded, not
PITS
n Ts
only by the great north road, but l)y numerous statute-
roads that intersect the parish in various directions on
both sides of the river Tummel, over which, and over
the Garry, substantial bridges have been erected.
PITMIDDIE, a village, in the parish of Kinnaird,
county of Perth, 1 mile (N.) from the village of Kin-
naird ; containing 99 inhabitants. It is a small place,
situated in the eastern part of the parish.
PITMUDIE, a hamlet, in the parish of Lintra-
THEN, county of Forfar, 1 mile (N. by W.) from the
village of Lintrathen ; containing not more than 1.5 in-
habitants. It is situated on the Melgum water, a tribu-
tary to the Isla, and on the road from Kingoldrum to
Fergus.
PITRODIE, a village, in the parish of Kilspindie,
county of Perth ; containing 92 inhabitants. This is
a small village, or rather hamlet, near ErroU : it has a
place of worship for dissenters.
PITSLIGO, a parish, in the district of Buchan,
county of Aberdeen, 4 miles (W.) from Fraserburgh;
containing, with the burgh-of-barony of Rosehearty and
the village of Pittullie, 15S'2 inhabitants, of whom SS'a
are in the rural district. This place gave its name as
the title of the Forbes family, to whom it anciently
belonged, and of whose castle there ai'e still some con-
siderable remains. Alexander, fourth Lord Pitsligo,
who succeeded his father in I691, and was the author of
several moral and philosophical essays, having joined in
the rebellion of 1745, was attainted, and the title and
estates were forfeited to the crown. The parish was sepa-
rated by act of parliament, in 1633, from the parishof Aber-
dour. It is bounded on the north by the Moray Firth,
and is about three miles and a half in length and three
miles in breadth; comprising 4500 acres, ofvvhich 4000 are
arable and pasture, twenty woodland and plantations,
and the remainder sites of buildings, roads, and waste,
whereof 200 acres are susceptible of improvement. The
surface is generally level, broken only by some few
cairns and tumuli, none of which have an elevation of
more than thirty feet ; and there are neither lakes,
rivers, nor streams of any importance. An ample sup-
ply of water for domestic use is obtained from springs,
and there are several springs possessing mineral properties.
The coast is about four miles in extent ; the shore on the
east of Rosehearty is loose and flat, partly sandy and
partly rocky, but on the west, towards Aberdour, con-
sists mainly of bold and precipitous rocks. The soil is
various, chiefly a light black mould, but partly a clayey
loam ; the crops are oats, barley, beans, turnips, pota-
toes, and the various grasses. Considerable improve-
ment has been made in the system of husbandry :
the lands have been drained where marshy, and the
fields inclosed, generally with dykes of stone ; and there
are threshing-mills on most of the farms. The cattle
are mostly of the pure Aberdeenshire breed ; a few of
the Herefordshire were recently introduced, and a cross
between the short-horned and the Buchan has been
found to answer. A hard stone of a bluish colour is
quarried for building ; and flags are raised from the
rocks on the beach, from four to sixteen inches in thick-
ness, and capable of being polished for mantel-pieces.
There are fishing-stations at Rosehearty and Pittullie ;
the fish taken are cod, ling, haddocks, and skate, with
several smaller kinds. Facility of communication is
afforded by the old roads from Fraserburgh to Banff,
375
and from Rosehearty to Strichen, which intersect each
other in the centre of the parish ; and by a turnpike-
road from Fraserburgh to Banff, which bounds it for
more than two miles on the south. The annual value of
real property in Pitsligo is £4602.
For ecclesiastical purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Deer and synod of Aber-
deen : the minister's stipend is about £190, with a
manse, glebe, and garden, worth £30 per annum ; pa-
tron, the Crown. Pitsligo church, erected in 1634, and
distinctly seen from the coast, is a handsome structure
with a square tower and angular turrets ; it is embel-
lished with richly-carved oak in that part forming the
aisle, and contains 504 sittings. The minister officiates
also on .Sunday evenings, at Rosehearty, to a congrega-
tion of about 300 persons. A Free church was built in
1844, and there is a place of worship for members of
the United Presbyterian Church. The parochial school,
for which a building was erected in 1839, at a cost of
£300, is attended by about 100 children : the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house, and an allow-
ance of £1 in lieu of garden ; and the fees average about
£30 per annum. Connected with the school is a library
of 100 volumes. There are seven other schools in the
parish ; two of them have small endowments, and the
rest are supported exclusively by the fees. Some re-
mains exist of the ancient castles of Pitsligo and Pit-
tullie, both on the estate of Sir John Stuart Forbes,
Bart. The former stands about a quarter of a mile
south-by-east from Rosehearty, and appears to have been
of great strength ; the grounds attached to it are well
planted, and the gardens produce abundance of fine fruit.
On the older portion of the castle of Pittullie are the
arras of the' Saltoun family, by whom it is supposed to
have been founded. The various cairns and tumuli
scattered over the surface of the parish, are said to have
been raised over the bodies of invaders from Denmark
and Norway who were slain in battle. Andrew Cant,
remarkable as a defender of the Covenant, w'as tutor in
the family of the first Lord Pitsligo, and the first minister
of the parish after its formation in 1633 ; he was trans-
lated in 1639 to another incumbency, and eventually
died at Aberdeen, where his tombstone yet remains, in
the churchyard of the West Church. Pitsligo church is
still generally designated Cant's Kirk by the fishermen.
— See Rosehearty.
PITSLIGO, NEW, a populous village, and at one
time a quoad sacra parish, in the parish of Tyrie, dis-
trict of Deer, county of Aberdeen; containing 1814
inhabitants, of whom 1363 are in the village, 11 miles
(S. W.) from Fraserburgh. This place was separated for
ecclesiastical purposes from the parish of Tyrie by the
late Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, under the sanction of
the General Assembly, in 1799, and in 1834 was erected
into a quoad sacra parish. The village is beautifully
situated on the eastern brow of the hill of Tirlundie,
which is clothed with verdure to its very summit ; and
consists of two spacious streets about a mile in length,
and two smaller ranges of building called respectively
Church-street and School-street. The houses are neatly
built ; and attached to each of them are some acres of
arable land, with garden-ground and plantations, im-
parting to the village a pleasingly rural aspect, and afford-
ing to the inhabitants ample means of profitable employ-
ment. A horticultural society is well supported under
0
PITT
PITT
^
the patronage of the superior, Sir John Stuart Forbes ;
and much improvement has taken place in the production
of fruits, flowers, plants, and vegetables of every kind.
The linen and cotton manufactures have been intro-
duced with success ; and about 100 of the inhabitants
are engaged in hand-loom weaving at three public weav-
ing-shops in the village, for the wholesale houses in
neighbouring towns. The post-ofBce has a tolerably
good delivery ; there are several shops well stored with
merchandise, and an inn with excellent accommodation.
Fairs for cattle, sheep, and horses are held on the Wed-
nesdays after the 26th of February, the 25th May, and
the 5th October. Facility of communication is main-
tained by good roads, of which the turnpike-road lead-
ing to BanfiF passes through the western, and that to
Peterhead through the south-eastern part of the village.
Ecclesiastically the place is within the limits of the
presbytery of Deer and synod of Aberdeen : the church,
erected by Sir William Forbes in 1828, is in excellent
repair, but now too small, the weavers having increased
to upwards of SCO ; the minister has a stipend of £80,
with a manse, and a glebe of eight acres from Sir John
Stuart Forbes, who is patron. An Episcopalian chapel,
a handsome structure in the later English style of archi-
tecture, has been erected by Sir John, who has endowed
it with £S0 per annum as a stipend to the minister, to
whom he has also given a manse and a portion of land.
A parochial school, the master of which has a salary of
£25, with a house and garden, affords instruction to
nearly 100 children ; and there is also a female school
established by the Society for the Propagation of Chris-
tian Knowledge, the mistress of which receives £5 from
the society, with a house and garden from the superior,
and £10 paid by the sisters of Sir John Forbes.
PITTENWEEM, a small
sea-port, a royal burgh, and
a parish, in the district of St.
Andrew's, county of Fife,
10 miles (S. by E.) from St.
Andrew's, and 24 (N. E.)
from Edinburgh ; containing
1339 inhabitants, of whom
1320 are in the burgh. This
place, the name of which is
of doubtful etymology, ap-
pears to have derived its
earliest importance from the
foundation of a monastery for canons regular of the
order of St. Augustine, but of which neither the exact
date, nor the name of the founder, is known. The esta-
blishment was subordinate to the priory of St. Andrew's;
it was amply endowed, and continued to flourish till the
Reformation. Several of its priors were distinguished
for important services rendered to their country : John
Rowle, prior of Pittcnweem, in 1542 was a lord of
session, and in 1544 one of the lords of Articles ; he
accompanied the Regent Murray into France in 1550,
and died in 1553. On the dissolution of the priory in
1561, its revenues amounted to £412 in money, exclu-
sively of large payments in kind. la 1583, William
Stewart, captain of the King's Guards, obtained a grant
of the priory and lands, and became commendator of
Pittcnweem ; and in 1609 his son Frederick was created
Lord Pittenwecm by James VI., but, dying without
i.ssue, the title became extinct. In 1651, Charles II., on
376
passing through the town on his route to Anstruther
House, was hospitably entertained by the magistrates
and council, with every demonstration of loyalty and
respect.
The TOWN is situated on the northern shore of the
Firth of Forth, and has one principal street from which
diverge several others of inferior extent. Many of the
houses are of ancient appearance, though well built ;
but considerable additions have been made, consisting
of ranges of modern building, and numerous handsome
houses have been erected within the last twenty years
on the north and east sides of the old town. There are
no manufactures of any sort carried on, nor any trade
(except the fisheries) beyond what is requisite for the
supply of the neighbourhood, for which purpose there
are some good shops. The inhabitants are principally
employed in the fisheries, which are both lucrative and
extensive. Cod, ling, skate, and haddocks are taken in
abundance off the coast, and large quantities are cured
and sent to Edinburgh and Glasgow, and to Liverpool
and London : the herring-fishery, also, has been recently
attended with considerable success, and promises to be-
come in due time a source of great benefit to the town.
There is a small yard for repairing the vessels used in
the fisheries ; likewise some mills, a granary, and a
bleach-green. Pittcnweem harbour, though exposed to
easterly winds, affords good accommodation ; it has
been much improved at the expense of the corporation
of the town, and, should the herring-fishery continue
to increase, it will be made still more commodious.
Steamers to Edinburgh, Dundee, and the north of Scot-
land, ply daily during the summer ; and facility of com-
munication with the interior is maintained by the coast
road to the east of Fife, and by other roads that pass
through the parish. By charter of James V., bestowed
on John, prior of Pittcnweem, in 1542, the town was
erected into a royal burgh ; and in 1593 James 'V^I.
granted to the bailies, council, and burgesses a portion
of the ancient priory, with other privileges and immu-
nities, which were ratified in a parliament holden at
Edinburgh by Charles I. in 1633. The government is
vested in a provost, three bailies, a treasurer, and nine-
teen councillors, annually elected under the provisions
of the act of the 3rd and 4th of William IV. There are
no incorporated trades possessing exclusive privileges,
and the fee paid for admission as a burgess is trifling.
The magistrates have civil and criminal jurisdiction
throughout the royalty, and hold both civil and criminal
courts, in which the town-clerk acts as assessor ; in the
former causes to any amount are decided, but in the latter
only petty offences. The town-hall, to which a small
prison is attached, is part of the buildings of the old
priory. Pittcnweem is associated with Anstrutlier
Easter, Anstruther Wester, Crail, Cuiiar, Kilrenny, and
St. Andrew's, in returning a member to the imperial par-
liament.
The PARISH is about a mile and a quarter in length,
and less than thrce-q<iarters of a mile in average breadth.
Its surface rises gradually from the coast towards the
north, preserving a general uniformity ; the soil is
mostly a black loam of great fertility, and the lands,
chiefly arable, are in a state of high cultivation. The
substratum is principally coal, which was formerly
wrought to a very con.siderable extent; but the working
of the mines has for many years been altogether discon-
PLEA
POLL
tinued, and supplies are now obtained from some
collieries in the vicinity and from Newcastle. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £3269.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of the
presbytery of St. Andrew's and the synod of Fife : the
minister's stipend is £166. 1. 10., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £1'2. 12. per annum ; patron. Sir W. C.
Anstruther, Bart. Pittenweem church is an ancient
structure, originally forming part of the buildings of the
priory. There are a place of worship for members of the
United Presbyterian Church, and an episcopal chapel.
The parochial school affords instruction to about 100
children ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, and the fees average £50 per annum.
Considerable remains e.xist of the priory, and the walls
that inclosed the precincts are still tolerably entire ; the
prior's house is now the property of Sir W. C. Anstru-
ther, and residence of the Reverend Dr. Low, Bishop of
the united diocese of Moray and Ross. Below the priory,
and near the sea-shore, is a spacious cavern of two
apartments, in the innermost of which is a well of excel-
lent water ; and between the apartments is a stone stair-
case leading to a subterraneous passage, and at the ex-
tremity of the passage another staircase, conducting to
the refectory of the priory. Dr. Douglas, Bishop of
Salisbury in 1*92, an eminent divine, and author of a
vindication of Milton, was a native of this town.
PITTHEVELISS, a village, in the East parish of the
city of Perth, county of Perth ; containing 77 inhabit-
ants. This village is in the south-western suburbs of
the city, on the road to Aberdalgie. In its vicinity is
the ancient castle of Pittheveliss, the former seat of the
Lords Oliphaut.
PITTULLIE, a village, in the parish of Pitsligo,
district of Deer, county of Aberdeen, l-i mile (E.) from
Rosehearty ; containing 227 inhabitants. This village,
which is situated on the northern coast, is chiefly inha-
bited by persons employed in the fisheries, and in the
manufacture of kelp, which was formerly carried on to a
very great extent, though latterly not more than twenty
tons have been annually made. The fishery is prosecuted
with success ; and large quantities of herrings, and of
cod, ling, skate, and other white-fish, are taken during
the seasons, for the landing of which the fishermen pay to
the proprietor of the estate £1. 5. per annum. A quay
has been erected here by the Board of Fisheries, for the
accommodation of the boats. There are some remains
of the ancient castle of Pittullie near the coast.
PLADA, an isle, in the parish of Kilbrandon, dis-
trict of Lorn, county of Argyll. It is a small isle of
the Hebrides, lying north of Scarba, and, with Balna-
Huaigh, contains quarries of excellent blue slate.
PLEAN, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish of St. Ninian's, county of Stirling, 5 miles (S.
E. by S.) from Stirling; containing S72 inhabitants.
This is the seat of an extensive colliery, which may be
considered as forming part of the great coal-field of the
district, comprehending the collieries of Bannockburn,
Greenyards, and Auchenbowie. There is a village called
Plean Camp, inhabited by colhers. The church stands
on the side of the public road between Falkirk and Stir-
ling, and about four miles south-east from the village of
St. Ninian's. The minister joined the Free Church at
the Disruption in 1843, and he and that portion of the
congregation which adhered to him have since continued
Vol. II.— 377
to occupy the place of worship. He is in receipt of a
liberal salary as chaplain of Plean Hospital, and makes
no demand upon his roiigrogatioii; the collections at the
church-door are appropriated partly in defraying ex-
penses, and partly in relieving the poor. There is a
school at Plean Camp for the benefit chiefly of the
children of the work-people. The hospital was founded
by the late Francis Simpson, Esq., of Plean, for the bene-
fit of indigent old men, soldiers and sailors to have a
preference ; he endowed it with the greater part of his
fortune, and named it William Sinipaon's Asylum in me-
mory of his only son, who died in 1827: the founder
himself died in 1831. The present available income is
nearly £1000, and the asylum contains about thirty in-
mates, who are comfortably lodged, clothed, and fed, and
each of whom receives a small weekly allowance of
pocket-money. The income will ultimately be greatly
augmented by annuities and life-rents falling in. Near
Plean mill are the ruins of an ancient tower, the greater
part of which has been used for buildings on the farm
adjoining. The district has been often chosen for the
encampment of armies: in 1314, the English lay at West
Plean on the night previous to the celebrated battle of
Bannockburn; and in 1746, on the morning of the 17th
of January, the Pretender assembled his troops on Plean
moor, whence he marched to Falkirk.
PLOCKTON, a burgh of regality, and for a time a
quoad sacra parish, in the parish of Lochalsh, and
county of Ross and Chomakty, about 12 miles distant
(N. W.) fromKintail; containing about 500 inhabitants.
The village is advantageously situated on a peninsula
upon the south side of Loch Carron, and is inhabited
chiefly by persons engaged in the fisheries, which are car-
ried on here to a very considerable extent. The fish caught
are mostly cod, ling, skate, and herrings; and several
sloops and a number of boats are regularly employed
during the season in taking them : the harbour is
safe and commodious, though rather difficult of access;
and several vessels bringing supplies of coal from Glas-
gow and Liverpool land their cargoes at the quay. The
road to Lochalsh passes through the village, affording
facility of communication with the neighbouring places.
Plockton was separated from the parish of Lochalsh, for
ecclesiastical purposes, under act of the General Assem-
bly in 1834, and the district was assigned to a church
which had been erected by parliamentary grant in 1827.
The church is a neat plain structure with ample accommo-
dation : the minister, who is appointed by the Crown, has a
stipendof £120, with a manse. The members of the Free
Church have aplace of worship; and there are two schools,
one of which is partly, and the other wholly, supported
by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, to-
gether affording instruction to about 100 children.
POLLOCK, county Renfrew. — See Eastwood. S —
POLLOCKSHAWS, an incorporated town, in the ^
parish of Eastwood, Upper ward of the county of Ren-
frew, 3 miles (S. W.) from Glasgow; containing nearly
6000 inhabitants. This place, which is conveniently
situated on the river Cart, and on the high road from
Glasgow to Ayrshire, &c., was originally a small village
distinguished only as the residence of the ancient family
of Pollock, from whom it derived its name. The advan-
tages of its position in the centre of a populous district,
and its proximity to Glasgow, Paisley, and other large
towns, together with the abundance of coal which is
3 C
POL M
P O L M
•worked in the parish, have made PoUockshaws a place
of considerable business ; while the introduction of the
cotton trade and the various branches connected with
it, has also contributed greatly to its increase, and given
it importance as a manufacturing town. A number of
large tenements have been lately erected ; a gas company
was formed about fifteen years ago, and the place at
present is in a thriving condition. About 200 persons
are engaged in the spinning of cotton, and nearly 400 in
weaving with power-looms, for which mills have been
erected ; whilst upwards of 400 of the inhabitants are
constantly occupied in hand-loom weaving for the manu-
facturers of Glasgow and Paisley. The number of hand-
loom weavers in 1826 was 906, but owing to the depressed
state of this trade, the numbers have been reduced to less
than half. About 400 of the inhabitants are employed in
bleachfields and dye-works, and the freestone-quarries in
the parish give employment to nearly 200 men. In 1S45
an act was passed for the construction of a railway from
Glasgow by PoUockshaws and Barrhead to Neilston : the
line is open as far as Barrhead. A post-office under Glas-
gow has some years been established, and the town has
also a branch of the Western Bank of Scotland, and an of-
fice for stamps and taxes. There is no regular market : a
pleasure-fair is held annually on the last Friday and Satur-
day in May, at which horse-racing and other amusements
take place. PoUockshaws was erected into a burgh of
barony in the year 1S13, when the inhabitants received
a charter of incorporation, by which the government
was vested in a provost, bailie, treasurer, and six coun-
cillors. The provost and bailie remain in office two years,
the treasurer and councillors one year : the town-clerk
is appointed by the magistrates and council, and acts as
£issessor. The burgesses are admitted by the magis-
trates and council ; and the requisite qualifications are,
residence, and possession of property of the value of £4
per annum. All persons carrying on business, either as
manufacturers or tradesmen, are compelled to become
burgesses, the fees for which are, for a stranger £1. 1.,
and for the son of a burgess half a guinea. The corpo-
ration by their charter are empowered to hold courts for
the trial both of civil actions and criminal offences. A
circuit sheriff court is held every alternate month, and a
justice-of-peace court once a month. A handsome and
substantial gaol was erected by the County Prison Board
in 1845. About forty or fifty years ago there were only
two churches in the town ; at present there are si.x, two
in connexion with the Established Church, two with the
Synod of United Original Seceders, one with the Free
Church, and one with the United Presbyterian Synod.
There is also a small congregation of Independent Bap-
tists. The parochial school is well attended ; there are
five private schools, and several friendly societies.
A POLMONT, a parish, in the county of Stirling, 85
miles (E. by S.) from Falkirk ; containing, with the vil-
lages of Bennetstonc and Redding, and |)art of the former
quoad sacra parish of Grangemouth, 3584 inhabitants,
of whom 2220 are in the rural districts of the parish.
This place, the name of which is of very uncertain
derivation, was originally included within the parish of
Falkirk, but was severed under the authority of the
Court of Teinds, and erected into an independent parish,
in 1724. Very few particulars of its early history have
been recorded, but undoubtedly it must have participated
more or less with Falkirk in the wars between the Romans
378
and the Caledonians under Fergus IL, and in many im-
portant transactions subsequently. Till within the last
few years vestiges of the wall of Antoninus (or Graham's
dyke, as it has been called, from Robert Graham, who
was killed by the Romans while fighting under Fergus),
could be distinctly traced in its way through the parish
from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde ; but in
the progress of cultivation the traces have been totally
obliterated. On a hill beyond the village of Redding is a
stone called Wallace's Stone, marking out the spot where
Sir William Wallace, after his quarrel with Sir John Stu-
art, one of the Scottish chiefs, is said to have stood and
viewed the battle of Falkirk, from which he had been
compelled to retire.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the Firth of
Forth, and on the east partly by the river Avon, which
separates the counties of Stirling and Linlithgow. It is
about six miles and a half in extreme length, and from
two to three miles in extreme breadth; comprising 5000
acres, of which 3800 are arable, 100 woodland and plan-
tations, and the remainder moorland pasture and waste.
The surface is beautifully varied. Part extends for a con-
siderable breadth, along the shore of the firth, in a tract
of carse land having little elevation above the estuary,
against the encroachment of which it is defended by
strong embankments ; and from this the ground rises
gradually towards the south, in gentle undulations, to a
height of 550 feet. From the high lands, which in con-
tradistinction to the carse are called the " dry-field ", an
extensive and richly-varied prospect is obtained, em-
bracing the vale of Forth, in a high state of cultivation,
and interspersed with numerous mansions and villas,
surrounded with thriving plantations. The Avon has
its rise in a lake in the parish of Cumbernauld, in the
county of Dumbarton, and, after a long course along the
borders of Muiravonside, skirts a part of this parish,
and flows with fantastic windings into the Firth of Forth.
Of the several small rivulets in the parish, one called the
Westquarter burn runs along nearly the whole of its
western boundary into the Carron : another intersects
the interior of the parish, and falls into the Westquarter;
while a third, after forming its south-eastern boundary
for nearly two miles, flows northward into the Avon.
Sea-trout of large size are found in the Avon during
the spring and autumn, but very few salmon ascend the
river. The soil on the carse lands is a deep clay
of fine quality, and, from the number of marine shells
with which it is embedded, evidently alluvial ; on the
dry-field the soil, being lighter and of a gravelly or
sandy kind, is less fertile and productive. Of the land
not under regular cultivation the principal tract is
Redding moor, of which the greater portion is undivided
common, the property of the Duke of Hamilton, but on
which various of the heritors claim a right of pasture:
within the last few years, portions of it have been in-
closed by permission of the superior, and cultivated with
the spade by the neighbouring colliers at their leisure
hours. The crops raised in the |)arish arc oats, wheat,
barley, beans, potatoes, and turnijis, with the usual
grasses. The system of husbandry has been iirought
into a very advanced state ; and from the facilities of
obtaining manure from Edinburgh and Leith by the
Union Canal, the most abundant crops are grown. Tile-
draining has been very generally introduced, to the great
improvement of the lands, which have also been mostly
PO L M
POL W
inclosed; the farm buildings and offices are usually sub-
stantial and well arranged, and all the more recent im-
provements in the construction of agricultural imple-
ments have been adopted. Though not extensive, the
plantations are in a thriving state, and contribute much
to the beauty of the scenery; they consist of the various
kinds of firs and the usual hard-wood trees, for which
latter the soil appears to be peculiarly favourable. The
annual value of real property in Polmont, according to
returns made under the income tax, is £14,144.
In this district the principal substrata are freestone,
ironstone, coal, and clay of excellent quality for pottery.
The freestone, of which the rocks are chiefly composed,
is extensively quarried, especially on the land of Brighton,
where the quarries supplied materials for constructing
the railway from Edinburgh to Glasgow. It is of fine
texture, of a brownish colour, and, from its hardness and
durability, well adapted for public works. There is an-
other vein of equally hard texture, and of a brilliant
white colour, found at a greater depth from the sur-
face, on the lands of Battock. The ironstone occurs in
several seams of different extent, of which three have
long been wrought by the Carron Company, and are now
almost exhausted ; and besides these, two have been dis-
covered at a greater depth, which have not yet been
brought into operation. Coal is found in various parts,
in seams from two and a half to four and a halt feet
thick, and at depths varying from eight to forty-six
fathoms from the surface ; they are the property of the
Duke of Hamilton, &c. The principal colliery is that of
Redding, belonging to the duke, which is wrought
upon a very extensive scale, affording employment to
about 600 men. Shielhill colliery, of which the Carron
Company are the lessees, was formerly wrought to a
large extent ; but the greater number of the men have
been removed by the company, within the last few years,
to their works at Falkirk. The coal is raised from the
pits by steam-engines, and conveyed to the Union canal
by railways constructed upon an inclined plane ; one
railway is SCO yards in length, and capable of delivering
from ten to twelve tons at a time. The kinds mostly
wrought at present are the splint and the soft coal,
which are of excellent quality ; they occur in seams
thirty-four inches in thickness, at depths of twenty-five
and thirty-five fathoms, and are sent in large quantities
to the Edinburgh market. The clay is chiefly used for
the making of bricks, and of tiles for draining, for which
it is well adapted : two extensive works for that pur-
pose have been lately established.
The gentlemen's seats here are Polmont Park, Park
Hill, Polmont House, Polmont Bank, Kersiebank, West-
quarter House, Millfield, and a few others, all of which
are handsome modern houses situate in pleasant de-
mesnes of moderate extent. The villages of Bennetstone
and Redding are described under their own heads ; the
former is inhabited chiefly by labourers and a few arti-
sans, and the latter by persons engaged in the collieries :
the small village or kirktown of Polmont, situated on
the road to Falkirk, nearly in the centre of the parish,
contains only a few dwelhngs and an inn. Facility of
communication is partly maintained by the high road
from Edinburgh to Glasgow, which passes through the
parish, and by roads kept in good repair by statute la-
bour. The Union canal, connecting Edinburgh with
the Forth and Clyde canal near Falkirk, intersects Pol-
379
mont for nearly three miles ; and the Edinburgh and
Glasgow railway, in its course through the parish, takes
a direction almost parallel with that of the canal, to
which in some places it approaches within a distance of
100 yards. In IS46 an act was passed empowering the
Edinburgh and Glasgow railway company to make a
branch from their line near Polmont to the Scottish
Central railway near Larbert. For ecclesiastical
purposes the parish is within the bounds of the presby-
tery of Linlithgow and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale.
The minister's stipend is £264. 1. H., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £12. 12. per annum ; patron, the Crown.
The present church was opened for divine service in .July
184,5, and contains 1000 sittings. A probationer of the
Established Church otficiates regularly in a schoolroom
belonging to the Redding colliery, where divine service
was previously performed on the Sunday evenings by
the parish clergyman ; and there is also occasional ser-
vice in the village of Bennetstone, various dissenting
ministers officiating. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship. Polmont parochial school
affords instruction to nearly 1,50 children ; the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., a house and garden, and a
small portion of land, and the fees average about £70.
A parochial library was established in 1820, and is sup-
ported by subscription ; the collection contains about
340 volumes, but within the last few years it has not in-
creased. There is also a savings' bank in which are de-
posits to the amount of more than £300. Dr. Henry,
author of the History of Great Britain, resided for several
years during the summer months in this parish ; he
died in 1790, and was buried in the churchyard, where
there is a monument erected to his memory. The place
gives the title of Baron Polmont, created in 1639, to the
Duke of Hamilton.
POLTON-STREET, a village, in the parish of Cock-
pen, county of Edinburgh ; containing 59 inhabitants.
This is a small colliery-hamlet, in the north-western
part of the parish, and on the borders of the parish of
Lasswade.
POLWARTH, a parish, in the county of Ber-wick,
4 miles (S. W.) from Dunse ; containing 260 inhabitants,
of whom about 160 are in the village of Polwarth, and
the remainder in the rural districts. This place forms
part of the estates of the Marchmont family, whose an-
cestor. Sir Patrick Hume, during the period of religious
persecution was compelled to seek for safety in a vault
under the church, where he remained in concealment.
Here he was supplied with food, always in the dead of
night, by his then young daughter, Grizzel Hume (after-
wards Lady Grizzel Baillie), through whose assistance,
with that of his wife and faithful domestic servants, he
was eventually enabled to make his escape into Holland,
where he stayed till the era of the Revolution. After
his return to his native land, he was successively created
Lord Polwarth and Earl of Marchmont, which titles
continued in the family till the demise of Hugh, the
third earl, when they became extinct, and the estates
passed to the family of Sir Hugh Purves Hume Camp-
bell, Bart., the present proprietor. The parish is situ-
ated nearly in the centre of the county, and is of trian-
gular form, about three miles in length and two miles
in extreme breadth. It comprises 3052 acres, of which
1540 are arable, 400 in woods and plantations, 1030
heathy moorland and moss, and eighty-two in roads,
3 C2
P O L W
POOL
fences, and homesteads. The surface is varied, rising
by gentle undulations from the east to Kyleshill, an
eminence near the western extremity ; the scenery is
pleasing, and enriched with thriving plantations and
clusters of trees, which, crowning the heights, have a
very interesting appearance. The soil is various, but the
arable lands generally not unfertile. Most of the eastern
part of the parish is heavy clay ; the greater part of the
rest of the arable land is of a lighter nature, with a
clayey subsoil : further to the west, and verging on the
moorland, the arable land has much of the characteristics
of moor that has been reclaimed a number of j'ears : the
moorlands to the west, though depastured by sheep and
cattle, are of little value. The crops are oats, barley,
wheat on the heavy lands, potatoes, and turnips. The
soil has been much improved by a judicious system of
agriculture ; and a considerable portion of old grass
land, divided into inclosures of from teu to thirty acres,
is let at high rents to farmers who want additional pas-
ture for live-stock. The annual value of real property
in the parish, according to income-tax returns, is £1829-
The chief substrata are sandstone of the new and old
red formations, the former prevailing in the southern, and
the latter in the northern districts ; Kyleshill is formed
of a compact reddish porphyry, interspersed with em-
bedded crystals of felspar.
The woods consist of all the ordinary varieties of
forest-trees ; they are well kept, and in a thriving con-
dition. There are some splendid aged oaks, elms, ashes,
and beeches ; near to and around the site of Redbraes
Castle are some very fine old yews, and a little further
to the east some stately Spanish-chesnut trees. Red-
braes Castle was taken down about a century ago, and
the present mansion of Marchmont House built about
200 yards west of it. Marchmont House, the seat of
Sir Hugh Campbell, is a handsome mansion erected by
the last Earl of Marchmont, and is pleasantly situated
in an ample demesne embellished with stately timber :
it has a noble avenue about a mile and a half long. The
village, consisting of small clusters of houses in detached
spots, is neatly built, and, from the portions of land and
garden-ground attached to each of the houses, has a
very pleasing and rural aspect. It is inhabited chiefly
by persons employed in agricultural pursuits, and in the
various handicraft trades requisite for the supply of the
parish. In the centre of the village-green are two thorn-
trees marking out the spot for the ancient celebration of
marriage festivities, for which this place was renowned.
Facility of intercourse is maintained by the line of road
from Dunse, the nearest market-town, to Edinburgh ;
and by good roads kept in repair by statute labour.
Polwarth is in the presbytery of Dunse and synod of
Merse and Teviotdalc : the minister's stipend is about
£180, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £19 per an-
num ; patron. Sir Hugh Hume Campbell. The church,
pleasantly situated within the demesne of Marchmont
House, appears to have been originally erected at a very
early date, and rebuilt in 1703 upon the ancient foun-
dation ; it is a neat edifice, and beneath it is the sepul-
chral vault of the Marchmont family, in which Sir Patrick
Hume was concealed. The parochial school affords in-
struction to about fifty children ; the master has a salary
of £.30. 16., with £15 fees, and a house and garden.
Each of the poor on the parish list has a house and
garden rent free, and the late Sir W. P. H. Campbell
380
also bequeathed £25 per annum for the relief of the in-
dustrious poor not on the roll.
POMONA, or MAINLAND, an island, in the county
of Orkney and Shetland; containing 16,141 inhabit-
ants. This island, which is the largest of the Orkneys,
is situated between the sound of Wire and other sounds,
on the north, and Scalpa Flow, Holm sound, and other
waters, on the south ; and is about nineteen miles in
extreme length and fourteen miles in extreme breadth,
comprising an area of 150 square miles, or about 96,000
acres. It is divided into two unequal peninsulas by the
bay of Kirkwall on the north, and the still deeper in-
dentation of Scalpa Flow on the south. The surface is
diversified with hills, of which those in the western
peninsula are of greater elevation than those in the
eastern, which is also considerably less extensive in its
area. Of these hills, several are clothed with verdure
almost to the summits, affording excellent pasturage for
sheep ; and between them are fertile valleys of a loamy
soil ; but the principal land under cultivation is along
the coast, where abundance of sea-weed is obtained for
manure. In the western portion of the island are some
inland lakes, of which by far the largest is Loch Stennis,
divided nearly in the centre by a boldly projecting neck
of land, which forms a natural causeway reaching nearly
to the opposite shore, and on which are the celebrated
Druidical remains called the Stones of Stennis. The
other lakes are Orphir, Skail, Birsay, and Aikerness,
from which issiie several small streams abounding with
different species of trout. The coast, especially on the
west, is bold, rocky, and precipitous, rising into mural
cliffs of considerable height, covered with sea-fowl of
every variety, and perforated with natural arches leading
into caverns of romantic appearance. The system of
agriculture has recently made considerable progress, and
the lands have been partially inclosed ; the chief crops
are oats, beans, and an inferior kind of barley. Great
numbers of sheep are pastured on the hills, and atten-
tion is paid to the improvement of the stock, for which
purpose rams of the Merino breed have been introduced :
large herds of swine, also, are fed upon the commons.
The island comprises the parishes of St. Andrew's, Bir-
say, Evie, Firth, Holm, Kirkwall, Orphir, Sandwick, and
Stromness, all of which are separately described.
POOL, a village, in the parish of Muckart, county
of Perth, '2^ miles (W.) from Crook of Devon ; con-
taining 1*9 inhabitants. It lies in about the centre of
the parish, on the road from Dollar to Fossoway, and is
the principal village : the population is almost entirely
agricultural. At a short distance from it stands the
parochial church.
POOLEWE, a fishing-village, and for a time a qnoad
sacra parish, in the parish of Gairloch, county of
Ross and Cromarty, 5 miles (N. N. E.) from Gairloch j
containing, with the island oi Ewe, 25'29 inhabitants.
This village is situated at the mouth of the river Ewe,
which, issuing from Loch Maree, on the south-east of
Gairloch, falls, after a course of about a mile towards
the north-west through the centre of the district of
Poolewe, into the loch whence the village takes its name.
The river is remarkable for the excellent quality of the
salmon with which it abounds, and of which a regular
and lucrative fishery has been long established ; and
trout and other fish are also found, rendering it a fa-
vourite resort of anglers. From the situation of the
0
PORT
PORT
village at the head of Loch Ewe, and at the junction of
two roads, of which one leads to the village of Gairloch,
and the other to Loch Maree, it has become a port for
communication across the Minch, with the isle of Lewis.
A branch post-office has been established, from wliich
letters are sent daily by a runner to Gairloch ; and there
is also an inn, affording excellent accommodation to
visiters, and parties who make excursions to the village
for the purpose of angling. The island of Ewe is de-
scribed under its own head. Poolewe quoad sacra parish
comprised a district nearly twenty miles in length and
twelve miles in breadth. Tlie surface is generally hilly,
in some parts mountainous; and the scenery, diversified
with numerous small inland lakes, is every where pleas-
ing, and in many places highly picturesque. There are
several respectable farms scattered through the district,
which are under good cultivation ; and also some small
hamlets, the inhabitants of which are chiefly employed
in the fisheries ; but, except Poolewe, there are no vil-
lages. Ecclesiastically the place is within the bounds of
the presbytery of Lochcarrou and synod of Glenelg. The
church, erected in IHIH, under the authority of an act
of parliament, is a neat structure with a campanile turret,
and contains 350 sittings. The minister has a stipend
of £120, wholly paid from the exchequer ; with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £5 per annum : patron, the Crown.
The members of the Free Church have a place of worship ;
and there are some schools supported by the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge, the Gaelic Society,
and the Committee of the General Assembly, the masters
of which have salaries varying from £5 to £'25.
PORTAVATA, an island, in that portion of the
parish of Ardnamurchan which formed part of the
quoad sacra parish of Aharacle, county of Inver-
ness ; containing 58 inhabitants. It lies a short dis-
tance eastward of Shona island, in Loch Moidart.
(3 PORT-BANNATYNE, a village, formerly in the pa-
rish of Rothesay, but now in the new parish of North
Bute, county of Bute , 2 miles (N. E.) from the town
of Rothesay ; containing 326 inhabitants. This village
is situated at the head of Kames bay in the Firth of
Clyde, and takes its name from the family of Bannatyne,
for many years proprietors of Kames Castle, to the re-
mains of which, comprising a lofty tower, a mansion was
added by the late Lord Bannatyne. The village, which
consists of neatly-built houses scattered along the circular
shore of the bay, is much resorted to by visiters for sea-
bathing during the season, and contains every requisite
accommodation for that purpose. Its inhabitants are
chiefly engaged in the herring-fishery, which is carried
on to a great extent in the Kyles of Bute, and in which
twenty-five boats are employed, with crews of five men
each : they are also engaged in the white-fishery off the
coast. There is a commodious haven, and a good quay
has been constructed. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship containing about 500 sittings,
with a school attached. About half a mile from the
village is the seat of Kames Castle ; and within a mile
stands the church of the parish of North Bute.
PORT-DUNDAS, a vdlage and river-port, in the
former ecclesiastical district of St. Stephen's, Barony
parish, within the jurisdiction of the city of Glasgow.
county of Lanark, 3 miles (N. W. by N.) from Glasgow,
This place, which is situated on a branch of the Forth
and Clyde canal, took its name from Lord Dundas, to
381
whose exertions the completion of that important line of
communication may be principally ascribed. It is a
flourishing village and inland port for the accommoda-
tion of the several traders frequenting the canal. A spa-
cious basin has been constructed, and there are conve-
nient quays and extensive warehouses. The Moukland
canal has its terminus also at this place.
PORTEASIE, a village, in the parish of Rathven,
county of Banff ; containing 362 inhabitants. This is
a fishing-village, situated nearly two miles eastward of
Buckie. In 1827 it had but five houses, built by Hay of
Rannes, the proprietor of the soil, for the accommoda-
tion of the first fishermen, who came from Findhorn in
Morayshire. The number of boats now belonging to the
place is about forty, of which two-thirds are of large,
and the remainder of small, size, all engaged, with the
boats belonging to the other fishing-villages in the pa-
rish, in taking herrings and the various kinds of fish
found in the adjacent seas.
PORT-ELLEN, a village and port, in the parish °^ Sa (^
Kildalton, district of Islay, county of Argyll, 11
miles (S. W.) from Bowmore ; containing 904 inhabit-
ants. In 1824 there was only one house here; in 1836
there were upwards of 160, most of them substantially
built, together with a neat inn, and a very extensive dis-
tillery. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agricul-
ture and fishing. The bay is safe ; and a quay, formed
on a rocky promontory in 1826, and improved in 1832,
by Campbell of Islay, who also erected a lighthouse, is
very commodious, and affords suitable facilities for land-
ing. An act for improving the harbour was passed in
1846. The port is visited by steamers from Campbell-
town and Glasgow. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship.
PORT-ELPHINSTONE, a village, in the parish of
KiNTORE, district of Garioch, county of Aberdeen,
\ a mile (S.) from Inverury ; containing 112 inhabitants.
This place is of recent origin, and is rising into import-
ance from its favourable situation at the head of the
Aberdeenshire canal, to which goods are sent from Inver-
ury, and from all the surrounding country, for convey-
ance by the passage-boats. The village is three miles
from the church of Kintore, and has its name from Sir
Robert Elphinstone, on account of bis spirited patronage
of the canal. The line of navigation was opened in 1807,
and is eighteen miles and a quarter in length from Aber-
deen to this place, having been constructed, and subse-
quently enlarged, at a cost of nearly £50,000. Mills on
a very large scale have been erected for grinding all sorts
of grain, which, when converted into meal, is sent by the
enterprising proprietor of the works, Mr. Tait, to differ-
ent parts of the kingdom. There are also several gran-
aries, two saw-mills, and extensive storehouses for coal,
lime, and bone-dust, which, with sundry other commo-
dities, are imported in exchange for grain, slate, timber,
and various other articles. The traffic and the popula-
tion are rapidly on the increase ; and the boats for pas-
sengers, and numerous barges for merchandise, with the
bustle arising from the shipping and landing of the
goods, confer on the place the appearance of a small sea-
port. It is included in the parliamentary boundaries of
Inverury ; and all the inhabitants possessed of the £10
franchise vote in the election of a member of parliament
with the constituency of that burgh. A school was opened
a few years since, assisted by a government grant.
PORT
PORT
b
BuTsh Seal.
PORT-GLASGOW, a pa-
rish, sea-port, burgh, and
market-town, in the Lower
ward of the county of Ren-
frew ; containing 7007 inha-
bitants, of -whom 6973 are in
the town, 19 miles (W. N. W.)
from Glasgow, and 62 (W.)
from Edinburgh. This place
was originally part of the
parish of Kilmalcolm, con-
stituting the village of New-
ark, situated on the bay of
that name. In I66S it was purchased from Sir Patrick
Maxwell, its proprietor, by the city of Glasgow, for the
purpose of forming an out-port and harbour for the
shipping of that place, for which object its position at
the head of one of the finest bays in the Clyde rendered
it peculiarly desirable. The land on which the town is
built, together with some farms in its immediate vicinity,
■was in 1695 separated from Kilmalcolm, and erected
into a distinct and independent parish ; and in 1775
the town was made a burgh of barony by a charter of
George IIL, which conferred on the inhabitants many
privileges, and vested the government in two bailies and
a council of eleven burgesses. The increase of the town
was striking, though gradual : from the erection of the
first church in 17 IS to the year 1790 the number of its
inhabitants was augmented from about 700 to more than
4000.
The PARISH is about a mile in length and the same in
breadth, and is bounded on the north by the river Clyde,
on the south and east by the parish of Kilmalcolm, and
on the west by the parish of Greenock. Its surface is
very irregular and hilly ; and immediately behind the
town the land rises in two precipitous ridges to a great
height, overlooking the river, and commanding an in-
teresting prospect of the shipping in the harbour, the
venerable ruins of the baronial castle of Newark at the
extremity of the bay, and the finely- varied scenery of
the surrounding country. These heights, covered with
verdure, and crowned with flourishing plantations, pre-
sent a strikingly beautiful and picturesque back-ground
to the view of the town from the river. Nearly on a
level with the summits of the ridges, the lands extend
for about half a mile inland, and are divided into farms
which, from the sterility of the soil, are not very valuable.
The richest land in the parish is along the banks of the
river, which are laid ovit in garden-ground, and are
abundantly productive of fruit and vegetables of excel-
lent quality, for the supply of the town and neighbour-
hood. The principal landed proprietors are, Lady Shaw
Stewart, and the corporation of the city of Glasgow : the
former holds the rural district of the parish, with part
of the land on which the town is built, and the gardens
on the bank of the river ; the latter are superiors of
that portion of the town which may be properly regarded
as the port.
The TOWN is regularly built, consisting of well-formed
streets crossing each other at right angles ; the houses
are nearly uniform, and, being whitewashed, wear a
cheerful appearance. The streets are well paved, and
lighted with gas, for which convenient works have been
established by the corporation ; and the inhabitants are
amply supplied with water, conveyed by pipes to their
382
houses. A public library is supported by subscription ;
and in che town-hall is a news and reading room, which
is well attended. The environs are pleasant, and abound
with objects of interest. At the eastern extremity of
the bay are the remains of Newark Castle, the residence
of the ancient barons of Newark, which, when entire,
must have been a place of no ordinary strength ; it is
situated on an elevated, though small, promontory boldly
projecting into the river, and presents an imposing me-
morial of feudal grandeur. The port carries on a very
extensive trade with the East and West Indies, North
America, the Mediterranean, and other parts : the coast-
ing-trade is also pretty considerable. On the deepening
of the Clyde, which afforded to vessels of large burthen
a facility of access to Glasgow, a great portion of the
traffic of Port-Glasgow was transferred to that place;
but the trade here is now steadily increasing. The
principal exports are British manufactures, which are
shipped in great quantities, and exchanged for foreign
produce of every kind, including timber from North
America. The trade was formerly carried on exclusively
in vessels belonging to the merchants of Glasgow ; but
for the last few years the merchants of this place have
had ships of their own. In 1S43 there were seventy-
four registered vessels, of the aggregate burthen of 12,952
tons. The number of vessels that entered inwards in
1834 was eighty-two, and their aggregate burthen 28,693
tons : of these, three were from the East, and twenty-
six from the West, Indies, forty-two from North America
(including six from the United States), and eleven from
the Mediterranean. During the same year, eighty-six
vessels of the aggregate burthen of 28,530 tons cleared
outwards, of which number twelve were to the East,
and twenty-nine to the West, Indies, thirty-four to
North America (four of them to the United States), and
eleven to the Mediterranean. The duties paid at the
custom-house amounted to the sum of £140,284, which
was less than the amount in previous years : the de-
crease, however, did not originate in any diminution of
the foreign trade of the port, but in the removal of the
duties on tobacco to Glasgow, which were previously
paid at this place. In 1843 the customs' duties amounted
to £92,906; in 1844, to £151,472. This is one of the
principal ports on the Clyde for the importation of
American timber, of which, in a late year, 27,975 tons
were landed on the quays, and for the reception and pre-
servation of which capacious ponds have been constructed
along the shores.
There are two extensive and secure harbours, easy of
access at all times to vessels of 600 tons, and so com-
pletely sheltered from the winds that in the severest
weather they sustain no injury. Ships drawing twenty-
one feet water may be towed up the channel of the
river, which at this place is about two miles broad : in
common tides the water rises to the height of nine, and
in s|)ring tides to the height of eleven, feet above low-
water mark. The quays arc commodious, and ample
sheds have been erected for the warehousing of mer-
chandise i there is also a capacious graving-dock for
repairing vessels, which has been improved at a consider-
able cost. Some years ago the greatest number of
vessels in the harbours at the same time, gave the large
aggregate burthen of 12,000 t(ms ; but the harbours
being found insufficient for the trade of the port, the
trustees for their improvement obtained an act for con-
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verting the bay of Newark into wet-docks ; and funds to
the amount of £35,000 were raised, which enabled them
to commence the undertaking. These works, from their
spacious quays, easily accessible to vessels drawing
twenty-five feet water, and their extensive warehouses
built of stone, for bonding merchandise, are a vast ac-
quisition ti) the port, and the only floating-docks on
this part of the coast of Scotland. There is a large area
for bonding timber, as also warehouses for the prepa-
ration of refined sugar for exportation to the Mediter-
ranean. The revenue derived from the harbour dues, in
the year ending April .5, 1845, was £1900. Ship-build-
ing is carried on to a very considerable extent ; and
a great number of steam-vessels, some of them of the
largest class and of the most elegant workmanship, have
been built at this port : about 200 men are constantly
employed in the yards. An extensive manufacture of
ropes and sail-cloth has been long established by the
Gourock Company : in the latter branch, which has
much increased, about 300 men, and more than that
number of women and children, are employed ; and in
the former, fifty men, and nearly an equal number of
boys, are engaged. The refining of raw sugar is carried
on to a great extent : the method of refining by steam
is adopted in the works, which afford employment to
more than fifty men. A savings' bank was established
in 1818, and has met with due encouragement. The
market is on Friday, and a fair is held on the third
Tuesday in July. The road from Glasgow to Greenock,
and the Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock railway, both
pass through tlie parish.
This town, which, by its charter in the reign of
George III., had enjoyed the privileges of a burgh of
barony, was by act of the 2nd and 3rd of William IV.
raised to the rank of a parliamentary burgh. The go-
vernment is vested in a provost, two bailies, and a
council of six burgesses, assisted by a town-clerk, har-
bour-master, and other officers, the whole chosen agree-
ably with the provisions of the Municipal act of the
3rd and 4th of William. A treasurer and procurator-
fiscal are appointed by the council. The provost and
bailies have jurisdiction in civil actions to any amount,
and a considerable jurisdiction in criminal cases ; but
very few civil causes come under their decision, as
parties in matters of dispute generally solicit and are
governed by the advice of the magistrates, which pre-
vents much litigation ; and no criminal cases have been
tried for many years, except in the police-court. Port-
Glasgow unites with Kilmarnock, Rutherglen, Dumbar-
ton, and Renfrew, in returning one member to the im-
perial parliament; the right of election is vested in the
resident householders and proprietors to the amount of
£10 per annum, and the present constituency, parlia-
mentary and municipal, is 184. The town-hall is a neat
and commodious edifice of modern erection, with a por-
tico of four columns of the Grecian-Doric order, from
the centre of which rises a spire. Its interior is well
arranged ; on the ground-floor are several handsome
shops, and the upper story contains the council-cham-
ber, offices for the town-clerk, counting-houses for mer-
chants, and a reading-room supplied with periodicals
and newspapers.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Greenock, synod of Glasgow and Ayr,
and in the patronage of the city of Glasgow : the mi-
383
Ulster's stipend is £250. The corporation receive the
seat-rents, which produce on an average nearly £150
per annum. The present church was erected in 1823,
partly by subscriptions of the parishioners, amounting to
£1500; it is a plain neat edifice, and is adapted for a
congregation of 1200 persons. There is a chapel of
ease, erected in 1774, and adapted for a congregation of
1500 : the minister has a salary of £100, secured to
him by bond. There are also a Free church, and a
place of worship for the United Presbyterian Synod.
Three parochial schools were supported, the masters of
which had each a salary of £20, paid by the corpora-
tion ; but for some years they have all been united under
one master, who receives a salary of £20, with the fees.
There is also a school endowed by Mr. Beaton, in 1814,
with £1400 for the instruction of poor children and
the erection of a school-house ; the master has £60 per
annum, with a house rent free, and the school is at-
tended by about 150 children of both sexes.
PORT-GORDON, a village, in the parish of Rath-
VEN, county of Banff, 1^: mile (W. S. W.) from Buckie;
containing 45* inhabitants. This place was named
from the late Dukes of Gordon, and is now by inherit-
ance the property of the Duke of Richmond. It is situ-
ated on the coast, and separated by a narrow stream
from Port-Tannachy ; and, having a tolerably good har-
bour, is the seat of a considerable traffic in the exporta-
tion of grain, and the importation of salt and coal. In
1841, as many as 1380 tons of salt and 3517 tons of
coal were imported ; and 6223 quarters of grain were
sent out. Nearly twenty boats, of various size, belong
to the place ; and fishing and the coasting trade occupy
almost the whole male population. Port-Gordon is at-
tached, quoad sacra, to the chapel of ease at Enzie ; and
a school is supported partly by the Duke of Richmond,
who pays the teacher £15 per annum, and allows him a
free house and schoolroom.
PORT-GOWER, a village, in the parish of Loth,
county of Sutherland, 14 miles (N. E.) from Golspie;
containing 236 inhabitants. This village, which is situ-
ated on the shore of the Moray Firth, about halfway
between the kirktown of Loth and the village of Helms-
dale, is neatly built, and inhabited by persons employed
partly in the cultivation of the adjacent lands, and partly
in the herring-fisheries. It has a commodious inn, on
the parliamentary road from Dunrobin to the Ord of
Caithness ; and the parochial school is in the village.
The coast, from the western extremity of the parish to
Port-Gower, is a level sandy beach, interrupted occa-
sionally by low rocks which are completely covered with
the tide ; but from Port-Gower to the Ord, at the eastern
extremity of Loth, there is one continued chain of rugged
limestone rocks.
PORTLETHEN, a village, in the parish of Ban-
chory-Devenick, county of Kincardine, 7 miles (N.
E. by N.) from Stonehaven ; containing 265 inhabitants.
This is a small village on the eastern coast ; the inha-
bitants are employed in white-fishing, and during the
herring-season several of them are engaged in the Moray
Firth. Within the last few years a new chapel has been
erected here, together with a manse and offices, and a
glebe of eight acres improved ; the expense, about £1400,
was defrayed by subscription. The chapel is erected on
the site of the ancient edifice, which, notwithstanding
the additions made to it from time to time, was inade-
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quate to contain the increasing population of the neigh-
bourhood. The minister is supported by seat-rents, by
annual donations from the parish minister and from
some of the heritors, and by a small bequest left for the
purpose, the whole amounting to about £80 per annum.
A school was erected at the sole expense of the Rev. Dr.
Morison, and the interest of £'200 was assigned by him
as an eudowment to the master, who has likewise hi-
therto received £10 a year for teaching thirteen children
under Dr. Milne's bequest. The Aberdeen railway has
a station in the vicinity of the village.
PORTLICH, a village, in the parish of Kilmuir
Easter, county of Ross and Cromarty, 3 miles (N. E.)
from Invergordon ; containing 90 inhabitants. This
village, which is situated on the northern coast of the
Firth of Cromarty, originally consisted only of a few
huts occupied by persons engaged in the fishery. The
fish chiefly taken were cod, haddock, flounders, and
occasionaUy a few herrings ; but for some years the in-
habitants, with the exception of sending a few boats to
the herring-fishery, have abandoned fishing, and em-
ployed themselves in various handicraft trades.
"PORT-LOGAN, a village, in the parish of Kirk-
maiden, county of Wigtown, 15 miles (S. by E.) from
Stranraer ; containing 2'23 inhabitants. It is situated
on the north-west coast of the parish, and has a small
quay or harbour, opening into the bay of Portnessock,
and chiefly used for shipping farm produce. Vessels of
any burthen may find safe anchorage in the bay, but
those only of smaller size can enter the harbour at low
water. Logan House, standing about a mile south-east
of the village, is a handsome modern mansion in an ex-
tensive and richly-embellished demesne. There is a
post communication daily with Stranraer, three days in
the week by a gig merely, and on the other days by a
car which carries passengers. In the vicinity of this
place is a natural cavity in the rocks, into which the
tide enters at every flood, and in which are found various
kinds of fish.
Q PORTMAHOMACK, a village and fishing-port, in
the parish of Tarbat, county of Ross and Cromarty,
11 miles (E. by N.) from Tain ; containing 4/9 inhabit-
ants. This village stands on the northern coast of the
peninsula formed by the Dornoch and Moray Firths,
and is chiefly inhabited by persons employed in the
fisheries, for which purpose its situation is highly ad-
vantageous. A pier was erected here by the first Earl
of Croraartie. The harbour, which was the only one on
this part of the coast capable of receiving vessels of any
considerable burthen, soon became much frequented by
vessels trading to Tain, Dornoch, and other towns; and
the subsequent introduction of manufactures into the
vicinity has contributed greatly to the increase of the
village. The principal fishery is that of herrings, which
commences in July, and continues till September : about
100 boats are engaged, each of which on an average
lands 10.5 cranes for the curers of this place, exclusively
of large quantities carried away to other parts of the
country. From the close to the commencement of the
herring-season, the inhabitants arc employed in the cod
and haddock fishery ; and from May till August, great
numbers of lobsters and salmon are taken, and sold
to vessels engaged in collecting them for the London
market. Portmahomack harbour has been much im-
proved by the construction of a pier, 4'20 feet in length,
384
to replace that erected by the Earl of Cromartie, which
had fallen into a dilapidated state : the new pier was
completed in 1815, at a cost of £3500, one-half paid by
the Commissioners of the Northern Fisheries, and the
other by the proprietor, Mr. Mc Leod of Geanies. The
depth of water at the pier is thirteen feet at spring, and
nine feet at neap, tides ; and the harbour affords safe
anchorage for vessels driven by easterly gales, which
can easily pass Tarbat Ness, where a lighthouse has
been erected. A vessel trading regularly between the
Little Ferry and Leith calls at the village both going and
returning. The number of vessels that cleared outwards
from the port in 1840 was 112, of the aggregate burthen
of 6896 tons ; and the quantity of grain exported to
London, Leith, and Liverpool, was 3003 quarters, be-
sides other agricultural produce and the fish. The spin-
ning of hemp, for which there is an establishment in the
village, belonging to Messrs. Grant and Company, of
Inverness, is carried on by females at their own houses,
affording employment to about 300 in the parish ; and
a few persons are also occupied in weaving. A post-
office has been established here under that of Tain, from
which place a gig conveying passengers arrives daily.
PORTMOAK, a parish, in the county of Kinross,
6 miles (S. E. by E.) from Kinross ; containing, with
the villages of Kinnesswood and Scotland- Well, I6l6
inhabitants. This place, anciently called Servaniis, de-
rived that appellation from a priory on the island of St,
Serf, or Servanus, in Loch Leven. Its present name,
upon very questionable authority, has been derived from
St. Moak, to whom a priory by the side of the lake is
said to have been dedicated, and from the village afford-
ing a convenient landing-place for the monks. The
parish is about nine miles in length and five in breadth,
of very irregular form, and bordering on the lake, which
adds greatly to the beauty of the place. It comprises
10,644 acres, of which 6444 are arable, 2000 pasture
and meadow, 400 woodland and plantations, and 1800
covered by the water of the loch. The surface rises gra-
dually from the east margin of the lake till it attains a
considerable elevation at the eminence called Bishop's
hill, which is more than 1000 feet above the level of the
sea ; while on the south of the lake, the land ascends
more abruptly, forming the hill of Benartie, of nearly
equal height. Beyond these points the surface becomes
level, constituting an extensive and pleasant plain. The
river Leven issues from the lake here, and two excellent
stone bridges have been erected over it. There are also
numerous springs of pure water, several of w-hich are
very copious, especially Scotland-well, and might be
rendered available to the working of mills. The scenery
has been much improved by comparatively recent planta-
tions, and some pleasing views of the surrounding coun-
try are ol)tained from the higher lands.
In this parish the soil is various; in some parts, a
heavy loam ; in others, light and sandy; and in some,
a deep moss covered with heath : in many parts it is
very fertile. The crops are, grain of all kinds, potatoes,
and ttirnips. The system of agriculture is in an im-
proved state ; the lands have been drained and inclosed,
and a considerable quantity of unprofitable ground has
been brought into cultivation. In general the farm
houses and offices are substantial and well arranged,
and all the more recent improvements in the construc-
tion of implements have been adopted. Great improve-
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PORT
ments have been lately made on land reclaimed by the
drainage of part of Loch Leven ; the employment of
workmen by Sir Graham Montgomery has been of no
small advantage to the population, and excellent crops
and beautiful fields now take the place of waste and
barren soil. Much attention is paid to the rearing of
live-stock ; the cattle are of the Fifeshire breed, and
about '250 milch-cows, 350 calves, and I'JOO head of
young cattle, are on the average pastured. The sheep
are of the Leicestershire and Cheviot breeds, of which
many are bred ; and there are about 300 horses, of
equal quality to those of the Lothians. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £8468. There
are plantations principally of larch and Scotch fir, occa-
sionally intermixed with hard-wood, for which the soil
is well adapted. The substrata are chiefly whinstone,
freestone, and limestone. The whinstone is of great
compactness, and, from the difficulty of working it, little
is quarried ; the freestone, except in some few instances,
is soft and porous. The limestone, which is of excellent
quality, was extensively quarried, and about 4000 tons
were annually raised, of which much was made into
lime for use in farming ; but from its elevated situation,
the working of it is attended with an expense which has
tended to diminish the demand for it since other quarries
in the neighbourhood have been opened. The manu-
facture of parchment has for a long period been con-
ducted with success, and a manufactory for woollen
shawls gives employment to nearly 100 workpeople, old
and young : there were formerly a tannery and a thread
manufactory, but they have both been discontinued for
some time. Fairs are held, but very little business is
transacted at them. A post-office has been established,
and facility of communication is afforded by good roads
with Kinross, the nearest post-town, and with other
places in the district.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Kirkcaldy, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of Sir
Graham Montgomery : the minister's stipend is £254.
2. 5., with an excellent manse in a beautiful situation,
and a glebe valued at £10 per annum. Portmoak
church was erected in 183'2, in place of an older edifice
which was found to be too small, and also unsafe ; the
present edifice, the cost of which was about £800, is
neat and substantial, and is adapted for a congregation
of 800 persons. There is a place of worship for mem-
bers of the Free Church. The parochial schoolmaster
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with £20 fees, and a house
and garden. Of two libraries, one is parochial. In
draining part of the lake, some spear heads and a shield
were dug up. There are some remains of the priory of
the island of St. Serf, and also of an ancient chapel at
Scotland-Well. — See Kinross.
PORTNACROISH, a village, in the parish of Lis-
MORE and AppiN, district of Lorn, county of Argyll.
This village, situated on the estate of Laroch, at the
foot of Glencoe, has gradually sprung up in conse-
quence of the extensive operations in the adjacent slate-
quarries. It is in a thriving and progressive state, and
occupied principally by miners and others connected
with the works. Previously to the year 1/60 the then
proprietor opened a vein, which was wrought with great
profit for many years; but another being discovered, that
offered superior facilities for quarrying, the works were
transferred to it from the former, and have been there
Vol. II.— 385
carried on for more than fifty years. These veins, which
are so extensive as to be considered inexhaustible, are
on the opposite sides of a valley ; and the quarries now
wrought are situated in the bed of a high mountain
rising out of Loch Leven, a branch of Loch Linuhe.
The rock is annually let to parties who manufacture the
slates by contract, and are paid at a price before agreed
upon. The colour of the material is a deep blue, spotted
with pyrites, or, as called by the workmen, " diamonds,"
incorporated into the texture of the slate. The quantity
of slate annually produced varies from 8000 to 11,000
tons; and from five to seven millions of slates are formed,
which are shipped to sea-ports both in Scotland and
Northumberland, to be transmitted thence to most parts
of the kingdom. Cargoes of them are sometimes even
sent to America and the West India colonies. The
number of persons employed, including those engaged
in the care and repair of the machinery, &c., amounts to
about 300. When separated from the rubbish in the
quarries, the blocks are conveyed by waggon-trains on
tramroads to a bank raised in the sea by refuse thrown
over. Here the slates are split and dressed ; and they
are afterwards conveyed by other tramroads, along in-
clined planes, to the harbour. The harbour is formed
by banks of rubbish projecting into the sea on each
side, and is safe and commodious. The distance from
the most remote part of the quarries to the wharf does
not exceed 650 yards. The larger part of the persons
engaged in the works have houses built with stone and
lime, slated, and consisting of three apartments ; and to
each of the houses are generally attached a cow-house, a
small vegetable garden, and some potato-ground. The
fuel in use is mostly coal, brought in the vessels which
come for slates. tj ^
PORTNAHAVEN, a port, and for a time a quoad j/
sacra parish, in the parish of Kilchoman, district of
IsLAY, county of Argyll, 18 miles (S. W. by W.) from
Bowmore; containing 1271 inhabitants. This place was
separated from Kilchoman for ecclesiastical purposes,
and erected into a quoad sacra parish, after the building
of a church here by parliamentary grant, for the accom-
modation of the inhabitants in this distant part of the
parish. The district comprises about 5000 acres, of
which one-half are in tillage or in pasture. The village
is situated at the southern extremity of the Rhinns of
Islay, opposite to the islands of Chenzie and Noarsa,
from which it is divided by a narrow firth. Its inha-
bitants are employed during the autumn in the fisheries,
and at other times in agriculture ; the fish taken here
are cod, ling, and coal-fish, which they cure, and send
in great quantities to the Irish markets. The port is
accessible to vessels of considerable burthen, but only
during favourable weather, the swell of the Atlantic at
other times rendering it unsafe : a lighthouse was erected
on the isle of Noarsa, in 1824, by the Commissioners of
Northern Lights. A good road has been constructed
by the parliamentary commissioners from this place to
Bridgend ; and it is there connected with another to
Portaskaig, previously made at the sole expense of Wal-
ter Campbell, Esq. Together they afford an easy com-
munication from the south to the north of the island of
Islay. Ecclesiastically Portnahaven is within the limits
of the presbytery of Islay and Jura, synod of Argyll ;
and the patronage is vested in the Crown : the stipend
of the minister is £120, with a manse, and a glebe va-
3 D
PORT
PORT
lued at £8 per annum. A parochial school has been lately
endowed by government.
PORTNOCKIE, a fishing-village, in the parish of
Rathven, county of Banff, 1:^ mile (N. W.) from Cullen ;
containing 725 inhabitants. This fishing-station, which
is the property of the Earl of Seafield, is situated two
miles eastward of Findochtie. It was built about the
year 1677, and has now nearly 100 boats belonging to it,
of which seventy are of the larger class, and all engaged
in the herring and other fisheries on the coast. A church
was built here a short time since, called Seafield church,
at a cost of £400, raised by subscription, towards which
the Hon. Col. Grant, now sixth Earl of Seafield, gave
£100. This portion of the parish has for a long period
been annexed quoad sacra to Cullen ; it was lately pro-
posed to erect it into an ecclesiastical district, and attach
it to the new church, but that proposition was not car-
ried into effect. The earl has built an excellent school-
house, and allows £10 per annum to the teacher, who is
permitted to charge the same fees as those at the parish
school.
PORTOBELLO, a parliamentary burgh, and for a
time a quoad sacra parish, in the parish of Dudding-
STON, county of Edinburgh, 3 miles (E.) from Edin-
burgh ; containing 3.588 inhabitants. This place, which
is situated on the Firth of Forth, about half way be-
tween Leith and Musselburgh, is of very modern origin.
It derives its name from a small inn built by a sailor, or
soldier, who served under Admiral Vernon at the taking
of Portobello, in America, in the year 1739; previously
to which time it was one dreary tract of unproductive
land covered with furze, with a wide expanse of low and
sandy shore. On this waste, called the Figgate Whins,
the monks of Holyrood were accustomed to turn loose
their cattle ; and the only passage through it was a
road designated the Fishwives' Causeway, on the side of
which was erected the inn of Portobello. In the year
1765, the discovery of a valuable bed of clay near the
Figgate rivulet, induced an enterprising builder named
Jamieson to erect a brick and tile manufactory and an
extensive pottery, for the use of which he constructed a
small harbour at the mouth of the rivulet, which has,
however, long been in a ruinous condition. Mr. Jamie-
son afterwards letting portions of the land on building
leases, a tower of brick, of fantastic design, was erected
by Mr. Cunningham ; it is now in ruins, but still gives
name to one of the streets of the present town, at the
end of which it is situated.
The convenience of the beach for sea-bathing soon
after led to the erection of various houses ; and its
proximity to Edinburgh inducing many of the citizens
to make Portobello a place of temporary residence, the
buildings rapidly increased. Thus the present town of
handsome streets, crescents of elegant houses, and plea-
sant villas, arose on the site of what had been not many
years before a solitary waste. The streets are well
paved, and lighted with gas ; and the inhabitants are
amply supplied witli water. Tiic baths are a good
range of buildings at the extremity of Bath-street, fitted
up with every requisite accommodation ; and card and
dancing assemblies, and concerts, are held in a suite of
rooms at the other end of the same street. During the
summer months I'ortoliello is fre(|ucnted by numeroiis
visiters, for whose accommodation there are many ex-
cellent lodging-houses ; and the town, with its appen-
386
dant villas beautifully situated in tastefully-ornamented
grounus, has a cheerful and prepossessing appearance.
There are some extensive potteries in the town and
neighbourhood; a large flint-glass manufactory, in which
eighty persons are employed ; a bottle manufactory, in
which are forty hands ; some chemical works, a paper
manufactory, and brick and tile works, in which also
many of the inhabitants are engaged. A valuable oyster-
bed was discovered near the town in 1839. The Porto-
bello sands, which are smooth and firm, afford a fine
promenade; and during the visit of George IV. in 1822,
the yeomanry cavalry were drawn up there, and reviewed
by His Majesty. The markets are amply supplied with
provisions of every kind ; and facility of communication
is afforded by good roads, by the North-British railway,
and by its Leith and Hawick branches.
Portobello is governed by a provost, two bailies, and
six councillors, and is associated with the towns of
Leith and Musselburgh in returning a member to the
imperial parliament. The quoad sacra parish was sepa-
rated from Duddingston, under act of the General As-
sembly in 1834, and was about a mile in length and half
a mile in breadth. It was principally a town parish :
the rural district is in a state of profitable cultivation.
Ecclesiastically the place is within the limits of the
presbytery of Edinburgh, synod of Lothian and Tweed-
dale. The minister has a stipend of £200, partly derived
from seat-rents, and secured by bond from the Managers
of the congregation : patrons, the members. There is
neither manse nor glebe. The church, or chapel of
ease, was erected in 1810, at a cost of £2650, including
its enlargement in 1839 ; it is a plain neat structure
containing upwards of 800 sittings, of which thirty are
free. An episcopal chapel here, dedicated to St. Mark,
is also a neat edifice, containing 504 sittings, of which
fifty-six are free ; the minister derives his income from
the seat-rents. There are places of worship for mem-
bers of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Synod,
and Independents ; and a Roman Catholic chapel. A
school is supported by voluntary subscription, and the
fees ; and is generally attended by about sixty scholars,
which number, if the building would allow it, might be
greatly increased. There is also a female school, prin-
cipally supported by some benevolent ladies of the place,
under whose superintendence it is conducted, and at-
tended by seventy children. Among the charitable in-
stitutions is a Destitute and Sick Society.
PORT-OF-MONTEITH, a parish, in the county of 0
Perth, 9| miles (W.) from Doune ; containing, with
the villages of Gartmoor, Ruskie, and Tomachar, 1446
inhabitants. A point on the east side of the Lake of
Monteith is supposed to have formed the chief landing-
place of the priors of Inchmahomc ; and from this cir-
cumstance it is believed to have received the appellation
of Port, a name since given to the parish. An establish-
ment of Culdees seems to have existed at a very early
period, on Inchmahomc, the principal island in the lake;
and this, in the time of Edgar, is su])[)osed to have been
superseded by a convent of Augustine monks, for whom
Walter Cumin, Earl of Monteith, obtained licence in
1238 to erect a chiirch, of which there are still some re-
mains. The village of Port was made a burgh of barony
by James MI., in 1446. In 1547, the priory of Inchma-
homc became for some time the scat of the Scottish court :
after the battle of Pinkie in September of that year the
PORT
PORT
Earl of Arran conveyed the Princess Mary, subsequently
Queen of Scots, to this place for her greater safety ; and
here, with the queen-mother, she was tended till the
removal of the court to Dumbarton Castle, there to
await the arrival of the fleet that eventually conveyed
her to France. The remains of the priory, which are in
tolerable preservation, consist chiefly of the nave and
choir of the church, with a portion of the tower. The
western entrance is almost entire ; and the side walls
of the choir, with the eastern window, though blocked
up with modern rubble-work, are still in a good state.
Not far from the centre of the choir is the beautiful
monument of Walter Stewart, Earl of Monteith, and his
countess ; and near it, a monument to Sir John Drum-
niond, of inferior workmanship. There are also portions
of the conventual buildings, to the south of the church,
consisting of the refectory, kitchen, and dormitory.
The PARISH, including a portion of that of Lany sup-
pressed in 161 5, is about nine miles in extreme length
from east to west, and about six miles in average
breadth. One-half of the lands are mountainous moor
and peat-moss, and a considerable part is occupied by
lakes ; leaving but a comparatively small portion for
agricultural purposes. The surface of the northern dis-
trict is mountainous, forming part of the Grampian
range ; and the highest point, Craig-Dhu, or " Black
Craig ", has an elevation of nearly 2000 feet : to the east
of this mountain is another, called by the Highlanders
Crnig-Dliereag, or " Red Craig ", which has an elevation
of 1600 feet. Upon the south side of the latter emi-
nence, for about a quarter of a mile, great masses of
rock that have fallen from it lie in detached heaps of
rugged form, and partly overgrown with ivy. From the
base a copious stream of limpid water issues even in the
driest seasons ; and within 300 feet of the summit is a
lake half a mile in circumference, called Loch-an-Fal-
loch, or "the hidden lake", whence a streamlet flows
into Loch Venachoir, by which the parish is bounded
on the north. The Lake of Monteith, or Loch Irtch-
mahome, the principal lake in the parish, is situated at
the base of the mountains, and is about five miles in
circumference, varying in different parts from forty-two
to eighty-three feet in depth. The island of Inchma-
home, on which are the ruins of the priory, is about
five acres in extent, and thickly wooded : the trees are
chiefly chesnut of great age and in a state of decay, in-
terspersed with ash, oak, and plane, and a profusion of
underwood, among which the venerable rums are seen
with beautiful effect. On the islet of Talla, which is
also clothed with wood, are the picturesque remains of
the castle of the Earls of Monteith. The lake abounds
with perch, trout, pike, and eels ; and previously to the
erection of some mills on the stream Guidie, or Goodie,
which issues from it, and flows into the river Forth, sal-
mon were often found in its waters. Loch Ruskie, to the
south of Craig-Dhereag, is about a mile in circumference,
and has a small island on which are the ruins of a man-
sion belonging to Sir John Monteith, commissioner of
Edward I. of England ; and to the west of Loch Inch-
mahome is Loch Macinrie, or " the lake of the king's
son ", from which a rivulet flows into the Forth.
The SOIL is various. The most extensive of the
mosses are those of Moss Flanders and Gartur, and the
Talla moss ; the first of these has been for some years
under a process, by its proprietor, David Erskine, Esq.,
387
of Cardross, for clearing off the peat by cuts of wafer
into the Forth, and converting the moss into a rich
alluvial soil. In other parts the soil is more or less
fertile, and along the Forth is a considerable tract of
carse land. A large number of sheep, principally of the
black-faced breed, are fed in the pastures ; the cattle
are a mixture of Highland and Lowland breeds. The
plantations, which are chiefly recent, are generally in a
thriving state ; and in different parts of the parish are
some trees of stately growth. The hills are mostly of
conglomerate rock and limestone ; some of the latter is
of a bluish colour, streaked with white, and of good
quality for working into mantel- pieces. In the open dis-
trict is sandstone of a grey colour, and of compact texture,
well adapted for pavements. The annual value of real
property in the parish amounts to £8100.
Cardross, the seat of Mr. Erskine, is a spacious and
handsome mansion finely situated. Rednock House, the
seat of General Graham StirUng, is a stately mansion,
to which additions have been made within the last few
years, and is seated in an extensive park, which has
been greatly improved, embellished with two sheets of
water, and richly planted. Gartmore and Leltchtown
are also handsome residences ; and on the lands of
Drunkie, Mrs. Eastmont has erected a mansion com-
manding a fine view of Loch Venachoir and the ad-
jacent district. The village of Gartmore stands plea-
santly on the road from Stirling to Inversnaid, and has
a rural appearance. A fair is held annually ; and there
were formerly several others, but they have been discon-
tinued. For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is
within the limits of the presbytery of Dunblane and
synod of Perth and Stirling : the minister's stipend is
£■269. 16. 9-, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £8 per
annum ; patron, Mr. Erskine. The parish church is a
neat plain structure, containing 380 sittings. A church
was built by subscription, in 1*90, at Gartmore, to
which a quoad sacra parish was latterly for a time
annexed. The parochial school is attended by about sixty
children ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, and the fees average £15. There are
three other schools in remote parts of the parish, one of
which has for some time received from William Camp-
bell, Esq., of Glasgow, a native of this parish, £10 per
annum as a salary for the master. In the vicinity of
Loch Ruskie are some mineral springs, which are in con-
siderable repute. a ^
PORTPATRICK, a burgh of barony, a sea-port, and 7^
parish, in the county of Wigtown, 6^ miles (S. W.) from
Stranraer, and 34 (W.) from Wigtown ; containing 2043
inhabitants, of whom 996 are in the burgh. This place,
the original name of which was derived from an ancient
chapel dedicated to St. Patrick, is noticed in several
documents under the designation of Port-Montgomery,
from its having been purchased by the Montgomery
family, together with the castle of Dunskey, from its
previous proprietor, Sir Robert Adair of Kinhilt. It
retained this appellation until its separation from the
parish of Inch, in which it was included till about the
year 1628, when, on the erection of the church, which
was dedicated to St. Patrick, and the formation of the
lands into an independent parish, it resumed its original
name. The estate subsequently became the property of
the Blair family, of whom Sir James Hunter Blair, lord
provost of Edinburgh, and member of parliament for
3 D2
PORT
PORT
that city, greatly improved the town and harbour ; and
the castle of Dunskey, and the principal lands in the pa-
rish, are now the property of Col. Hunter Blair, C.B.
PoRTPATRiCK is finely situated on the western shore of
the peninsula formed by the bay of Luce and Loch Ryan,
and is nearly opposite to the town of Donaghadee, on
the Irish coast, from which it is only twenty-one miles
distant. The houses are well built, principally of stone
found in the parish ; and the inhabitants are supplied
^ith water from wells. There are no manufactures of
any importance : a few hand-loom weavers are employed
in working up the yarn spun by families, for domestic
use ; and several of the females are engaged in embroi-
dering muslin. The chief trade of the town is derived
from its being the principal packet-station for conveying
the government mails to Ireland ; and from the fisheries
off the coast. The beach affords excellent accommoda-
tions for bathing ; and during the summer months the
place is much frequented by visiters, for whose recep-
tion there are numerous comfortable lodging-houses
and a commodious inn. On the south side of the town
is a stnmgly impregnated chalybeate spring, issuing
from a rock, during the whole of the year ; it is in high
repute for its medicinal virtues, and often resorted to
by invalids. The harbour, having been greatly improved
under the superintendence of the late Mr. Rennie and
his son, the present Sir John Rennie, is now one of the
best on this part of the coast. A lighthouse has been
erected on the pier, which displays a reflected light ;
and there is also one at Donaghadee ; which together
render the passage perfectly safe during the night.
Ship and boat building are carried on here to a moderate
extent ; but very few vessels of large burthen have been
recently built. There are four vessels belonging to the
port, which is a creek under that of Stranraer. They
are of from twenty to eighty tons each, and chiefly em-
ployed in the coasting-trade, which consists principally
in the exportation of agricultural produce, and the im-
portation of cattle and lime from Ireland, and coal from
Ayr. The herring-fishery was formerly considerable,
but has been altogether superseded by the cod-fishery,
in which ten boats, of three men each, are engaged from
the beginning of November till the beginning of April,
each boat realising a profit of £20 during the season.
Portpatrick was erected into a burgh of barony by
charters of James VI. and Charles I., but the charters
have never been carried into operation, nor have any
magistrates for the burgh been appointed ; a justice of
peace for the county presides over the district, and a
constable is resident here, under a superintendent at
Stranraer, the nearest market-town. The post-oflice has
a tolerable good delivery ; and facility of communication
is afforded by the turnpike-roads to Glasgow and Dum-
fries, and by the two post-oflice steam-packets stationed
here for the conveyance of the mail to Donaghadee, and
which also take passengers.
The PARISH is about four miles and a half in extreme
lengtli and four miles in extreme breadth, comprising an
area of 9.'iOO acres, of which 6300 arc arable, 300 wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder meadow, pas-
ture, and waste. Its surface is boldly undulated, rising
in some parts into hills of considerable elevation, which
take their names from the farms whereon they stand,
and of which the highest is Cairnpat, 800 feet above the
level of the sea, and commanding an extensive and
388
richly-diversified prospect over a country abounding
with interesting features and beautifully romantic sce-
nery. There are no rivers of any importance ; but nu-
merous small and rapid streams intersect the lands in
various directions, of which the Craigoch burn abounds
with trout : the Piltanton burn, after forming the eastern
boundary of the parish, flows into Luce bay. The
coast, about four miles in extent, is very precipitous,
rising to a height of 130 feet, and indented with several
caverns, though of no great size, and with numerous
bays, the principal of which are Castle bay, Port-Mur-
ray, Port-Kaile, Mirroch bay at the extreme south, and
Killintringan bay at the extreme north. In this parish
the SOIL is various ; in some parts, a hazel mould alter-
nated with sand ; in others, a black deep loam, chiefly
of reduced moss, on a clayey subsoil ; and in other parts,
resting on gravel. The crops are, grain of all kinds,
turnips, and potatoes, with other vegetables, and some
garden produce. The system of husbandry is improved,
and much waste land has been brought into cultiva-
tion ; the farm houses and offices are substantial and
well arranged, and the lands generally inclosed with
fences of stone. Few sheep are kept ; the cattle are
usually of the Galloway breed, and great attention is
paid to their improvement. Tlie plantations consist of
oak, ash, sycamore, beech, elm, chesnut, larch, spruce
and silver fir, and pinaster : they are carefully managed,
and in a very thriving state. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £3185. Dunskey House, the
seat of Col. Hunter Blair, is a spacious and handsome
mansion, erected in 1706, and greatly enlarged and im-
proved by the late and the present proprietor ; the
grounds are tastefully laid out, and embellished with
plantations. Behind the house is an artificial lake of
four acres, round which a carriage drive has been formed
along the margin ; and in a glen within the demesne is
a romantic cataract formed by the Auchtrematane burn,
which falls from a rocky height of sixty feet into the ra-
vine beneath, and flows with a gentle current through the
glen into the bay of Port-Kaile.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Stranraer and synod of Gallo-
way. The minister's stipend is £1.58. 6. 8., of which
about one-half is paid from the exchequer ; with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per annum : patron.
Col. Blair. Portpatrick old church, erected in 1628,
was a cruciform structure with a circular belfry-turret,
and contained 300 sittings ; it was in very indifferent
repair, and a new church has been completed. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
The parochial school is well conducted ; the master has
a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and the fees
average about £25 per annum. Of several other schools
in the parish some are partly endowed, and others sup-
ported solely by the fees ; for one, a handsome house
has been erected chiefly by Col. Bhiir and his sister.
There are also Sabbath schools, to which, and to the
parochial school, libraries are attached ; and the poor
receive the proceeds of a bequest of £180 by a former
Earl of Stair. Some remains exist of the castle of Duns-
key ; and the site ol the ancient mansion of the Adairs
of Kinhilt is still pointed out. Around the summit of
the hill of Cairnpat are remains of two walls of stone,
the intrcnchmcnts jjrobably of some fortress j but the
greater portion has been removed for fences.
PORT
PORT
PORTREE, a parish, in the county of Inverness ;
including the islands of Fladda, Rasay, and Rona ; and
containing 35*4 inhabitants, of whom 510 are in the
village of Portree, 21 miles (E.) from Dunvegan, '25
miles (N. W.) from Broadford, 80 (N. by E.) from Tober-
mory, 109 (VV. by S.) from Inverness, and 110 (N. by
W.) from Oban. This place was formerly called CeiU-
tarraglan, a compound Gaelic term which signifies " a
burying-ground at the bottom of a glen ", and which was
particularly appropriate ; but after the visit of King
James V. to the northern portion of his dominions, and
his putting into the bay here, where he remained for
some time, the name was changed to Portree, that is.
Port Toi or righ, "the king's harbour." The parish con-
sists of the portion properly called Portree, in the Isle of
Skye ; and of the islands of Rasay, Rona, and others of
small extent, separated from the main body by a branch
of the Atlantic Ocean, called Rasay sound. It measures
seventeen miles in length and twelve in breadth, and is
principally a pastoral district, the quantity of land under
tillage being very small in comparison with the part un-
cultivated. On the east is an arm of the sea dividing
Rasay from the parishes of Gairloch and Applecross.
The long line of coast exhibits great diversity of appear-
ance : its lofty and almost perpendicular rocks are suc-
ceeded in some places, especially at the heads of the
lochs, by sudden depressions sinking almost to the level
of the beach ; and the shores are intersected by nume-
rous breaks and fissures. Among the bays are those of
Loch Inord, Loch Sligichan, Camistinavaig, and several
small bays in the island of Rasay ; but that of Portree is
by far the most considerable : it is capable of containing
several hundred sail, shelter on all sides being afforded
by very high lands, and its tenacious clayey bottom sup-
plying excellent anchorage. The Rasay branch of the
Atlantic, which washes the parish throughout its whole
length, is sufficiently deep for the passage of a first-rate
ship of war. It receives a large influx of fresh water
from the hills on each side, bringing down earthy depo-
sits, which, from the rapidity of the currents in its firths,
render it turbid in wintry or stormy weather ; but in
the tranquillity of summer it is beautifully clear.
In the INTERIOR the surface is varied with hills, val-
leys, and plains, interspersed with innumerable springs
of the purest water, several lakes and rivulets, and some
highly ornamental cascades, which together render the
scenery deeply interesting. The district is circumscribed
by a most circuitous and irregular outline, approaching
in its general form to an oblong ; and is traversed from
north to south by a glen, skirted on each side by a range
of hills greatly differing in height and dimensions. The
most striking elevation is that called Aite Suidhe Fhin,
" the sitting-place of Fingal", where that celebrated hero
is traditionally reported to have sat to direct his followers
in the chase, and which, rising gradually from the head
of Loch Portree, reaches 2000 feet above the level of the
sea. Near this, on the east side of the harbour, and of
almost equal height with the former, rises the hill of
Peindinavaig, or " the hill of protection "; while much
to the south are the hill of Beinligh and that of Gla-
maig, with the loch of Sligichan between them. The
latter eminence is crowned with a verdant tract, and has
a spring sending forth an immense quantity of clear water.
Indeed, all the elevations, except a few, are covered to
their summits with excellent pasture for sheep and cattle,
389
and are well watered with springs and rivulets. There
are six fresh-water lochs, or lakes, most of which abound
in good trout ; and though of no great extent, the largest
not being above a mile long, they exhibit much pictu-
resque and beautiful scenery. From their vicinity may
be seen the hills of Cullins, in the parish of Bracadale,
and of Store, in the parish of Snizort. A lake in Rasay,
in favourable weather, affords a very fine prospect of all
the hills in the district, to the point of Hunish, with the
expanse of sea to the island of Lewis. The climate is
most variable, many descriptions of weather being fre-
quently experienced within the space of a day and night;
and diseases arising from the sudden changes of tempe-
rature are often prevalent.
Between the hills the soil is to a great extent peat-
moss, whence the inhabitants are amply supplied with
their ordinary fuel; but the soil most general is a gra-
velly earth, abounding in springs. These render the land
raw and unproductive ; and in addition to the natural
sterility of the soil, to the poverty of the inhabitants, and
their necessarily imperfect system of husbandry, the vicis-
situde of the weather, both in seed-time and in harvest,
causes great uncertainty and risk. The mainland part
of the parish belongs to Lord Macdonald ; and the island
of Rasay, with its subordinate isles, to G. Rainy, Esq.,
who purchased it in 1845. The then proprietor of Port-
ree, about the year 1811, for the accommodation of the
rapidly increasing population, caused all the farms held
by small tenants to be subdivided into allotments or
crofts. This tended still further to increase the number
of persons located here ; and the inhabitants now far
exceed the productive capabilities of the soil : the tenants
are thus placed upon the lowest possible scale with re-
spect to the comforts of life, and the land is kept far
below the average state of that in neighbouring dis-
tricts. The crooked spade is used, and is well suited to
the peculiar character of the surface, the arable portion
frequently hanging on steeps and precipices, and being
set with rocks or large stones : after the seed is sown
the hollows and inequalities are neatly raked over, and
smoothed with a hand-harrow. Even were the tenants
competent to the undertaking, the land is incapable of
successful drainage, as its springs would soon cause it
to revert to its original spongy nature. The crofters live
in huts of the meanest description, and are often with-
out proper food and clothing ; a state of depression in
no way attributable to any indisposition to promote im-
provements, but arising from circumstances which they
are unable to control. Their sobriety and general cha-
racter are spoken of in the highest terms ; and the pro-
prietor has expended considerable sums of money in
sending part of the population to the British colonies in
North America.
A large tract in the parish is undivided common, con-
sisting of hill pasture which is covered in the summer
months with cattle. The cattle are small but hardy, and
mostly out of shelter for the whole year. They are sup-
ported in the winter on straw ; but after feeding at the
return of spring on the pasture, which is chiefly moss-
grass, they acquire strength and flesh. They are sold to
the south-country dealers in large numbers, to be fat-
tened for the markets of England, where they are much
esteemed, and fetch a high price. The sheep are a cross
between the native stock and the black-faced of the
south j and the horses, though very small, are hardy.
PORT
PORT
The breeds of both cattle and sheep are much attended
to ; and great improvements have taken place in conse-
quence of the stimulus given by the premiums of the
Highland and local agricultural societies. Coal was
wrought about the beginning of the present century bythe
then Lord Macdonald ; but after a regular system of ope-
rations had been for some time carried on by experienced
colliers from the south, the quantity raised was found
insufficient to remunerate the proprietor for the great ex-
pense incurred, and the ^Tork was abandoned. Excellent
granite is found in several places, particularly inRasay;
and being of very hard texture, it is formed into mill-
stones for grinding oats and barley, which are sold at
from £9 to £12 a pair, and supply all the mills in the
Isle of Skye. Limestone is abundant ; and at Portree,
on both sides of the harbour, freestone is found in very
large quantities in the lofty rocks, which are nearly per-
pendicular. Stone of the same species, but of far supe-
rior quality, is obtained in great plenty in Rasay ; and
some of it was used a few years since, in building the
elegant mansion of the proprietor of that island, the
only gentleman's seat in the parish. Near this residence
are some fine old trees ; the other wood in the parish is
plantation of Scotch fir, larch, birch, ash, and oak, of
recent formation, and situated principally in the island
of Rasay and the village of Portree.
The village contains several good houses and shops,
and a branch establishment of the National Bank of
Scotland. The sheriff-substitute of the district of Skye
holds his courts in the court-room of the gaol here, as
the superintendent of the judicial affairs of the place;
and there is a post-office having a delivery of letters
three times a week. A good road has been formed
through the whole length of the parish, under the direc-
tion of the parliamentary commissioners for making
roads in the Highlands and islands; and Glasgow steam-
boats come regularly into the harbour, by which means
the cattle and other produce are sent to the southern
markets. Salmon also, the fishing of which belongs to
a small company from the south, is cured in the village,
and forwarded to the ports of Glasgow and London.
Three fairs are held, respectively in May, July, and No-
vember, the two former for the sale of black-cattle, and
the latter for the hiring of servants and for other busi-
ness. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £3195. It is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Skye,
synod of Glenelg, and in the patronage of the Crown :
the minister's stipend is £150, of which about one-half
is received from the exchequer; with a manse, and a
glebe, consisting principally of moss and hill pasture,
and valued at £11 per annum. The church was built
about the year 18'i0, and will accommodate 800 persons
with sittings: it is situated in the village, but on account
of its distance from the southern boundary it is incon-
venient for a considerable portion of the j)opulation. A
missionary is stationed in the parish, on the establish-
ment of the Committee of the General Assembly, and
receives a salary from the bounty allowed by the crown
for the benefit of the Highlands. The parochial school,
situated in the village, aifords instruction in Latin, Greek,
geography, book-keeping, and the elementary branches;
the master has a salary of £34.4., with a house, an allow-
ance for a garden, and £5 fees. There is a branch paro-
chial school in Rasay, in which the elementary branches
are taught; also two Gaelic schools in the parish.
390
PORTSBURGH, a burgh of barony, in the parish
of St. Cuthbert, county of Edinburgh, This place,
which was once a portion of the barony of Inverleith,
was conveyed by its ancient lords, the family of Touris,
to Hepburn of Humby, from whose descendants the
superiority was purchased in 1648 by the corporation
of Edinburgh. Of that city it now forms an integral
part, comprising Easter and Wester Portsburgh, which
are divided by the lands stretching along the north
boundary of the Heriot's Hospital estate, and the old
south wall of the city. Easter Portsburgh comprehends
the district to the east of Bristo-street, including Pot-
ter-row and Lothian and South-College streets, with
parts of Drummond and Nicholson streets. Wester
Portsburgh comprises the lands extending from Whar-
ton-Iane to Lochrin, including the site of the King's
stables to the south of the castle, and the whole of
Laurieston, with Cowfield-row, Portland-place, and
Home and Leven streets. The district intervening
between Easter and Wester Portsburgh embraces the
west side of Bristo-street, Park-place, Teviot-row, the
Meadow-walk, and the sites and grounds of Watson's
and the Lying-in hospitals; all forming parts of the city
of Edinburgh, which see. Portsburgh is governed by a
baron-bailie, generally one of the old magistrates of
Edinburgh, two resident assistant bailies, and a procu-
rator-fiscal, appointed by the town-council of the city,
whose magistrates have jurisdiction both in civil and
criminal cases, and hold courts for the determination of
pleas to any amount, and for the trial of all offences not
capital. The ancient mansion-house was the seat of
Napier of Merchiston, the inventor of logarithms.
PORTSEATON, a village, in that part of the parish
of Tranent which formed a portion of the quoad sacra
parish of Cockenzie, county of Haddington, 2 miles
(N. by W.) from Tranent ; containing 2/0 inhabitants.
This place derived its name from the family of Seaton,
Earls of Winton, who were proprietors of the estate on
which it is built. It stands on the shore of the Firth of
Forth, and is inhabited by persons connected with the
fisheries, in conjunction with the population of Cockenzie,
of which it may be regarded as a continuation, and under
which head the fisheries are described. A mill has been
erected for the preparation of linseed-oil ; it is worked
by steam, and after the extraction of the oil, the residue
is formed into cakes for feeding cattle. Seaton House,
a magnificent palace, and partially occupied in 1715 by
the old Brigadier Mackintosh, has been removed, with its
fine gardens and terrace-walks, and is succeeded by a
mansion of no architectural pretensions. The ancient
collegiate church, which was considerably injured by the
Earl of Hertford in 1544, and more wantonly in subse-
quent times, is an interesting specimen of Gothic archi-
tecture, and is now carefully preserved by the Earl of
Wemyss, the proprietor ; it contains the mausoleum of
the Seaton family. The children of the village attend
the schools established in the parish.
PORTSKERRAY, a village, in that part of the
parish of Reay which is in the county of Sutherland,
13 miles (W. S. \V.) from Thurso ; containing 3/1 inha-
bitants. This village is situated on the bay of Bighouse,
about a mile eastward of the village of Melvich, and on
the turnpike- road from Thurso to Tongue. It is inha-
bited chiefly by persons engaged in the fisheries, which
are carried on here to a considerable extent. The scenery
PORT
P K E M
f
is enlivened by the windings of the river Halladale, which
flows near the western extremity into the bay, where a
small harbour has been formed, affording secure shelter
to the vessels employed in the fishery. Cod, ling, turbot,
skate, whiting, haddocks, flounders, sand-eels, and occa-
sionally smelts, are taken ; and a herring and a salmon
fishery have been established some years with success.
PORTSOY, a sea-port town, a burgh of barony, and
for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the parish of For-
DYCE, county of Banff, 8 miles (W. by N.) from Banff,
and 18 (E. by N.) from Fochabars ; containing IT'iO in-
habitants, of whom 1523 are in the burgh. This place
is supposed to have derived its name from Loch Soy,
originally an extensive sheet of water in its immediate
vicinity, but which since the erection of the town has
been greatly reduced by draining, and is now converted
into a mill-dam. Portsoy is a place of some antiquity,
and appears by charter of Mary, Queen of Scots, granted
in 1550 to Walter Ogilvy of Boyne, its ancient proprietor,
to have been erected into a burgh of barony : the Earl
of Seafield is now the superior. The town is situated
on a point of land projecting into the Moray Firth, and
on the western bank of the streamlet Durn, which here
falls into the sea ; it is small, and irregularly built, but
of very good appearance. Though not precipitous, the
coast is bold and rocky. Most of the houses command
a fine view of the sea, and the environs comprise much
pleasing scenery, which derives additional interest from
the mansion-house of Durn, within half a mile of the
town. Two public libraries, containing volumes on his-
tory and general literature, are supported by subscrip-
tion ; and there is a small theological library, in con-
nexion with the Sabbath school. The manufacture of
fine linen and thread, formerly carried on here for the
supply of the English market, has been some years dis-
continued ; and the only manufacture now pursued is
that of ropes for the use of the fishermen, together with
the making of various trinkets from the Portsoy marble,
for which the parish is celebrated.
The staple trade of the place is the exportation of
grain and herrings, and the importation of coal, bones
for manure, and a few other commodities. The number
of vessels registered as belonging to the port is eight, of
the aggregate burthen of 556 tons, and all employed in
the coasting-trade ; and about an equal number of foreign
vessels, from various parts of the Baltic, annually visit the
port, landing cargoes of bones, and taking away herrings
in return. Portsoy harbour affords safe accommodation
to vessels of 100 tons. In 1S2S it was greatly improved
by the construction of a new pier, at great expense, by
the Earl of Seafield, rendering it one of the most secure
and commodious harbours on the coast. This pier was,
however, considerably injured by a violent storm on the
7th of January, 1839; and, by a second storm on the
30th of that month, was totally demolished. It has
not since been rebuilt ; the old pier is consequently still
used for loading and unloading vessels, and, though
small, is not inconvenient. About ten boats are em-
ployed in the cod and herring fisheries off the coast,
each boat having a crew of four men ; and when the
fishermen go to more distant stations, larger boats are
used, having crews of from five to seven men each. In
successful seasons, each man upon an average clears £30.
There is a small distillery in the town ; and a mill for
crushing bones, a saw-mill, and a threshing-mill, have
391
been built, all of which are driven by the same water-
wheel. Branches of the North of Scotland Bank, the
Aberdeen Bank, and the B inff Savings' Bank, have been
established ; there are several inns, and various shops
for the supply of the neighbourhood. The market,
which is amply furnished with provisions of every kind,
and with agricultural produce, is held weekly on Satur-
day, and is numerously attended. The post-office has a
tolerable delivery ; and facility of communication is
maintained by excellent roads, of which the turni)ike-
roads to Banff, CuUen, Elgin, Keith, and Iluntly, pass
through the parish. In 1846 an act was passed autho-
rizing the construction of a railway from Aberdeen to In-
verness, with branches to Portsoy and other places.
The burgh, under its original charter, ratified by
James VI., is governed by a baron-bailie chosen by the
Earl of Seafield ; but though vested with the ordinary
powers, the bailie neither holds any courts nor exercises
any jurisdiction, rather adjusting differences as an arbiter
than using authority as a magistrate ; and the burgh
has neither property nor revenue. A small weekly
custom is raised, sufficient to pay the salary of the
person appointed to superintend the market. The church,
or chapel of ease, erected at a cost of nearly £900, is a
neat substantial structure containing about 700 sittings :
the minister has a stipend of £80, of which £40 are paid
by the Earl of Seafield, who is patron, and the remain-
der is derived from the seat-rents. The former quoad
sacra parish of Portsoy, including the town and sur-
rounding district, and comprising an area of nearly five
square miles, was separated from Fordyce under act of
the General Assembly, in 1836. There are also in the
town an episcopal chapel, a Free church, and a Roman
Catholic chapel. A school is chiefly supported by the
Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, who pay
the master a salary of £15, to which £5 are added by
the Earl of Seafield ; he has also a house, and grass for
a cow, in addition to the school-fees, averaging about £20
annually.
PORT-WILLIAM, a village, in the parish of Moch-
RUM, county of Wigtown, 85 miles (S. W.) from Wig-
town ; containing 634 inhabitants. This is a neat and
thriving sea-port village, situated on the eastern shore
of Luce bay. It was built about 17 62 by Sir William
Maxwell, Bart., of Monreith, in honour of whom it is
named. In I788 small barracks were erected here for
military, and for custom-house officers, in order to the
prevention of contraband trade. The harbour is safe
and commodious, and large quantities of potatoes and
grain are shipped for Liverpool and Lancaster. The bay
abounds with fish of excellent quality, and in great
variety. In the village is a post-office, which has a daily
delivery ; and a school, endowed by the lady of the pre-
sent baronet, is attended by about eighty children.
POWFOOT, a village, in the parish of Cummer-
trees, county of Dumfries, 2^ miles (W. by S.) from
Annan, containing 72 inhabitants. This is a pretty,
rural watering-place on the Solway Firth ; and forms a
branch station of a fishery, in which its population is en-
gaged. The parochial church stands about a mile north-
east of the village.
PREMNAY, a parish, in the district of Garioch,
county of Aberdeen, 3| miles (S. S. W.) from Old Rain;
containing, with the village of Auchleven, 69 1 inhabitants.
This parish is about four miles and a half in length from
P R EM
PR ES
north to south, and four miles in extreme breadth. It
comprises between 5000 and 6000 acres, of which 3'200
are arable, fifty acres plantations, and the remainder, with
the exception of a small extent of good pasture, is waste,
moor, and mountain. The surface is considerably diver-
sified. A chain of beautiful little hills or undulations
extends along the centre from east to west : it is en-
tirely cultivated except on the summits, which are covered
with whins on a thin rocky soil : and from the bases of
the range, extensive tracts of arable land rise on each side
with gentle ascent. The northern portion of the parish
is watered by the Shevock, a small stream forming about
a mile of its boundary, and separating it from the pa-
rish of Insch ; and the southern by the stream of the
Gady, which enters on the west near the church of Leslie,
and continues its course to the eastern limit, between
acclivities well cidtivated, and occasionally ornamented
with picturesque hedge-rows. On the south side of this
stream, which like the Shevock affords good trout, and
opposite to the parish church, which is situated on its
northern bank, rises the elevation of Tillymuick, a hill
of moderate height and bleak appearance. A little
farther southward is the mountain of Benochie, having
its western extremity in this parish, and the summit of
which, 1500 feet above the level of the sea, commands in-
teresting and extensive prospects, embracing on the east
many miles of the shore of the German Ocean, and on
the north the Moray Firth, and the Caithness hills in the
distance.
In general the soil is dry and productive, incumbent
on a gravelly subsoil or on rock, and well suited to
turnip husbandry ; near the bases of the two principal
hills it is poor, and rests upon a hard tenacious earth.
The crops consist of oats, bear, turnips, potatoes, and
grass ; the cultivation of which, with the rearing of
black-cattle and a few sheep and horses, constitutes the
chief employment. A rotation of crops is practised ;
but the inclosures are very few in number, as well as
deficient in condition, and many improvements in hus-
bandry are still wanting. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Premnay is £2226. There are several kinds of
rock. The most abundant species is red granite, which
is found in great plenty in Tillymuick and Benochie, and,
being easily wrought, is extensively used throughout the
neighbouring district for building purposes. The hills
in the centre of the parish supply a coarse stone well
adapted for roads and drains. Serpentine and limestone
also exist, and there are some beds of very fine clay.
The mosses on the lower grounds are almost entirely
exhausted, and nearly the whole brought into cultivation :
the mosses on Benochie are also in a great measure ex-
hausted, but still resorted to for fuel. Licklyhead, a
castellated mansion, long the family seat of the pro-
prietors of Premnay, was erected about 200 years since,
and is still inhabited. Overhall is a modern residence,
built in a plain manner, and in pretty good repair.
The village of Auchleven contains about twenty houses,
and also one of the three corn-mills in the parish, which
18 turned by the water of the Gady ; one of the others
is on the Shevock, and the third at (iariochsford. The
females are partly employed in spinning wool, and in
knitting stockings and under-clothing of worsted. There
is also a small manufactory at Auchleven, where two
spinning-jennies, two carding-engincs, and two or three
hand-looms are employed in the manufacture of woollen
392
cloth. The public road from Insch to Keig passes over
the Gddy, at the village, by a bridge of two arches,
erected in 1836 at a cost of £'0 ; and this road is crossed
near the centre of the parish by another, leading from
the upper district of the county to Mill of Garden, where
it joins the great road from Inverness to Aberdeen. A
third road, lately made from Kinnethmont to Inverury,
passes through the north side of the parish. The pro-
duce is generally sent to Inverury, eleven miles distant
from the church ; whence coal, lime, and guano and
bones for manure, are obtained at all times for the use
of the district. Bear from this place is used at the dis-
tilleries of Inverury and other places. Ecclesiastically
the parish is within the limits of the presbytery of
Garioch, synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of
Sir Andrew Leith Hay, of Rannes : the minister's sti-
pend is £159, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £12
per annum. Premnay church, built in 1*92, has 360
sittings, all of which are free with the exception of sixty
in a gallery erected in 1827 by the Kirk Session, with
consent of the heritors. The parochial school affords in-
struction in Latin, Greek, mathematics, geography, book-
keeping, and all the elementary branches : the master has
a salary of £27, with a house, an allowance for a garden,
and £11 fees ; also a share of the Dick bequest. The
interest of £1000, left by the late Thomas Gordon, Esq.,
is distributed among the poor.
PRESTON, county of Berwick. — See Bunkle.
PRESTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Cranston,
county of Edinburgh, 1 mile (E. N. E.) from the village
of Cranston ; containing 35 inhabitants. It is situated
in the eastern quarter of the parish ; and near it is
Preston Hall, the splendid mansion of Wm. Burn Cal-
lender, Esq.
PRESTON, a village, in the parish of Prestonp.\ns,
county of Haddington, 1^ mile (N. W. by W.) from
Tranent; containing 57 inhabitants. This place, now
small and decayed, was formerly a considerable village,
and had a noted fair in October, called St. Jerome's fair.
The barony was long the property of the Hamilton fa-
mily, and there is the ruin of a tower in which they re-
sided, and which was accidentally burnt in 1633. Of
this ruin and the park around it. Sir William Hamilton,
who is descended from the ancient possessors of the
barony, has recently become proprietor. Preston now
consists of a few mean houses and some old mansions ;
but its situation is pleasantly rural and retired. In the
vicinity is an hospital founded by Dr. James Schaw, in
1784, for the maintenance and education of twenty-four
boys, with preference to those of the names of Schaw,
Macniell, Cunningham, and Stewart : the present very
commodious building was erected in 1831, near the site
of the old mansion of Preston House, which stood be-
hind it, and had been previously used as the hospitaL
At the end of the village is the ancient cross.
PRESTON-MILL, a village, in the parish of Kirk-
bean, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 14 miles (S.) from
Dumfries; containing 76 inhabitants.
PRESTONHOLMK, a village, in the parish of Cock-
pen, county of Edinburgh, i a mile (S. by W.) from
the village of (^ockpcn ; containing 210 inhabitants. It
is situated in the south-eastern quarter of the jiarish, on
the bank of the river South Esk ; and is the seat of a
considerable flux-spinning establishment, the proprietors
of which support a school for the children of the work-
PRES
P R ES
men, allowing the master a dwelling-house, and a salary
of £70.
PRESTONKIRK, a parish, in the county of Had-
dington, 5 miles (K. N. E.) from Haddington ; contain-
ing, with the village of Linton, about 1/00 inhabitants.
This place, originally called Linton from the principal
village, assumed at the time of the Reformation the name
of Prestonhaugh, from the position of its church near a
meadow on the bank of the Tyne ; and this name it still
retains in legal documents, in common with its present
appellation of Prestonkirk, which it afterwards obtained.
The parish is about seven miles in length from north to
south, and four miles in breadth from east to west, com-
prising an area of 6'270 acres, of which 200 are meadow
and pasture, and the remainder arable, with a little waste
and wood. Its surface is nearly uniform, being broken
only by the hill of Traprain Law, in some parts of nearly
perpendicular, and in all of precipitate, elevation ; and
by a very narrow, deep, and richly-fertile vale watered
by a rivulet. The scenery upon the whole is pleasing,
but not adorned with wood, except near the church and
the hamlet of Preston, where are some trees of remark-
ably fine growth. The river Tyne, which has its rise
within ten miles of Haddington, intersects the parish
from west to east, dividing it into two nearly equal por-
tions, and falls into the sea about three miles from Dun-
bar. It forms a beautiful cascade at the village of Linton,
which from that circumstance derives its name. The
extent and beauty of this fall have, however, been greatly
diminished by the cutting of the rocks, which were sup-
posed to obstruct the passage of the salmon up the river;
and it is only after floods or continued rains that the
cascade displays its wonted grandeur. The removal of
the obstructions, moreover, has not added to the quan-
tity of the salmon, which are still of small size and in
small number ; but trout of large size, eels, and floun-
ders, are obtained in plenty and of excellent quality. A
little above the old bridge over the river, is the Linton
viaduct of the North-British railway, presenting one of
the finest objects of all the works on the line.
In this parish the soil is generally good, in some
parts exceedingly rich ; the crops are wheat, oats, barley,
potatoes, turnips, and mangel-wurzel. The system of
agriculture is highly advanced. Considerable progress
has been made in draining and inclosing the lands; there
is little waste or unprofitable land, and all the more
recent improvements in the construction of implements
of husbandry have been adopted. The introduction of
bone-dust, rape, and guano manures has been attended
with success ; the farm-buildings are substantial and
commodious, and on most of the farms are threshing-
mills, of which the greater part are driven by steam.
There are substrata of limestone, claystone, and clink-
stone. The limestone is of a reddish brown colour, in-
terspersed with veins of flint, and is covered with a deep
incrustation of calcareous marl, which is substituted for
lime in various agricultural uses. The claystone, which
is by far the most extensive, appears in some places of
the basaltic character, of a dark brown colour inclining
to purple, impregnated with iron, and containing por-
phyry and crystals of felspar. The clinkstone has many
varieties, resembling greenstone in some parts, in others
interspersed with veins of yellow jasper susceptible of a
high polish, and in others with veins of heavy spar. The
annual value of real property in Prestonkirk is £16,'256.
Vol. II.— 393
Smeaton House, the seat of Sir Thomas B. Hepburn,
Bart., is a handsome modern mansion ; Beanston, the
property of the Earl of Wemyss, has been deserted, and
is fast going to decay. The village of Linton is plea-
santly situated on the banks of the Tyne, and is a rising
place, with a newly established corn-market. It enjoys
facility of intercourse with the neighbouring towns by
good roads, which have been much improved : the great
London road passes for four miles, and the North-British
railway for u])wards of two miles, through the parish ;
and the railw;iy has a station at Linton. There are
several mills for oatmeal and barley, and one for flour.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Dunbar, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the
patronage of Sir Charles Dalrymple Fergusson, Bart. :
the minister's stipend averages £310, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £'27. 10. per annum. Prestonkirk
church was built in 1770, and enlarged in 18'24 ; it is a
neat substantial edifice adajited for a congregation of
800 persons. There are places of worship for the Free
Church and the United Presbyterian Synod. The paro-
chial school is well conducted, and the master has a
salary of £34. 4., with £.S0 fees, and a house and gar-
den : a female parochial school is managed by a mistress,
who has a salary of £3, with a house and schoolroom.
There are one or two libraries, and two or three friendly
societies. A church appears to have been founded here
at a very early period by St. Baldred, the tutelar saint;
but it was destroyed, together with the neighbouring
village, in an irruption of the Saxons. At Hailes are
the ruins of Hailes Castle, for some time the residence
of Mary, Queen of Scots, when carried off from Edin-
burgh by the Earl of Bothwell, its proprietor ; part of
it is appropriated as a granary, and the remainder is
rapidly passing into decay. On the lands of Markle are
the ruins of an ancient religious house, of which, after
the Reformation, the greater portion of the lands was
resumed by the crown, and annexed to the chapel royal
at Stirling : little is known of the history of the esta-
blishment, but from the ruins it seems to have been of
great extent, and the building of very rude character.
There are several large upright stones, supposed to point
out the places of interment of chiefs killed in battle ; and
in the immediate neighbourhood of one of these, near
the village of Linton, stone coffins have been frequently
discovered. George Rennie, Esq., of Phantassie, in this
parish, was celebrated for his extensive improvements in
agriculture : his son, the late John Rennie, Esq., emi-
nent as a civil engineer, was born and educated here.
Andrew Meikle, who, if not the original inventor of the
threshing-machine, at least brought it to its present
state of perfection, lived and died at Prestonkirk ; and a
tombstone is erected to his memory in the churchyard.
— See Linton.
PRESTONPANS, a parish, in the county of Had-
dington ; containing, with the villages of Cuthill, Dol-
phingstone, and Preston, and part of the former quoad
sacra parish of Cockenzie, 2234 inhabitants, of whom
1659 are in the town of Prestonpans, 8 miles (E.) from
Edinburgh. This place derived its name, originally
Preston, or Prieststown, from its belonging to the monks
of Holyrood, who eventually erected pans on the sea-
shore for the manufacture of salt, after which it obtained
the name of Salt-Preston, since changed into its pre-
sent designation. In 1.544, the town, which appears
3 E
PR ES
PRES
to have arisen from the establishment of the salt-works,
was burnt by the English forces under the Earl of
Hertford, on his invasion of Scotland ; and the castle
and the church were at the same time destroyed. From
its situation on the high road to Edinburgh, it was,
during its occupation by the monks of Holyrood, fre-
quently honoured with the visits of kings of Scotland ;
and there are still remaining the vestiges of buildings
supposed to have been inhabited by brethren of that
monastery. In the immediate vicinity occurred, in 1745,
the conflict called the battle of Prestonpans, in which
the royal forces were defeated with great slaughter by
the Highland troops in the interest of the Young Pre-
tender, and which really took place within the limits of
the parish of Tranent.
The particulars of the battle are shortly these. Sir
John Cope, the commander of the royal forces, on the
afternoon of the 20th of September, perceiving the van-
guard of the Young Pretender's army, drew up his troops
in order of battle, having his foot in the centre, with a
regiment of dragoons and three pieces of artillery on
each wing. His right was covered by Col. Gardiner's
park wall, and by the village of Preston ; at some dis-
tance on his left stood Seaton House ; and the sea,
with the villages of Prestonpans and Cockenzie, lay
upon his rear. The Highlanders advancing with the
utmost alacrity and spirit, the two armies were soon
only a mile apart ; the prince's occupying the ridge be-
yond the town of Tranent, with a gentle descent and a
deep morass between them and their enemy. But, how-
ever desirous Prince Charles was to indulge the impa-
tience of his troops by an onset the same day, it was
found impracticable from the nature of the ground, as
the morass was deep and difficult, and could not be passed
for the purpose of attacking the English in front without
risking the loss of the whole army. Charles accordingly
desisted, to the great dissatisfaction of the common High-
landers ; nor did Sir John Cope, urged as he was by the
bolder spirit of the gallant Colonel Gardiner, do other-
wise than remain on the defensive, satisfied with the
strength of his position. In the night, however, one of
Charles's officers, Anderson of Whitburgh, who was
well acquainted with the nature of the country, sud-
denly bethought himself of a path that wound from the
heights where the prince's followers lay, towards the
right, by the farm of Ringan Head, avoiding in a great
measure the morass, and leading to the plain below.
By this path the Pretender caused his troops to pass ;
and though some little difficulty was experienced, even
in this selected place, yet they all soon reached the firm
ground, concealed from the enemy at first by the dark-
ness, and, when day began to break, by a frosty mist.
The insurgents thus compelling General Cope to an
engagement, he lost no time in disposing his troops, his
order of battle being nearly the same as that adopted
when he first saw the enemy on the previous day, except
that the men's faces were now turned in a different
direction, towards the east : his infantry stood in the
centre, Hamilton's dragoons on his left, and {Gardiner's,
with the artillery before them, on his right next the
morass. As soon as the mists rolled away before the
rising sun, the Highlanders dashed forward, each clan
a separate mass ; anil, raising a war-cry that gradually
became a terrific yell, made so overwhelming an onset
that but a short time elapsed before the day was decided.
394
They first reached the royal artillery, which they took
by storm, running straight on the muzzles of the
cannon. The cavalry commanded by Hamilton and
Gardiner soon wavered and took to flight, before the
drawn swords of the Highlanders, notwithstanding the
exertions of their leaders ; and at length the infantry of
the king's army, uncovered at both flanks, were com-
pletely beaten, not above I70 of them escaping from
the field. Thus was a perfect victory obtained by the
insurgents at every point, and in a space of time most
astonishingly short. The numbers on each side were
between 2000 and 3000 : of these, Charles lost only
thirty killed, and had but seventy wounded ; while the
number of slain on the royal side was nearly 400,
including the brave and estimable Col. Gardiner, who,
heading a party of foot when forsaken by his horsemen,
was cut down by a Highlander with a scythe, and
despatched with several wounds, close to his own park
wall. This battle, called of Preston, or of Prestonpans,
by the well-affected party, received the name of Glads-
muir from the insurgents, out of respect, as it would
seem, to certain ancient predictions. " On Gladsmuir
shall the battle be," says a book of prophecies printed
at Edinburgh in I6l5 ; but Gladsmuir, a large open
heath, lies full a mile to the east of the actual scene of
conflict.
The PARISH is about two miles and a half in length,
and about one mile in breadth. It is bounded on the
north by the Firth of Forth, and comprises an area of
740 acres, chiefly arable, and in a state of profitable
cultivation. The surface is generally flat, and towards
the Firth, which here forms a wide bay, is defended
from the encroachments of the sea only by a low barrier
of shelving rocks : south-west of the ancient village,
however, are some trifling elevations which give a little
variety. For the most part the soil is a fertile loam,
resting partly on clay and partly on gravel, the former
deep and strong, and the latter thin and of lighter
quality. Crops are raised of wheat, barley, oats, beans, ^
peas, potatoes, and turnips. The system of husbandry
is in an advanced state ; the lands have been drained,
and are inclosed chiefly with stone dykes, which are
preferred to hedges as taking less room, and affording
no shelter for birds. The farm-buildings are substantial
and well arranged, and all the more recent improvements
in implements have been adopted. In this parish the
substratum is shale and sandstone, connected with the
coal formation : coal was extensively wrought here for-
merly, but at present one mine only is in operation.
The principal trade carried on is the dredging of oysters,
for the supply of the markets of Newcastle, Hartlepool,
and Shields ; the oysters found here, which go by the
name of Pandores, are in much repute, and the taking
of them affords employment to a considerable number
of persons. The chief manufacture is that of salt, for
which several pans are still in use ; the rock-salt is
imported mostly from Liverpool, in great quantities,
and manufactured here in a superior way. There are
extensive soap-works, a distillery of whisky, and an ale
brewery of much celebrity, each conducted on the most
improved principles. The manufacture of all kinds of
pottery and earthenware was also very extensive ; but
at present, with the exception of two small establishments
for brown ware, it has been discontinued. A foreign
trade was formerly carried on with France and Holland,
P R ES
QU AR
and also a large coasting-trade, for the convenience of
which a good harbour was formed a little westward of
the ancient village, by the family of Morison, then pro-
prietors of Preston-Grange, from whom it took its name.
The harbour has about ten feet of water at spring tides ;
it is capable of being considerably deepened, and is one
of the safest on this part of the coast. A custom-house
was early established here, the jurisdiction of which ex-
tends from the Figgat rivulet, on the west, to the mouth
of the river Tyne on the east, including the creeks of
Figgat Burn, Musselburgh, Port-Seaton, Aberlady, and
North Berwick, which are considered as members of the
port of Preston. Great facility of intercourse is afford-
ed by the North-British railway. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £6766.
Prestonpans is in the presbytery of Haddington, synod
of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage of Sir
George Grant Suttie, Bart., of Balgone and Preston-
Grange : the minister's stipend is £287. 18., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per annum. The
church, a plain substantial edifice, was erected in 1774,
and is adapted for a congregation of 750 persons. The
members of the Free Church have also a place of wor-
ship. The parochial school is well attended ; the master
has a salary of £34. 4., with £50 fees, and a house and
garden. Schaw's Hospital, situated at the east end of
the village of Preston, fronting the street, was instituted
in 17S4, by James Schaw, for the maintenance and in-
struction of twenty-four poor boys, with preference to boys
of the name of the founder, and of the names of Cunning-
ham, Macniell, and Stewart. The boys are inmates of
the asylum for five years, when they are apprenticed to
a trade, a small sum being paid as a fee with each. A
new building of considerable exterior elegance, and su-
perior internal accommodation, was erected for the
institution in 1S31 ; and the grounds, which are kept
with great care and taste, form a very attractive feature
in the scenery. There are also three adventure schools ;
two girls' schools for sewing, &c. ; and an infant school,
on the plan of the General Assembly. To the north
of the village are the remains of Preston Castle, whose
original foundation is unknown ; the keep only is left.
In a garden not far from the ruins is preserved the cross
of the old town, which by some means became the pro-
perty of the fraternity of Chapmen of East Lothian, who
celebrate an annual festival on the spot. At Dolphing-
stone are the ruins of several ancient houses, supposed
to have been the buildings of some religious house con-
nected with the monastery of Holyrood. Alexander
Hume, an eminent philologist, was for some years
schoolmaster of the parish. Sir William Hamilton,
Bart., professor of logic in the university of Edinburgh,
is a descendant of the Hamiltons, ancient proprietors of
the barony of Preston, and has recently become proprietor
of the ancient keep and the park around it.
PRESTWICK, an ancient burgh of barony, in the
parish of Monkton and Prestwick, district of Kyle,
county of Ayr, Ji mile (N. by E.) from Ayr ; containing
1152 inhabitants. The charter erecting this place into
a burgh was renewed and confirmed by James VL at
Holyrood House, on the IQth of June, 1600; and the
narrative of the charter expressly states that Prestwick
was known to have been a free burgh of barony "beyond
the memory of man, for the space of 617 years pre-
vious to the renewal." By the charter of James it is pri-
395
vileged to elect annually a provost and two bailies, with
councillors; to grant franchises for several trades; and
hold weekly markets, and a fair on the 6th of Novem-
ber ; but the markets and fair are completely annihilated
by those of Ayr, and most of its other privileges have
fallen into disuse. It has still, however, its cross, its
prison, and council-house, and is governed by certain
bailies. The village is situated on the coast road from
Ayr to Irvine, and is now a decayed place. Since the
union of the parish with that of Monkton, the church has
been allowed to fall into decay ; hut it serves as a land-
mark for vessels navigating the Firth of Clyde.
PRIEST ISLE, in the parish of Lochhuoom, county
of Ross and Cromarty. This isle, called also Elan
Achlearish, derives its name of Priest from its having
been inhabited, it is said, by a clergyman, who used to
shift his quarters from one cove to another as the wea-
ther required. It is situated on the west coast of Cro-
marty, at the entrance of Loch Broom, and is the most
distant from the main land of a large group of islands
in this part. Its length is about a mile, its breadth con-
siderably less ; and it is occasionally inhabited.
PRIMROSE, in the county of Edinburgh.— See
Carrington.
PULTENEY-TO'WN, in the parish of Wick, county
of Caithness; adjoiningthetown of Wick, and containing
3132 inhabitants. This place, which forms a populous
part of the parliamentary burgh of Wick, owes its origin
to the British Society for extending Fisheries, who in
1808 purchased from the family of Duffus a portion of
the lands of Hempriggs, which they laid out in building-
lots, and granted in perpetual feus for the erection of
houses for persons connected with the fisheries of Wick,
to further the extension of which they constructed har-
bours and other works, as detailed in the article on Wick.
Pulteney-Town is situated on the south side of the river
Wick, over which is a bridge of three arches, connecting
it with the town. It consists of several well-formed
streets of neatly-built houses, a handsome range of
buildings called Argyll-square, and numerous villas inha-
bited by the more opulent families of the burgh. There
is a reading and news room supported by subscription.
An iron foundry has been established, with several other
works, which are noticed in the account of Wick ; and
a floating-dock has been constructed, which will admit a
vessel of 500 tons' or two of 100 tons' burthen. In 1844
an act was passed for improving and enlarging the har-
bour ; for better lighting and cleansing the place, and
better supplying it with water. There are places of wor-
ship for members of the Free Church, the United Presby-
terian Church, and Reformed Presbyterians. A school
called the Academy, for which a spacious building has
been erected by the British Society, at a cost of £1700,
is under the superintendence of two masters, to whom
the company allow a salary, in addition to the fees ; it is
attended by about ninety children. There is also a Sab-
bath school, in which are 320 children. — See the article
on Wick.
Q
QUARFF. — See Bressay, and also Burra.
QUARRELTON, a village, in the Abbey parish of
the town of Paisley, Upper ward of the county of Ren-
3 E 2
Q U E E
QUEE
FREW, 4 miles (W. by S.) from Paisley; containing 2*1
inhabitants. This village is situated on the road from
Glasgow to Beith, and is chiefly, if not entirely, inhabited
by persons employed in the collieries in its immediate
vicinity, which abounds with the mineral. It is neatly
built, and amply supplied with excellent water. From
its situation on the turnpike-road, there used to be a
considerable degree of traffic, which communicated to it
an air of activity ; but since the opening of the Ayrshire
railway, the traffic on the line of road has decreased.
One of the mines was suddenly flooded with water in the
year ISIS, when the miners were at work ; five of them
perished, and tw'o were taken out in a very emaciated
state, but still alive, after having been for nearly ten
days confined in their gloomy retreat.
QUEENSFERRY, a
royal burgh and a parish, in
the county of Linlithgow,
9 miles (E. by N.) from Lin-
lithgow, and 9 (W. by N.)
from Edinburgh ; containing
721 inhabitants. This place,
which is of great antiquity,
appears, from the numerous
remains of sepulchral urns,
burnt bones, and other relics
discovered at various times.
Burgh Seal. to have been visited by the
Romans, who probably deemed it the most convenient
spot for crossing the Firth of Forth, and by whom it was
called Freti Transitus. Its proximity to the military way
leading to the wall of Antonine, also, affords presump-
tive evidence of its early importance. At the time of the
Norman conquest, in 1066, Edgar Atheling, with his
sister Margaret, afterwards queen of Scotland, fleeing
from England, arrived here to take refuge at the Scottish
court i and the place where he landed, westward of the
town, is in commemoration of that event still called
Port- Edgar. After her marriage to Malcolm Canmore,
in 106/, this place was frequently visited bj' the queen,
in her way to and from the royal palace of Dunfermline ;
and the particular spot where she was in the habit of
crossing the Firth obtained the appellation of the Queen's
Ferry, from which the town derives its present name.
Malcolm IV. granted to the monks of Scone a free
passage to this place, which in his charter to that effect
is designated Portus Regime ; and the same privilege was
granted to the abbey of Dunfermline, by Pope Gregory,
in 12.'J4, and by Robert L and Robert IIL, and confirmed
to it by charter of James IL in 1450. Though the place
had been constituted a port in the reign of Malcolm IV.,
it was not erected into a royal burgh till 1636, when
the inhabitants obtained a charter of privileges from
Charles I. From this time the town rapidly increased
in commercial importance ; the inhabitants carried on a
considerable trade with Holland, and in 1641 there were
about twenty ships of large burthen belonging to the
port, and several coasting-vessels. During the reign of
Charles I., the town suffered frequent depredation from
the contending parties, and in the time of Cromwell was
injured by the cannon of some sliips of his fleet. At
the rebellion in 174.5, it was threatened by the Highland
troops in the Pretender's service ; but was saved from
being plundered by a ship of war at that time lying off
the harbour.
396
The TOWN is situated on the south side of the Firth
of For^h, which is here a mile and a half in breadth. It
consists chiefly of one street, extending about a quarter
of a mile in length, and containing several good houses
of modern erection ; and is plentifully supplied with
water, conveyed into a reservoir formed at the expense
of the Earl of Rosebery, who also gave to the inhabit-
ants a piece of ground for a bleach-green. The town
has greatly improved j new houses have been built,
and handsome shops opened. There is a subscrip-
tion library of about 600 volumes ; and the place is
much resorted to for sea-bathing. A considerable degree
of traffic arises from the numbers of persons crossing
the ferry. No large vessels now belong to the port, nor
is any foreign trade carried on : occasionally, however,
a few coasting-vessels land cargoes of barley for the
distilleries in the vicinity, and also of rape-cake, draining-
tiles, and manure, for the use of the farmers, who fre-
quently during the winter send potatoes to the London
market. Coal, also, for the supply of the steamers on
the ferry, and for the consumption of the neighbourhood,
is brought in boats carrying from ten to twelve tons ;
and freestone from the quarries of Humbie, about three
miles distant, is sometimes shipped at the port. The
manufacture of soap, which was extensive, and also a
brev^ery long established, have both been discontinued ;
but a distillery under the Glenforth Distillery Company,
making about 2000 gallons of whisky weekly, and em-
ploying twenty persons, is in high repute for the quality
of the spirit.
The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in fisheries. To
the west of the town a salmon-fishery has been esta-
blished, and is carried on with success ; stake-nets are
employed, and during the months of July and August
great quantities of salmon, grilse, and sea-trout are
taken, and sent regularly to the Edinburgh market. In
1844 a stake-net fishery was established by the burgh,
which has succeeded very well. During the winter
months, many of the inhabitants are occupied in the
herring-fishery, which was first established at St. Mar-
garet's Hope, and in the bay of Inverkeithing, nearly
opposite to the town, in the year 1792, and has since
been pursued with various success. In a favourable
season, from forty to fifty carts have been frequently
waiting, the carters purchasing the fish taken, and
carrying it away to different places ; so that compa-
ratively few fish are cured here. There are twelve
boats belonging to the town, each having a crew of five
men ; besides which, from fifty to 100 boats from Fish-
crrow, Prestonpans, and other villages are employed in
the fishery, the greater number discharging their cargoes
here. Many of the females spin hemj), which is made
by the younger children into nets. The shore is level
and sandy, with the exception of some ledges of rock
extending into the firth on the east and west extremities
of the parish, at the latter of which is the harbour,
where a sul)stantial stone pier has been erected, and
several important im])r()vcments made, under the direc-
tion of Mr. Hugh Baird, civil engineer. The tide rises
at the mouth of the harbour to the height of eighteen
feet; and (luring the season, the port is generally
crowded with the vessels employed in fishing. Since the
discontinuance of the soap manufacture, whicli contri-
buted largely to the excise-duties, the harbour-dues have
been greatly diminished ; and they at present scarcely
Q U E E
QUEE
produce £100 per annum. A fair is held annually in
August ; and facility of intercourse with Edinburgh,
Linlithgow, and the other towns in the vicinity, is
afforded by roads kept in excellent order, of which the
chief are the great north road and the road to Edinburgh.
An act was passed in 1846, authorizing the Edinburgh
and Glasgow railway company to construct a branch to
Queensferry, about si.x miles and three-quarters long.
The FERRY, the history of which is rather obscure, is
supposed to have been at first private property, to the
owner of which the lands of Muiry Hall, consisting of
about fifteen acres, were granted by Queen Margaret, in
order to keep the landing-places in due repair. It was
subsequently divided among several individuals, under
whose management it was much neglected. The piers
on the south side were in a very dilapidated condition ;
on the opposite shore of the firth, where the boats were
kept, and all the boatmen lived, there was only one pier;
and much delay and inconvenience were experienced in
crossino;. In 1809, application was accordingly made
to parliament, and an act obtained for the construction
of proper landing-places ; for purchasing sites for the
erection of houses to receive the boatmen ; for altering
the system of management ; and other things connected
with the improvement of the ferry. Under the provi-
sions of this act, the ferry was purchased by trustees
from the various shareholders, for the sum of £86/3,
including which the total amount expended on the
works was £33,824, whereof £13,500 were advanced
by government, and the remainder raised by loan.
With part of these funds, the pier at Port-Edgar, to the
west of the town, which had become much dilapidated,
was rebuilt on a larger scale at an expense of £4764 ;
it is 3/8 feet in length, and has been rendered per-
fectly commodious. A pier, also, "'22 feet in length,
■was constructed at New Halls, about half a mile east-
ward of the town, at an expense of £8700 ; and is now
the principal landing-place on the south side of the
ferry. A small pier was erected at Port-Nuick, at an
expense of £587 ; and several houses for the boatmen
were built, at a cost of nearly £1000. The pier on the
north side of the ferry was erected at a cost of £4206 :
a signal-house, and a house for the superintendant, were
also built, at an expense of about £700. A second
grant was obtained from government, and a new sub-
scription opened, in 1812, by which means a pier was
constructed at the Long Craig, 1 177 feet in length, and
also a small pier at the East Battery ; while on the
north side, the West Battery pier was enlarged, and the
North Ferry pier considerably lengthened. An act was
passed in 1848 for the further extension and improve-
ment of the ferry, harbours, piers, and other works, at
Queensferry.
Previously to 1821, there were but two sailing-boats
and two pinnaces regularly employed in the ferry ; but
in that year steam navigation was introduced, and a fine
steamer called the Queen Margaret was built at a cost of
£2400, which, with three large sailing-boats, a half-tide
boat, and three pinnaces, the several crews together
amounting to thirty-six men and boys, performed the
whole business of the ferry. In 1838, a larger steamer,
of forty-eight horse power, called the William Adam, was
substituted in the place of the Queen Margaret, which
had been found inadequate to the work. Since this
time, only two large sailing-boats and two pinnaces have
397
been employed, besides the steamer ; and the number
of i)crsons engaged in navigating the steamer and the
boats has been diminished to sixteen, with a shore-
master, clerk, and two porters, on each side of the ferry.
With such regularity i.s the business conducted, that
passengers know the precise moment of their departure,
and, by well-regulated signals while on the passage,
may have carriages waiting to forward them on their
landing. Her Majesty Queen Victoria, accompanied by
Prince Albert, crossed the firth in the IVilUam Adam on
the 5th of September, 1842, in her visit to the north,
on which occasion the shore on both sides was crowded
with spectators, and the firth with vessels adorned with
flags in honour of Her Majesty, who was hailed with
the most joyful acclamations. Twenty years previous,
on the 15th of August, 1822, His Majesty George IV.
had embarked at Port-Edgar, on his return to England:
he was accompanied from Hopetoun House by General
the Earl of Hopetoun. There are several good houses
at New Halls, and an excellent inn for the accommoda-
tion of passengers crossing the ferry; and the pleasingly
romantic scenery in the neighbourhood renders the town
the frequent resort of visiters, and parties of pleasure.
The government of the burgh is vested in a provost,
two bailies, and seventeen town-councillors, by whom
all the other municipal officers of the place are elected.
There are three incorporated trades or companies,
namely, the wrights, the tailors, and the weavers, in one
of which it is necessary to enter previously to becoming
a burgess ; the fees of admission are, for the son or
son-in-law of a burgess £2. 1. 2., and for a stranger
£5. 2. 2. The jurisdiction of the magistrates extends
over the royalty, and they hold courts for the deter-
mination of civil pleas to any amount, but for some
years not more than ten causes have been tried annu-
ally ; they also hold criminal courts, but for the trial of
petty oifences only, the more serious cases being sent
to Linlithgow. The town-hall contains a room for the
meetings of the council, with the requisite accommo-
dation for holding the courts, and offices for transacting
other public business. A town-officer, who is assisted
by six constables, is appointed by the magistrates. The
inhabitants appear to have sent a representative to the
Scottish parliament previous to the Union ; the burgh
is now associated with Stirling, Inverkeithing, Culross,
and Dunfermline, in returning a member to the imperial
parliament.
The parish was separated from the parish of Dalmeny
in 1636, by charter under the great seal, ratified by act
of parliament in 1641. It comprises only the site of the
main part of the town, and the gardens and lands of the
royalty, in all from eight to ten acres. The annual
value of real property is £689. Ecclesiastically the
place is within the bounds of the presbytery of Linlith-
gow and synod of Lothian and Tvifceddale. The stipend
of the minister is £171. 8. 6., of which £52. 2. 1. are paid
from the exchequer; and he receives an allowance, in
lieu of manse and glebe, of £50 per annum, granted by
a late act of parliament : patrons, the Town-council.
Queensferry church, situated in the centre of the town,
is a neat plain structure with a belfry, erected in 1635, and
thoroughly repaired in 1821 at an expense of £500 ; the
interior is well arranged, and contains 400 sittings.
There is a place of worship in connexion with the United
Presbyterian Synod, in that part of the town beyond
QU E E
Q U I V
the royalty. The parochial school is well attended, and
the master has a salary of £29. 4. 6., and the fees, ave-
raging about £44 : a new building has been erected for
the school, which is handsome and well adapted for
the purpose. There is also a Sabbath school, to which
is attached a library for the children. The poor of the
parish have the yearly rent of land, and interest of
money, amounting to £"23, and part of the proceeds of a
bequest of £5000 by Capt. Henry Meek to the poor in the
town of Queensferry, in which bequest the poor of those
small parts of the town that are within Dalmeny parish
participate. The Countess of Rosebery gives employ-
ment to widows and industrious females in spinning,
which contributes to their relief. In the western portion
of the town are some remains of the ancient church of
the Carmelite Friars, founded about the year 1330, by the
Dundas family, whose place of sepulture it still remains;
and there was formerly a house on the beach, called the
Binks, erected for the accommodation of Queen Mar-
garet while waiting for the arrival of her boat from the
opposite shore of the ferry.
QUEENSFERRY, NORTH, a village, in a detached
part of the parish of Dunfermline, in the district of
Dunfermline, county of Fife, 2 miles (S.) from In-
verkeithing, and 6 (S. E. by S.) from Dunfermline; con-
taining 461 inhabitants. This place is situated on a
promontory on the north shore of the Firth of Forth,
and derives its name from an ancient ferry connecting
it with the town of Queensferry on the south side of
the firth. It once belonged to the abbots of Dunferm-
line, who had a chapel here endowed by Robert I. ; and
is noticed by the Scottish historian Buchanan under the
appellation of Margarita Partus, from its having been
the place where Margaret, queen of Malcolm III., fre-
quently landed and embarked on her passage to and
from her palace of Dunfermline. After the Dissolution,
the ferry became the property of the Earl of Rosebery
and Sir Archibald Dundas of Dundas, the latter of whom
erected a strong castle on the rocky island of Inchgarvie
in the firth, which subsequently was converted into a
place of confinement for prisoners of state. The fortifi-
cations were repaired during the last war, and the bat-
tery mounted with cannon ; but since the peace the
buildings have been altogether neglected, and are now
in a state of ruin. To the west of the castle, and near
the extremity of the rock on which it is built, are
the remains of a circular redoubt, and to the east are
those of a battery, both of which are said to have been
erected by the forces of Cromwell while encamped on
the Ferry hills. The firth is here a mile and a half in
breadth. The passage has been greatly facilitated by
the erection of a commodious low-water pier, and other
improvements, effected partly by means of a grant from
government of above £13,000 ; and the ferry has been
vested by act of parliament in trustees. At one period
subsequently to the.se improvements, it produced an
annual rental of £2300, which, however, afterwards
diminished to £1,'J00. The village, which is beautifully
situated, directly opposite to Queensferry, is small but
neatly ))uilt, and is principally inhabited by boatmen
and persons connected witli the ferry. It has an excel-
lent inn for the accommodation of passengers frimi the
opposite shore; and from tlie salubrity of the air, and
the numerous objects of interest in tlie immediate vici-
nity, it has become a place of resort for sea-bathing
39S
during the summer season. The scenery is strikingly
beautiful and romantic ; and the Ferry hills, which
stretch into the firth, command extensive views. Faci-
lity of communication is afforded by good roads, and by
steam-boats ; the landing-place is well constructed, and
is accessible to vessels of considerable burthen during
spring-tides. A signal-house has been built on the
rocks, containing an apartment, also, for the meetings
of the trustees above-mentioned, and accommodation
for the boatmen and superintendant of the ferry.
QUIVOX, ST., a parish, in the district of Kyle,
county of Ayr, 2 miles (N. E.) from Ayr ; containing,
with the quoad sacra district of Wallacetown, and the
village of Whiteletts, 605.5 inhabitants. This place,
anciently written St. Kevoch, and subsecjuently St. Evox,
appears to have derived that name from a female saint
who flourished in the reign of Malcolm II., and who is
supposed to have founded some religious establishment
here, the history of which is unknown. The parish is
about five miles in length, and about three miles broad.
It is bounded on the south by the river Ayr, and com-
prises 5000 acres, of which, with the exception of 250
acres woodland and plantations, the whole is arable and
pasture. The surface is partly flat, but rises towards
the eastern extremity, and is there broken into irregular
eminences : the Ayr abounds with yellow trout, and
there are numerous springs affording an ample supply
of excellent water. In the lower parts the soil is light
and sandy, interspersed with patches of moss and clay ;
and in the higher lands, a stiff retentive clay. The crops
are wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips; the system
of agriculture is in a highly improved state, the lands
are well drained and fenced, and the farm-buildings
substantial and commodious. A dairy-farm is well
managed on the lands of Shiels ; from sixty to 100
milch-cows are kept, and large quantities of butter of
good quality are sent to the Edinburgh and Glasgow
markets. The dairy-cows are of the Ayrshire breed, but
a cross with the short-horned is preferred for feeding,
as they rise to a larger size, and attain to greater weight
and value at an earlier age. Few sheep are kept, except
for turnip feeding. The plantations, which are of va-
rious ages, are in a flourishing state. The substratum
of the parish is mostly of the coal formation. There are
two seams of coal, the upper of which is about four feet
in thickness, and of a light and friable quality ; while
the lower, which lies at a depth of twenty fathoms, and
is about the same in thickness as the upper, is of harder
texture, and more of the quality of sjjlint. The upper
seam, having been worked for more than fifty years, is
nearly exhausted, but the lower, which has been opened
only within the last few years, is in full operation: three
pits are wrought, and the coal is conveyed by a railroad
to the harbour of Ayr. Freestone is also quarried in
several parts, and the produce arising from the collieries
and quarries together is estimated at £3405 per annum.
Anchencruive and Craigie are spacious and handsome
residences : they are finely situated on the hanks of the
Ayr, in tastefully disposed demesnes embellished with
thriving plantations, and the gardens and pleasure-
grounds of the former are much admired. Tlie nearest
town is Ayr, to which the parish is a kind of suburb; Ayr
forms a market for the agricultural produce, and a port
for shipping tliat of the mines and quarries. The annual
value of real property in St. Quivox is £10,974.
RAFF
RAFF
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Ayr, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in
the patronage of the Oswald family : the minister's sti-
pend is about £250, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £8 per anniim. The church, an ancient structure
situated nearly in the centre of the parish, was repaired
and enlarged in 1824, and is adapted for 450 persons.
From the great increase of the population by the erection
of the villages of Wallacetown and Content, a chapel
was built at the former place by subscription in 1835,
affording accommodation to 900 persons ; and at Wal-
lacetown are also places of worship for members of the
United Presbyterian Church, Antiburghers, Independ-
ents, Reformed Presbyterians, and a Roman Catholic
chapel. The parochial school is well conducted : the
master has a salary of £30 per annum, with £30 fees,
and a house and garden ; also eight bolls of meal from
the Auchencruive estate. A small parochial library has
been established ; and from their proximity to the town
of Ayr, the inhabitants participate in all the general in-
stitutions of that place. There are several friendly socie-
ties, and also a female friendly society founded some
years since under the patronage of Lady Oswald, and
which has a fund of £400 for the relief of its members. In
levelling some ground near Content, several small earthen
urns were found, supposed to be of Roman origin.
QUOTHQUAN, a village, in the parish of Libber-
ton, Upper ward of the county of Lanark, 9, miles
(S.) from Libberton village ; containing 160 inhabitants.
This place, also written ('outh-Boan, derives its name
from Quothquan Law, a delightful hill in its vicinity,
rising about 600 feet above the river Clyde, and green to
its very summit. The lands around formerly consti-
tuted a parish, which was united in 1660 to the parish
of Libberton : the church is demolished. The village is
pleasantly situated on the east of the Clyde, which sepa-
rates the parish from that of Covington. On the Law
is a large rough stone, hollowed in the middle, and called
" Wallace's Chair", in which, it is said. Sir William
Wallace held conferences with bis followers before the
battle of Biggar.
R
RABBIT ISLE, a small islet, in the parish of Tongue,
county of Sutherland. It is situated at the entrance
of the Kyle of Tongue, and abounds in rabbits, whence
the name.
RAFFORD, a parish, in the county of Elgin, 3
miles (S. E. by E.) from Forres ; containing 9S7 inha-
bitants, of whom 67 are in the village of Rafford. The
various modes in which the name has at different times
been spelt, have proved a source of much perplexity in
ascertaining its derivation ; but most antiquaries, sup-
ported by the authority of Chalmers, are of opinion that
it may be traced to the Celtic term raths, signifying
" forts or strong places on hills", and applied to the
locality on account of the numerous eminences in it
which answer to that character. This place was for-
merly the seat of the sub-chantor of Moray, and com-
prehended part of Kinloss, a modern parish formed
from Rafford and AJves. In I66I, the old parish of
Altyre was disjoined from that of Dallas, to which it
had been annexed, and was united to Rafford. The
399
parish is situated in the northern portion of the county,
a few miles from the Moray Firth, and is bounded on
the west by the river Findhorn ; extending about eight
miles in length and from three to five in breadtli, and
comprising an area of 10,187 acres. Of this area, 3550
acres are cultivated ; 3695 occupied by wood and plan-
tations ; and the remainder natural pasture and waste,
'280 acres of the latter being considered capable of pro-
fitable cultivation. The outline is very irregular : a
narrow strip of land belonging to Forres stretches for
about two miles into Rafford; and a part of this parish,
also, runs into the former, nearly up to the burgh of
Forres. The surface is richly diversified with all the
features of Highland and Lowland scenery, the former
being characteristic of the upper, and the latter of the
lower, part of the district. A valley that traverses the
centre displays in its continuous undulations all the
varieties of wood, water, and well-cultivated grounds.
None of the hills are of great height ; but from several
points beautiful prospects are obtained, especially from
the vicinities of Altyre and the castles of Burgie and
Blervie, whence the fertile province of Moray is seen to
advantage, and, in the distance, the counties of Inver-
ness, Ross, Cromarty, Caithness, and Sutherland.
Among the lochs, that of Romacli, forming part of the
southern boundary, is the most distinguished. It is
only about a mile long, and not more than one-eighth of
that extent in breadth ; but its secluded situation in a
wild and dreary tract, and its lofty precipitous banks
with their well laid out walks in the midst of romantic
scenery, render it an interesting and attractive object.
This piece of water abounds in fine trout ; and from it
flows the rivulet called Hack Burn, which, increasing in
size as it advances, winds along the fertile valley of
Pluscarden, celebrated for its priory. On the estate of
Altyre is the loch of Blairs, or " loch of the moss", also
well stocked with trout ; and a small loch named Tulloch
is to be seen on the estate of Blervie : this has been
lately much reduced by draining. The Findhorn, flowing
between lofty and rocky banks, richly ornamented with
plants, shrubs, and trees, is a rapid and impetuous
stream, and frequently causes damage to the crops when
it is swollen with rain. This is also the case with the
burns of Altyre and Rafford, which, in rough weather,
bring down large deposits of gravel and the debris of
rocks to the lands in their vicinity, to the great annoy-
ance and loss of the farmer. On the 6th of August, 1838,
the latter of these streams was converted into a destruc-
tive and dangerous torrent by a water-spout, carrying
away in its impetuous course both banks and bridges,
and overflowing and destroying to a considerable extent
some valuable crops, among which was a beautiful field
of wheat on the minister's glebe.
The SOIL comprises the numerous varieties of light
sand, deep rich clay, moss, shallow gravelly mould, and
dark loam resting on rock. It is regarded as a peculi-
arity, that the deepest soils here are on the most ele-
vated grounds, and the most fertile tracts those with a
northern exposure. All kinds of grain and green crops
are raised, of good quality ; the annual average value of
the produce being about £12,500, including about £500
for cuttings of wood. The six-shift rotation system of
husbandry is followed, with other approved modern
usages ; and the draining of the lands, and the well-
known salubrity of the climate of Jloray, have aided the
RAFF
II A N N
efforts of the farmer in elevating the agricultural cha-
racter of the locality. The farms are of considerable
size, many small ones having been consolidated within
the last few years ; the rent of the arable lands averages
£1.5. per acre, and the leases are generally for nineteen
years. The small-horned, white-faced breed of sheep
has been in a great measure superseded by the Cheviot ;
the cattle are the Highland, the polled Aberdeenshire,
and the short-horned : much attention has been paid to
stock, and many prizes have been awarded by agricul-
tural societies to this parish. Among the improvements
that have been effected here may be mentioned extensive
draining, and the increase of threshing-mills ; the farm-
houses, also, are in general good, but the fences still very
deficient. The substrata of the parish are composed
chiefly of gneiss, and grey and red sandstone ; of the
last there is a quarry in operation, supplying a material
of inferior quality : the grey slate of Rafford, formerly
in much demand, has not lately been wrought, a prefer-
ence being given to the blue slate of Easdale. The an-
nual value of real property in Rafford is £3979.
The plantations are principally larch and Scotch fir;
but there are some noble oaks and beeches, and in the
garden of Burgie is an unusually fine sycamore. The
house of Blervie, for the erection of which the greater
part of an ancient castle was taken down, stands on an
estate that once belonged to a branch of the Dunbar
family : the property was sold about the commencement
of the last century to Alexander Macintosh, who was
" laird of Blairie" in 1713 and 17'24, and from whom it
was purchased by William, Earl of Fife. The tower of
the old castle, containing five stories, and the staircase,
are still remaining. The mansion of Burgie, built in
1802, stands about "200 yards from the site of the castle
of Burgie, whose square tower, similar to that of Blervie,
but more elegant, still remains ; the original great hall
in connexion with the tower, and the house that was
added to the castle in 1702, were taken down to furnish
materials for the present mansion-house of Burgie. This
estate came to the Dunbars through Katherine Reid,
niece of the last abbot of Kinloss ; who was married to
Alexander Dunbar, first lord of Burgie of that name.
Another property in the parish, that of Altyre, belonged
in the fourteenth century to the family of Cumyn, or
Gumming, a descendant of which, in 16.57. married
Lucy, daughter of Sir Ludovick Gordon of Gordonstown ;
through whom the estate of Gordonstown came to Alex-
ander Penrose Gumming, of Altyre, on the death of .Sir
William Gordon of Gordonstown, Bart., in 1795. Mr.
Gumming then assumed the arms of the Gordons, and
was created a baronet of Great Britain in 1804. The
family is now represented by Sir William G. G. Gum-
ming, his son. The beautiful grounds of the mansion
stretch to the banks of the river Fiiidhorn. There is a
hill on this estate still called " Gallovv hill", where the
sentences of the baron-cniirt of Altyre were executed.
The turni)ike-road betwcenKlgin and Forres runs through
the northern part of the parish ; the mail and several
public coaches daily travel on it, and to the latter place
the inhabitants send their produce for sale. Fairs for
cattle are held in Ai)ril and November.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Forres, synod of Moray, and in the patronage of James
Campbell Brodie, Esq., of Lcthen : the minister's sti-
pend is £223, with a niause, and a glebe of about seven
400
acres, valued at £6 per annum. Rafford church, built
in 1826, is a handsome and commodious edifice, situated
nearly in the centre of the parish, and contains sittings
for 600 persons. The members of the Free Church have
a place of worship. The parochial school affords in-
struction in the usual branches : the master has a salary
of £34. 4., a house, and an allowance for a garden, and
receives upwards of £20 fees ; he also participates in
the benefit of the Dick bequest. Sueno's Stone, stand-
ing about half a mile eastward from the town of Forres,
on the estate of the Earl of Moray, is supposed to have
been erected by the Scots in commemoration of the im-
portant victory gained at the battle of Mortlach over
the Danes who had been sent to this part of Scotland
by King Sueno. It is an obelisk of hard sandstone,
twenty-three feet high above the ground, and thought
to extend twelve feet deep ; four feet broad at the base ;
and fifteen inches thick. The southern side contains
five divisions, each distinguished by numerous figures
and representations of the most curious and interesting
kind, cut in relief. A late Countess of Moray caused
some stone steps to be placed at the foot, for a support
to the monument. A relic somewhat similar, with indi-
cations of a Runic origin, stands at Altyre. On the
estate of Burgie have been discovered, among other re-
mains, several ancient coffins, each formed of five slabs
of undressed freestone. Dr. Alexander Adam, for many
years rector of the High School at Edinburgh, and well
known as the author of Roman Antiquities, Classical Bio-
grapliy, &c., was a native of this parish.
RAIT, a village, in the parish of Kilspindie, county
of Perth, I5 mile (S. W.) from Kinnaird ; containing
184 inhabitants. It lies in the eastern quarter of the
parish, and is known as the Halfwaij house, on the old
road between Perth and Dundee. A few hands here are
employed in the manufacture of linen fabrics for the
Dundee market. In the vicinity of the village flows the
Rait burn. This was anciently a distinct parish, of
which the church is in ruins.
RALIA, a hamlet, in the parish of Kingussie,
county of Inverness ; containing 32 inhabitants.
RANNOCH, a Highland district, and a quoad sacra
parish, partly in the parish of Logierait, but chiefly in
the parish of Fortingal, county of Perth, 9 miles (N.
W.) from the Kirkton of Fortingal ; containing 1599 inha-
bitants. This extensive mountainous district is supposed
to have deriveditsname from the great quantity ot'ferns, in
the Gaelic language Uunnoch, with which it is covered. It
extends for nearly thirty miles, from the base of Schihal-
lion, on the east, to the confines of Argyllshire on the west,
and varies from five to twenty miles in breadth; bounded
on the south by Glcnlyon, and Fortingal proper, and on
the north by Atholl, Badenoch, and Ijochaber. Of the
whole nmnber of acres, which cannot be accurately
ascertained, about 1000 are arable, 3000 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder hill pasture, moor, and
waste. The surface is boldly diversified with hills af-
fording pasture for l)lack-cattle and sheep, and with
mountainous heights, of which the most ])rominent on
the right is the steep and massive Schihallion, insulated
from the surrounding mountains, and towering to the
height of 3564 feet above the level of the sea. After
the disastrous battle of Methven, Robert Bruce and hl.s
queen, with a few adherents, had a retreat near the
northern skirts of this mountain ; and in modern times,
R A N N
RASA
Dr. Maskelyne, astronomer royal, made upon it his
observations of its power in attracting the i)Uimniet,
which it was found considerably to affect. In one part
of the district is a tract of sixteen square miles which is
tolerably level, but swampy and of little value, having
in the most favourable seasons only scanty pasture. In
other parts are portions of more fertile land, in good
cultivation, and interspersed with numerous gentlemen's
seats, the grounds attached to which form a pleasing
relief.
Loch Rannoch is about twelve miles in length, and
more than a mile in average breadth ; its depth has not
been precisely ascertained, but soundings have been
made to the extent of more than fifty fathoms without
reaching the bottom. At the upper extremity are two
islands, one of which is artificial, and in time of danger
was often resorted to by the inhabitants as a place of
security. The mountain heights on both sides of the
loch are almost covered with dense woods of pine and
birch, extending from the edge of the water nearly half
way to their summits ; whilst the margin of the loch is
studded all around with picturesque farm-houses and
mansions ; the whole presenting a mass of rich and
strikingly diversified scenery. The scenery is rendered
more singularly impressive by successive tiers of hills,
rising above each other on both sides of the lake ; and
towering in the background are seen the lofty mountains
of Glen-Etive and Glencoe, which, though forty miles
distant, appear to crown the extensive heights of Ran-
noch. The river Gamhair, or Gaur, flows for nearly
eight miles through the western portion of the district
into Loch Rannoch ; and the river Rannoch, issuing
from the eastern extremity of the lake, after a course
of ten miles flows into Loch Tummel, in the adjoining
parish. Trout weighing more than twenty pounds are
found in Loch Rannoch; and the numerous small lakes
among the hills abound with trout and perch. The
moors are among the best in the Highlands for game,
abounding in grouse, black-game, partridge, plover,
woodcock, snipe, curlew, ptarmigan, wild duck ; brown
and white hares, roe and red deer. The country abounds
with iron-stone, and bears incontestable evidence that
the natives at a very remote period knew the use and
value of the metal. There are still numerous remains
of smelting-furnaces, and heaps of scoria, or danders : a
few years ago, a block of the manufactured iron was
found by a tenant trenching one of these heaps of scoria,
and given to the proprietor of the soil, the late Sir Niel
Menzies, Bart. An abundant supply of limestone is also
to be obtained in the district.
There are considerable remains of ancient woods,
consisting of native oak, ash, fir, and beech, and form-
ing part of the Caledonian forest ; and also extensive
plantations of ash, oak, elm, beech, and other trees, all
of which are in a thriving state. The chief village in
the district is Kinloch, at the eastern extremity of Loch
Rannoch, on the left bank of the river Rannoch ; where
a post-office has been estabhshed under that of Pitlochrie,
with which it has communication three times in the
week. Three fairs are held here annually ; one of them
in April, and one in October, mostly for fat-cattle and
sheep ; and one in August, mostly for lambs. At all
these fairs, however, every other kind of agricultural
produce is also exposed for sale. The small village of
Georgetown, situated at the south-western extremity of
Vol. II.— 401
the loch, was built for the accommodation of a body of
the military stationed here after the rebellion of 1*4.5,
to keep the people itndcr subjection to the government.
On the left bank of the river Rannoch are. Dun Alister,
or Mount Alexander, the family residence of the Robert-
sons of Struan, and Lochgarry ; on the opposite bank of
the river, Crossmount, Lassentulich, Lassenlulich Lodge,
Dalchosnie, Inverhadden, and Inverhadden Lodge, the
shooting-seat of the Earl of Mexborough. Upon the
south side of the lake are situated Carie, and J)all, the
shooting-seat of Lord Grantley ; on the right bank of
the Gaur, Barracks, the former residence of the Robert-
sons of Struan, but now an elegant modern building,
the shooting-seat of the Earl of Mansfield ; and at the
upper extremity of the loch, the splendid Lodge of Lady
Menzies. On the north side of the lake are Craganour
and Liaran, two elegant shooting-lodges belonging to
that lady's son, the present baronet, Sir Robert Menzies.
Facility of communication is afforded by the great north
road to the town of Inverness, which passes on the east
of the district.
Rannoch is separate for ecclesiastical purposes from
the parishes of Fortingal and Logierait, and constitutes
a quoad sacra parish. The church, erected in 1830, at
a cost of £750, raised by subscription, is a plain substan-
tial structure containing 560 sittings. The minister has
a stipend of £120, paid by the Crown, with a manse
and a small glebe; patron, the Crown, A chapel in
connexion with the Established Church has been erected
at the west end of Loch Rannoch. The parochial school
is endowed by government ; the master has a salary of
£30, with a house and garden. A school is maintained
by the General Assembly, the master of which has a
salary of £25, with a house and garden ; and another
by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, the
master of which has a salary of £15, with a house and
garden. There are several private schools; and a paro-
chial library is supported by subscription of the inha-
bitants. General Sir Archibald Campbell, who distin-
guished himself in the Burmese war, and died in 1843,
was a native of Rannoch.
RAPLOCK, a village, in the parish and county of
Stirling, ^ a mile (N. W.) from the town of Stirhng ;
containing 317 inhabitants. This is a suburb of the
town, situated on the south side of the Forth, a short
distance from that river.
RASAY, an island, in the parish of Portree, Isle
of Skye, county of Inverness; containing 647 inha-
bitants. Rasay is a considerable isle of the Hebrides,
lying between the main land of Scotland and the isle of
Skye, and separated from the latter by the sound to
which it gives name ; it is about sixteen miles in length
and two in breadth, and comprises about thirty-two
square miles, or 1 6,000 acres. The coast on the west
rises with a gentle ascent to a great height above the
sea, while on the east side it is at once high, steep, and
nearly perpendicular : the soil is better adapted for pas-
turage than tillage, but there are several spots of very
fertile and well-cultivated land. Freestone of excellent
quality so abounds that the quarries may be described
as inexhaustible ; and limestone, also, is good and plen-
tiful : large masses are likewise found of the finest por-
phyry, which seem as if they had been hewn or dressed.
There are some small plantations of wood in a very thri-
vins state. They consist of Scotch fir, larch, birch, ash,
3F
RATH
RATH
oak, alder, and other trees, all of as rapid growth as can
be seen in any part of the Low Country of Scotland ; but
the larch is the kind most suited to the soil. Rasay
House, a handsome mansion built by a late proprietor,
and for which the material was supplied from the free-
stone quarries already mentioned, has around it some
fine old trees of considerable size. At the north end of
the east coast is the ruinous castle of Breochel, a well-
known landmark to mariners ; it is situated on a rock,
in a small bay, and only accessible by the approach cut
on the side next the sea. The rock is nearly round,
covering an area of little more than seventy square feet ;
its height is forty feet, except at the place where the
stairs lead up to it. The base of the rock is about sixty
feet above the level of the sea, and looks as if piled
upon the larger rock below. The castle, which was the
chief seat of the lairds of Rasay, is built of stone and
lime, and appears to have been as strongly fortified by
art as its position rendered it impregnable by nature.
There are several old decayed chapels in the island, one
of which, in the Kirktown of Rasay, is surrounded by a
plantation. A branch of the parochial school is fixed in
Rasay.
RASSAY, an island, in the parish of Glenelg,
county of Inverness ; containing 18 inhabitants. It is
a very small isle, situated in Loch Hourne, and close to
the main land of the parish.
RATHEN, a parish, in the district of Deer, county
of Aberdeen, 4 miles (S.) from Fraserburgh; contain-
ing, with the villages of Cairnbulg, Charleston, and In-
verallochy, 2270 inhabitants, of whom 1357 are in the
rural districts. This place, which is of some antiquity,
originally included the greater portion of the adjacent
parish of Strichen, and a considerable part of the parish
of Fraserburgh. Very little of its history is known ;
but there is still remaining one of three large tumuli
said to have been raised over the bodies of men killed
in a battle with the Danes, who, having landed on the
eastern coast, to the south of Peterhead, were partially
repulsed, and, on their retreat towards Moraj', were
again attacked, and finally defeated, on the plain in
which these cairns were situated. Two of the cairns
have been removed in order to furnish materials for
building ; and under one of them were found several
human skulls, a short sword with a handle of iron, and
an urn of singular form, containing calcined bones; all
which are preserved in the museum of the Antiquarian
Society of Edinburgh.
The PARISH is bounded on the north and north-west
by the bay of Fraserburgh and the river Rathen, and
on the east by the German Ocean, along the shore of
which it extends southward more than two miles. It
is nearly seven miles in extreme length, and about two
miles in average breadth, comjirising almost 6500 acres,
of which 5000 are arable, about ViO woodland and plan-
tations, and the remainder hill pasture, moor, and waste.
The surface is boldly varied. Towards the sea-shore, for
a considerable extent, the land is low and even ; but to-
wards the south-west, more elevated, rising with greater
or less abruptness to the hill of Mormond, which has an
elevation of nearly 900 feet above the level of the sea,
and of which about a third part is within the limits of
this parish. This hill is covered with heath and moss,
affording little more than a scanty supply of fuel: grouse
are found on it. The river Ratheo, or Water of Fbilorth,
402
after forming a boundary between this parish and Fra-
serburgh for three miles, and turning several mills in
its course, falls into the bay of Fraserburgh near Cairn-
bulg Point. Trout of large size and of good quality are
found in the Rathen; and there was formerly a salmon-
fishery near its mouth, but it has been discontinued
many years, and very few salmon at present ascend the
stream. In some parts the coast is level and sandy,
and in others rocky, but not precipitous. To the south
of Cairnbulg Point are two small creeks, on which the
nearly contiguous fishing-villages of Cairnbulg and In-
verallochy have been built ; and along the whole extent
of the coast are large quantities of shell-sand and sea-
weed, affording a supply of valuable manure.
The SOIL in some parts is rich and deep ; in others
light and sandy, but under good management rendered
fertile ; and in some districts gravelly, and abounding
with stones. Crops are raised of oats, barley, beans,
peas, potatoes, and turnips, with the various grasses.
The system of husbandry has been greatly improved,
and considerable tracts of waste land have been reclaimed
and brought under profitable cultivation. A due rota-
tion of crops is observed ; and from the abundance of
manure obtained on the coast, the agricultural produce
on the estates of Cairnbulg and Inverallochy is especially
rich in quality. Many substantial and comfortable
farm-houses have been built, with offices eommodiously
arranged. On most of the larger farms threshing-mills
have been erected ; and the different improvements
recently made in the construction of implements have
been adopted. Within the last few years a mill has
been erected on the river Rathen for the making of po-
tato-flour, to which purpose large quantities of the pota-
toes grown in the parish are appropriated. The planta-
tions are mostly of recent formation ; they consist of
firs, interspersed with other trees, and, though not ex-
tensive, are generally under good management and in a
thriving condition. On the lands of Auchiries is a quarry
from which limestone of excellent quality is obtained,
and burnt into lime, chiefly for use in building. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £6171.
The principal seats are, Mormond House, a handsome
mansion, erected about thirty-five years ago by Mr.
Gordon, of Cairnbulg, and now the property of Miss
Strachan ; and Auchiries House, rather an old building,
the property of William C. Hunter, Esq. In this latter
house, which is now in considerable disrepair, are two
places of concealment, or secret chambers, said to have
been sometimes resorted to by Lord Pitsligo when that
unfortunate nobleman took refuge <it Auchiries after the
year 1745. At Inverallochy, a cottage for occasional
residence during the batliing season has been built by
Colonel Eraser, proprietor of that estate. Letters are
obtained from the post-olhce of Cortes ; and facility of
communicijtion is afforded by the turnpike-roads from
Aberdeen and Peterhead to Fraserl)urgli, which unite
within the parish, and by various cross roads, lately
much improved, and kept in good repair.
For ecclesiastical purposes this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Deer and synod of Aber-
deen. The minister's stipend is £169. 14. 4., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £9 per annum ; patron,
Lord Sultoun. Rathen church, a structure of unknown
date, was repaired in I767 ; it contains 6b4 sittings.
In 1842 a chapel of ease was built by subscription, and
RATH
RATH
a grant from the General Assembly's church-extension
fund, for the accommodation of the inhabitants of Cairn-
bulg and Inveralloehy. The parochial school is attended
by about seventy children : the master has a salary of
£25. 13. 3., with a house and garden ; he is also entitled
to a portion of the Dick bequest, and the fees average
£30 per annum. A second parochial school has been
erected and endowed, at Inveralloehy ; it is attended
about as numerously as the original parochial school,
and the teacher has the status and advantages of a paro-
chial master. On the lands of Cortes are some remains
of a Druidical circle. Upon some rising ground to the
east of the church, have been found, at various times,
urns containing calcined bones ; and in one of them
was the tusk of a wild boar. Near the church are two
mounds of earth, apparently artificial ; they are of conical
form, terminating in a horizontal plain nearly thirty
yards in diameter, and are supposed to have been an-
cient camps. At Cairnbulg and Inveralloehy are the re-
mains of castles, both of great strength, especially the
former, of which the walls, of extraordinary thickness,
are still nearly entire, and which was for many years
the family seat of the ancestors of Lord Saltoun : the
latter, of inferior strength, was a residence of the Cumins
of Buchan. Alexander Murray, M.D., author of the
Northern Flora, was a native of this parish ; and his re-
mains were interred here in 1838.
RATHILLET, a hamlet, in the parish of Kilmany,
district of Cupar, county of Fife, 1 miles ( W. S. W.)
from Kilmany ; containing 48 inhabitants. It lies on
the high road between Kilmany and Luthrie, and con-
sists of only a few cottages. Rathillet House, a hand-
some mansion, is in its vicinity. From the convenient
situation of the hamlet, in the centre of the parish, it
contains the parochial school.
RATHO, a parish, in the county of Edinburgh ;
containing, with the village of Bonnington, 1815 inha-
bitants, of whom 689 are in the village of Ratho, 7 miles
(W. by S.) from Edinburgh. The name of this parish
is supposed to be derived from an ancient British word
signifying " a bare or plain place ", originally used in
reference to a conspicuous spot in the parish, on which
a mansion stands. The historical information respect-
ing Ratho extends back to the year 1315, when the
barony, with other estates, was granted by Robert I. to
Walter, the eighth hereditary high steward of Scotland,
upon his marriage with Margery, Robert's daughter,
through whom the sovereignty eventually came into the
Stuart family. On the accession of Robert II., in 1371,
the barony with its pertinents was settled on the king's
eldest son, as the prince and steward of Scotland ; and
the whole estates of the Stuarts, in 1404, were formed
into a principality, with regal jurisdiction. In 1563 the
Ratho estate was purchased tsy Alexander Fowlis, who
obtained a charter of confirmation from the king as
superior. In 1778 Mr. Archibald Christie succeeded as
heir to the Fowlis family : in 1786 the lands were pur-
chased by Thomas Mc Knight Crawford, of Belville, in
North Carolina; and again, in 1818, they came into
the possession of A. Bonar, Esq., in whose family they
still remain. At present, the principal estates in the
parish, besides Ratho, are those of Hatton, Dalmahoy,
Norton, Bonnington, and Ashley. That of Hatton,
which once comprehended nearly half the parish, was
formerly a possession of the Earl of Lauderdale, and
403
was sold, together with the patronage of the church, in
1792, to the Duchess of Portland. The estate of Dal-
mahoy was held in the time of Alexander III. by Henry
de Dalmahoy, in whose family it continued till the
middle of the seventeenth century, when it came into the
hands of the Dalrymples, and afterwards to the Earls of
Morton, with whom it yet remains. Ratho church was
dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The teinds and patron-
age were early made over by the archbishops of St. An-
drew's to Sir John Forrester, who, thus obtaining funds,
in 1444 caused the collegiate kirk of Corstorphine to be
founded, for the endowment of four prcbendal stalls.
The ecclesiastical resources of the place appear to have
been applied in this way until the Revolution, when, the
Presbyterian form of worship being established, Ratho
became in every respect a distinct parish ; its tithes were
no longer appropriated to the church of Corstorphine,
and the patronage was annexed to the estate of Hatton.
The PARISH is in mean length about four miles, and
in breadth about two miles and a half, containing 5818
acres. It is bounded on the north by the parishes of
Kirkliston and Corstorphine, on the west by those of
Kirkliston and Kirknewton, on the east by Corstor-
phine and Currie, and on the south by Currie only. The
general aspect of the surface is picturesque and engag-
ing. In many parts are beautiful and well laid out
gardens, verdant fields, and luxuriant plantations, all
combining to enrich the scenery ; and the effect is
greatly heightened by the undulating character of the
ground, which consists of hill and dale in quick succes-
sion throughout. The prospects, also, are extensive and
commanding, parts of not less than twelve or fourteen
counties rising to view from the South Piatt Hill. To
the north-east and north appear the Lothian plains, the
Firth of Forth, the coasts of Berwick and Fife, the
counties of Kinross and Clackmannan, Stirling, and the
immense range of the Grampians. On the west, the
nearer view of the surrounding parishes is extremely
pleasing ; and in the opposite direction, the city of Edin-
burgh, with its far-stretched-out suburbs, supplies a fine
landscape, composed of some bold general features and
a profusion of minute and interesting detail. The lands
of the parish are not much enlivened by water ; the only
stream is the Gogar burn, separating Ratho from the
parishes on the east. Springs are also unusually scarce,
so that the inhabitants are obliged to sink wells.
The SOIL varies considerably, being in some parts a
clayey loam upon a retentive subsoil, and in others a
rich soft loam resting in the lower grounds upon gravel
or sand, and in the higher parts upon whin or clay stone.
On the very lowest grounds are a few small tracts of
black moss. About 4978 acres are cultivated or occa-
sionally in tillage ; 444 are always in pasture, and 396
occupied by wood. Grain of all kinds, especially wheat,
is raised in fine crops ; and part of the soil is weU suited
to turnips and potatoes : the total annual value of the
produce averages £27,500. The rotation on the soft
loamy ground is a four- years' change ; but on the stiffer
soils it is judiciously varied according to circumstances.
The few cattle that are bred are of a cross between the
short-horned and the Ayrshire, which is preferred both
for stock and for dairy use. In general the farm-build-
ings and inclosures in the parish are good ; most of the
steadings are of whinstone, and edged with freestone.
Much waste land has been reclaimed, among which
3 F2
RATH
RATH
Ratho and Gogar moors may be especially noticed.
Draining has been carried on to a considerable extent ;
and through the abundant supply of manure obtained
from Edinburgh by means of the Union canal, much
larger green crops than formerly are now raised. Whin-
stone rock predominates in the parish ; in Dalmahoy
hill is a bed of sandstone, and much claystone is to be
found on the estate of Ratho. Coal, also, is supposed
to e.xist : but the several attempts to obtain it have
proved unsuccessful. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £9471. In this district the man-
sions are, Hatton House, an ancient and venerable build-
ing, encompassed with beautiful gardens and grounds to
a wide extent; Dalmahoy House, built about HO years
ago, and since enlarged, the family seat of the Earls of
Morton, situated in the midst of a large park inclosed
by one of the best walls in Scotland ; Ratho House ;
Milhurn Tower; Bonningtoii i/oMse, built in 162'2 ; and
Norton House ; with several others belonging to different
proprietors, which are also elegant and tasteful man-
sions, surrounded with agreeable scenery. The villages
are Ratho and Bonnington. Of these the former stands
upon a slope, and consists of a single street of houses
one story high, chiefly built of whinstone from a neigh-
bouring quarry : it has been considerably improved
within these few years by the addition of many good
cottages, and the formation of drains. The population
of the parish are for the most part employed in hus-
bandry ; the usual handicrafts are followed, and about
ten men are at work in the quarries, four of which are
of whinstone and one of sandstone. There is a post-
office in the village of Ratho, and great facility of inter-
course is afforded by the Uphall and Calder roads, the
Union canal, and the Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Bath-
gate, and the Caledonian lines of railway.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Edinburgh, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale ; and the patronage is vested in the
trustees of Dr. Davidson. The stipend of the minister
is about £300 ; with a glebe consisting of two separate
portions of land, one of which is about four acres and a
half in extent, and of superior quality, and the other a
piece of grass land, of little value on account of the wet-
ness of the soil: together they arc valued at £18 per
annum. The manse, situated near the church, was built
in 1803. Ratho church, supposed to have been built
about 1683, stands northward of the village, and is en-
compassed with thick foliage, through which it is partially
seen by the traveller. It was originally a long and
narrow ordinary building, with the pulpit in the centre ;
but an addition was raised a few years since, on the
south side, at an expense of between £.')00 and £600, by
which it has been made to accommodate altogether 800
persons, and has received an improved appearance. The
two communion cups, of massive silver, were presented
by Lord Richard Maitland, one of the heritors, in 1684;
and the baptismal plate and ewer, inscribed with the
Lauderdale arms, were presented by the same nobleman
in 168.5. There is a parocliial school, in which the
classics, French, and mathematics are taught, with all the
usual branches of education ; the master has the maxi-
mum salary, a house and garden, and fees amounting to
about £45 ])er annum. Another school in tlic village of
Ratho is conducted by a female, and is supported by
subscriptions and fees. There is a library under the
404
management of the Kirk Session, consisting of nearly
400 volumes ; and three friendly societies are kept up
in the parish, for the support of members in sickness,
and for insuring an allowance to defray funeral expenses.
The most conspicuous relic of antiquity is an encamp-
ment on the Kaimes' hill, the lines of which are clearly
discernible, and which is surrounded by a double fosse
and rampart ; it is thought by some to have been a
stronghold of the Norwegians, but others trace it to a
Roman origin. It may be mentioned that at Dalmahoy
House, in the possession of the Earl of Morton, is pre-
served the Bible of his ancestor the Regent Morton, sup-
posed to be the only complete copy remaining of the
original Scotch Parliamentary Bible. The volume is a
beautifully-printed folio, ornamented with numerous em-
blematical devices ; and, according to the notice in the
title-page, was published at Edinburgh by order of James
VI. in 1579. Here are also preserved the keys found
some years ago, in the process of draining Loch Leven, as
mentioned in the article on Kinross. From strong cir-
cumstantial evidence, they are supposed to be the iden-
tical keys thrown into the loch by George Douglas, at
the time of his assisting the escape of Queen Mary ;
they are five in number, and held together by an iron
chain. Lord Morton, also, has in the library at Dal-
mahoy the original warrant upon which Mary was con-
fined in Lochleven Castle ; and a letter from John Knox,
the Reformer, to the lord of Lochleven, dated 31st
March, 1570. The incumbency of Ratho was at one
time held by William Wilkie, denominated by some bio-
graphers the " Scottish Homer".
RATHVEN, a parish, in the county of Banff, 3|
miles (W. by S.) from Cullen ; comprising the villages
of Findochty, Porteasie, and Portnockie, the former
quoad sacra district of Buckie, and part of that of
Enzie (in which is the village of Portgordon) ; the whole
parish containing 6728 inhabitants. The Gaelic terms
Rath Bheann, the former signifying " a circle of stones ",
and the latter " a hill", appear to have given name to
this place, one of its most prominent features being the
eminence of Binhill, which overhangs the south-eastern
part of the locality, and is covered with cairns. The
parish is situated in that portion of the county called
Enzie, and from its north-western exposure suffers
severely from the violence of storms. It stretches along
the coast of the Moray Firth, from north-east to south-
west, for the distance of ten miles, and is nearly five
miles in breadth ; comprising 33,750 acres, of which
about 10,540 are cultivated, and 6027 under natural
wood and in plantations. Of the remainder, only 700
acres are considered capable of improvement. The shore
is sandy, and interspersed with small stones rounded
by the action of the water. Near the coast the surface
is level, and the land of good quality. The parish,
however, assumes the character of a mountainous dis-
trict towards the interior, where the boundary is formed
by an extensive range of hills covered with heath and
moss, and commencing at Binhill, a lofty elevation rising
945 feet above tlic level of the sea, and i)lantcd to its
summit. A circuitous carriage-road has been made to
the top of this hill by the I'^arl of Seafield, affording
every facility for viewing the beautiful ])rospects that
may be ol)tuined from it. The mountain is well known
by mariners as a landmark, being visible at the distance
of fifteen leagues.
RATH
HATH
The hills give rise to numerous burns, which run into
the sea ; but they afford very little nutritious pasture,
the soil being chiefly hard gravel or moss upon an im-
pervious clayey subsoil. A light rich loam, however,
resting on clay, is found on the lower grounds ; and in
some parts there is a thin fertile soil of the same kind,
incumbent on a reddish clay formed from the decompo-
sition of the old red sandstone. Nearly all the different
soils are largely intermixed with small round stones.
Grain of all kinds is raised, to the average annual value
of £27,300 ; and potatoes and turnips also in consider-
able quantities ; making, with the remainder of the
produce, and £600 for thinnings of wood, an aggregate
of about £43,600. In general the six-shift course of
husbandry is followed ; the lands are mostly well farmed,
and inclosed in many parts with dry stone dykes, the
chief deficiency observable being in the farm steadings
and offices. Sea-weed, farm-yard dung, and the refuse
of fish are used as manure : the last, when mixed with
moss, is found a valuable compost for green crops. The
farms vary in value from a rental of £30 to one of £500,
and are held under several proprietors, among whom are
the Earl of Seafield and the Duke of Richmond : land
lets at from l^*'. to £3 per acre. The sheep are of a
mixed kind, and few in number. Much attention is
given to the rearing of cattle ; the Aberdeenshire breed
is prevalent, and cattle are sold in considerable numbers
for the southern markets. The horses, also, are of su-
perior symmetry and strength, having been improved
through the encouragement afforded by the agricultural
society instituted some years since at Cullen. The rocks
along the coast consist principally of gneiss, mica-slate,
clay-slate, schist, greyvvacke, and various kinds of sand-
stone and limestone ; the two last are quarried, as also
is the clay-slate. Other minerals, of inferior impor-
tance, are to be found ; and the proceeds of the quarries
in the parish amount to £300 per annum. The chief
mansions are Letterfourie, Tannachy, Burnside, Buckie
Lodge, and Cairnfield, the plantations around some of
■which, comprising all the ordinary trees, are in a flourish-
ing condition. The pleasure-grounds of Cullen House
are chiefly in this parish, and contain fine oak, ash, elm,
beech, larch, and Scotch fir. The annual value of real
property in Rathven is £9539.
Besides the village of Rathven, there are five fishing-
villages, namely, Buckie, Porteasie, Pindochty, Port-
nockie, and Portgordon, each containing a considerable
population engaged in the herring-fishery, and in the
fisheries off the coast, comprising haddock, cod, halibut,
sole, mackerel, plaice, flounders, and other kinds. There
are some salmon in the burns, and many crabs and
lobsters about the shores. The whole of the fish an-
nually obtained is valued at £45,000, of which the her-
ring branch is estimated at £18,400. The number of
boats belonging to the parish is 245, and each of them
carries four men, and sometimes a boy also. There are
two harbours, one at Buckie and the other at Portgordon.
The former is chiefly used as a landing-place for the
fishermen, and a retreat for their boats ; the latter, where
ships of considerable burthen can enter, has an exten-
sive traffic in the exportation of grain, and the importa-
tion of salt and English coal. In the village of Buckie
are upwards of 2000 iahabitants. The linen manufac-
ture was pursued on a large scale in the parish till about
the year 1*63, employing a great number of spinners
405
and about sixty weavers, the aggregate earnings of the
former amounting annually to nearly £2000 : there are
now but four weavers, who make linen, plaiding, &c.,
for family use. A small rope-work is in operation at
Buckie, and the parish contains a mill for carding wool,
four corn-mills, and a mill for grinding flour and making
pot-barley. At Buckie is a post-office with a daily de-
livery. The post-road from Elgin to Banff passes through
the parish for ten miles ; and on its north and south
sides, in the direction of Cullen, wide tracts of moorland
have been reclaimed, and neat and commodious houses
erected, through the encouragement of the Earl of Sea-
field, who gives a bounty of £5 for each acre improved,
and allows the occupier to hold it rent-free for five years.
The fuel used in the district consists chiefly of peat and
turf, but coal is also burnt. A fair is held in July for
cattle, sheep, and cheese.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of For-
dyce, synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of Sir
Andrew Leith Hay, of Rannes : the minister's stipend is
£207, with a manse, and a glebe of seven acres valued
at £12 per annum. The church, which is conveniently
situated, contains 1000 sittings. There is a chapel at
Enzie, to which a district was for a time annexed as a
quoad sacra parish. It was erected in 1785, with money
raised by collections in all the churches of Scotland, at
the recommendation of the General Assembly ; and con-
tains sittings for 400 persons. The chapel is endowed
with lands left by a Mr. Anderson, under the manage-
ment of the Committee of the Royal Bounty, and the
presbytery of Fordyce ; the clergyman receives £62. 8.
a year from the procurator of the church, and the amount
of the seat-rents, and has also eight acres of land, worth
about £8 per annum. The eastern extremity of Rathven,
containing the village of Portnockie, has been long an-
nexed quoad sacra to Cullen : a chapel was lately built
in the village, by subscription, at the cost of £400 ; the
Hon. Colonel Grant, now sixth Earl of Seafield, contri-
buting £100. There are also two episcopal chapels;
one at Buckie, with 200 sittings ; and the other at
Arradoul, built about the year 1788, containing 211
sittings. The members of the Free Church have places
of worship at Buckie and Enzie ; and the Roman Ca-
tholic population, amounting to about 1500 persons,
possess a chapel at Buckie, and another at PreshoIm,the
latter built in 1788 : the bishop resides in the parish,
with three priests.
The parochial school affords instruction in Latin and
Greek, in addition to the usual branches ; the master
has a salary of £32. 1., with £25, being a portion of the
Dick bequest, a house, and about £10 fees. A school is
supported at Curfurrach, near Enzie chapel, by the So-
ciety for Propagating Christian Knowledge, the master
receiving £15 per annum from the societ}', and having
a free dwelling-house and schoolroom from the Duke of
Richmond. In Portgordon, a master has a salary of
£15 from the duke, and a free house and schoolroom ;
while in the village of Portnockie the Earl of Seafield has
built a good school-house, and allows the master £10
per annum, with permission to charge the same fees as
those at the parochial school. There are other schools
in the parish. A public library, supported by a quarterly
contribution, was instituted some years since in the
village of Rathven. Here, also, is an ancient hospital
once adapted for seven leprous persons, for whom it was
R ATT
R ATT
founded by Jolin Bisset in 1226. The house was lately
repaired, and two of the six beadsmen still on the esta-
blishment live in it. Each beadsman holds, on the
lands of Rannes, half an acre of good croft land, and
receives one boll of oatmeal annually ; also, from the
lands of Findochty, 84-. l^d. ; and from John Gordon,
Esq., of Cluny, as proprietor of the lands of Freuchnie,
which formerly were part of the estate of Rannes, Iji. 4frf.
The half acre brings, if let, £1. 1. per annum.
Remains of Druidical temples, and cairns, are nume-
rous in the parish : the chief of the latter is a large
heap of stones south of the public road, called the King's
Cairn, and traditionally said to be the grave of Indul-
phus, seventy-seventh king of Scotland, who, after ob-
taining a signal victory over the Danes, was killed near
this spot. There are several very extensive caves on the
coast, one of which is called Farskane's, the proprietor
having taken refuge in it with two friends, in 1*15, to
escape from the troubles consequent on the Earl of Mar's
rebellion : after a stay of five or six weeks, they returned
to their houses. In 1S05 some coins were found in a
small box, of the reigns of Queen Mary, James VI., and
Charles I. The parish contains several medicinal springs,
two of them chalybeates, and much frequented. The
celebrated Dr. Alexander Geddes was born at Pathheads,
in the parish, in 1737; he died in London in 1802. —
See Buckie, Enzie, &c.
RATTRAY, a parish, in the county of Perth, 1 mile
(E. N. E.) from Blairgowrie ; containing, with the villages
of Old and New Rattray, 1918 inhabitants, of whom 447
are in the former, and .580 in the latter. This place lays
claim to a considerable degree of antiquity. It is sup-
posed to have derived its name, the etymology of which
is uncertain, from the family of Rattray, by whom, ac-
cording to records yet extant, it appears to have been
possessed prior to the year 1066, and whose descendants
are still the principal proprietors. Of the castle of Rat-
tray, the original seat of that family, there are some re-
mains on the hill of Rattray, an oblong eminence south-
eastward of the village, rounded at the eastern extremity,
and on the summit of which the ruins form a pleasingly
romantic object. During one of the frequent intestine
wars that subsisted between rival factions, the family,
not thinking themselves secure in Rattray Castle from
the incursions of their enemies, removed to the castle of
Craighall, about two miles north-west of the village,
which since that period has continued to be their resi-
dence. The inhabitants were formerly noted for their
various sports, of which the most general were curling,
archery, and the game called the '" long ball ;" and till
the year 1745 there were preserved in the parish a silver
curling-stone, a silver arrow, and a silver ball, which
were severally awarded as prizes to the successful com-
petitors in these respective games. Any parish in Scot-
land might contest with the people of Rattray for the
prize in these games, wliicli always took place within the
parish ; and the successful candidate was bound to re-
store the prize he had obtained, previously to the next
annual celebration. The curling-stone and the arrow
were lost during the time of the rebellion ; but the silver
ball, which has been contested for within the present
century, is still in the possession of Alexander Whitson,
Esq., of I'arkhill.
The I'AKisn comprises a part of the vale of Strath-
more, and is bounded on the west and on the south by
406
the river Ericht, which separates it from the parish of
Blaircrowrie. Including a widely-detached portion of it,
on the confines of Forfarshire, it is about six miles and
a half in extreme length and nearly two miles in mean
breadth ; comprising about 6500 acres, of which 4500
are arable, 450 woodland and plantations, and the re-
mainder moor and waste. The surface towards the
south, for some breadth along the banks of the river, is
tolerably level. Towards the north it increases in ele-
vation till it nearly reaches the village, beyond which it
rises by steep acclivities into rugged and precipitous
hills, forming part of the chain which, some miles be-
yond the limits of the parish, terminates in the Grampian
range. The only river connected with the parish is the
Ericht, which has its source in some springs issuing
from the Grampian hills, and, flowing southward, re-
ceives the waters of the Ardle, a considerable mountain
stream from the north-west. After this, passing the
mansion of Craighall, and taking an eastern course, it
bounds the parish on the south, and about two miles off
falls into the Isla near Cupar- Angus, and flows in con-
junction with that river into the Tay. The Ericht often
overflows its banks in winter, and after rains in autumn,
also, sometimes inundates the adjacent lands, occasion-
ing much damage to the crops. It abounds with trout,
affording good sport to the angler, and salmon are found
in it during the season. In its rapid course it forms a
beautiful cascade named the Keith, where the water,
obstructed by a rock, falls into a pool beneath, on which
is a salmon-fishery belonging to Lord Wharncliffe. The
general scenery, from the variety of the surface and the
belts of wood and plantations scattered over it, is pleas-
ingly diversified ; and from the numerous hills are ob-
tained fine prospects over the fertile vale of Strathmore
and the surrounding country.
On the hills and uplands the soil is thin, cold, and
moorish, and in the lower parts dry and gravelly ; but
though in some places encumbered with loose stones, it
is generally fertile, producing favourable crops of oats,
barley, and wheat, with potatoes and turnips, and the
usual grasses. In the higher parts is a common of
about 300 acres, called the Broad Moss, fit only for cut-
ting turf for fuel. The system of husbandry is improved,
but there is little in the parish to require agricultural
notice ; the majority of the farms are of very moderate
extent, and those on the higher lands are employed
mainly for the pasture of cattle and sheep. The cattle
are of the Strathmore and Angus breeds, with a mixture
of the Teeswater ; they are mostly bought in at the
neighbouring fairs, and when two or three years old are
fed for the butcher, or sold to dealers who send them to
the Glasgow market. There are plantations consisting
chiefly of larch and Scotch fir ; they are luider careful
management, and are regularly thinned, and the produce
sold for fuel. Along the river are coppices of oak, which
is cut down at a proper age, principally for the bark,
which yields a profitable return. The rocks on the
banks of the Ericht, near Craighall, rise perpendicularly
to the height of 200 feet, and are of rugged and for-
midable appearance ; they consist of enormous masses
of whinstone, which have never been wrought for any
purpose. The ascent to the summit, even where least
jirecipitous, is diflicuit and dangerous ; and a few trees
only have been planted on the surface. Craighall, the
seat of Robert Clerk Rattray, Esq., is a spacious castel-
R A TT
R A Y N
lated mansion, situated on the summit of one of these
rocks, 214 feet in height, overhanging the river. It
commands from the drawing-room windows an exten-
sive view of the singularly impressive scenery of the
adjacent country, marked with features of wild sublimity
and romantic grandeur. This venerable mansion, the
original date of which is not known, is accessible only
from the south ; it was internally remodelled by the late
Baron Rattray, who added also, to the front, two turrets
at the angles, corresponding in character to those which
flank the entrance gateway in the centre. Parkhill is a
handsome modern mansion, beautifully situated on the
brow of a hill northward of the village, and embracing
a richly diversified prospect over the picturesque and
fertile vale of Strathmore.
The village of Old Rattray, which is evidently a place
of considerable antiquity, is irregularly built on the
southern declivity of a hill, and has gi-eatly increased
■within the present century, from the facilities of water-
power afforded by the river. New Rattray is neatly
built, along the road to Blairgowrie, and is nearly con-
tiguous to the village of Old Rattray ; it was commenced
in 1809, and from the pleasantness of the scenery, and
the healthfalness of its situation, is a favourite resort
for invalids from various parts, for whose accommoda-
tion there is an excellent inn. The linen manufacture
is carried on to a very considerable extent. There are
not less than eight mills for the spinning of flax, which
are driven by water-wheels of from eight to twenty horse
power, and afford employment to 650 persons, inhabit-
ants of the villages. In one of these mills, called the
Erichtside mill, are also sixty-seven power-looms con-
stantly employed in the weaving of linen-cloths of va-
rious qualities ; and very many of the inhabitants of the
parish, when not engaged in agricultural pursuits, are
occupied in hand-loom weaving at their own dwellings
for the houses of Dundee. The handicraft trades requi-
site for the supply of the district are also carried on in
the villages, in which there are a few shops. Fairs,
chiefly for the sale of cattle, are held in April and August,
on a common to the west of the village ; and they are
in general numerously attended. Letters are received
daily from the post-office of Blairgowrie, in the imme-
diate vicinity ; and facility of communication is main-
tained by the military road to Fort-George by Braemar,'
which passes through the parish ; and by the turnpike-
road to Alyth and Kirriemuir. Some miles above the
village, an iron bridge has been constructed across the
Ericht by Colonel Sir W.Chalmers, of Glen-Ericht House.
This bridge, which affords communication between the
portions of that gentleman's lands on both sides of the
stream, consists of a horizontal platform of iron, sup-
ported by pillars of stone at each extremity, and is of
sufficient breadth for a carriage-road, and a footpath on
each side. The annual value of real property in Rattray
is £5229.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dunkeld and synod of Perth
and Stirling. The minister's stipend is £15*. 9. 2., of
which nearly one-half is paid from the exchequer ; with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per annum : patron,
the Earl of Kinnoull. Rattray church, built in 1820, to
replace the ancient church, which had fallen into decay,
is a substantial and handsome structure with a square
tower, and contains 620 sittings. There are also places
407
of worship for members of the Free Church and United
Presbyterian Church. The parochial school, situated
near the church, in the village of Old Rattray, is at-
tended by about sixty children ; the master has a salary
of £34. 4. 4. per annum, with a house, and the school
fees. On an eminence half a mile eastward of the vil-
lage, and also on another about a mile to the north of
it, are the remains of a Druidical circle. Near the former
were lately discovered, in a field of hard gravel, two deep
trenches in the form of a crescent with the horns to-
wards the east, having the sides formed with rough
stones, and covered with large flags of whinstone, and
containing earth of a dark colour intermixed with frag-
ments of burnt bones. There was also till within the
last few years, to the east of the village, a large cairn of
earth and stones in alternate layers, the base of which
covered about half an acre ; every layer of earth con-
tained a mixture of burnt bones and wood, and in the
centre of the cairn was found a stone coffin holding
half-calciued bones and a warlike weapon nearly resem-
bling a dagger.
RAVENSTRUTHER, a village, in the parish of
Carstairs, Upper ward of the county of Lanark, 1^
mile (S. W. by W.) from the village of Carstairs; con-
taining 104 inhabitants. It is a small place, lying in
the south-west quarter of the parish, on the high road
from Carnwath to Lanark, and near the great Caledonian
railway. The Mouss water passes at a little distance
on the north, and shortly quits the parish for that of
Lanark.
RAYNE, a parish, in the district of Garioch, county
of Aberdeen; containing 1542 inhabitants, of whom
112 are in the village of Old Rain, 12 miles (S. E. byE.)
from Huntly. This place is supposed to take its name
from the Gaelic word Raon, signifying " a field of
good ground", which is pretty descriptive of the land
throughout. The parish is about three miles in length
and of nearly the same breadth, containing 7300
acres, and forming the extreme northern part of the
inland district of Aberdeenshire called Garioch, which
here borders on that of Formartine. It is bounded on
the north by parts of Fyvie and Auchterless parishes,
on the south by the parish of Oyne, on the east by
parts of Daviot and Chapel of Garioch, and on the
west by Culsamond. The only high ground is the hill
of Rothmaise, which rises about 850 feet above the
level of the sea ; the remainder of the parish consists of
undulating fields, and gentle acclivities, with along tract
of peat-moss towards the north. The rocks are whin-
stone, of hard texture and a deep blue colour. The Ury
river runs for two miles along the boundary, and sepa-
rates Rayne from Oyne. On the best grounds the soil
is a fertile loam, resting on a subsoil of clay : other
portions consist of a comparatively shallow and poor
earth with a tilly or rocky bottom ; while the exten-
sive tract of peat-moss, comprehending upwards of 500
acres, is for the most part composed of alluvial deposits.
Of the area of 7300 acres, about 5820 acres are under
tillage, 390 consist of moors and ordinary pasture unfit
for cultivation, 360 are occupied by wood, and 730 are
peat-moss and pasture. Wheat is not much cultivated ;
the principal crops are oats and bear, with a consider-
able proportion of turnips. Large numbers of black-
cattle are reared, chiefly of the native breed, horned and
bald : some farmers have introduced a cross between
R E A Y
K E A Y
these and the Teeswater, but though the bulk of the
carcase is thus increased, its qualit)' is thought to be
deteriorated. A large number of cows, also, are kept
for the dairy ; and the dairy produce, especially the
butter, is abundant. The system of husbandry is good ;
but the impediments offered by the climate, and the dis-
tance from grain-markets and sea-ports, in some mea-
sure prevent the successful development of agricultural
skill and labour. The manure chiefly employed is farm-
yard dung, with, occasionally, some bone-dust ; and the
grain, as in other parts of the county, is now cut with the
scythe : the fields in general are uninclosed. The farm-
houses are mostly plain substantial buildings, of one
floor, with thatched roofs ; those lately built are of two
floors, and slated. Freefield, the residence of General
Sir Alexander Leith, and Warthill, that of the Leslie fa-
mily, are both modern houses.
There are two small villages, Meiklewarthill and Old
Rain. The knitting of coarse worsted vests or under
jackets for seafaring persons, of blue woollen bonnets
for labouring men and boys, and worsted stockings, is
carried on to a considerable extent in the parish, em-
ploying about 300 women. Three fairs are held annually,
namely, a cattle-market at Meiklewarthill, Lawrence fair
at Old Rain, and Andersmas fair at Kirktown ; with
two feeing- markets for servants, held near Old Rain,
before Wliitsuntide and Martinmas. The agricultural
produce is sent to Port-Elphinstone, for the Aberdeen
market and for exportation. There is a post-office at
Old Rain, near which the Aberdeen and Inverness mail,
via Huntly, passes and repasses daily, as well as a stage
coach. A line of turnpike-road has been lately opened
through Rayne, from the Huntly road at Garden's mill,
to Meldrum. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £5653. Ecclesiastically this place is in the
presbytery of Garioch and synod of Aberdeen ; patron,
the Crown. The stipend is £2'25, with a manse, and a
glebe of about eight acres, valued at £12 per annum.
The church, which was built in 1789, is situated in the
centre of the parish, and seats about 700 persons. In
the parochial school, in addition to the ordinary branches
of education, Latin, Greek, and mathematics are taught,
if required; the master has a salary of £25. 13. 4., a
house and garden, £28 from the Dick bequest, and about
£32 fees. There are also three private schools, where
the ordinary branches are taught ; and a friendly society.
The parish contains an ancient mound, a Druidical tem-
ple, and several cairns, under one of which, according to
tradition, Irvine, the Laird of Drum, lies interred, having
been slain while in pursuit of Donald, Lord of the Isles,
after the battle of Ilarlaw, in 141 1.
REANLOCHBERVIE, in the county of Suther-
land.— See Keanlochbf.rvie.
REAY, a parish, partly in the county of Suther-
land, but chiefly in that of Caithness, 9^ miles (\V. S.
W.) from Thurso ; containing, with the fishing-villages
of Melvich and Portskerray, 2SI1 inhabitants, of whom
1067 are in Sutherland, and 1744 in Caithness. This
place, the history of which is involved in great obscurity,
is supposed to have derived its name, originally LJrrnij,
from a Pictish chieftain who occupied a castle here, now
in ruins, but the site of which is still called Knock-
Urray. 'I'lic place apjiears to have been celebrated by
the North Highland bards as of some importance at a
very early period ; and in 1751, from the bursting of a
40b
■water-spout, which formed for itself a deep channel in
the sands between the present village and the shore,
there were discovered the remains of an ancient town,
said to have been a burgh of regality. Upon this oc-
casion, the gables of several houses built of stone in a
contmiinus line, and the foundations of many others,
with pavements and various pieces of earthenware,
were found among the ruins, as well as the old market-
cross, now placed in the village of New Reay. The
stones of which the houses were built, being of good
quality, were removed, and numerous other relics of
the ancient buildings carried otf ; but the sand-banks
beginning to fall in, all further search was prevented,
and the site of the town, sixteen feet below the surface,
was again buried in the sand.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the North
Sea, along the shore of viihich it extends for nearly nine
miles ; and is about eighteen miles in length from north
to south. From the extreme irregularity of its form,
the superficial contents have not been ascertained; about
2500 acres are arable, and the remainder hill pasture,
moorland, and waste. The surface is strikingly diversi-
fied : towards the sea-coast it is tolerably even, but in
other parts mountainous and hilly. The highest of the
mountains are, Ben-Radh, which has an elevation of
1760 feet above the level of the sea, and Ben-Shurery,
Ben-na-Bad, and Ben-Ruaidh, which are little inferior in
height ; the hills are Knock-na-Bareibhich, Knock-
Sleitill, and Muillanan-Liadh, with several others less
conspicuous. Between these heights extends for nearly
the whole length of the parish the valley of Strathalla-
dale, in the Sutherland district, watered by the river
Halladale, which has its source in the hills on the con-
fines of Kildonan parish, and, taking a northern course,
flows through the vale into the bay of Bighouse. The
river Forss has its source in a small lake to the east of
Ben-na-Bad, and winds northwards into Loch Shurery,
on issuing from which it forms a boundary between this
parish and Thurso, and then falls into the bay of Cross-
kirk. There are also several streams not distinguished
by name, issuing from the lakes ; two of these, uniting
their waters, and another passing by the church, flow
into the bay of Sandside. Though numerous, the lakes
are but of small extent. The principal are, Loch Cailm,
which is about three miles in circumference; Loch
Shurery, a mile and a half in length and nearly half a
mile in breadth ; Lochs Seirach and Tonnard, less than
a mile in length, and connected by a small rivulet ; and
Luch Sleitill, in Strathalladale, abounding with red trout
of superior quality, some of which are two feet long. In
many parts the coast is bold and rocky. Of the several
bays, those of SaiKlside and Bighouse are the most im-
portant. The former is a mile in breadth, and is sur-
rounded by level sandy land affording good pasture : a
commodious harbour has been constructed here by
Major Lines, at a cost of more than £3000, having safe
shelter for vessels, and for the boats employed in the
herring-fishery. At Ihirroirstoii the shore is perforated
with numerous caverns, one of which, called (lliiig Glang,
is said to have obtained that appellation from the sound
produced in its descent by a stone thrown into it. Near
the sjiot is a naturally-formed arch, over a chasm forty
feet in depth, into which the tide flows: the crown of it, on
a level with the adjacent surface, is covered with green
turf. The fish taken off the coast are herrings, cod, ling,
RE AY
R E DG
turbot, haddock, skate, whiting, mackerel, flounders, sand-
eels, and other kinds ; and saknon and trout are found
in tolerable abundance in the rivers. The fisheries are
principally carried on at the villages of Melvieh and
Portskerray, which see.
In the Sutherland district the soil is chiefly a dark
loam, mixed with sand, and, when under proper cultiva-
tion, producing average crops. In the Caithness divi-
sion it is generally of richer quality ; towards the coast
clayey and tenacious, and near Burrowston and Sandside
light and sandy. The principal crops are oats and
barley, with tlie usual grasses. The parish has much
more of a pastoral than of an agricultural character, but
the system of husbandry lias nevertheless been gradually
improving, and considerable tracts of moor have been
brought into cultivation ; the lands have been partially
inclosed by the proprietors of Sandside and Shebster,
and a new channel has been made for the river Halla-
dale by the Duke of Sutherland, and embankments
raised to prevent its inundation of the strath. Many
of the smaller farms have been united, and formed into
sheep-walks j and the rearing of sheep and black-cattle,
for which there are broad pastures, is the principal
dependence of the tenantry. The small native breed of
sheep has been superseded by the Cheviots, which, from
the extension of sheep-farming, now constitute the prin-
cipal live stock ; the cattle are of the Highland breed.
Neither ancient woods nor modern plantations are to be
seen, with the exception of a few coppices of birch in
Strathalladale, and a few trees in the grounds of Sand-
side House, lately planted by the proprietor ; the soil
does not appear to be at all favourable to the growth of
timber. There are numerous interesting displays of the
sandstones and sandstone-slates so prevalent in the
county ; and of the primitive formations there are gra-
nite, sienite, hornblende rocks, gneiss, and quartz. Large
quarries of freestone of good quality have been opened
in different parts, and limestone is also extensively
wrought. Shell-marl is found in the hills of Dunreay
and Brawlbin, and is applied with great success to the
improvement of the neighbouring lands. Blocks of
gritstone are obtained in the same hills, and are formed
into excellent millstones. In several places are indica-
tions of iron-ore ; and near the village, a small vein of
lead-ore was discovered on the estate of Capt. Macdonald,
but not under circumstances to warrant the working of
it. The annual value of real property in the parish is
£4138. Sandside House, the seat of Captain Macdonald,
on the western shore of Sandside bay; Isauid House, on
the opposite shore of the bay ; and Bighouse, the an-
cient seat of the Mackays, and now the property of the
Duke of Sutherland, are the principal houses. The vil-
lage of New Reay, so called in contradistinction to the
town previously noticed, stands on the road from Thurso
to Tongue, and is neatly built. Fairs, chiefly for cattle
and for various kinds of wares, are held in the beginning
of September and the end of December. A post-office
nnder that of Thurso, the nearest market-town, has been
established here; and facility of communication is main-
tained by the turnpike-road, along which the mail passes
every alternate day, and by cross roads, and bridges over
the rivers.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the place is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Caithness and synod of
Caithness and Sutherland. The minister's stipend is
Vol. II.— 409
about £1.50, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £8 per
annum ; patron, the Crown. Reay church, erected in
1739, is a plain substantial structure in the village, and
has 6.'jO sittings. A missionary, who ofliciates every third
Sunday at Dispolly, in the district of Halladale, receives
a stipend partly from the congregation, and partly from
the Royal Bounty ; the place of worship, built by the
people of the district, assisted by the late Countess of
Sutherland, contains sittings for 55{) persons. A church
at Shurery has been partly endowed by Major Innes, iu
connexion with the Established Church ; and a catechist
is supported by the Royal Bounty and the Kirk Session.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship in the parish. The parochial school is attended by
nearly 100 children ; the master has a salary of £34. 4.
4., with a house and garden, and the fees. A school is
maintained by the General Assembly, and three other
schools are supported by individual subscription. There
are numerous remains of Picts' houses, built of large
stones without cement ; of circular form, and varying
from sixty to seventy feet in diameter ; the walls of
massive thickness : the most entire of these ancient
buildings is one called the Borg, at Breakrow, in Strath-
alladale. Upon the summit of Benfrectan, or " the hill
of the watch," are the remains of a strong intrenchment:
the ramparts, still in many parts entire, appear to have
inclosed an ample area, having in the centre a circular
tower, from the top of which a beacon could be dis-
played on the appearance of an enemy, when the women
and children, with the cattle, were placed within the
fort, which was easily defended against numbers. On
the hill of Shebster are remains of two similar fortresses,
at some distance from each other, and between which,
according to tradition, there was a subterraneous com-
munication. Near Lybster, in the eastern part of the
parish, are the remains of an ancient chapel called
Crosskirk, with a burying-ground ; the walls of the
building are of great thickness, and the entrance is very
low. At Shebster are the ruins of a like chapel, near
which is a tomb containing a coffin of stones, rudely
formed. There are several mineral springs, chiefly cha-
lybeate, and one of them, at Helshetter, is thought to be
little inferior to the water of Strathpeffer. The parish
gives the title of baron to Lord Reay ; and the whole of
the surrounding district, for many miles, used to be called
Lord Reay's Country.
REDDING, a village, in the parish of Polmont,
county of Stirling, 3 miles IS. S. E.) from Falkirk ;
containing 694 inhabitants. This village, from its situ-
ation in the heart of a mining district, has greatly in-
creased in population and extent within the last few
years. It is inhabited chiefly by persons employed as
colliers. The Redding colliery, which is the property of
the Duke of Hamilton, is in extensive operation ; and
the facility of conveyance afforded by the Union canal,
within a short distance of the village, contributes greatly
to promote the spirit of enterprise with which it is con-
ducted. The Edinburgh and Glasgow railway passes
also by the village, and has a station at Polmont. Con-
nected with the colliery is a school for the instruction of
children ; and in the schoolroom, which can accommodate
200 persons, a probationer of the Established Church
officiates regularly on Sunday.
REDGORTON, a parish, in the county of Perth,
4 miles (W. by N.) from Perth ; containing, with the
3 G
R ED G
R ED G
villages of Bridgetown, Luncarty, Craighead, Cromwell-
Park, Pitcairn-Green, and part o( the former quoad
sacra district of Stanley, IQ'ig inhabitants. This parish
comprehends the three ancient, and now united, parishes
of Redgortou, Luncarty, and St. Serf's, which are sup-
posed to have been formed into one about the period of
the Reformation ; the presbytery records, which extend
back to 1619, speaking of them as at that time con-
solidated. The original orthography of Redgorton was
Rochgorton, a form used in a charter of King David's
preserved in the chartulary of Scone, in which he con-
veys the church to Scone Abbey. The present prefix
of the name, though probably created by illiterate pro-
nunciation, is yet a correct translation of the Gaelic
prefix Rocli, or Ranch, which signifies " red." Gorton, or
Garten, implies "a little field;" and the whole word
Redgorton, signifying " the red field, or field of blood,"
is generally considered as having been applied on account
of the celebrated battle of Luncarty, which took place
here. Of the three old parishes, that of Redgorton be-
longed to the abbey of Scone ; while Luncarty was a
parsonage, not connected with any corporate or colle-
giate institution : to the parish of St. Serf, a name cor-
rupted from St. Servanus, was attached the barony of
Huntingtower.
The district was memorable in ancient times for mili-
tary operations. The Roman station Orrea was situated at
the confluence of the Tay and the Almond, in the parish ;
traces of it are still visible, and it is supposed to have
covered twelve acres of ground. Near this spot, Roman
urns have been found containing ashes and burnt bones,
particularly two urns of large dimensions, which some
conjecture to have held the ashes of Aulas Atticus, who
was killed in the celebrated battle with Galgacus, at the
foot of the Grampian mountains, and of Agricola's son,
who died in the eighth year of his father's expedition
into Britain. A Roman road from Ardoch, on the
ridge of Gask, leads to this station ; and the piers that
supported the bridge by which the Tay was crossed, are
yet to be seen in the bottom of the river at this place.
Orrea continued to be an important station throughout
the twenty-five years that LoUius Urbicus was lieute-
nant in Britain, to a.d. 16 1 ; it is supposed to have been
abandoned in the year I70, and again occupied, by the
Emperor Severus, in 209. Altogether, it appears to have
been in the hands of the Romans for about 125 years.
But the most interesting occurrence connected with
the district is the memorable battle of Luncarty, which
was fought about the year 990, in a field on the banks
of the Tay, two miles above the mouth of the Almond ;
and in which a signal victory was obtained by the
Scots, under Kenneth III., over the Danes, through the
valour of the peasant Hay and his two sons. The
Danes, having landed a great force at the mouth of the
Esk, took and destroyed the town and castle of Mont-
rose, and slaughtered all the inhabitants. Thus suc-
cessful, they were about to lay siege to Perth, then
called Bertha; upon which the Scottish king, having re-
ceived intelligence of their invasion, hastily marched
from Stirling, and fixed his camp upon Moncrielf hill,
attended by his nobles, retainers, and many countrymen
who had hillowed him. Hearing, however, of the danger
which threatened Perth, he immediately marched thither,
passing the enemy, and faking up his station at Lun-
carty. After some skirmishing, the Danes came down
410
from an eminence on which they had posted themselves;
and u general and desperate engagement took place,
■which issued in the precipitate flight of the main body
of the Scots, both wings having been previously routed.
At this critical time, a man named Hay, then working
in an adjacent field, observing the panic of the Scots,
who were vigorously pursued by the Danes, seized the
yoke of his plough ; and taking his two sons that were
with him, and who both seized whatever implement they
could lay hold of, they all crossed the shallow part of
the Tay, and by remonstrances and threatenings stopped
the flight of their countrymen. By some prodigious
efforts of valour, these three men checked the fury of
the Danes, and gave the Scots an opportunity of rally-
ing upon an eminence which still retains the name of
Turn-again hill ; when, several fortunate circumstances
occurring to the Scots, in the renewed conflict, the
Danes were completely routed. Their general, who was
the king himself, was slain ; and a stone yet remaining,
which bears the name of Denmark, was raised on the
spot to perpetuate the memory of his fall. The Scottish
monarch is said to have immediately given Hay his
choice of the territory that could be traversed by the
greyhound's course, or compassed by the falcon's flight,
as a reward for his bravery. Hay having chosen the
falcon's flight, the bird was let loose from a neighbour-
ing hill, and pursued its course as far as the borders of
Errol parish, where it alighted on a large stone which
has since borne the name of the Hawk's Stane ; and all
the intervening ground was given in perpetuity to the
family. In memory of the battle, the Hays still bear as
their arms the instrument of victory, with the allusive
motto Sub jitgo. It should be observed, however, that
though these traditionary particulars are generally cre-
dited, some writers dispute the authenticity of the ac-
count, and trace this ancient family to the stock of De
la Haye, of Norman origin.
The PARISH is divided into two detached parts, the
lower of which lies at the confluence of the Tay and the
Almond, and the upper beyond the parish of Moneydie,
at the foot of the Grampians. The former is about six
miles long and two broad, and contains about 6400
acres. It is bounded on the east by the river Tay, which
separates it from the parishes of Scone and St. Martin's ;
on the north by the parishes of Auchtergaven and
Kinclaven ; on the south-west by the Almond, which
divides it from the parishes of Tibbermore and Meth-
veu ; and on the west and north-west by the Coldrochie,
the Shochie, and the Ordic, which separates it from the
parish of Moneydie. The upper part, called the Barony
of Mullion, is about three miles long and three-quarters
broad, and contains only about 1200 acres. The Shochie
divides it from Auchtergaven on the north ; and a
stream called the Crachie separates it from the extinct
parish of Logiealmond, annexed to the parish of Money-
die quoad sacra.
These two divisions are as dissimilar in appearance as
they are in dimensions. In the lower district the sur-
face is diversified by inimerous undulations, the highest
of which do not rise more than 100 feet above the level
of the sea ; the whole lands are under cultivation, and
generally subdivided by thorn hedges. The ridges and
knolls are to a great extent planted with wood, which
ab(mnds also in other parts of the parish. They pre-
sent in many places beautiful scenery, and command
RE DG
R EN F
distant prospects ; the ridge of Redgorton embraces a
view of Scone parlt and palace, of the bridge and city of
Perth with its fertile valley, and of the noble river Tay,
of which the eye catches many glimpses through the
opening woods. The soil of this division varies, some-
times changing suddenly from a deep rich loam to a cold
till, and in other places being a dry gravelly or sandy
earth. The upper district consists of open moorland,
uninclosed field, and mountains covered with heath : the
soil is a sharp, gravelly, or moorish loam ; and though,
if well cultivated, it produces good grain, the elevation
of the land exposes the crops to injury from early frost.
There is a lake of small extent in the Barony of MuUion ;
its depth is said to be considerable. The only streams
that run through the parish are the Shochie and the Or-
die, both of them tributaries of the Tay.
About .5780 acres in the parish are cultivated ; 600
are in grass, 860 occupied by wood, and 440 acres un-
cultivated. Oats and barley are grown in considerable
abundance, with the usual green crops. Potatoes form
the chief article in the produce of the soil, their annual
value amounting to about £6400 : the sort cultivated
here is the Perthshire-red, which has long maintained a
high character in the London market. The cattle were
formerly a mixture, of dilferent shapes and sizes ; but
within the last thirty or forty years they have mostly
consisted of a cross between the Teeswater and the Ayr-
shire. The most improved system of husbandry is fol-
lowed. Draining, and the recovering of waste land, have
for some time been regularly practised ; and great im-
provements, especially in the formation of plantations
and ornamental scenery, are owing to the late Lord
Lynedoch, who held about two-thirds of the whole pa-
rish. The woods on his lordship's property comprise
nearly 800 acres ; they consist to a large extent of oak,
and the acorns were selected with the greatest possible
care. The rocks in the lower part of the parish are
principally grey sandstone, of excellent quality for build-
ing ; red sandstone is found along the channel of the
Almond. In the upper district, greywacke exists to a
considerable degree. The annual value of real property
in Redgorton is £7713.
The chief villages are Pitcairn-Green, Luncarty,
Bridgetown of Almond, Craighead, and part of Stanley.
There are bleachfields at Luncarty, Pitcairn-Field, and
Cromwell-Park, of which the first-named is the most
extensive in the country. About 2,000,000 yards are
annually bleached at the Luncarty works, the greater
portion damask, and 120 hands are employed. There
are two power-loom establishments, one or two flax-
spinning mills, and a cotton-spinning mill. On the river
Tay are several salmon-fisheries, the value of which,
however, has much fallen off within these few years ;
one of them, formerly worth £550, now returns but
£65 per annum : the quality of the salmon is considered
very superior. The turnpike-road from Perth to Dunkeld
runs through the parish for four miles, and has a branch
by Stanley : the Perth and Forfar railway also intersects
the parish. There being no bridge in this part across
the Tay, the passage is made by a commodious boat ;
the Almond has three bridges, one of which is upwards
of 200 years old. Ecclesiastically, Redgorton is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Perth and synod of
Perth and Stirling ; patron, the Crown : the stipend of
the minister is £189j and there is a raanscj with a glebe
411
valued at about £18 per annum. The church, built in
1776, and since enlarged, is situated nearly in the middle
of the lower part of the parish, and contains 7 00 sittings :
it is inconveniently placed for the population in the
upper district, being from seven to eight miles distant
from some of the inhabitants. A handsome chapel of
ease has been erected at Stanley, the minister of which
receives a stipend of £150, ensured by a l)ond, from the
manufacturing company of the place, who also give a
house. There are places of worship for dissenters. A
parochial school is maintained ; the master has the
maximum salary, with a house and garden, and the fees.
In the district are still to be seen the remains of some
round camps, and numerous tumuli.
REDHOLM, an isle, in the parish of Stronsay and
Eday, county of Orkney. It is a very small uninha-
bited isle, to the north-west of the island <jf Eday.
REDPATH, a village, in the parish of Earlstoun,
county of Berwick; containing 149 inhabitants. This
is the smallest of four villages in the parish ; its popu-
lation is chiefly agricultural. A school is supported
partly by subscription, and partly by payments from the
scholars.
REDROW, a village, in the parish of Newton,
county of Edinburgh, | a mile (N. E.) from Newton ;
containing 123 inhabitants. This is a coUiery village,
consisting of a long row of red-tiled houses, whence the
name. There are several other villages or hamlets of
the same description, all inhabited by colliers, within the
parish.
RENDALL, county of Orkney. — See Evie.
RENFIELD, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish of Barony, suburbs of the city of Glasgow,
county of Lanark ; containing 2938 inhabitants. This
place is in the immediate vicinity of the city, and was
separated, for ecclesiastical purposes, from Barony parish,
under an act of the General Assembly : it was in the
presbytery of Glasgow and synod of Glasgow and Ayr.
The church, situated in Renfield-street, whence the name
of the district, originally belonged to the congregation of
Old-Light Burghers : it will afford accommodation to
1320 persons.
RENFREW, a parish, a
burgh, and market-town, in
the Upper ward of the county
of Renfrew, of which it is
the capital ; containing 3079
inhabitants, of whom 2027
are in the burgh, 3 miles
(N. E. by N.) from Paisley,
and 48 miles (W. by S.) from
Edinburgh. This place ap-
pears to have derived its
name, which is of British
origin, and signifies "a point
of land in the midst of the waters
of the ancient town near the conflux of the rivers Clyde
and Gryfe, which, before they were confined to their
present channels, almost surrounded its- site. The ap-
pellation was subsequently given to the parish, and
also to the county. The origin of the town may be
justly attributed to the family of Stuart, afterwards
kings of Scotland, to whose ancestor, Walter, the adja-
cent territory was granted by David I., who appointed
him steward of the royal household, and invested him
3 G2
Burgh Seal.
from the situation
REN F
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with many honours. The town gradually rose up around
the castle of Renfrew. This castle was erected on one
of the numerous islands which at that time divided the
channel of the Clyde, for the residence of the lord of the
manor; and since the accession of the Stuarts to the
crown, the isle has been distinguished by the name of
the King's Inch. Walter instituted a Benedictine monas-
tery near the site of the castle ; but the monks were
during his lifetime removed to the abbey of Paisley,
founded by him previous to his decease in 1177. In that
year he was succeeded both in his office and estates by
his son Alan, who died in 1'204. Walter, son of Alan,
was seneschal of Scotland under William the Lion, which
office was hereditary in his family ; and on his demise
in 1246, he was succeeded by his son Alexander, who
in 1255 was made one of the regents of the kingdom,
and subsequently commanded the Scottish army at the
battle of Largs, in 1263. James, son of Alexander, who
came to the barony on the death of his father, took a
distinguished part in the contest between England and
Scotland ; and, dying in 1309, was succeeded by Walter.
This Walter was then only sixteen years of age, but
soon afterwards appeared at the head of his vassals pre-
viously to the battle of Bannockburn, in which, taking
the command of a part of the Scottish forces, he greatly
distinguished himself. He was knighted in consequence
by Robert the Brute, and by his marriage with Bruce's
only daughter the family became heirs to the throne of
Scotland.
Renfrew Castle was for many years the residence of
the Stuarts ; and there are memorials of its having been
a royal residence, in the names of several localities, as
the King's Inch, already mentioned, being the site on
which it was built ; and the adjacent ground called the
King's Meadow. The manor was subsequently granted
by the crown to Sir John Ross, of Hawkhead, as a re-
ward for his prowess in overcoming a champion of the
English court who had challenged the most valiant of the
Scottisli knights to meet him in single combat. Sir John,
in addition to the grant of the manor, was made con-
stable of Scotland ; and the office became hereditary in
his family. The castle, which thus became the residence
of the Hawkhead family, was eventually taken down ;
and nearly on the site was erected the present mansion
of Elderslic House, the residence of Alexander Speirs,
Esq. Few other events of historical importance are
connected with the place. The Earl of Argyll, in 1685,
having posted his troops in part of the county of Dum-
barton, crossed the river Clyde on his way to this place,
when, having forded the Gryfe near the bridge of Inchi-
nan, he was attacked by some soldiers who wounded him
and took him prisoner. A stone near the spot where he
fell is still called the Argyll Stone, in commemoration of
the event.
The TOWN was formerly situated on a branch of the
river Clyde ; but the waters retired from their ancient
channel, and a canal has been cut, which for the last
half century has opened a comnnmication between the
town and that river. Renfrew consists principally of
one street ; the houses are neatly built, and tlie whole
presents an appearance of comfort and respectability.
A library, which is maintained by subscription, has
been established many years, and forms a valuable col-
lection of well chosen volumes ; there is a news-room
supported at the expense of the corporation, and an
412
association has been formed for the cultivation of the
useful arts and the study of natural history. The trade
of the town was once considerable, but it has greatly
diminished ; the port was at one time the principal on
the river Clyde, and possessed an extensive foreign and
coasting trade. A small number of vessels still frequent
the harbour, and discharge their cargoes, consisting
chiefly of grain from Ireland, dye stuffs for the Paisley
weavers, and sometimes potatoes and fish from the High-
lands ; potatoes and other agricultural produce are occa-
sionally shipped. There are no vessels belonging to the
port, except a few employed in conveying coal and
manure to the neighbouring places. A very convenient
quay was constructed a few years since, at an expense
of £800 ; it extends chiefly along the bank of the canal,
and the harbour might be greatly improved at a mode-
rate cost, so as to facilitate the access of vessels. The
weaving of muslin is carried on to a considerable extent
in the town, and many females are employed in tambour-
ing and flowering muslin. A large bleach-green is esta-
blished, affording occupation to more than one hundred
persons, of whom ninety are women and girls. There
are also a large iron-foundry, a yard for building iron
steam-vessels, and some extensive works for manufac-
turing British gum for the use of calico-printers. The
trustees for improving the navigation of the Clyde have
their chief establishment at this place, and give employ-
ment to a number of smiths, engineers, carpenters, and
builders, and nearly one hundred labourers who are em-
ployed in the dredging-machiues. A distillery for malt
whisky produces on an average 140,000 gallons annually,
and employs nearly thirty men ; the spirit is sent chiefly
to Glasgow, and in connexion with the distillery is a
dairy of about one hundred milch-cows, which are during
the winter partly fed with the grains, and turned into
the pastures during the summer. The fisheries, though
less extensive than formerly, owing to the establishment
of numerous works on the banks of the river, yet pro-
duce an aggregate rent of more than £200 per annum.
The market has fallen into disuse ; but fairs are held
annually, for cattle, on the third Tuesday in May, the
second Friday in June, and the third Friday in October.
Facility of intercourse with the neighbouring towns is
partly afforded by the Clyde, and a railway from Renfrew
Ferry to Paisley has been constructed ; the line is three
miles in length, and has a station with accommodation
for passengers by the Glasgow steamers, which touch
here on their way. An act was passed in 1847, autho-
rizing the sale of this railway to the Glasgow and Ayr-
shire railway company, and empowering that company
to improve the line, and construct new quays. Facility
of communication is also presented by various roads ;
there are bridges over the Gryfe and Black Cart, and a
swing-bridge of iron thrown across the canal. The post-
office is a branch of that of Paisley, and has two deli-
veries daily.
The town of Renfrew, formerly the head of the barony
of Renfrew, was, on the separation of that barony from
the county of Lanark, of which it previously constituted
u ])art, made the capital of Renfrewshire. It was creeled
into a uoYAi. iiukgii in the year 1396, by Robert III.,
who granted the inhabitants a charter of incorporation,
investing the burgesses with many privileges and immu-
nities. Among these were, the holding of a market and
fairs, the exclusive fishery on the river Clyde within the
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limits of the burgh, and the right of having courts with
jurisdiction extending to all offences not capital ; all of
which were confirmed by successive charters till the
reign of James VI., who added the privilege of a ferry
on the Clyde, the small duties, customs, and tolls within
the barony, a free port and haven, a guild-merchant,
and various other grants. A confirmatory charter was
in 1703 bestowed on the burgesses by Queen Anne, in
which, as the representative of the Prince and Steward
of Scotland, she recites the charters of Robert III. and
James VI., and gives to the corporation certain property
in lands, and the right of e.\acting certain payments
from each ploughland in the barony. The corporation
consists of a provost, two bailies, and a council of sixteen
burgesses, assisted by a treasurer, town-clerk, and other
officers. The only trade incorporation at present is that
of the tailors; it is governed by a deacon who is not
a member of the council, and the body is strict in
enforcing its privileges. The provost and bailies hold
weekly courts for determining suits to a small amount,
and a court of requests for the recovery of debts under
twenty shillings ; also a court for the trial of misde-
meanors, in which they act without an assessor. In
this last court the judgments are generally small fines or
short terms of imprisonment. The police are under the
exclusive direction of the magistrates, and the expense
of maintaining the force is paid out of the burgh funds.
The quarter-sessions for the county, and the election of
the county member, are held in the Incorporation
buildings, which form a plain but convenient structure,
containing the gaol, town-hall, and council-chambers.
Previously to the passing of the Reform act, the town
united with Glasgow, Rutherglen, and Dumbarton, in
returning a member to the imperial parliament ; but a
representative is now returned in conjunction with Kil-
marnock, Rutherglen, Dumbarton, and Port-Glasgow.
The PARISH is intersected by the Clyde, and bounded
on the west and north-west by the rivers Black-Cart
and Gryfe, which separate it from the parishes of Kil-
barchan and Inchinnan. It is about five and a half
miles in length and about two and a half in breadth,
and comprises 4540 acres, of which two-thirds are
arable, and the remainder meadow, pasture, woodland,
and demesne. The surface is generally even, rising in
some few places into hills of very moderate elevation, the
highest of which is Jordan Hill : this eminence attains
the height of 180 feet above the level of the plain, and
is situated in that division of the parish north of the
Clyde. On the south side of the river the lands form
one continuous plain, relieved only by a low hill called
the Knock. The banks of the Clyde, on both sides, are
ornamented with handsome seats and thriving planta-
tions, giving an interesting and picturesque appearance
to the parish, which is seen to great advantage from a
small hill near Scotstown. The channel of the stream
is studded with numerous islands, of which the King's
Inch, the Buck Inch, the Sand Inch, and the Ron at
the mouth of the Gryfe, are within the parish; but from
the great improvements that have been made in the
Clyde navigation, they are now nearly connected with
the main land. Salmon abound in the rivers, in which
the right of fishing is secured to the inhabitants of the
burgh by charter.
In general the soil is fertile, and in tolerable cultiva-
tion ; the corn- crops are wheat, oats, and barley, with
413
potatoes, &c. There are some dairy-lands, and many
head of cattle are fed in an extensive meadow belonging
to the corporation; the cows are usually of the Ayrshire
breed. The sheep are from the Highlands, and the
horses of the Clydesdale breed. In this parish the farms
are mostly from sixty to 100 acres in extent, but some
few comprise more than '200 acres ; and the buildings
and offices, inferior to many, are nevertheless commo-
dious and comfortable. Little more than one-fourth of
the inhabitants are employed in agricultural [lursuits ;
the remainder are engaged in the various trades and
manufactures connected with the burgh and the adjacent
towns, in the mines, and in the salmon-fishery on the
Clyde. The substratum of the parish is chiefly clay-slate,
with boulders of trap rock, resting on the coal formation
common to the whole of this district. Limestone is also
prevalent, and was formerly wrought at intervals, but not
to any great extent : a fossil fish of large size was found
embedded in the limestone ; and in the sand, which fre-
quently alternates with the clayey substrata, have been
discovered shell-fish of various kinds. Coal has been for
some time worked on the estates of Jordanhill and Scots-
town. The three principal seams are respectively
eighteen, twenty-four, and twenty-one inches in thick-
ness ; but the last is the only one now in operation.
Two pits have been sunk to the depth of thirty-one and
thirty-eight fathoms respectively, below which, at a depth
of four fathoms and a half, is more coal, not yet worked.
From thirty to forty men are employed. About a mile
southward of the town is a manufactory of tiles for
draining, of various sorts, for which the clays found in
the district are well adapted. The number of looms at
work in the parish is 2.'i7> affording employment to
about .560 persons, of whom one half are women and
children ; the weavers are engaged by the manufacturers
of Glasgow and Paisley, and the men upon an average
earn from eight to ten shillings each, and the women
and children from eighteen pence to half-a-crown, per
week. The annual value of real property in the parish
amounts to £14,99'2. Elderslie House, a handsome and
spacious mansion, is surrounded by thriving and beau-
tiful plantations ; the demesne is extensive, and forms
one of the finest parks in this part of the country.
Walkingshaw has for some years been unoccupied, and
has consequently become dilapidated. Scotstown is a
modern house pleasantly situated. Blythswood is an
elegant mansion in grounds tastefully laid out, and em-
bellished with ornamental plantations ; and Jordanhill,
occupying an elevated situation, commands an extensive
view of the surrounding scener}', which is finely varied,
and in many points strikingly picturesque.
Renfrew is ecclesiastically within the presbytery
of Paisley, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the pa-
tronage of the Crown : the minister's stipend is averaged
at £<278, and there is a manse, with a glebe valued at
£.54 per annum. The church, which is conveniently
situated, is of ancient date; it was repaired, and enlarged
by the addition of an aisle, in 1726, and has been since
reseated, affording accommodation to 750 persons.
There is a place of worship for members of the Free
Church. The burgh grammar-school appears to have
been originally founded by charter of James VI., who
granted to the corporation the revenues of certain cha-
pels and altars in trust for its support. The endowment
at present affords to the master a salary of £36. 13. 4.
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per annum, which is paid by the corporation, by whom
he is appointed ; and the school fees amount to £45.
The number of scholars attending the school averages
about 100. There are some district schools, the masters
of which are supported by the fees, augmented by small
allowances arising from private subscriptions. Two schools
of industry for girls are maintained by subscription ;
and there are several Sabbath schools, to which are
attached libraries for the use of the children attending
them ; also a parochial library, which, like the others,
is supported by donations. A society has been formed
for the distribution of Bibles, by selling them at a re-
duced price ; and there is a female benevolent society
for relieving the poor in cases of emergency.
Two Roman urns were in 1778 discovered on the
summit of Knock Hill, within a mile of which are the
remains of the Roman station at Paisley ; the lower
edge of the hill is still called the" Butts", and may have
been a place for the practice of archery in former times.
Several antique rings and a key have been met with
among the foundations of Renfrew Castle, the site of
which is still called Castle Hill : a small street near it is
designated Dogs'-row, probably from its being the site
of the ancient kennel ; and in a cottage at the end of the
street is preserved an old fire-place of great length, sup-
posed to have been used for boiling the meat for the
king's hounds. Near the Knock farm is a circular mound
of earth, about twenty yards in diameter, surrounded by
a moat five yards in breadth; it is called the KempeKnowe,
and is traditionally pointed out as the spot where Sir John
Ross overcame the English champion in single combat, for
which he was rewarded with the lands of the King's Inch.
In an aisle in the church are the remains of a monu-
ment with the statues of Sir John Ross and his lady,
much mutilated ; the inscription, however, is still legible
on the crown of the arch muler which the statues lay for
a long period previously to their removal into the aisle.
An ancient octagonal pillar, about ten feet high, for-
merly stood at a small distance from the Knock Hill.
It was called " Queen Blearie's stone", but no inscription
recorded the purpose of its erection, which by tradition
was said to commemorate the death of Marjory Bruce,
daughter of Robert I., who was killed by a fall from her
horse near the spot. The pillar was removed about the
year 1780, and the shaft made the lintel of a barn on the
farm, the offices of which having been subsequently
rebuilt, it has altogether disappeared. There were
anciently some chantries and altarages in connexion
with the old Cluniac monastery founded by Walter, an-
cestor of the Stuarts ; but nothing remains of them but
their names, which have been transferred to the lands in
the neighbourhood of their site, called Monk-Dyke, St.
Mary, St. Thomas, and by other names of saints. John
Knox the Reformer is said to have derived his family
name from Knockhill estate, of which his ancestors were
at one time proprietors. His Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales, born in 1841, bears the title of Baron of Ren-
frew, and is great steward of Scotland.
RENFREWSHIRE, a county, in the west of Scot-
land, l)ounded on the north and north-cast by the Firth
of Clyde and the river Clyde, which separate it from
Dumbartonshire ; on the east by the county of Lanark;
on the south by Ayrshire ; and on the west also by
the firth, which divides it from the county of Argyll.
A part, however, of Renfrew parish, and therefore of the
414
county, lies on the north side of the river Clyde. The
county is situate between .5.5° 40' 40" and 5.5° 58' 10' (N.
Lat.) and 4° 15' and 4° 52' 30" (W. Lon.), and is about 31
miles in length, and 13 miles in extreme breadth ; com-
prising an area of 241 square miles, or 154,240 acres;
25,7&6 houses, of which 24,664 are inhabited; and con-
taining a population of 155,072, of whom 72,859 are
males, and 82,213 females. This portion of the country
was originally inhabited by the Damnii, a British tribe
that occupied the extensive territories which formed the
kingdom of Strad-y-Cluyd ; and on the Roman invasion,
it became a part of the province of Valentia. After
the departure of the Romans, the Damnii retained
possession of their ancient territories against frequent
incursions of the Picts, till the union of the Scottish and
Pictish kingdoms under Kenneth II. ; after which, their
descendants in process of time became identified with
the Scots. In the reign of David I., Walter, son of
Alan, retiring from North Wales, settled in this district ;
and, having rendered great assistance to that monarch
in quelling an insurrection of the islanders, was ap-
pointed steward of Scotland, and received a grant of
the lands of Paisley and other estates. This grant was
confirmed to him by Malcolm IV., who made tlie stew-
ardship of Scotland hereditary in his family ; he adopted
the name of Stewart, or Stuart, and was ancestor of the
Stuarts, kings of Scotland. At that time this part of
the country was in a very uncivilised state ; but Walter
settled many of his military attendants on his lands,
and, by founding the abbey of Paisley, contributed much
to the refinement and prosperity of the district. A consi-
derable number of the inhabitants fought under David I.
at the battle of the Standard in 1 138. In 1 164 Somerled,
with a detachment of forces belonging to the Sea Kings,
sailed from the north, and, entering the Clyde, landed
at Renfrew ; but the invaders were bravely repulsed,
and Somerled and his son were slain in the conflict.
The district of Renfrew anciently formed part of the
county of Lanark ; but in 1404, Robert III. erected the
lands of Renfrew, with the other estates of the Stuart
family, into a principality, which became hereditary in
the eldest sous of the Scottish kings ; and the barony of
Renfrew was separated from the shire of Lanark, and
constituted an independent county. Prior to the aboli-
tion of episcopacy, the county was included in the arch-
diocese of Glasgow ; it is at present in the synod of
Glasgow and Ayr, is subdivided into presbyteries, and
contains twenty parishes, with parts of others. For
civil purposes it is divided into the upper and lower
ward ; the sherilf court for the former is held at Paisley,
and for the latter at Greenock. The quarter-sessions
are held at Renfrew, which is the shire town, and the
only royal burgh ; tlie county contains the market-towns
also of Paisley, Greenock, and Port-Cilasgow, the popu-
lous villages of Johnstone, Barrhead, Gourock, Eagle-
sham, Kilbarchan, Lochvvinnoch, and Pollocksliaws, and
numerous smaller villages and hamlets. Under the agt
of the 2nd of William IV. the county returns one mem-
ber to the imperial parliament ; Paisley and (ireenock
return one member each, and Renfrew and Port-Glasgow
form ])art of a district of parliamentary burghs.
The sintKACi; is varied. In the west and south-west
are hills of considerable elevation, of which Misty Law,
the highest, is about 1240 feet above the level of the sea.
The north-eastern and central portions of the county,
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though generally even, are diversified with numerous
detached hills of moderate elevation, rising from the
plains ; and in the south-east are others, some of which
are from 500 to 600 feet in height. There are several
beautiful valleys watered by the principal rivers ; Strath-
gryfe is the most extensive. Passing through the parishes
of Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoeh (and by Kilbirnie and
Dairy in Ayrshire) is a continuous tract of level and
fertile country ; and among the hills are frequent vales
of small extent, watered by the tributary streams. Ex-
clusively of the Clyde, the chief rivers are the Gryfe,
the Cart or White Cart, and the Black Cart. The Orijfe,
which anciently gave its name to the county, rises in
the hills near Largs, in the north of Ayrshire, and,
flowing in an eastern direction, joins the Black Cart at
Walkingshaw. The Cart has its source partly in East
Kilbride, in Lanarkshire, and partly in the confluence of
several streams in the parish of Eaglesham : taking a
north-western course, it passes the town of Paisley, and
runs into the Black Cart at Inchinnan bridge. The
Black Cart has its source in Castle-Semple loch, in the
parish of Lochwinnoeh ; it flows in a north-eastern di-
rection into the river Clyde. The lakes are, Castle-
Semple, near the southern boundary of the county, a
picturesque sheet of water 200 acres in extent, and con-
taining several islands ; Queenside loch, in the parish of
Lochwinnoeh ; and several smaller lakes, of no parti-
cular interest. The shores of the Firth of Clyde are
indented with numerous fine bays, the principal of which
are the harbour of Greenock, Gourock bay, and Innerkip
and Wemyss bays.
The SOIL is of different descriptions ; in the hilly dis-
tricts, chiefly a fine light free soil, resting on a gravelly
bottom ; in the level districts, a deep rich brown loam.
In the south-west are some considerable tracts of moss.
The system of agriculture is improved. From the nu-
merous manufacturing towns and villages in the county,
a large portion of the best land is in grass, and dairies
occupy the farmers' principal attention, for the supply of
the inhabitants. The meadows and pastures are rich,
and the lands which are in tillage produce abundant
crops of excellent grain of all kinds, with potatoes,
turnips, and green vegetables ; considerable tracts of
land are also cultivated as gardens. In this county the
chief substrata are coal, limestone, freestone, and whin-
stone ; and ironstone is found in abundance in the
middle districts, and on the shore of the Clyde. The
coal is extensively wrought at Quarrelton, Polmadie,
Hurlet, and Househill, where are numerous mines in
active operation : the seam at Quarrelton is fifty feet in
thickness, and consists of five different strata ; the Hurlet
coal is from five to six feet in thickness, and has been
wrought about '200 years. There are also quarries of
limestone, freestone, and whinstone. Among the gentle-
men's seats are Elderslie, Blythswood, Scotstown, Walk-
ingshaw, Jordanhill, Johnstone Castle, Househill, Ralston,
Erskine, Crofthead, Blackstoun, Glentyan, Clippens, Mil-
lekin, Craigends, Ardgowan, Pollock, Kelly, Langhouse,
Gourock Castle, Gourock House, Ashburn, and Levern
House.
"Various important manufactures are largely carried
on at Paisley. Greenock, and numerous other places in
the county. There is considerable traffic at the several
ports of the Clyde ; the commerce of Greenock and Port-
Glasgow is very extensive. The annual value of real pro-
415
perty in Renfrewshire is £474,.568, of which £1.5'2,924
are returned for lands, faG.'S.rr.^ for houses, £18,792 for
railways, £7024 for mines, £2153 for quarries, £1543
for canal navigation, and the remainder for other kinds
of real property. Facility of communication is afforded
by excellent roads, which intersect the county in all di-
rections ; and by several canals and railways of com-
paratively recent formation. The Glasgow, Paisley, and
Johnstone canal is about eleven miles in length, and is
navigated by boats drawn by horses : the Forth and
Cart Junction canal, a branch from the Forth and Clyde
canal, is about a mile and a half in length ; and a small
canal has been formed to avoid the shallows at Inchinnan
bridge. The Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock railway is
twenty-two miles and a half in length, from the bridge
at Glasgow to the harbour of Greenock ; the line [jro-
ceeds close to Port-Glasgow, and was opened throughout
in 1841. The Glasgow, Paisley, and Ayr railway is forty
miles in length, from the bridge at Glasgow to the town
of Ayr, and was opened in 1S40. These two railways
have the portion between Glasgow and Paisley in com-
mon. The Paisley and Renfrew railway is about three
miles in length, extending to Renfrew Ferry, on the
river Clyde, and was opened in 1837. There are also
the Pollock and Govan railway, and the Glasgow and
Barrhead railway. The principal remains of antiquity
are, the ruins of the abbey of Paisley, founded by Walter
Stuart, and of some other religious houses ; and nu-
merous ruins of castles, among which are those of
Cruickstoue Castle, for some time the residence of Mary,
Queen of Scots. In opening a quarry about fifty years
since, on the north bank of the river Cart, were disco-
vered, at a considerable depth from the surface, the
remains of an ancient village, consisting of forty houses
of one room each, from eight to twelve feet square,
roofless, and having in the centre of the floor a hollow
apparently scooped out for a fireplace, in which were
coal ashes. The walls were of rough stone, from four to
five feet high, and the floors paved with thin flags.
RENTON, a village, in the parish of Cardross,
county of Dumbarton, 3 miles (N. byW.) from Dum-
barton; containing 2472 inhabitants. This is a con-
siderable and prosperous village, situated in the eastern
quarter of the parish, on the west bank of the Leven,
and on the high road from Dumbarton to Luss. It was
founded in 1782 by Mrs. Smollett, of Bonhill, and
named by her after a relative. Miss Renton, of Bridg-
end, a suburb of Dumbarton. The population are chiefly
engaged in the bleachfields and other works of this large
manufacturing district ; and at the Dalquhurn factory,
in the immediate neighbourhood, about 300 hands are
employed in calico printing and dyeing, particularly a
Turkey red in the latter branch, for which this establish-
ment is remarkable. The pure water and powerful
stream of the Leven are peculiarly adapted for the works
so extensively carried on here. In the village are places
of worship for dissenters, and a school erected by sub-
scription among the farmers. Dr. Smollett was born at
the old house of Dalquhurn, close by the village, on the
19th of March, 1721.
RERRICK, or RERWICK, a parish, in the stew-
artry of Kirkcudbright, 65 miles (S. E. byE.) from
Kirkcudbright ; containing, with the villages of Auchin-
cairn and Dundrennan, 1692 inhabitants, of whom 1117
are in the rural districts of the parish. This place is in
R E R R
R E SC
various records called Dundrennan and Monkland. It
derives its chief historical importance from the founda-
tion of the celebrated abbey of Dundrennan, and from
the abbey having afforded to Mary, Queen of Scots, in
her retreat from the battle of Langside, an asylum wbere
she passed the night before her embarkation for Eng-
land ; both which events are detailed in the separate
notice of the village of Dundrennan. Tbe parish is
bounded on the south and south-east by the Sohvay
Firth, and is about ten miles in length and six miles in
average breadth ; comprising an area of '20,447 acres,
whereof 13,088 are arable and in good cultivation, 561
woodland and plantations, and the remainder chiefly
raoor and waste. Its surface is rugged, and abruptly
varied with hills, which towards the northern boundary
attain a mountainous elevation ; Beugairn, the loftiest,
rising to the height of 1200 feet above the level of the
sea. From the summit of this hill, which is covered
with heath, and surmounted by an ancient cairn whence
it takes its name, an extensive prospect is obtained over
the whole length of the Solway Firth and part of the
English coast, with the mountains of Cumberland, the
Isle of Man, and the mountains of Morne in Ireland.
Several burns, descending from the higher grounds, flow
through the parish into the Firth, acquiring in their
course sufficient power to turn mills. The coast is in-
dented with numerous bays : the chief are, Auchincairn,
at the entrance of which is the verdant island of Heston,
affording excellent pasture for sheep ; Balcarry bay ;
Burnfoot ; and Mulloch, at the south-western extremity
of the parish; all of which might be made good harbours
at a very inconsiderable expense.
The SOIL is in general wet and spongy, but by careful
management is rendered productive ; and good crops of
oats, barley, and potatoes are obtained. Wheat is raised
only in small quantities ; but from the improvements in
husbandry which have taken place, there is every pros-
pect of advancement. The lands have been drained and
partly inclosed, and extensive plantations have been
formed around the seats of the principal proprietors.
A very large proportion of the land is appropriated to
pasturing black-cattle, to the rearing of which much
attention is paid ; and great numbers are sent to the
south when three years old, and there fattened for the
London markets. The surplus grain, and the fat-cattle
and sheep, beyond the supply of the home market, are
forwarded to Liverpool. The hills are principally of
granite ; and the substrata towards the coast, freestone
of excellent quality, of which great quantities have been
quarried for building. In the rocks that overhang the
rivulet in the hill oi' Screll, are found rock crystals of
purple hue, of a prismatic form, and beautifully trans-
parent. An iron- mine has been opened under the ma-
nagement of an English company, from which nearly
3500 tons of excellent ore arc annually raised, and sent
chiefly to Birmingham ; and in the island of Heston is a
copper-mine leased to an English tenant, the produce of
which is sent to Swansea. Tlie annual value of real
property in the ])arish amounts to £10,240. The man-
sion-houses are, Dundrennan, the seat of Thomas Mait-
land, Esq. ; Orroland, Orchardton, Netlierlaw, Balcarry,
Collin, Nestwood, and Port-Mary. The villages arc
Auchincairn and Dundrennan. A fair is held at Auchin-
cairn annually in August, but very little business is now
transacted at it. Facility of internal communication is
416
afforded by good roads, and of intercourse with distant
places by the harbours on the coast of the Firth.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of
the presbytery of Kirkcudbright and synod of Galloway :
the minister's stipend is £232. 19- 2., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £40 per annum ; patron, the Crown.
The church is an ancient structure, successively enlarged
in the years 1743, 1790, and 1828, and containing 565
sittings. There are places of worship for Baptists and
members of the Free Church. Two parochial schools are
held i one of them at Dundrennan, of which the master
has a salary of £30 ; and one at Auchincairn, of which the
master has £21. 6. 8. : each of the masters has also
a house and garden, and the school fees. There are
some Druidical remains, and numerous Roman, Saxon,
and Danish camps, within the parish : and in the rocks
on the coast, at Barlocco, are two spacious caverns of
romantic appearance, called the White and Black Cove.
The venerable remains of the abbey are described in the
article on Dundrennan.
RESAWRIE, a hamlet, in the parish and county of
Inverness ; containing 66 inhabitants.
RESCOBIE, a parish, in the county of Forfar,
si miles (E. N. E.) from Forfar; containing, with the
hamlet of Bole and part of Marestone, 788 inhabitants.
The etymology of the name of this place is altogether
uncertain, it having been written at different times Res-
colpyne, Rescolbyne, and Roscolpin. The parish is
about nine miles long, and from one and a half to two
and a half miles broad ; comprising 5888 acres, of which
4735 are cultivated, 61* permanent pasture, and 536
under wood. In several parts the ground rises into
striking elevations, some of them reaching the height of
more than 800 feet above the level of the sea. Among
the most conspicuous of the hills are, that of Dun-
nichen or Burnside, on the southern boundary ; tbe
Green-hill of Burnside ; the hill of Carse, in the north-
western quarter ; and the Double hill, called, on the
east part, the hill of Turin, and on the west the hill of
Pitscandly. All these command views of both land
and sea, of the finest description. The loch of Rescobie
stretches for more than a mile between the hills of Dun-
nichen and Turin ; and through this sheet of water
runs from west to east the stream of the river Lunan,
which rises in the north-west part of Restennet moss,
and, passing also through the lake of Balgavies, falls,
after a course of ten miles further, into the sea at Lunan
bay. A circuitous stream called the Lemna burn, rising
in the parish of Aberlemno, forms part of the boundary
line on the south between Rescobie and Forfar, and,
turning northward, separates this parish and Kirriemuir:
after a course of four or five miles more in a north-east-
ern direction, it falls into the Esk near Finhavcn Castle,
almost ojiposite to its source. The principal fishing is
in the loch of Rescobie, which varies in depth from two
to twenty feet, and produces eels, perch, and pike ; the
last are sometimes very large, but the supply is much
diminished l)y the numerous fishing-parties from Forfar,
who keep the stock comparatively low.
The SOIL sometimes exhibits, in a very small tract,
almost every variety, and runs through the different
kinds of a thin moorish earth, sharp gravel, clay, and
loam. That on the estates of Carse and Pitscandly is
the most fertile, and above the average quality. The
arable land differs much in value ; it lets in some parts
R E S C
REST
at l6s. per acre, from which it rises to £1. 10., and the
permanent pasture fetches from 54-. to £1. 10. per acre.
A few sheep are kept, and the cattle are generally of
the Angus breed, with a mixture of the Durham. Res-
cobie belongs to a district highly interesting in a geo-
logical point of view, and, according to Mr. Lyell, forms
part of a great line of lakes and marshes which extends
through Strathmore to the loch of Forfar, and thence
to Lunan bay. The same eminent geologist adds that,
like most of these lakes, it is surrounded by hillocks,
and ridges of sand and gravel, containing boulders of
many Grampian rocks, mi.ved with fragments of paving-
stone and other formations, such as occur in the imme-
diate neighbourhood. The hills of Pitscandly and Turin
consist of grey paving-stone, interstratified with con-
glomerate or pudding-stone, the whole forming one of
the oldest members of the old red sandstone formation ;
and from a quarry in Turin hill is obtained freestone
valuable for its colour, and for its taking a fine polish.
Grey-slate quarries, also, have long been in operation.
On the farm of Balbardie, the pebbles in the conglome-
rate rock consist of white quartz, chlorite-slate, trap,
and other varieties. Boulders of ditferent kinds and
shapes abound, some of which have been transported
from great distances ; and about fifty feet below the
summit of the hill of Pitscandly is a block of mica-slate,
thirteen feet in length and seven in breadth, supposed
by some to have been conveyed from the Grampians by
the agency of ice, in some manner not clearly under-
stood, across the valley of Strathmore. Though of no
great extent, the plantations are in a thriving condition;
they consist of larch and spruce fir, interspersed with
ash, oak, birch, and elm. The annual value of real
property in the parish amounts to £6670. In this dis-
trict the mansions are, Burnside ; the house formerly
called Balmadies, now Ochterlony, built in 1851 ; Pits-
candly, an old residence, situated pleasantly on the west
side of the hill of the same name ; and the residences of
Carse, Drimmie, and Reswallie, the last on the south-
west side of the lake of Rescobie.
The population, which has been gradually decreasing
for the last thirty or forty years, on account chiefly of
the consolidation of some of the smaller farms, is entirely
agricultural, with the exception of about sixty persons,
partly women, employed in the manufacture of coarse
white linen. A turnpike-road runs from west to east,
on the south side of the loch, from Forfar to Arbroath,
and another on the north side of the loch, from the same
place to Montrose : the turnpike-road, also, from Forfar
to Brechin runs through the west and north-west quar-
ters of the parish ; and the Auldbar turnpike-road, from
Brechin southwards, skirts a small part of the eastern
district. About four miles and a half of the railroad
from Forfar to Arbroath, opened in 1838, cross the
parish. The produce is usually disposed of at Forfar or
Arbroath, and the coal used here is chiefly obtained
from the latter place. A fair was held in ancient times,
but subsequently transferred to Forfar, called St. Tri-
duane's, vulgarly St. Trodlin's fair ; and a stone is still
standing near the kirk-style, where, according to tradi-
tion, Lord Strathmore, the superior, or his deputy, held
his court on fair days. Ecclesiastically the parish is
within the presbytery of Forfar, synod of Angus and
Mearns, and in the patronage of the Earl of Strathmore:
the minister's stipend is £219, with a manse, and a glebe
Vol,. II. — tl7
of eleven acres, valued at £16 or £17 per annum. Res-
cobie church was built in 18'20, and accommodates .560
persons with sittings. The parochial school affords
instruction in the usual branches ; the ma.ster has a sa-
lary of £31, with a house and the fees. There is a pa-
rochial library under the snpcrintcndcnre of a committee.
King Donald VII., brother of Malcolm Canmorc, is sup-
posed to have died in confinement here in 1097. The
castle of Rescobie has long since entirely disappeared,
like the kirktown ; and the site of it is not now known.
On the estate of Balmadies is a cemetery called the
chapel-yard, containing numerous tombstones belonging
to the Pearsons, who possessed that property ; and
there are ruins of several strongholds in the parish,
concerning which no historical records or authentic tra-
ditions remain.
RESOLIS, in the county of Ross and Cromarty. —
See KiRKMiCHAEL and Cullicudden.
RESTALRIG, an ancient village, and formerly a
parish of itself, now in the parish of South Leith,
county of Edinburgh, li mile (E.) from Edinburgh;
containing 92 inhabitants. The barony early formed
part of the possessions of the Logan family, after whose
forfeiture it became the property of the Balmerino family,
with whom it remained till 1746, when, on the attainder
of Arthur, sixth Lord Balmerino, it passed to the Earl
of Moray, Lady Balmerino continuing to reside in the
family seat till her decease in 1765. It is now the pro-
perty of the present earl. James III. founded in the
parish church a collegiate establishment, which was in-
creased by James IV., and also by James V., who en-
dowed it for a dean, nine prebendaries, and two cho-
risters. The establishment continued to flourish for
some time ; and John Sinclair, dean of Restalrig, solem-
nized the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots, with Lord
Darnley. At the Reformation the society, then consist-
ing of a dean and eight prebendaries, was dissolved ;
the church was ordered by the General Assembly to be
demolished as a monument of idolatry, and the parish-
ioners were directed to assemble for divine service in
the chapel of St. Mary the Virgin, in South Leith. By
act of parliament in 1609, the parish and church of
Restalrig were more completely divested of their legal
rights and revenues, which were transferred to South
Leith, then made an independent parish. The church
remained in ruins from the Reformation till the year
1836, when, by the exertions of a few zealous individuals,
aided by the Church-Extension Committee, a sum was
raised by subscription, and the edifice was completely
restored and renovated, after a plan gratuitously furnished
by Mr. Burn, architect. Divine worship is performed
in it by an assistant minister of South Leith, for the
benefit of the surrounding population. The ancient
burying-ground still remains attached to the church.
The village consists only of a few houses; it is pleasantly
situated in a plain near the Piershill barracks, and is
surrounded with meadows, and with gardens in which
great quantities of fruit and vegetables are raised for the
Edinburgh market.
RESTON, a village, in the parish of Coldingham,
county of Berwick, 21 miles (S. W. by S.) from Cold-
ingham ; containing 219 inhabitants. It lies in the
south-eastern part of the parish, and is a small place
with a population chiefly agricultural. One of two pa-
rochial schools is in the village.
3 H
R HI N
RH YN
REWCASTLE, a hamlet, in the parish of Bedrule,
district of Jedburgh, county of Roxburgh ; containing
24 inhabitants. This, though now a very small and
decayed hamlet, is supposed to be a place of great anti-
quity ; and it is said that the courts of justice were
once held within it, and afterwards removed to Jedburgh.
The hamlet lies in the north-east part of the parish, upon
a spot of considerable elevation.
RHIND, or RHYND, a parish, in the county of
Perth, 2 miles (S. E.) from Perth ; containing 402
inhabitants. This place, which derives its name, of
Gaelic import, from its situation on a point of land at
the confluence of the rivers Tay and Earn, was the
resort of the celebrated Wallace, who, while meditating
the deliverance of his country from a foreign yoke, was
obliged to take shelter among its woods and recesses.
The parish is about four miles in length and one mile
in average breadth. It is bounded on the north and
east by the Tay, which separates it from the parishes of
Kinfauns and St. INIadoes ; and on the south by the
Earn, which separates it from the parish of Abernethy.
Rhind comprises I7OO acres, of which, with the excep-
tion of 100 acres in woodland and plantations, and about
fifty acres waste, the whole is arable. The surface is
varied ; towards the rivers forming a tract of level land,
and in other parts rising gradually till it attains a con-
siderable elevation. From the recent connexion of some
islands in the Tay with the main land, by the construc-
tion of an artificial isthmus of reeds and branches of
trees to collect and detain the mud deposited at the
reflux of the tide, a compact and solid bank of fertile
soil has been formed, which adds both to the extent
and variety of the surface. The scenery is rich ; the
banks of the rivers in general are lofty and abrupt, and
are planted with trees of various kinds, of stately growth.
The hills, also, are embellished with thriving plantations,
and command extensive and interesting views over a
wide tract abounding with picturesque objects, and en-
livened by the constant passing and repassing of vessels
in the Tay, which here attains a considerable breadth.
In the lower districts the soil is a clay intermixed
with a rich black loam ; and in the upper, of a more
light and gravelly cjuality, but under good management
rendered fertile. The water, which might otherwise
lodge on the level lands, is carefully removed by drain-
ing ; and the system of agriculture is in every respect
much improved : among the crops are, wheat, of excel-
lent quality and raised in great abundance, and lately
potatoes, of which large quantities are grown for the
London markets. The farm buildings and offices are
substantial and commodious, and every improvement in
implements of husbandry is eagerly adopted by the
tenants. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish amounts to £.')485. A salmon-fishery in the Tay
affords employment to some of the inhabitants, and pro-
duces to the proprietors a rental of £600 per annum.
There is no village. The roads are kept in repair by
statute l,il)onr. Rhind is ecclesiastically iu the presby-
tery of Perth, synod of Perth and Stirling, and in the
patronage of the Earl of Wcmyss and March : the mi-
nister's stipend is £225. 10. li., with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £17 per annum. The old church was incon-
veniently situated in an angle of the parish, and had
become dilapidated ; a new church has been erected in
a more convenient position. The parochial school af-
418
fords education to about seventy children ; the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with the fees, and a good
house and garden. There are some slight remains of
the nunnery of Elcho, which, from the beauty of their
site, form a picturesque and romantic ruin ; and on the
bank of the river Tay are the ruins of the ancient castle
of Elcho, consisting chiefly of a lofty tower, the walls of
which are formed of hard and very durable stone. The
tower is crowned with a battlement, the ascent to which,
by a spiral staircase, is still in tolerable preservation ; a
new roof has been added to preserve it from further
decay, and from the battlement is obtained a most plea-
sing view of the surrounding country. Elcho Castle
was for many generations the residence of the ancestors
of the present noble proprietor, the Earl of Wemyss
and March, who takes the title of Baron Elcho from this
place. There is a chalybeate spring : but it is not much
frequented.
RHONEHOUSE.a village, in the parish of Kelton,
stewartry of Kirkcudbright, ]| mile (S. vv.) from
Castle-Douglas ; containing 235 inhabitants. This place,
also called Kelton-HiU, lies in the northern quarter of
the parish, and was formerly noted for its horse-fairs,
all of which, except one held about the end of June, are
now transferred to Castle- Douglas. The great military
road passes through the village, where is a post-office.
Of three parochial schools, the original school is at
Rhonehouse ; the other two, branches of it, being at
Castle-Douglas and Gelston.
RHYNIE and ESSIE, a parish, in the district of
Alford, county of Aberdeen, 3^ miles (W. by N.)
from Clatt ; containing 1035 inhabitants, of whom 240
are in the village of Rhynie, or Muir of Rhynie. This
place occupies the south-western portion of the ancient
lordship of Strathbogie, granted by King Robert Bruce
to the family of Gordon, of whom Sir James Gordon
took the title of baronet from Lesmorc, in the parish,
and of whose residence of Lesmore Castle there are still
some remains. The lands of Lesmore were at one time
alienated by the branch of the Gordon family that held
them, but were purchased about half a century ago by
Alexander, Duke of Gordon, and, on the demise of the
last Duke of Gordon, came to the Duke of Richmond,
who is the sole proprietor of the parish. No events of
historical importance are recorded in connexion with the
place. Some tumuli at the foot of the hill on the north-
west of the parish, were raised over the remains of those
who fell in a battle that occurred in the reign of Malcolm
Canmore, between the forces of Macduff and those of the
usurper Lulach, in which the usurper was slain.
Thep.\RiSH is bounded on the east by the river Bogie,
and is nearly five miles in length and almost of equal
breadth ; comprising about 4000 acres of arable land,
and some extensive tracts of moorland pasture, moss,
and waste. Its surface is diversified with several hills
of considerable height ; but the only one deserving the
name of a mountain is that of Noth, which has an eleva-
tion of more than 1000 feet above the level of the sea.
The river has its source in the adjoining parish of
Anchindoir, and, flowing north-eastward, falls into the
Doveron at Iliintly j the water of Kirkney has its source
in the moss of Essie, and, after a course of nearly eight
miles through this jiarish and part of the parish of (iartly,
flows into the Bogie. These two streams abound with
trout of excellent quality, affording good sport to the
R H YN
nice
angler. There are several smaller streams in various
parts, of which the principal is the Craigwater ; all form-
ing tributaries to the Kirkney. The soil is various ;
near the banks of the Bogie, a deep rich loam ; around
the bases of the hills, light and gravelly but fertile ; in
some of the lower grounds, clay ; and in others, tracts
of moss. The crops are, grain of different kinds, pota-
toes, turnips, and the usual grasses. Of late years the
system of husbandry has been rapidly improving ; and
large tracts of land, previously unproductive, have been
brought into a state of profitable tillage. The facility
of obtaining lime from the neighbouring parishes has
greatly contributed to the amelioration of the lands, and
bone-dust has been introduced as manure in the culti-
vation of turnips. On the hills and moorlands is good
pasturage for sheep and black-cattle, and from the
mosses of Essie may be procured ample supplies of peat
for fuel. The chief substrata are sandstone, whinstone,
and slate ; boulders of granite occur in various places,
and quartz is also found in small quantities : the sand-
stone has long been wrought. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £"2716. The village, situated
on the west bank of the Bogie, was built on lands leased
by the Gordons, for the accommodation of the sur-
rounding district, about the close of the last century ;
and is chiefly inhabited by persons engaged in agricul-
tural pursuits, and in various handicraft trades. Facility
of intercourse is afforded to the inhabitants by the turn-
pike-road from Huntly to Aberdeen, which passes through
the parish and the village. A post-office has been esta-
blished under that of Aberdeen, with which it has daily
communication by a mail-gig ; to Huntly there is a
runner. Fairs for sheep, cattle, and horses are held in
April, June, September, and October ; and also, for
hiring servants, at Whitsuntide and Martinmas. The
grain and other agricultural produce are sent chiefly to
Inverury, but partly also to Banff and Portsoy. There
are two hamlets in the parish ; one in the district of
Essie, called Belhennie ; and the other in the district of
Rhynie, called the Raws of Noth ; but neither of them
is of any importance.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Strathbogie and synod of
Moray. The minister's stipend is £1.58, of which £10
are paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £13 per annum : patrons, the Duke of Rich-
mond and the Earl of Fife. There were formerly
churches in both districts, in which divine service was
performed on alternate Sundays, by the minister of the
united parish, from the time of their union till about
the year 1774, when the service at Essie was discon-
tinued. The present parochial church, at Rhynie, was
built in 1823, and enlarged in 1838 by the addition of
an aisle ; it is a plain substantial structure, and in good
repair. There are also places of worship for Indepen-
dents and members of the Free Church. The parochial
school, to which a library is attached, affords instruction
to about eighty children ; the master has a salary of
£24. 7- 8., eight bolls of meal, a house and garden, and
the fees. A parochial library at Essie is supported by
subscription. On the hill of Noth, which is of oblong
form, and rises into a conical peak towards the eastern
extremity, are the remains of a vitrified fort ; the walls
appear to have been ten feet in thickness. In making
the turnpike-road several stone coffins were discovered,
419
some of which contained human bones of large dimen-
sions ; and Roman coins have also been found in the pa-
rish. There are likewise remains of Uruidical circles.
RICCARTON, a parish, in the district of Kylk,
county of Ayr ; containing, with the villages of Hurl-
ford and Sornhill, 3226 inhabitants, of whom nearly
1200 are in the village of Ricrarton, I mile (S.) from
Kilmarnock. This place, which is of considerable anti-
quity, is su|)i)oscd to have derived its name, originally
Riclinrdstowri, from its ancient proprietor. Sir Richard
Wallace, to whom the lands were granted in the early
part of the thirteenth century by Walter, high steward
of Scotland. One of the descendants of tlie family was
uncle of the celebrated Sir William Wallace, who seems
to have frequently resided here with his relative during
the intervals of his military career ; and it is expressly
stated that, after setting fire to the barns of Ayr, which
had been converted into temporary barracks by the
English, who at that time occupied the castle of Ayr,
Wallace retired to this place. Numerous incidents con-
nected with that hero during his stay at Riccarton are
recorded. The baronial residence of the family has been
entirely destroyed, and the site is now occupied by the
farm of Yardside : the only memorials of it which have
been preserved are, the original mantel- piece of the
dining-room, now placed in the kitchen of the manse;
and a pear-tree said to have been planted by Sir William
Wallace, which is still in the gardens of the farm.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the river
Irvine, and is about eight miles in extreme length, and
from two to three miles in breadth ; comprising an area
of 18,000 acres, of which 500 are woodland and planta-
tions, 700 moor and moss, and the remainder arable and
in cultivation, with a due proportion of meadow and
pasture. Its surface is pleasingly varied, rising by gentle
undulations towards the south and east, and terminating
in a ridge of hills, of which the highest has an elevation
of 500 feet above the level of the river, and commands
extensive prospects over the surrounding country, em-
bracing the whole vale of Irvine and the town of Kil-
marnock. The rivers are the Irvine and the Cessnock.
Of these the Irvine has its source to the east of Loudoun
hill, in the parish of that name, and, flowing westward
along the northern boundary of this parish, falls into
the Firth of Clyde near the town of Irvine. The Cess-
nock has its source in the parish of Galston, from which
it separates this parish on the west ; and winding in
graceful curves towards the north, it intersects Riccarton
for the remainder of its course, and runs into the Irvine
river. Both these rivers abound with trout of good
quality, affording excellent sport to anglers, by whom
they are frequented ; and the latter, in many places
flowing between richly-wooded banks, adds much to the
beauty of the scenery. There are copious perennial
springs in the parish ; but many of them are strongly
impregnated with different mineral substances, and are
consequently unfit for domestic use.
The SOIL is generally of a stiff clayey quality, but,
when under proper management, is capable of producing
heavy crops of grain, and, on the holm lands imme-
diately adjoining the rivers, is luxuriantly fertile ; in-
deed some of the farms on these lands are among the
most valuable in the county. The crops are oats, wheat,
barley, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual grasses.
The system of husbandry is in a very advanced state,
3 H 2
Rice
Rice
and a due rotation of crops is every where carefully-
observed, according to the nature of the soil. Great
improvements, also, have been made by tile and furrow
draining, which has added materially to the value of the
lands. The average quantity of land vk-hieh has been
annually drained during the last few years, has been
about 200 acres ; and in several instances the drainings
have been made at the expense of the landlords, espe-
cially on the farms held under the Duke of Portland,
the tenant paying five shillings a year additional per
acre for the term of his lease. The farms are mostly
about eighty acres in extent ; and the farm-houses are
substantial and commodious, many of them two stories
high, and roofed with slate : the lands are inclosed
chiefly with hedges of thorn, kept in good order. Much
attention is paid to the management of the dairy-lands,
on all of which the cows are of the Ayrshire breed ; and
the produce is in high repute : about 160 tons of cheese
are annually sent to the neighbouring markets, where
that of the best quality obtains a price of twelve shillings
per stone Dutch weight. No sheep are reared, except a
few on the lands attached to the houses of landed pro-
prietors. The plantations, which are of very moderate
extent, are principally in the demesnes of the gentlemen's
seats ; they are under careful management, and in a
thriving condition.
Here are strata of coal, limestone, and sandstone,
and clay of an excellent description for making bricks
and tiles. The beds of coal are numerous, and, though
differing in species, are all of good quality. Some of
the coal found on the lands of Caprington, Skerrington,
and Barleith is very superior, and in extensive opera-
tion for ordinary uses. The blind coal, also, or anthra-
cite, though not confined to this parish, is chiefly ob-
tained on the Caprington property. This coal, which
burns without emitting either smoke or flame, occurs
among the lowest strata, and is mainly used for drying
grain and malt, and in the burning of lime to a small ex-
tent. For these purposes large quantities are sent from
the Caprington collieries to Troon, whence it is shipped
for Ireland. The coal from the other mines is con-
veyed to Ayr and Irvine. The limestone is excellent
either for building purposes or for use in farming, and
two large quarries of it are in operation : in the quarry
of Knockmarloch, on the side of Craigiehill, and at a
height of nearly 500 feet, are found numerous petrifac-
tions both of vegetable and animal substances. The
freestone is also of good quality and extensively wrought;
the quarries in some parts contain stone of a reddish
colour, and in others the stone is of a yellowish hue.
The clay is manufactured into bricks, and tiles for drain-
ing ; these articles are in great demand throughout tlic
district, and are sent in large quantities to various places.
The annual value of real property in Riccarton amounts
to £17,159.
The principal mansion-house in the parish is the
castle of Caprington, an ancient structure situated on
the south bank ot the river Irvine, and once the baronial
seat of a branch of the Wallace family. This building,
■which is spacio!is and of great strength, though improved
by recent additions, still retains much of its original
character. In the centre of the front rises a lofty tower,
the entrance to which is by an arched gateway flanked
with towers of inferior dimensions ; and from the ex-
tent and beauty of the surrounding demesne, which is
4^20
embellished with stately timber and thriving plantations,
Caprington may be regarded as a splendid residence.
About a mile southward of the castle is Treebank, a neat
structure beautifully situated in grounds tastefully laid
out, and commanding some finely varied prospects. The
other mansions are, Shaw Hill, Dollars, and Bellfield,
all handsome residences ; and Milrig, lately rebuilt in
a very elegant style. The village of Riccarton is of
great antiquity, and was anciently a burgh of barony.
It stands on the south bank of the river Irvine, and has
a handsome bridge of three spacious arches, connecting
it with the burgh of Kilmarnock, to which it forms a
suburb, and within the boundaries of which it is in-
cluded under the Reform act. The houses are built on
an eminence rising gradually from the bank of the river,
and have generally an appearance of antiquity, forming
one irregular street of considerable length, on the turn-
pike-road from Ayr to Edinburgh. The inhabitants are
chiefly engaged in hand-loom weaving for the manufac-
turers of Paisley and Kilmarnock ; the principal articles
are shawls, mousselins-de-laine, and similar fabrics, in
the production of which more than 200 persons are era-
ployed. A great number of females, also, are engaged
in sewing and embroidering muslin, called Ayrshire nee-
dlework. The manufacture of shoes for the foreign
markets was formerly largely carried on ; but within
the last few years it has been gradually declining, and
at present affords employment to a very small number
of persons. Letters are delivered twice a day from the
post-ofllce at Kilmarnock. Three great turnpike-roads
intersect the parish, and two of them pass through the
village : other roads are kept in good repair by statute
labour; and there are three bridges over the Irvine, and
one over the Cessnock, all of which are in substantial
repair. The railway from Kilmarnock southward to
Mauchline, &c., runs through the parish ; and a private
railroad extends from the collieries at Caprington to the
Kilmarnock and Troon railway. The villages of Hurl-
ford and Sornhill are described under their respective
heads.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Ayr and synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The minister's stipend is about £260, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £50 per annum ; patron,
John Smith Cuninghame, of Caprington, Esq. Ric-
carton church, built in 1823, to replace the ancient
church, the burying-ground of which is still preserved,
is situated in the centre of the village, on a lofty mound
said to have been the seat for administering justice. It
is a substantial and neat structure with a handsome
spire, erected at a cost of £4000, and containing 1200
sittings. From its elevated situation, the church forms
a very conspicuous and interesting feature in the land-
scape. The parochial school affords instruction to about
120 children ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees. There is also a
school at Hurlford, the master of which has a house and
garden, in addition to his fees ; the house was built by
subscription, on a site given by the Duke of Portland.
A parochial library, containing about 500 volumes of
historical, biographical, and religious works, is supported
by subscription ; and there are several friendly societies.
Among the distinguished persons formerly connected
with this place are several of the Cuninghame family.
John Cuninghame, of Caprington, created a baronet by
ROBE
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Charles II., and a lawyer of great eminence, was em-
ployed as counsel for his country, against the Duke of
Lauderdale ; and as a man of profound learning and
incorruptible integrity, honourable mention is made of
him by Bishop Burnet in his history of his own Times.
Mr. John Cuninghame, second son of Sir John, who
was the first that delivered lectures on the Roman law
in Scotland, and who died in 1710; and Sir James
Shaw, Bart., the first Scotsman that ever filled the office
of lord mayor of London, and who died in 1843, were
natives of the parish.
RIESS, a village, in the parish of Wick, county of
Caithness, 4 miles (N. N. W.) from the town of Wick.
This is a small village situated on the coast-road be-
tween Wick and Keiss, from which places it is nearly
equidistant. The town-land of Riess, gives name to the
iipacious bay on this coast, also called Keiss bay and
Sinclair bay.
RIGGEND, a village, in the parish of New Monk-
land, Middle ward of the county of Lanakk ; containing
355 inhabitants. This is one of the numerous thriving
and increasing villages in this and neighbouring parishes,
that owe their prosperity to the establishment of coal
and iron works.
RISSA, or Rysay, an isle, in the parish of Walls,
island of Hoy, county of Orkney. This is a small
islet, lying in Scalpa Flow, and on the east side of Hoy,
near Pegal head : it does not appear to be inhabited.
RISTOL, an island, in the former quoad sacra pa-
rish of Ullapool, parish of Loch broom, county of
Ross and Cromarty ; containing 19 inhabitants. It is
situated in Loch Broom, on the western coast of the
county, a short distance from the main land ; and is
one of the most northern of a group called the Summer
Isles.
ROADSIDE, a village, in the parish of St. Cyrus,
county of Kincardine, 5| miles (N. by E.) from Mon-
trose ; containing 1 10 inhabitants. This place, and
Burnside, form a line of cottages along the high road
from Montrose to Bervie, and a short distance from the
kirktown of the parish. It is chiefly inhabited by feuars
and crofters.
ROAN, or Eilean-nan-Ron, an island, in the pa-
rish of Tongue, county of Sutherland ; containing 42
inhabitants. — See Tongue.
ROBERTON, a village, in the parish of Wiston
and RoBERTON, Upper ward of the county of Lanark,
2^ miles (S. S. W.) from the village of Wiston ; contain-
ing 201 inhabitants. This village is pleasantly situated
in the south-eastern quarter of the parish, and is chiefly
Inhabited by persons employed in agriculture, and in
the various trades requisite for the supply of the vici-
nity. There is a place of worship for members of the
United Presbyterian Church, the minister of which de-
rives his income from the rents of the seats and the con-
tributions of his congregation ; and the parochial school
of Roberton, formerly a separate parish, is still kept
here.
ROBERTON, a parish, partly in the county of Sel-
kirk, but chiefly in the district of Hawick, county of
Roxburgh, 3 miles (W.) from Hawick ; containing 757
inhabitants, of whom about 100 are in the village of
Deanburnhaugb. This parish is distinguished by no
events of historical importance. It was, however, the
chief residence of the Scotts of Harden, who at one time
421
bore the title of Earls of Tarras ; and during the border
warfare it was signalized by many predatory exploits of
Walter of Harden, a well-known and formidable border
chieftain, of whose castle there are still some interesting
remains. It is said that, on his return from an expedi-
tion into the neighbouring districts, he brought home
an infant who was fostered by the lady of Harden ; and
that the child afterwards became eminent as a bard, and
was the author of the most admired and popular of the
border songs. The parish is about thirteen miles in
length and nearly five miles in breadth, and comprises
30,550 acres, of which about 2000 are arable, 550 wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder rough pasture
and waste. Its surface is broken by hills of bold eleva-
tion, of which the most lofty are those of Craickmoor,
the Culm or Coom, and the Criblaw of Craick, the last
of conical form ; but none of them exceed the height of
1300 feet above the level of the sea. A range of hills
intersects the parish from north to south ; and two
chains of less elevation branch olf from it in an eastern
direction, including between them the vale of Borth-
wick, watered by the river of that name. The lower
lands are beautifully diversified with lakes, of which
Alemoor, a fine sheet of water of circular form, is the
source of the river Ale. Hellmoor lake, of less depth,
but of much greater extent, is partly in the parish ; and
to the west is Moodlaw lake, equally divided among the
parishes of Roberton, Eskdalemuir, and Ettrick, and in
the centre of which the respective counties of Roxburgh,
Dumfries, and Selkirk unite. The river of Borthwick
has its source in the hills to the west, and, after a rapid
course eastward for nearly thirteen miles, flows into the
Teviot about two miles west of Hawick. Most of the
lakes abound with perch, pike, and eels ; and in those
in which there are no pike, trout of excellent quality are
found in great plenty.
The soil is of good quality in the vale of Borthwick :
upon the acclivities, which in some places are rather
precipitous, it is thinner, and gravelly ; and towards the
summits of the hills, which are generally flat, it is wet
and boggy. The agriculture is improved ; the five-shift
course has been generally adopted. The prevailing
kinds of wood are larch, spruce, and Scotch fir ; but
there is also a considerable quantity of oak, ash, elm,
beech, and plane, and the number of these trees is pro-
gressively increasing. Vast numbers of sheep are bred,
principally Cheviots crossed with the Leicestershire,
which are found profitable for the butcher, and in the
weight and quality of the fleece : there are also a few of
the black-faced kind. The total number of sheep fed is
little less than 20,000. The common breed of cattle is
the short-horned -, and within the last few years, a num-
ber of Highland Kyloes, bought at the Falkirk fairs,
have been pastured in common with the sheep during
the winter. In general the farm-buildings are good,
and some of the farm-houses are spacious and hand-
some ; the fences in the lower lands are hedges, and in
the higher grounds stone walls ; both kept in good order.
Lime and bone-dust have been introduced with much
benefit to the lands; and among other improvements
are the sheep-drains, which have also been productive of
great advantage. The substratum of the parish is
mostly greywacke rock. Ironstone is found in some
parts ; and beneath the mosses, which are extensive, shell-
marl and peat are found in abundance : decayed trees are
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often discovered embedded in the moss, and also the horns
of deer and other animals. The chief fuel is peat ; and
coal is also obtained, at a moderate price, and in suffi-
cient quantity. About one-half of the lands are the
property of the Duke of Buccleuch, and the remainder
divided among several proprietors : the annual value of
real property in the parish is £6395. Chisholme, Borth-
wickbrae, Hoscoat, and Borthwickshiels are handsome
modern residences embellished with plantations. Har-
den, the property of Hugh Scott, Esq., a venerable man-
sion, is now a farmhouse ; it has been allowed to fall
very much into decay, and presents a gloomy picture of
the rude magnificence of former days. There are some
vestiges of its ancient fortifications. Part of the ceiling
of the old hall is still embellished with stucco ; and the
mantel-piece in one of the rooms is decorated with an
earl's coronet and the cipher " W. E. T.", that is, Walter,
Earl of Tarras. In front of the house is a deep glen,
into which were driven the cattle that were carried ofif
by the chieftains during the wars of the border.
This place seems to have been erected into a parish
about the year 16.50, and consists of parts of the former
parishes of Hawick, Selkirk, Wilton, and Hassendean.
It is in the presbytery of Selkirk, synod of Merse and
Teviotdale, and in the patronage of the Crown : the mi-
nister's stipend is £'205. 11. 9-, vvith a manse, and a
glebe valued at £1S per annum. The glebe-lands are
intersected by the boundary line between Roxburgh and
Selkirk, and the minister has a vote for each of those
counties. Roberton church, from an inscription bearing
date 1659, appears to have been erected when the parish
was constituted; it is in good repair, and adapted to a
congregation of 250 persons. The parochial school, for
which a handsome schoolroom, and a residence for the
master, have been built by the heritors, affords an ex-
cellent education to a considerable number of scholars ;
the master has a salary of £34. 4.4., with £24 fees, and a
garden. Remains of ancient camps are to be seen in
various parts of the parish, some of which are square,
and others of elliptical form. Of these the largest and
most complete is on the farm of Broadlee, in the west
of the parish ; another is on that of Highchesters, in a
most commanding situation ; there are also two on the
farm of Todshawhill, and one called Camp Castle on the
lands of Borthwickshiels. In one a ball weighing a
pound and a half was found ; and in another, some dag-
gers in a very decayed condition. The remains of an
old chapel may still be seen on the farm of Chapelhill,
where a curate from Hassendean used to officiate; and
also at Borthwickbrao, the cemetery of which is still the
chief burying-placc of the parish.
ROCKFIELD, a village, in the parish of Tarhat,
county of Ross and Cromarty ; containing 118 inha-
bitants. This village, which is situated on the western
shore of the IMoray Firth, is inhabited chiefly by persons
employed in the fisheries, for whose accommodation a
small but substantial pier has been erected, at the joint
expense of the Commissioners of the Northern Fisheries
and the proprietor, Mr. McLeod of Geanies.
ROE, LITTLE and MUCKLE, islands, in the parish
of Df.lting, county of Shetland; one containing 11,
and the other '214, inhabitants. Little Roe is situated
on the northern coast of the parish, in Yell Sound ; and
Muckle Roe in St. Magnus' bay, on the western coast of
the Mainland of Shetland. The former is of very in-
4'22
considerable size, and its inhabitants, consisting of two
or tbr?e families, employ themselves in fishing. The
latter is a comparatively large island, about twenty-four
miles in circumference, having some spots of land brought
into cultivation within the last 100 years, while the other
portions are covered with a fine kind of heath, which
affords good pasture to sheep and black-cattle, great
numbers of both which are reared.
ROGART, a parish, in the county of Sutherland,
10 miles (W. N. 'tt'.) from Golspie ; containing 1501
inhabitants. This place is generally supposed to have
derived its name from a compound Gaelic word, of
which Rogart is a corruption, signifying a " lofty in-
clined plane", and having reference to the high ground
and acclivities in various parts of the parish, and espe-
cially to the elevated land on which the village stands.
The locality appears to have been in remote times
the scene of sanguinary conflicts, as the remains of en-
campments and some tumuli are still visible : several of
the latter are to be seen on a ridge of hills running from
north to south in the eastern quarter of the parish, from
Strathbrora to Strathfleet ; and stone coffins, daggers,
and other warlike instruments have been discovered.
At a 'place called Rhin, in the valley of Strathfleet, the
brave Montrose halted for a night, when on his return
from Orkney ; upon the next day marching to Strathoi-
cail, on whose heights he fought his last battle. The
PARISH is an irregular square in its form, about ten
miles long and ten broad, and contains an area of
6'2, 800 acres. It is bounded on the north by parts of
the parishes of Clyne and Farr, on the south by parts
of those of Dornoch and Criech, on the east by parts of
Dornoch and Golspie, and on the west by the parish of
Lairg. The surface is altogether uneven, chiefly con-
sisting of two valleys about five miles apart, which run
through the parish from east to west, and the interme-
diate space of which is marked by moors, rocky hills,
tracts of moss, and some few meadows. One of these
valleys, called Strathfleet, is ten miles long, and varies
in width from three quarters of a mile to only a few
yards, its sides contracting themselves almost to the
narrowness of the Fleet river, which flows through it.
The sides of the valley, which occasionally are cultivated
and produce crops, rise from 500 to 700 feet above the
level of the stream, in most parts ascending in a gradual
manner, but in some places exhibiting the features of
an abrupt acclivity. Strathbrora, the other valley, is
much more wild and rugged in its aspect than the
former. The river Brora, which runs along it, having,
on account of its frequent and violent floodings, cut
deeper into the banks, forms in several places extensive
chasms, completely altering the character of the scenery,
and assimilating it in a great degree to that of the adja-
cent mountainous district. The land in tillage, and the
meadows and haughs formed by the Fleet and the Brora,
and by the burns and other waters, cover but a small
space comjian'd to the extent of the moors, which form
by far the larger part of the parish. The hills stretching
between the two valleys are all of nearly equal height,
about 800 or 900 feet above the level of the sea. Among
the animals to be seen on the hills and wastes are the
roe-deer, the red mountain-deer, the grey mountain-hare,
thebrown hare, and large numbers of rabbits : black-game
and moor-fowl are also numerous, especially the former.
The rivers are the Fleet and the Brora, in which salmon.
RO G A
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grilse, and sea-trout are taken. They are small streams,
but the latter becomes formidable in the flooding season,
when its current is considerably widened and its banks
are overflowed, the waters frequently carrying havoc
and desolation to the adjacent lands. There are also
numerous lakes, of no great extent, which abound in
good trout, and are much frequented by the lovers of
angling.
The SOIL on some of the hilly grounds is light and
gravelly, and near the streams often approximates to an
alluvial mould : the larger portion of the parish, how-
ever, as already observed, is moor or moss. Not more
than 1200 acres are at present cultivated, but it is
supposed that about 1000 might be added to the land
in tillage. Small alder-trees are sometimes to be seen
along the streams, and also bushes of ground-birch ;
but there is no other wood in the parish, with the ex-
ception of one plantation in Strathfleet of about twenty
acres, consisting of oak, larch, and common fir. All
kinds of grain are raised, amounting to the average
total value of £2250 annually ; potatoes are also pro-
duced, and turnips in considerable quantities. On some
of the small farms is a species of sheep of diminutive
size, but with a fine fleece, and the mutton of excellent
flavour. It was formerly the only breed of sheep known
in the district, but is now fast yielding to the Cheviots,
which are preferred on account of their superior size.
Between 9000 and 10,000 sheep are kept; and about
1000 head of cattle, mostly of the native breed. Surface-
draining has been carried on to a great extent, by which
the sheep-pasture has been improved in quality, and
much increased in quantity ; little now remains to be
done in this department in any part of the district. The
prevailing rock is gneiss, varied in many instances
with quartz veins ; it is large-grained, partakes consi-
derably of mica, and being easily wrought, supplies a
cheap material for cottages and houses. Rolled blocks
of granite are freely distributed over the main surface,
as well as in the hollows, where they are covered with
thin mould. The moss runs sometimes twelve feet
deep ; in parts where the depth is less, it grows rapidly,
and exhibits a fresh and verdant appearance. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is £240. A
road extends along Strathfleet, and another leaves it at
the eastern end for Strathbrora ; the former is part of
the road from Golspie to Tongue, upon which a mail-
curricle carrying four passengers has been established.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dornoch and synod of
Sutherland and Caithness ; patron, the Duke of Suther-
land : the stipend of the minister is £156, of which £3.
1. 4. are received from the exchequer ; and the glebe is
of the annual value of £9. 10. The church and manse
stand near each other, in a bleak exposure, and from
their elevated position command a view of the peaks of
almost all the high mountains in the county : the church
was built in 1777, and is conveniently situated for the
bulk of the parishioners. There is a parochial school,
in which the ordinary branches of education are taught,
with mensuration and land-surveying ; the master's sa-
lary is £34. 4., with a house, and the fees. In the
parish are also two schools supported by the General
Assembly, and a school supported by the Gaelic School
Society, in the former of which the usual branches of a
plain education are taught, with Gaelic and the rudi-
423
ments of Latin ; while in the latter, the reading of
Gaelic alone is taught. The Gaelic schoolmaster, who
is not stationary in any one place, is not allowed to take
fees ; he receives a salary of £25, and has the necessary
accommodation. The masters of the Assembly's schools
have each a salary and a house, but, though allowed to
take fees, are seldom able to obtain them, from the
poverty of the people. The language used in the district
is the Gaelic, which however is fast yielding to the Eng-
lish. The interest of a bequest of £200 is divided
among the poor. Among the antiquities in the parish
are the remains of a Druidical temple at Corrie.
RONA, an island, in the parish of Portree (Isle of
SKYE),county of Inverness; containing 165 inhabitants.
This island lies in the sound of the same name, between
the main land of Scotland and the Isle of Skye. It is
about four miles in length and two in breadth, having a
level surface, and a tolerably fertile soil. There is a good
harbour. Around the coast are extensive caves, some
of which afford fine specimens of stalactites.
RONALDSHAY, NORTH, an island and a parlia-
mentary parish, in the parish of Cross and Burness,
county of Orkney, 30 miles (N. E. by N.) from Kirk-
wall; containing about 520 inhabitants. This island, the
most northern of the Orkneys, is bounded on the south
by the firth to which it gives name, and by which it is
separated from the island of Sanda. It is about four
miles and a half in extreme length, and about one mile
and a half in its greatest breadth. On the south and
east sides the coast is low, and the beach shelving and
sandy; but on the west and north-west the coast, though
not very elevated, is rocky and precipitous. There are
three considerable bays, the bay of Linket on the east,
the South bay, and Ness bay on the south-east ; none of
them afford any shelter for vessels, but towards the
north-west the shore is protected by two reefs of rocks
called respectively the Altars of Lina and the Shelky
Skerry. The surface of the interior is level, with the
exception of a portion near the centre, which has a
gentle acclivity ; the soil is generally dry, from the great
proportion of shell-sand with which it is intermixed.
About three-fourths of the land are under cultivation;
most of the remainder is rendered sterile by the inces-
sant dashing of the spray along the west and north-west
coasts, and there is a small tract of waste inland which
has not yet been reclaimed. North Ronaldshay is the
property of William Traill, Esq., under whose direction
considerable improvements have taken place in agri-
culture. The corn crops are oats and bear, and on the
average about 1200 bolls of the former, and 1500 of the
latter, are raised annually, with turnips and other green
crops. Sea-weed is the principal manure ; it is found in
great abundance, and also furnishes a supply of food for
the sheep during winter. The breed of cattle, formerly
very small, has been much improved by a cross with
the Dunrobin breed, and is upon a par with the gene-
rality of Orkney cattle ; the breed of horses has also
been improved in size and strength, but the sheep are
of the poorest kind, and kept chiefly for their wool.
The manufacture of kelp is still carried on, though
not to the same extent as formerly ; the average quan-
tity was 120 tons annually, and the quality always
obtained a preference in the market. It has been lately
discovered that kelp made from the drifted sea-weed
contains a large quantity of iodine, which renders it of
RON A
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much greater value. Fishing affords employment to
many of the inhabitants. The lobster-fishery engages
six boats, of two men each, from the beginning of May
to the end of June ; and the produce is sent to the
London markets in smacks fitted up with wells for the
purpose, and which call for the fish weekly during the
season, at the adjacent island of Sanda. The herring-
fishery, for which the principal station is at Stronsay,
is also profitably conducted, and on the average fourteen
boats are employed in it, each from twenty-four to
twenty-eight feet in length ; these boats are built by
two men in the island, and are considered as the best
of the Orkney boats. The cod-fishery has of late been
followed with success, as a substitute for the diminution
in the making of kelp. Considerable disadvantage in
the fisheries is experienced from the want of a shel-
tered harbour, which renders it necessary for the fisher-
men to shift their boats in bad weather from one side
of the island to the other, or to draw them up on the
shore.
North Ronaldshay was for ecclesiastical, as well as
civil, purposes formerly included in the parish of Cross
and Burness, from which it has been ecclesiastically
separated, as a quoad sacra district. It is in the pres-
bytery of North Isles, synod of Orkney, and in the
patronage of the Crown. The minister's stipend is £1'20
per annum, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £3. 10.
per annum. The church is a plain building erected
about forty years since. A school once supported by
the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and
now a parliamentary school, is attended by about seventy
scholars ; the teacher has a salary of £30 per annum,
paid from the exchequer, and the usual fees. A paro-
chial library, containing about 300 volumes, is supported
by the inhabitants. On the north-east corner of the
island is a lighthouse, which was maintained for several
years, by the Commissioners of Northern Lights ; but the
light has been transferred to Sanda: the building is now
in a very dilapidated state. There are some remains of
an ancient fortress called Burrion Castle, consisting
chiefly of the foundations ; also an upright stone about
twelve feet high, supposed to have been part of a Druid-
ical temple.
RONALDSHAY, SOUTH, a parish, in the county
of Orkney; containing 3194 inhabitants, of whom
186" are in the district of St. Peter, 789 in that of St.
Mary, and .538 in that of Burray. This parish includes
the old parish of St. Peter in the northern, and the old
parish of St. Mary in the southern, portion of the island
of South Ronaldshay ; with the isle of Swona and the
two Skerries in the Peutland Firth, of which the former
and one of the latter are inhabited. It also includes the
old parish and island of Burray, with the isles of Huiida
and (ilemsholm in the bay of Holm Sound, of which
the latter is uninhabited. These three parishes have been
united from time immemorial. South Ronaldshay is
supposed to have derived its name from one of its ancient
proprietors, Ronald, a Danish count. From the great
irregularity of its form, its extent has never been cor-
rectly ascertained ; it is about six miles in length, and
four miles in average breadth. The island of Burray,
which is situated to the north of it, and is separated by
the ferry of Water Sound, about one mile broad, is four
miles in length, and averages from one mile to two
miles in breadth. Swona, which is nearly four miles to
4'24
the west of South Ronaldshay, and in the Pentland Firth,
is a mue and a half in length and nearly one mile in
breadth : the northern of the Skerries, on which a light-
house has been erected, is little more than a mile in
circumference ; and the other is of still smaller extent.
The SURFACE of the parish is generally low, the highest
lands nut attaining an elevation of 300 feet above the
level of the sea. The soil is various, consisting of clay,
black loam, sand, and moss, frequently in combination,
and sometimes in all their varieties upon one field ; in
Burray the soil is generally a light sand, and in the isle
of Swona a black earth mixed with sand and gravel.
The chief crops are oats and bear, with potatoes and
turnips ; there are some fine fields of red and white
clover, and natural grasses yielding luxuriant pasture.
Agriculture is, however, in a very unimproved state ;
and, from the abundance of shell-sand, more than double
the quantity of land now in cultivation might be made
to produce excellent crops of corn. It appears also that
the farm-buildings are of very inferior order. The sub-
stratum is principally blue or black clay-slate, alternated
with sandstone, and sandstone flag ; lead-ore has been
found here, and some attempts were made to work it,
but without success. A village called St. Margaret's
Hope is pleasantly situated on the eastern coast, on the
shore of the bay of that name, which forms a safe and
commodious harbour ; and on the western coast is the
harbour of Widewall, opening to the Pentland Firth and
Stromness. Of these two harbours, the former is much
frequented by smaller vessels and smacks employed in
the fisheries, and the latter is accessible to ships of 600
or 700 tons, which frequently have recourse to it for
shelter. There are several bold headlands, some of
which rise perpendicularly to a height of nearly 300 feet.
The population are engaged in agriculture and in the
fisheries ; and many of the females are employed in the
platting of straw. Eleven sloops are engaged in the cod-
fishery till the season for herrings commences, during
which many thousand barrels of herrings are cured for
exportation ; the quantity of cod, ling, and hake annually
taken and cured here is nearly 150 tons. In the village
of St. Margaret's Hope is a post-office with a daily de-
livery ; and a subscription and parochial library has
been established there. A fair for lean cattle is held in
November, and others are growing into use.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Kirkwall and synod of Ork-
ney. The minister's stipend is £200, with an allowance
of £8. 6. 8. for communion elements, a manse, and a
glebe valued at £12. 6. 8. per annum ; patron, the Earl
of Zetland. The church of St. Mary, in the south, is
situated near the western shore ; and that of St. Peter,
in the north portion of the parish, within a few yards of
the sea, on the eastern coast. They are both ancient
buildings, and were repaired in 1802 ; the former con-
tains 273, and the latter 413 sittings. Burray church
has been in ruins nearly from the commencement of the
present century. Considerable addition might be made
to the number of seats by the erection of galleries in the
two existing churches. There is a place of worship for
members of the United Presbyterian Church. The pa-
rochial school is near the village of St. Margaret's Hope ;
the master has a salary of £26, with a house and garden,
and the fees. A school was founded by 'William Tomi-
son, Esq., who endowed it with a house and £40 per
ROSE
ROSE
annum for the teacher, for the gratuitous instruction of
children of the three united parishes. Mr. Tomison
also bequeathed £"200 for the poor of the South district,
of which he was a native, and a sum for the erection and
endowment of a female school, which is being suffered
to accumulate for that purpose. William Sutherland,
Esq., a resident heritor of the North district, bequeathed
£200 for the benefit of the poor of that district. There
are several subscription schools. In the parish are
some remains of Picts' houses, tumuli, and numerous
vestiges of intrenchments consisting of mounds of earth.
Near the manse is a subterraneous building, eleven feet
long, three feet wide, and nearly of equal height ; the
interior is paved with stones evidently taken from the
beach. Several old coins have been found ; and there
are Druidical relics, and remains of ancient chapels : the
ancient churches and these chapels are all built near
running water.
RONAY, an island, in the parish of North Uist,
county of Inverness ; containing 9 inhabitants. It is
an isle of the Hebrides, lying between Benbecula and
North Uist, and east of Graemsay.
ROSEBANK, a village, in the parish of Dalserf,
Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 2^ miles (E. S. E.)
from Larkhall ; containing 184 inhabitants. It is situ-
ated on the west side of the Clyde, which bounds the
parish on the east ; and is a beautiful village, standing
nearly opposite to Mauldslie Castle. Rosebank has
arisen within the last forty years, to supply the defici-
ency of dwellings occasioned by the decaying state of
the village of Dalserf; but building has latterly nearly
come to a close in it, from the want of ground for feuing.
There is a deficiency of house accommodation in this
part of the parish, and at present about forty families
reside in about twenty-five houses here. The high road
from Lanark to Glasgow passes close to the village.
ROSEHEARTY, a small sea-port, in the parish of
PiTSLiGO, district of Buchan, county of Aberdeen, 4
miles (W.) from Fraserburgh, and 18 (E. byN.) from
Banff; containing 750 inhabitants. This place, which
is situated at the northern extremity of the parish, upon
a point of land projecting into the Moray Firth, was in
the reign of Charles II. erected into a burgh of barony,
and invested with all the usual privileges and jurisdic-
tion : but its charter is not now available, nor is there a
public officer of any kind appointed. Rosehearty ap-
pears to owe all its importance to its harbour, and to
the fisheries, which are carried on to a considerable ex-
tent. The fish principally taken here are cod, ling, had-
dock, and skate ; and the produce is sent to Glasgow,
Edinburgh, and London, in vessels which on their re-
turn bring coal for the supply of the district. About
forty boats, also, each having a crew of five men, or four
men and a boy, are regularly employed in the herring-
fishery, which is attended with great success. The fish-
ermen pay to the superior of the burgh, John Duff Ding-
wall, Esq., £1 per annum for the privileges of landing
their fish, and finding bait, and for forming their beds
for mussels. Three vessels belong to the port, and the
harbour is accessible for vessels of from eighty to 100
tons' burthen ; the trade is chiefly the export of fish and
grain. There is a post-office under that of Fraserburgh,
with which it has daily communication ; and a market
for provisions of all kinds is held weekly, on Saturday.
The incumbent of the parish officiates at Rosehearty,
Vol. II. — 425
Burgh Seal.
on Sunday evenings, to a congregation of about 300
persons.
ROSEISLES, two hamlets, in the parish of Duffus,
county of Elgin, 6 miles (vv. N. W.) from Elgin ; one
containing 70, and the other, called Old Roseisle, 38
inhabitants. These places lie near the shore of Burgh-
Head bay ; and in their vicinity is the hill of Roseisle,
an eminence with the exccjjtion of which the parish pre-
sents in its general aspect an entire and unbroken level.
Roseislehaugh is the seat of the Brander family.
ROSEMARKIE,aparish,
in the county of Ross and
Cromarty, 1 1 miles(N. N. E.)
from Inverness ; containing,
with the quoad sacra parish
of Fortrose, 17 I9inhabitants.
This place is supposed to
have derived its name, sig-
nifying in the Gaelic lan-
guage " a headland or pro-
montory, and the resort of
mariners," from the elevated
situation of its church on the
shore of the Moray Firth. The parish is bounded on
the east by the Firth, and is about six miles in length,
varying from two to three miles in breadth, and com-
prising an area of nearly fifteen square miles. Its sur-
face rises gradually from the shore to a considerable
elevation, and towards the north and south is diversified
with hills of various height, of which the greater number
are arable and in good cultivation. The coast towards
the northern extremity is bold and elevated, and at
Chanonry point projects far into the Firth, and forms a
fine bay, affording good anchorage, and safe shelter for
vessels during strong westerly gales. There are nu-
merous springs of excellent water ; and a small burn
which flows into the bay, to the north of the town, after
rains is much swollen, and in its rapid course makes
some pleasing cascades. In the upper portion of the
parish the soil is a deep clay of great fertility, and in the
lower lands a fine black loam resting upon gravel ; the
crops are, grain of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips. The
system of husbandry has been considerably improved
under the auspices of the Black-Isle Farming Society,
but much still remains to be done ; the farm houses and
buildings are of inferior order, and the lands but very
partially inclosed. A few sheep of the small native
breed are reared on some of the farms, and more atten-
tion than formerly is now paid to live stock. About
900 acres are in plantations, chiefly of recent growth,
and in a thriving state. The prevailing rocks along the
coast are of the sandstone formation and gneiss, with
veins of white quartz : the sandstone, which is of good
quality for building, is wrought to a considerable extent,
several quarries having been opened. There are some
respectable family mansions in the parish.
The town of Rosemarkie is beautifully situated on the
shore of the Firth. It is a place of great antiquity ; it
obtained from Alexander II. a charter conferring on the
inhabitants all the privileges of a royal burgh, and in
1455 was by charter of James II. united with the Cha-
nonry of Ross under the common name of Fortrose.
There are neither any manufactures nor any trade carried
on here, except for the immediate supply of the parish.
At Chanonry point, where a lighthouse has been built,
31
ROSE
ROSE
and along the coast, valuable salmon-fisheries are esta-
blished. Fairs are held in April, June, and November,
for cattle, and for the sale of cotton goods, coarse cloths,
and various other wares. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £3744. Ecclesiastically this place
is within the bounds of the presbytery of Chanonry and
synod of Ross. The minister's stipend is £249. 9. 6.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £9 per annum ;
patron, the Crown. Rosemarkie church, erected on the
site of the ancient edifice about the year 1S21, is a spa-
cious and handsome structure in the later English style,
and contains 800 sittings. A church to which an ad-
jacent district of the parish is annexed quoad sacra, has
been raised in the town of Fortrose ; where are also an
episcopal chapel, a place of worship for members of the
Free Church, and one for Baptists. The parochial
school, of which the master's salary was early trans-
ferred to the grammar or burgh school, and afterwards
to the academy at Fortrose, has been re-estabhshed ;
and there are three Sabbath schools, all well attended.
The principal antiquities are the ruins of the cathedral
of Ross, in which are interred the remains of the family
of Mackenzie and other families. Among the distin-
guished residents of the parish have been. Sir George
Mackenzie, of Rosehaugh, an able statesman ; Dr.
George Mackenzie, author of Lives of the most Eminent
Writers of the Scottish Nation ; and the late Sir James
Mackintosh, who received the rudiments of his educa-
tion at this place. — See Fortrose.
ROSENEATH, or Rosneath, a parish and village,
in the county of Dumbarton, 3 miles (W. by N.) from
Helensburgh ; containing about 720 inhabitants, of
whom about 50 are in the village. By some writers the
name of this place is said to be a modification of Ross-
Neoth, descriptive of its form and original appearance as
a bare and unwooded promontory ; while others derive
the name from Ross-de-Neryd, signifying " the extremity
of the country ofNevyd", which at a very early period
formed part of the lordship of Lennox. Other writers,
again, deduce the name from Ross-na-Choich, or " the
promontory of the Virgin", on account of the foundation
of a church here by the Earls of Lennox in honour of
the Virgin Mary. The earls appear to have retained the
lordship till near the close of the fifteenth century, when
the lands of Roseneath were granted to Colin, first Earl
of Argyll, by James IV. James IIL had appointed him
lord high chancellor of Scotland, and subsequently sent
him as his plenipotentiary to the conference held at
Northampton : the carl was a zealous adherent to his
sovereign during the rebellion of the nobles ; and on
the accession of James IV., he also stood high in that
monarch's confidence. The lands have ever since re-
mained in the possession of his descendants, and are
now the property of the present duke. There arc three
other heritors in the parish.
Tile I'AuiKU, which anciently included part of that of
Row, is bounded on the east by the Garcloch, on the
south by the Firth of Clyde, and on the west by Loch
Long. It is about eight miles in length, and varies
from a mile and a half to two miles in breadth ; com-
prising 6140 acres, of which about 2000 arc arable with
a moderate i)roportion of meadow and pasture, 1240
woodland and plantations, and the remainder moor and
waste. In its general form the parish is a long narrow
peninsula, being surrounded by water except at the
426
northern extremity, where it is connected with the main-
land of the parish of Row by an isthmus little more than
a mile in breadth. The surface ascends gradually from
a level tract along the shore of the Firth towards the
centre, and thence rises by successive undulations to
the hill of Tamnahara, which has an elevation of more
than 800 feet above the sea. These undulations attain
a mean height of about 400 feet, and form a wide tract
of table-land chiefly covered with heath and moss, from
the sides of which the lands slope gently to the coast,
and are divided into arable farms and pastures. From
the higher parts are obtained extensive and richly-diver-
sified prospects over a country abounding with features
of impressive grandeur ; the prevailing scenery through-
out the parish is picturesque, and in many places ro-
mantic. There are no rivers ; but the grounds are in-
tersected with numerous rivulets and brooks descending
from the higher lands, and which, after continued rains,
swell into torrents, and in their courses form various
pleasing cascades. Near the base of Tamnahara is a
small lake, not more than a mile in circumference, and
of inconsiderable depth, abounding with perch, and from
which issues a rivulet that flows into Loch Long at the
north-western extremity of the parish. There are also a
few perennial springs, one of which preserves the same
degree of temperature in all seasons, and is much re-
sorted to in dry summers ; another, called the Minister's
Well, is slightly chalybeate.
The COAST is in some parts low and sandy, and in
others rocky, but not precipitous ; and is indented with
several small bays, of which the chief are Calwattie
and Campsaile, the latter situated in the Gareloch,
between the Row ferry and the Castle point. This bay
affords excellent anchorage and secure shelter for vessels
of any burthen, and was used by the kings of Scotland
as a station for their ships of war ; it has within the
last few years been chosen by the Royal Yacht Club
for laying up their vessels for the winter. The Gareloch
is sheltered from all those winds to which Loch Long
is so much exposed ; the holding-ground is firm, and
the loch forms a spacious harbour in which the whole
British navy might ride in complete security at any time
of the year. Both the Gareloch and Loch Long abound
with herrings during the season, and fisheries are carried
on there to a very considerable e.xtent; salmon are also
taken in moderate quantities, and there are ferries, from
the former loch to Greenock, and from the latter to
Row. Sea-trout, haddock, cod, ling, whiting, skate,
mackerel, flounders, halibut, mullet, sperling, the John-
dory, and gurnard are sometimes obtained. Mussels
are plentiful ; there are two beds of oysters, and lobsters
and crabs are found occasionally on the shore of Loch
Long. In the moors are grouse in considerable numbers,
as well as other species of game ; partridges have greatly
increased in number since the cultivation of the adjacent
lands, and snipes and woodcocks are also plentiful.
Many attempts have been made to introduce the phea-
sant, but they have been rather unsuccessful.
The sou, is extremely various in different localities;
the arable lauds on the slopes, and especially the lowest
grounds, are fertile and productive. Tiie crops are oats,
barley, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual grasses j
and the farms are generally in a state of profitable cul-
tivation. Husbandry has been gradually improving of
late years ; considerable tracts of waste land have been
ROSE
ROSE
reclaimed by draining, and inclosures of stone dykes
and hedges of thorn have been made on most of the
farms. The farm-houses, also, have been improved, and
the offices are substantial ; the cottages are kept in good
repair, and all the more recent improvements in the
construction of implements have come into use. Few
sheep are reared ; the cattle are mostly of the Ayrshire
breed. There are about 7'20 acres of old and natural
copse. Some fine specimens of ash, elm, beech, plane,
lime, oak, yew, horse-chesnut, holm-oak, cedar, and
various kinds of fir, are to be seen in the grounds of the
castle, the environs of the church, and near the site of
the ancient house of Campsaile. The more recent
plantations, chiefly in the southern portions of the pa-
rish, comprise all the varieties of the pine, with oak,
ash, and birch, which seem to be indigenous to the soil ;
they are regularly thinned, and harmonise well with the
more ancient trees in the castle-grounds, and the natural
wood along the shore. Near the site of the mansion
of Campsaile are two silver-firs of luxuriant and vene-
rable growth, supposed to have been the first planted in
this part of the country. At a height of five feet from
the ground the trunks of these trees are nineteen feet
in girth ; and from them rise numerous lofty stems,
branching out into a profusion of spreading boughs
combining a graceful symmetry of form with an impres-
sion of majestic grandeur. In this parish the principal
substrata are clay-slate, limestone, and sandstone, with
occasional boulders of granite. The slate is of various
colours and of good quality : two quarries were opened
on the lands of Roseneath Castle and Baremman re-
spectively, and, after being in operation for some time
without yielding an adequate remuneration, were both
abandoned ; but the latter has been re-opened with a
probability of greater advantage. The limestone has
not been wrought to any considerable extent : the facility
of obtaining abundance of lime from the north of Ireland,
at all times, and at a very moderate expense, has ren-
dered the extensive working of it unnecessary. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is £4006.
The old Castle of Roseneath, the ancient baronial
seat of the Lennox family, was partly restored and
fitted up by the Marquess of Argyll, as a temporary
residence, about the year 1630, and continued to be
occasionally occupied by the family till a late Duke of
Argyll enlarged a small castellated building on the
south point of the bay of Campsaile, and added to it a
commodious suite of apartments. This mansion, which
obtained the appellation of Roseneath Castle, was
destroyed by fire about the commencement of the pre-
sent century ; and the duke in 1803 commenced the
erection of the present splendid seat, on a site at a
greater distance from the shore, and more towards the
centre of the bay. The new mansion is a spacious
structure in the modern Italian style of architecture,
erected after a design by J. Bononi, of London. The
principal front, towards the north, is embellished with a
stately portico of the Ionic order, boldly projecting from
the main building, and affording ample room for a car-
riage-drive underneath ; and the south front, though
less striking in its character, is also a composition of
elegant design. From the centre of the building rises a
lofty circular tower of two stages, crowned with battle-
ments, and commanding from the platform a richly-
varied prospect over the demesne, which is tastefully
427
laid out, and an extensive view of the adjacent country,
which abounds with features of highly romantic cha-
racter. Clachan House, formerly the seat of tlie Camp-
bells of Maraorc, from whom the present ducal family
are descended, is remarkable for the beauty of its situ-
ation, and its avenue of venerable yew-trees and stately
limes. Peattoun and Baremman are good residences;
and there are numerous pleasing villas and picturesque
cottages on the banks of the Gareloch. The village, or
Kirkton, consists of some small houses in the vicinity
of the church ; and in various parts of the parish are
other clusters of cottages, which during the summer
months are partly occupied by strangers, who resort
hither for the purpose of sea-bathing. A subscription
library, containing several hundred volumes, has been
some years established ; and there is also a juvenile
library, consisting chiefly of religious publications. No
manufactures of any kind are carried on in the parish ;
but several of the inhabitants are employed in the handi-
craft trades requisite for the wants of the district. The
beauty of the scenery, and the numerous objects of in-
terest in the immediate vicinity, attract great numbers
of visiters. A branch office under the post-office at
Helensburgh has been estabhshed, which has a daily de-
livery. Internal communication is maintained by roads
intersecting the parish in various directions, and con-
necting Loch Long with the Gareloch, all of which are
kept in excellent repair ; and steamers which ply on the
lochs, and the ferry-boats, afford every facility of inter-
course with places at a distance.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dumbarton and synod of
Glasgow and Ayr. The minister's stipend is about £200,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum;
patron, the Duke of Argyll. Roseneath church, situated
about two miles from the southern boundary of the
parish, and on the shore of the Gareloch, originally a
cruciform structure dedicated to the Virgin Mary, hav-
ing fallen into decay, was taken down in 17B0, with the
exception of the belfry, which has been preserved. The
present church is a plain substantial structure, con-
taining sufficient accommodation for the parishioners,
but remarkable only for the beauty of the old belfry.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship. Roseneath parochial school, situated in the vil-
lage, is a commodious building, lately erected by the
heritors ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, and the fees. There is also a school
at Knockderry, on the shore of Loch Long, the master
of which has a salary of £35 from the Duke of Argyll,
by whom the school-house was built ; in addition to the
fees. At Knockderry are some remains of an ancient
fort, supposed to have been occupied by the Danes or
the Norwegians during their incursions into this part of
the country. To the north of the castle of Roseneath is
a precipitous rock called Wallace's Leap, from which
Sir William VVallace is said to have thrown himself into
the Gareloch, when closely pursued by his enemies. Of
various ancient chapels which existed here, and to
which bodies of the dead were often brought from the
Hebrides, and even from Ireland, for interment, there
are scarcely any vestiges now remaining. In the fields
near Port-Kill, upon the shore of the Firth of Clyde,
several stone coffins rudely formed, and containing
ashes, were discovered about the commencement of the
3 12
ROSL
present century ; and on the farm of Mamore, the last
remains of what appeared to have been a religious house
were removed to furnish materials for inclosing the
lands. Among the distinguished persons connected with
the parish were, Dr. John Anderson, professor of natural
philosophy in the university of Glasgow, and founder of
the Andersonian Institution in that city, who was born
here while his father was minister ; and the Rev. Mat-
thew Stewart, father of the celebrated Dugald Stewart,
who was for some years minister.
ROSEWELL, a village, in that part of the parish
of Lasswade which formed the quoad sacra parish of
RosLiN, county of Edinburgh, 4^ miles (S. W. by S.)
from Dalkeith ; containing 133 inhabitants. This is a
roadside village, on the road from Penicuick to New-
battle ; in the eastern quarter of the parish ; and on the
east side of the North Esk. The population is chiefly
employed in the coal-mines of the neighbourhood.
ROSLIN, a burgh of barony, and for a time a quoad
sacra parish, in the parish of Lasswade, county of
Edinburgh; containing 1807 inhabitants, of whom
430 are in the village of Roslin, 2 miles (S. W.) from
Lasswade, and 7 (S.) from Edinburgh. This place at a
very early period became the property of the St. Clairs,
whose ancestor William de St. Clair, second son of Mar-
garet, daughter of Richard, Duke of Normandy, settling
in this part in the reign of Malcolm Canmore, obtained
large grants of land in Mid Lothian, to which consider-
able additions were made by succeeding sovereigns. In
the reign of David I. the barony of Roslin, to which that
of Pentland and others were afterwards joined, was the
chief residence of the St. Clairs, who were Earls of Ork-
ney, and of whose baronial castle there are still consider-
able remains, though the time of its original foundation
is not precisely known. In February 1302 the English
army under the command of John de Segrave, regent of
Scotland for Edward II. of England, was encountered
near the village by the Scottish troops led by the Regent
Gumming and Sir Simon Eraser, when the three divi-
sions into which it had been formed were successively
defeated. The lands attached to the castle were erected
into a burgh of barony by James II. ; and the place con-
tinued to flourish under the auspices of the St. Clair
family, of whom William in 1446 founded the chapel of
Roslin, which he dedicated to St. Matthew the Apostle,
and endowed for a provost, six prebendaries, and two
choristers. The castle was partly biurnt by an accidental
fire in 1447. It was also, with that of Craigmillar and
others, burnt by the English in \h'A ; and in 1650 it
was besieged and taken by General Monk.
The CHAPEL, which had been defaced and stripped of
its ornaments at the time of the Reformation, was
greatly injured in 16S8 by a lawless mob who, in their
zeal for the destruction of idolatrous monuments, re-
duced it almost to ruins, and afterwards attacked the
castle, which they jilundered of all its valuable furniture.
The sacred edifice was, however, restored by General
St. Cluir, and has since been carefully preserved by the
Earls of Rosslyii. This beautiful structure was one of
the richest specimens of the decorated t)nglish style of
architecture in the kingdom, and contained also details
of tlie early Norman and the various intermediate styles
in their gradual transition. Its remains consist chiefly
of the choir and part of the transept of the original
church. The choir, which is sixty-eight feet in length
428
ROSL
and thirty-four in breadth, is divided into a nave and
two aisles by ranges of clustered pillars. These pillars
have richly-flowered capitals, are ornamented with nu-
merous devices of exquisite sculpture, and sustain series
of gracefully pointed arches deeply moulded, and embel-
lished with foliage, heads of human figures, and various
animals, with other ornaments of elaborate execution.
The roof, forty feet high, is delicately groined ; and the
edifice is lighted by ranges of windows of beautiful design
and symmetry, enriched with flowing tracery. Beneath
the pavement of the chapel is the vault of the Rosslya
family, the soil of which is so perfectly free from damp
that the bodies of many of its tenants have been found
in a perfect state, eighty years after their interment.
Here are many of the ancient barons of Roslin buried
in their armour without coffins, several of the Earls of
Caithness, and other distinguished descendants of the
St. Clair family. Of this chapel, a recent writer has
observed, that, "of the design for which Sir William of
St. Clair, Earl of Orkney, is said to have brought an
architect from Italy in 1446, only a third part was exe-
cuted, and that in a style so impure that the costly in-
terior is a thing as much to marvel at as to admire, while
the exterior is altogether wanting in effect."
The village of Roslin is beautifully situated on the
banks of the North Esk, and in a district abounding
with scenery of the most striking and romantic charac-
ter. In the immediate vicinity is the ancient castle,
now a majestic pile of ruins, situated on a rocky pro-
montory overhanging a deep ravine said to have been
formerly the bed of the Esk, and over which is a lofty
narrow bridge, forming an approach from the village.
Roslin Castle appears to have been about 200 feet in
length and ninety feet in breadth ; and the walls, some
portions of which are still remaining, were nine feet
in thickness : the only part now inhabited is a compa-
ratively modern house, with the initials S. W. S. and
the date 1622 over the entrance. The houses in the
village are neatly built ; and there is a subscription
library of about 300 volumes. The manufacture of
gunpowder is carried on, affording employment to more
than seventy persons ; there is also an extensive bleach-
field, and the manufacture of writing and printing paper
gives employment to a large number of people. The
market formerly held here has long been discontinued ;
but the pedestal of the ancient market-cross still re-
mains in the centre of the village. A pleasure-fair, at
which gymnastic sports take place, is held annually.
The adjacent village of Rosewell contains 130 inhabit-
ants, chiefly employed in the neighbouring collieries, of
which that on the lands of Drydeu, though it has been
in constant operation for many years, has been ascer-
tained to have more than thirty millions of tons yet un-
wrought. Facility of communication is afforded by roads
kept in due order, and there is a post-ollice which has
two deliveries daily.
The quoad sacra parish was formed from Lasswade
by the presbytery of Dalkeitli in 183.5. It was bounded
on the north by the rest of the parish of Lasswade, on
the cast l)y the i)arishes of Cockpen and Carrington,
and on the south and west by those of I'onicuick and
Glencross. It was about five miles and a half in length
and three anil three-quarters in extreme l)readth, com-
pri-sing an area of nearly ten square miles, or 6400 acres.
The soil of the district is fertile, and by far the greater
1
ROSS
ROSS
portion of the lands in high cultivation ; there are some
extensive tracts of woodland and rich meadow and pas-
ture. The system of agriculture is advanced ; draining
has been much practised, and there is little waste. In
this district the principal mansions are, Rosebank, a
lovely residence ; Dryden, beautifully situated on the
right bank of the North Esk, in grounds tastefully laid
out ; and Firth. Roslin church was erected in 1827,
at an expense, including a manse and school-house, of
£1600, raised by subscription ; it is a neat structure in
good repair, and contains 444 sittings, to which number
250 might be added by the erection of galleries. The
minister, who is chosen by the male communicants, has
a stipend of £150, derived from the seats, and secured
by bond of the trustees. There are places of worship
for members of the Free Church and United Presbyterian
Church ; also several schools, one of which is endowed
with a small permanent salary.
ROSS, a small fishing-village, in the parish of
MoRDiNGTON, county of Berwick, 2^ miles (S. S. E.)
from Eyemouth. This place is situated on the sea-shore,
at the base of an almost perpendicular mass of rock
which rises to a considerable height immediately behind
it ; and a small rivulet issuing from a fissure in the
rocks, and forming some beautiful cascades in its de-
scent, gives a peculiarly romantic effect to the few scat-
tered cottages of which the village consists. It is inha-
bited chiefly by persons employed in the fishery off the
coast, which is very abundant in various kinds of fish.
The principal are cod, ling, and haddock, which are
taken in great quantities and sent to Edinburgh. Lob-
sters and crabs of good quality are also taken during the
season, the former of which are shipped on board the
smacks passing this part of the coast, and thus forwarded
to London. Salmon are frequently taken, generally
with bag-nets, but not in sufficient numbers to form an
article of merchandise.
ROSS, a village, in the parish of Comrie, county of
Perth ; containing 154 inhabitants. This village and
Dalginross adjoin that of Comrie ; the population is
chiefly engaged in the manufactures of the parish, of
which the principal branch is cotton-weaving.
ROSS and CROMARTY, two counties in the north
of Scotland, of which the several districts, mutually
interjacent, are under the jurisdiction of one sheriff;
bounded on the north by Sutherlandshire, on the east
by the German Ocean, on the south by Inverness-shire,
and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. They lie
between 57° 7' 40" and 58° 5' (N. Lat.) and 3° 45' 30"
and 5° 46' '20" (W. Long.) ; extending about sixty-
seven miles in length and fifty-eight miles in breadth,
and comprising an area of 3799 square miles, or 2,43 1,360
acres, of which 223,560 are in the county of Cromarty ;
containing 16,694 houses, whereof 16,286 are inhabited;
and having a population of 78,685, of whom 36,779 are
males and 41,906 females. The territory within these
boundaries seems to have nominally formed part of the
earldom of Orkney, and to have belonged at different
periods to different proprietors ; but from the peculiar
situation of Ross, it appears to have retained its inde-
pendence, and to have been an earldom of itself, to
which some of the Western Isles were attached ; and in
several ancient charters William, son of Hugh, Earl of
Ross, who was killed at the battle of Hallidon-Hill, is
not only styled Earl of Ross, but also Lord of Skye.
429
John, " Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles," apparently
exercised a kind of regal authority, and, as an inde-
pendent prince, entered iuto treaties with King Edward
of England. It was about the year 1630 that Ross was
made a sheriffdom, including the district of Cromarty,
which formerly gave the title of earl to a branch of the
Mackenzies, of Seaforth. Prior to the abolition of
episcopacy, the counties were in the diocese of Ross ;
they are at present mostly in the synod of Ross, and
comprise several presbyteries, and thirty-one parishes.
For civil purposes they are under the superintendence
of three sheriffs-substitute, one of whom holds his
courts at Cromarty and Tain, another at Dingwall and
Fortrose, and the third at Stornoway iu the island of
Lewis. They contain the royal burghs of Dingwall,
Tain, and Fortrose ; the market-towns of Cromarty and
Stornoway, which are burghs of barony ; and numerous
smaller places. Under the act of the 2nd of William IV.
they return one member to the imperial parliament, the
election taking place at Dingwall.
Ross and Cromarty include the districts of Ardross,
Easter Ross, Ardmeanach or the Black Isle, Kintail,
Strathcarron, and the greater part of the island of Lewis.
The general surface is wild and mountainous, diversified
with numerous glens and some pleasant and fertile val-
leys, and enlivened with several rivers and lakes. The
western coast is indented by many lochs and bays of
beautifully picturesque appearance, some of which form
commodious havens. Ardmeanach, or the Black Isle,
so called from its bleak moorland character, is nearly
surrounded by the Firths of Cromarty and Moray. The
Ross-shire part of Lewis is, from deep indentations of
the sea on both sides, apparently an island of itself, but
in fact is joined to the Inverness-shire parish of Harris,
together forming Lewis, the largest of the Western
Islands : though less mountainous than Ardmeanach,
it is equally dreary and barren. Of the mountains,
which usually occur in groups, the highest is Ben-Wyvis,
elevated 3720 feet above the level of the sea. Among
the streams are the Ewe, the Carron, and the Broom,
on the western, and the Conan, the East Carron, and
the Alness, on the eastern coast ; the Conan falls iuto
the Cromarty Firth, the Carron into the Firth of Dor-
noch, and the others into the sea. They all abound with
salmon. The salt-water lochs are Enard, Broom, Grei-
nord. Ewe, Gairloch, Carron, Torridon, and Loch Alsh ;
there are also several fresh-water lakes, but the only
one of any extent is Loch Maree, on the west. There
are some small remains of the ancient forests, which were
very extensive, consisting chiefly of birch and oak; the
plantations are numerous, and are rapidly increasing.
A very small proportion of the land is in cultivation.
The soil on the eastern coast and on the low lands is
rich and fertile ; in some parts a loamy clay, in others
light and sandy. Of late years the system of agriculture
has been greatly improved, and excellent crops of wheat
are now raised, of which more than 10,000 quarters are
annuallyexported; there are some good tracts of meadow-
land, and the mountainous parts afford pasturage for
sheep and cattle. The chief minerals are, copper, which
has been wrought ; and ironstone, which at some distant
period was extensively raised : some remains of furnaces
for smelting the ore are still to be seen near Poolewe.
There are indications of coal ; and limestone is found
in the eastern and in greater abundance in the western
ROSS
ROSS
districts. Several springs are strongly impregnated
with sulphuretted hydrogen gas ; and of the numerous
chalybeate springs, the principal, at Strathpeffer, is in
great repute. The seats are Brahan Castle, TuUoch
Castle, Mountgerald, Fowlis Castle, Balconey, Novar
House, Invergorden Castle, Balnagown Castle, Tarbat
House, Shandwick House, Bayfield House, Rosehaugh,
Red Castle, Cromarty House, and various others. The
principal manufactures are those of biscuit and cotton
bagging ; the spinning of flax was introduced by the
trustees for the fisheries, but was not successful. The
herring-fishery is extensively pursued, and a consider-
able number of fish are taken in the lochs. Black-cattle,
sheep, and great quantities of wool are shipped from
the several ports. Facility of communication is main-
tained by roads that have been much improved by the
commissioners appointed under act of parliament. The
total annual value of real property assessed to the in-
come-tax in Ross-shire is £136,294, whereof £1'20,S"24
are returned for lands, £6440 for houses, £33/8 for
fisheries, £-205 for canal property, £20 for quarries, and
the remainder for other species of real property not com-
prised in the foregoing items. The value of Cromarty
is £6921, of which £.5857 are for lands, £631 for houses,
£345 fur fisheries, and the remainder for other species
of real property.
ROSS, LITTLE, an isle, in the parish of Borgtje,
stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 4 miles (S. by W.) from
Kirkcudbright. This is a small islet situated at the
mouth of the bay or sound of Kirkcudbright, the en-
trance between it and the eastern shore being about a
mile and a half across. Here is a secure and commo-
dious harbour. The island being deemed an eligible site
for a lighthouse, one was commenced, in 1840, by the
Commissioners of Northern Lights ; and it has proved of
considerable advantage to vessels navigating the Solway
Firth. Fine views are had from the isle.
ROSSIE, or Inch-Brayock, an island, in the parish
of Craig, county of FoRFAR; containing 152 inhabitants.
This is a small isle, at the mouth of the river South Esk,
near Montrose, with which place it is connected on the
north by a magnificent suspension-bridge ; and on the
southern side of the island is a drawbridge, allowing a
free navigation at high water in the basin of Montrose
for vessels of moderate burthen. The island is now
included within the burgh of Montrose by the boundary
act, and will, in a few years, become a suburban appen-
dage to that town. On the east point of Rossie is a
dry-dock. Here was anciently the parochial church :
and in old charters the island figures as insula Saiicti
Braoci, preserving the name of an obscure saint. The
spot is still occupied as the parish burying-place.
ROSSIE AND INCHTURE, in the county of Perth.
— See Inchture.
ROSSKEEN, a parish, in the county of Ross and
Cromarty, 13 miles (N. E.) from Dingwall; containing,
with the villages of Bridgend, Invergorden, and Salt-
burn, 3222 inhabitants, of whom 1482 are in the rural
district. This place is supposed to have derived its
name, in the Gaelic language signifying "meeting ", from
the junction of the districts of Easter and Wester Ross
on the western boundary of the parish. Rosskcen is
washed on the soutli by the Firth of Cromarty, and is
nearly thirty miles in length and about twelve miles in
extreme breadth, comprising a large extent of Highland
430
country. The surface is even towards the coast, from
which, for almost four miles, it rises with a gentle accli-
vity towards the north-west ; and it is afterwards diver-
sified with numerous hills, of which the highest, Cairn-
Coinneag, has an elevation of 3000 feet above the level
of the sea. In the inland portion of the parish is the
extensive vale of Strathrusdale, chiefly affording pas-
turage for sheep. The rivers are, the Rorie or Balna-
gowan, which has its source within the parish, and flows
into the bay of Nigg ; and the Alness, which bounds the
parish on the west, and falls into the Firth of Cromarty.
There are four lakes, the largest of which is half a mile
in length : Loch Achnacloich is remarkable for the
beauty of the sequestered and richly- wooded glen where
it is situated.
In the low lands the soil is partly light and gravelly,
partly a rich loam, and partly a deep strong clay ; in
the central portion of the parish is a very wide bed of
shell-marl, and in other parts are extensive tracts of
moss in which are found large quantities of fir and oak
deeply embedded. About 4000 acres are arable, 3000
woodland and plantations, and the remainder chiefly
mountain pasture and waste land ; the crops are wheat,
oats, barley, potatoes, peas, and turnips. The system
of husbandry has within the last few years been much
improved ; and a powerful stimulus is afforded by the
shows held annually at Invergorden, for awarding prizes
for the best specimens of live stock and the finest
samples of grain. Great quantities of waste ground have
been reclaimed and brought into cultivation ; the farm
houses and offices are in general of superior order, and
all the more recent improvements in the construction of
implements have been adopted. The cattle reared are
chiefly of the Highland breed, with cows of the Ayr-
shire and Buchan on the dairy-lands, and a few of the
Teeswater, lately introduced ; the sheep are usually of
the Cheviot, with a few of the black-faced, breed. A
large number of swine are also fed.
The plantations, which are in a very thriving state,
are principally fir and larch, with elm, beech, oak, ash,
pilane, and lime ; and there are considerable remains of
ancient wood, of which beautiful specimens, of venerable
growth, are to be seen on the lands of Ardross, belong-
ing to the Duke of Sutherland. In general the substrata
are of the old red sandstone formation, of which there
is an extensive quarry on the banks of the river Alness.
The principal seat is Invergorden Castle, the greater
portion of which was destroyed by an accidental fire,
and the remaining portion is inhabited by the family
of Mc Leod ; the grounds are extensive and tastefully
laid out, and contain some fine specimens of ancient
timber. Kiucraig House is also a pleasant residence.
The manufacture of coarse canvass for bagging affords
employment to about thirty persons, and some of the
females are employed in spinning. Fairs are held at
Invergorden ; and facility of communication is afforded
by good roads, and by steamers which ply at Invergordon
harbour. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish is £6689. Ecck'siastically this place is within the
bounds of the jjresbytery of Tain and synod of Ross :
the minister's stipend is £156, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £10. 10. |)er annum ; jiatron, the Marchioness
of Stafford. Rosskecn chnrcli, which is situated in the
centre of the ))arish, was erected in 1833, and is a
spacious and substantial structure containing 1360 sit-
ROTH
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tings. The members of the Free Church have a place
of worship. The parochial school is well attended ; the
master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and gar-
den, and the fees. There are also a school in the village
of Saltburn, supported by the Edinburgh Gaelic Society,
who allow the master a salary of £20 ; a school the
master of which has a salary of £15, paid from another
source ; and two Sabbath schools. In the parish are
several cairns, in which skulls and human bones of large
size have been found : one, called Carna-nam-Fiann, is
supposed to have reference to the times of Fingal. Mr.
Charles Mackintosh, the inventor of the process for ren-
dering cloth waterproof, was a native of this place.
ROTHES, a parish, partly in the county of Banff,
but chiefly in that of Elgin ; containing 1S43 inhabit-
ants, of whom 946 are in the village of Rothes, 85 miles
(S. W. by S.) from Fochabers. This place in 1782 re-
ceived a considerable augmentation by the annexation of
a part of the suppressed parish of Dundurcus, the re-
maining portion being united to the parish of Boharm,
on the east side of the river Spey. It extends in length
about nine or ten miles along the river, which has
several picturesque windings ; and measures about three
miles in average breadth ; comprising an area of 13,440
acres. The surface is highly diversified, consisting of
level and well cultivated tracts adjacent to the river, and
a series of irregular elevations of various height. These
latter form throughout the district a kind of barrier
inclosing the lower grounds on all sides ; they present
large tracts of moor and moss, affording abundance of
good fuel, and natural pasturage for cattle and numer-
ous flocks of sheep. The lands near the river are inter-
sected by the terminations of several hills, separating
them into the four distinct haughs or detached plains of
Dandaleith, Rothes, Dundurcus, and Orton. These have
a rich and fertile soil of alluvial earth, and deposits of
clay, gravel, and sand, or deep loam, and produce fine
crops of oats, barley, and wheat. Along the base of the
hills, the soil is sharp and gravelly ; and in the more
elevated parts, much intermixed with moss. At the
northern extremity of the parish, the Duke of Richmond
possesses the district of Inchberry, comprising 835 acres ;
two-thirds are moor, and the soil altogether of inferior
quality. On the east side of the river, in the county of
Banff, projecting from the hill of Beneagen, is the estate
of Aikenway, of peninsular form, and divided into two
farms and a small croft. Besides the cultivated tracts
adjacent to the Spey, portions of the hills have been
brought under profitable tillage ; and the Glen of Rothes,
a defile skirted on each side by lofty mountains, and
along which passes the road from Elgin, distant ten
miles, contains several farms producing heavy crops of
grain.
The agricultural improvements introduced here chiefly
comprise the rotation system of cropping, and the exten-
sive use of lime ; many tracts of waste ground have
been reclaimed, and the harvests are in general early,
being favoured on one side by the shelter of the lofty
hills of the parish, and on the other by that of the
mountain of Beneagen. The substrata consist mainly of
granite, of which blocks varying in size are scattered
over the surface. In the neighbourhood of the mountain
streams are found hard sandstone, and mica-slate em-
bedded in granite. At the southern extremity of the
parish is the celebrated rock of Lower Craigellachie,
431
consisting of immense masses of quartz ; and between
this and the village of Rothes is the eminence of Cone-
rock, composed of the same material, and exhibiting,
when broken, beautiful specimens of rock-crystal. The
annual value of real property in Rothes is £3824. The
wood consists chiefly of Scotch fir and larch, of which
there are large plantations on the slopes of the hills.
Around Orton House, the principal residence in the pa-
rish, situated on an eminence nearly a mile from the
river, are many thriving trees of these and other kinds ;
and the vicinity of the house of Auchinroath is also
ornamented with Scotch fir and larch. The village occu-
pies a pleasant site, surrounded by lofty hills, and is the
property of the Earl of Seafield, chief proprietor of the
parish. It was commenced in 1/66, the land being let
out on leases of two-nineteen years, and the life-rent,
thereafter, of the possessor. Each tenement stands on
the eighth part of an acre ; the annual rent is ten shil-
lings, and attached to each is an acre or two of land
separately rented, which, being of good quality, assists
the occupant in obtaining a comfortable livelihood.
The inhabitants are chiefly agricultural labourers and
mechanics, no business being carried on in the parish
in the form of manufacture, except the production of
rough blanketing to a small extent : a few persons,
also, are engaged during the season in a salmon-fishery
carried on in the river Spey ; and others in a large dis-
tillery, in which between 30,000 and 40,000 gallons of
whisky are annually made. The Elgin road runs through
the district ; and a road branches off at the village,
leading to Garmouth, distant twelve miles, at the mouth
of the Spey. Three fairs are held annually for the sale
of black-cattle and for general business, on the third
Thursday in April, the third Wednesday in July, and
the third Wednesday in October. Ecclesiastically the
parish is in the presbytery of Aberlour, synod of Moray :
and the patronage belongs to the Crown and the Earl
of Seafield. The minister's stipend is £159, of which
nearly a fourth is paid by the exchequer ; with a manse,
and a glebe of nearly twenty acres, the glebe of Dun-
durcus having been annexed. The church is a plain
structure, situated in the centre of the village. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
Rothes parochial school affords instruction in the ordi-
nary branches : the master has a salary of £34. 4., aug-
mented by an allowance from the Dick bequest, with
the fees, the interest of £500 left by Dr. James Simpson,
a native of the parish ; and a house. A savings' bank
was established about the year 1840. Near the village
are the remains of the wall belonging to an ancient
fortified castle, once the seat of the Earls of Rothes ;
and on the south side, at a short distance, are vestiges
of a burying-ground formerly attached to the chapel, of
which latter nothing exists. A little further is the Chapel
well, highly celebrated in former times for its supposed
efficacy in the removal of disease : on the first Sunday
in the month of May, which was the special period when
the waters, through the miraculous interposition of the
Virgin Mary, were said to possess their full medicinal
virtues, the well was the resort of multitudes from va-
rious parts, under real or imaginary suffering. About
two miles from the village of Rothes is the ruin of the
old church of Dundurcus, with its burying-ground, in-
closed with a substantial wall built some years since at
the cost of Dr. Simpson.
ROTH
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BuTgh Seal.
ROTHESAY, a royal
burgh, a sea-port, the county-
town, and a parish, in the
county of Bute, S9 miles
(W. by S.) from Edinburgh ;
containing, with the new civil
and ecclesiastical parish of
North Bute, 7 147 inhabit-
ants, of whom 57S9 are in the
burgh. This place, anciently
called Cill-a-Bruic, or "the
church of St. Brock", derived
its present name of Rothesay,
signifying in the Gaelic language "the king's seat",
from a castle erected here about the year 1092, by
Magnus, King of Norway, to secure the conquest he had
recently made of the Western Isles. The castle, around
■which a small town arose, belonged to the family of
Mac Roderick in the reign of Alexander III., and was
then burnt by the Norwegians under Haco, who made
himself master of it, after a loss of 300 men on the part
of the garrison : it did not, however, remain long in his
possession, being retaken upon the defeat of his forces
by Alexander III. at the battle of Largs in r263. During
the reign of John Baliol it was seized by the English,
who in 1311 surrendered it to Robert the Bruce. The
castle was subsequently taken by Edward Baliol, who
fortified it, and kept possession of it till its capture by
Robert II., who made Rothesay occasionally his resi-
dence during the years 1376 and 1381. Robert III. in
1398 assembled a council at Scone, and created his son
David (then Earl of Carrick) Duke of Rothesay. In
1401 he conferred upon the town all the privileges of a
royal burgh. In the reign of James III. the dukedom
of Rothesay, which was the first ducal dignity in Scot-
land, was made hereditary in the heir apparent to the
throne, who at his birth, or immediately on his father's
accession, becomes Prince and Steward of Scotland,
Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Lord of the Isles,
and Baron Renfrew.
The family of Bute, who were hereditary keepers of
the castle, continued to reside in it till 1685, when it
w-as besieged and taken during the civil wars by the
Marquess of Argyll, by whom it was burnt. The remains,
which are inclosed within a circular wall defended by
four round towers, are more remarkable for their great
strength than for their style of architecture or their
picturesque appearance. After its various devastations,
the town gradually recovered its original importance,
and became a place of considerable trade, and the chief
mart for the exchange of their respective commodities
between the Highlanders and the Lowlanders. It con-
tinued to increase in prosperity till the year 1700, when,
on the erection of Campbelltown, to which place many
of its inhabitants removed, it began to decay ; and in
1760 nearly one half of the houses had been deserted,
and suffered to full into ruin. In this languishing state
it remained till 1 76r), when, a custom-house being erected,
it was made the principal port for the landing of colonial
produce previously to its being ship[)td for Ireland. The
subsequent establishment of the herring-fishery, and the
introduction of the cotton-manufacture by an English
company, greatly contributed to its prosperity ; and it
rapidly increased in extent and in the number of its
population.
432
The TOWN is beautifully situated at the head of the
bay of Rothesay in the Firth of Clyde, on the east side
of the Island of Bute. Of the various streets the prin-
cipal are Montague-street, High-street, Victoria-street,
Princes-street, Battery-place, Argyll-street, and Bishop-
street, from which smaller streets diverge in different
directions. In general the houses are substantial, and
well built of stone ; and along the shores of the bay are
handsome mansions and pleasant villas. The streets are
lighted with gas, and the inhabitants amply supplied
with water from wells in the town. The facilities for
sea-bathing afforded by the beach, and the discovery of
a sulphuretted spring of great efficacy, have rendered
this a fashionable watering-place ; and during the sum-
mer months the town is resorted to by numerous visiters,
for whose accommodation there are lodging-houses and
comfortable inns. The Rothesay Public Subscription
Library, established in 1792, has a collection of 1500
volumes ; the Rothesay Youths' Library, established in
1818, has 1200 volumes. Two public reading and news
rooms, supported by subscription, are regularly supplied
with journals and periodical publications. The Farmers'
Society, instituted in 1825, has a library of works on
agriculture ; and in connexion with it a periodical called
The Bute Record of Rural Affairs is published in the
town.
The principal manufacture is that of cotton, for which
there is a spinning-mill, driven by water from Loch Fadd,
collected for the purpose in reservoirs : in this mill 355
persons are engaged, and two power-loom cotton-factories
also afford employment to many persons. There are
distilleries, tanneries, yards for ship and boat building,
works for the making of nets, several cooperages, and
various handicraft trades ; and a considerable number of
people are occupied in the West Highland and northern
herring-fisheries, and in the curing of the fish, of which
20,000 barrels are annually cured. The trade of the
port consists chiefly in the exportation of barley, pota-
toes, turnips, and other agricultural produce, herrings,
white-fish, cloth, and leather; the imports are cotton,
hides, grain, coal, lime, salt, barrel staves, and freestone.
The number of vessels belonging to the port is fifty-eight,
of the aggregate burthen of 3000 tons, and navigated by
nearly 300 men ; and a large number of boats, also,
are employed in the fisheries. Rothesay harbour is safe,
and accessible to vessels of 300 tons : the approach is
facilitated by a lighthouse at the entrance of the bay,
and is defended by a battery on the shore, mounted with
several pieces of cannon. Five steam-boats ply between
this place and Glasgow, varying from eighty to 100
tons' burthen each, and from fifty to seventy horse
power : there are likewise two steam-boats employed
between Rothesay and Greenock, plying several times a
day, in connexion with the Glasgow railway.
By charter of Robert III., confirmed by charter of
James VI. in 1594, the government of the burgh is
vested in a j)rovost, two bailies, a dean of guild, a trea-
surer, and twelve councillors. There are no incorpo-
rated trades ; and the only privileges of the burgesses
arc, freedom to trade within the burgh ; and exemption
from one-half of the customs paid by strangers. The
fees for admission arc, for strangers, as merchant-bur-
gesses £3. 3., and as artificers £2. 2. ; and for the sims
and sons-in-law of burgesses, one-half only of those
sums. The magistrates have civil jurisdiction within
ROTH
II O T H
the burgh fo any amount ; their criminal decisions are
limited to petty offences. As the county-town, the
sheriff's and commissary's courts are held here. The
magistrates of the burgh formerly had an admiralty ju-
risdiction extending over the whole coasts of the county
of Bute ; but since IS'ZO it has been discontinued. In
the year 1846 an act was passed for regulating the muni-
cipal government and police of the burgh. The original
town-hall, in the Watergate, becoming ruinous, another
was erected in 16 14, in Castle-street, almost contiguous;
and in ISSS the present building, occupying the sites of
both, was raised at an expense of £4000. It is a hand-
some structure in the castellated style, with an elegant
tower in which are two illuminated dials ; and contains
the courts for the sheriff, magistrates of the burgh, and
county justices of the peace, and a spacious hall for the
transaction of the public business of the town and
county, in which is a portrait of the late Marquess of
Bute. The buildings comprise also the gaol for the
county, which is under excellent regulations. Rothesay
was formerly associated with Ayr, Campbelltown, Inve-
rary, and Irvine, in returning a member to the imperial
parliament ; but since the Reform act, it has ceased to
be a parliamentary burgh. The post-ofhce has two, and
in summer three, deliveries daily, from Greenock and
Glasgow ; and branches of the Royal, Western, and
Clydesdale Banks have been established in the town.
The market is on Wednesday, and fairs are held annually
on the first Wednesday in May, the third Wednesday
and the following day in July, and the last Wednesday
in October. Facility of communication is afforded by
roads kept in excellent repair by statute labour and
contributions from the family of Bute and others, and
which are consequently free of toll.
The PARISH, including North Bute recently made a
distinct parish, comprehends the larger portion of the
Isle of Bute, and is bounded on the north-east and
north-west by the Kyles of Bute, which separates it from
the county of Argyll ; on the east by the Firth of Clyde ;
and on the west by the sea, which divides it from Arran.
Inclusively of North Bute, it extends nearly ten miles in
extreme length, and is about three miles in average
breadth ; thus comprising 20,530 acres, of which 6605
are arable, 3652 meadow and pasture, 724 woodland
and plantations, and the remainder hill pasture, moor,
and waste. Its surface, which is generally hilly, is in-
tersected with two beautiful and fertile vales ; one ex-
tending from Rothesay bay, on the east, to the bay of
Scalpsie on the west ; and the other, northward of the
former, from Kames bay to the bay of Etterick. Kanies
hill, the highest of the hills, has an elevation of 875 feet
above the level of the sea ; the only others of any im-
portance are Barone. and Common hills, respectively
530 and 430 feet high. They all command extensive
and richly diversified prospects. There are no rivers;
but several lakes are scattered over the surface, the
largest of them being Loch Fadd, of which the western
shore is richly wooded, and on which is a picturesque
house called Kean's Cottage, built by the tragedian of
that name. The coast, about thirty miles in circuit, is
indented with several bays : the principal are, Rothesay
and Kames bays on the east ; and Scalpsie, St. Ninian's
(opposite to which is the Island of Inch-Marnock), and
the bay of Etterick, all three on the west. The shore is
chiefly shelving rock, and gravelly.
Vol. II.— 433
The son. on the more elevated lands is generally
shallow, in some places light, and in others a stiff reten-
tive clay alternated with moss ; in the valleys, a rich
alluvial loam of great fertility ; and in other parts, moor
and moss. On the shore of St. Ninian's bay is a valu-
able bed of rich marl. The crops are, grain of all kinds,
potatoes, turnips, and the various grasses : the system
of husbandry has been carried to great perfection un-
der the auspices of the Bute family, and through the
stimulus afforded by the Bute Farmers' Society, who
hold regular meetings for the distribution of prizes. The
lands have been drained and inclosed, and much of the
waste brought into cultivation; the farm houses and
offices are substantial and well arranged. Great atten-
tion is paid to the dairy, and the cheese made here is
equal in quality to the best Dunlop, and brings an equal
price in the market ; the cows are chie'fly of the Ayr-
shire breed, and considerable numbers of cattle and
sheep are reared in the pastures. The plantations are
mostly oak, ash, elm, beech, larch, and fir ; and in the
grounds of Kames Castle are some stately planes and
chesnut-trees. The annual value of real property in the
parish, including North Bute, is £ 13,823. Kames Castle,
the seat of James Hamilton, Esq., consists of an ancient
and lofty tower to which a handsome modern mansion
has been added : it is finely situated at the head of the
bay of that name, in grounds richly embellished. This
description of the surface, soil, and scenery of the parish
embraces North Bute.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dunoon and synod of Argyll.
The minister's stipend is £276. 1. 3., with an elegant
manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per annum ; patrons,
the Stuart family. Marquesses of Bute. The parish
church, a plain structure erected in 1796, is in good
repair, and contains 955 sittings. A second church, to
which a district called New Rothesay, comprising a
population of 2457 persons, was assigned as a quoad
sacra parish, under act of the General Assembly in 1S34,
was built in 1800 at a cost of £1300, raised by subscrip-
tion ; it is a neat structure with S30 sittings, and now
again forms only a chapel of ease, the quoad sacra parish
having been abolished. The Stuart family appoint the
minister, who has a manse. A Gaelic chapel, now in
connexion with the Free Church, was erected at an ex-
pense of £550, by subscription, and contains 600 sittings.
An elegant church and manse for the northern district
of the isle, were erected and endowed by the late Mar-
quess of Bute in 1836 ; and a civil parish, by the desig-
nation of North Bute, has been assigned to it out of
Rothesay. After the Disruption of the Church of Scot-
land, the congregation that seceded from the old parish
church erected a place of worship in Castle-street, at a
cost, with the school attached, of about £3000. The
edifice was designed by Mr. A. Simpson, architect, cf
Aberdeen, and forms a great ornament to the town ; it
has a handsome tower and spire, 140 feet high, and con-
tains 1000 sittings. The Free Church congregation that
left the New Rothesay church erected a place of worship
with a tower and spire, in 1845, on the east side of the
bay. This building was designed by Mr. Wilson, archi-
tect, of Glasgow ; the height, and the estimated ex-
pense, are nearly the same as those of the other church,
and the number of sittings is about 1 100. Thus there
are three places of worship in connexion with the Free
3K
ROTH
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Church, in the parish, exclusively of one in North Bute.
There are also places of worship for the United Presby-
terian Synod, Reformed Presbyterians, and Independents;
and an episcopal chapel.
The parochial school is conducted by a master and
assistant : the master's salary is £38, with a house, and
two spacious school-rooms partly built by the late mar-
quess ; the school is well attended, and the fees are
considerable. There is a school of industry, with a free
schoolroom and house built by subscription ; and in the
rural part of the parish is a school partly endowed by
the Bute family. In North Bute are two schools, one
of them partly endowed by the noble family just men-
tioned, and the other belonging to the Free Church.
Several friendly societies, and a National-Security
savings' bank in which are deposits to the amount of
nearly £8000, have tended to keep down the number of
appHcants for parochial relief. Near Etterick, in North
Bute, are the remains of a Druidical temple, in tolerable
preservation; and in various parts are others in a less
perfect state. Numerous ruins of hill fortresses are still
left, though many have been removed for the use of the
materials. There are vestiges of various ancient chapels
or oratories ; and of several tumuli, one has been opened
and found to contain a great number of human bones.
Among the distinguished persons identified with this
place are, Robert III., King of Scotland, who died here
in 1406 ; Robert Wallace, Bishop of the Isles, who died
in 1669, and was interred in the church ; and the cele-
brated John, Earl of Bute, prime minister to George III.,
who was also buried here. Matthew Stewart, professor
of mathematics in the university of Edinburgh, son of
Dr. Dugald Stewart, minister of this parish, and father
of the late Professor Dugald Stewart, of Edinburgh, was
born here in IJI*. The place gives the title of Duke of
Rothesay to the Prince of Wales, born on the 9th of
November, 1841.
ROTHIEMAY, a parish, in the county of Banff,
5| miles (N. by E.) from Huntly; containing, with the
village of Milltown, 1 '227 inhabitants, of whom 114S are
in the rural districts. This place, the name of which is
of uncertain derivation, belonged in the reign of Malcolm
rV. to the family of Abernethy, afterwards Lords Sal-
toun, who retained possession of it till towards the com-
mencement of the seventeenth century, when it passed,
by marriage with the daughter of William, eleventh
Lord Saltoun, to the Gordons. Early in the next cen-
tury, the lands were purchased from the Gordons by
Sir John Ogilvie, whose son, afterwards of Inchmartin
in the county of Perth, sold them to William, Lord
Braco, an ancestor of the present Earl of Fife, who is
the principal landed proprietor. During the possession
of the lands by the Abernethys, Mary, tiueen of Scots,
according to Buchanan, passed a night in the ancient
house of Rothiemay ; and the apartment and bed in
which she slept are still preserved in the present man-
sion. The PARISH is bounded on the north-west by the
burn of Knock, which separates it from the ])arish of
Grange, and on the west by the river Isla, which divides
it from the parisli of Cairnie ; and is from seven to
eight miles in length and from five to six miles in ex-
treme breadth, comprising .5000 acres, the greater num-
ber arable. Its surface is varied, mostly rising by gentle
acclivities from the banks of the rivers to a considerable
height, and commanding extensive and interesting views
434
of the adjacent country, which is richly cultivated ; but
in soi.ie parts subsiding into a wide tract of table-land,
part of which is a peat-moss, affording an abundant
supply of fuel. The burn of Knock flows into the river
Isla near Coldhorae ; and the Isla, which has its source
in Botriphnie parish, runs in a south-eastern direction,
and, after a course of sixteen miles, falls into the Dove-
ron near the church. The Doveron, which has its source
in the hills of Cabrach, in the county of Aberdeen, flows
past the town of Huntly, enters this parish on the south,
and taking an eastern direction through the interior,
divides it into two unequal portions : afterwards passing
northward, it falls into the Moray Firth, at the town of
Banff. In its course through the parish, the Doveron
winds between richly- wooded banks, enlivened with much
beautiful scenery ; and it abounds with salmon, eels, and
common trout, affording excellent sport to anglers, by
whom it is much frequented.
The northern part of Rothiemay is less fertile than the
lands on the banks of the Doveron, which are chiefly
arable, and in a state of high cultivation, the soil here
being luxuriantly rich. In this parish the pastures bear
but a small proportion to the arable land, but are still
sufficient for the support of a few sheep and black-cattle.
The system of husbandry is in an improved state ; the
lands have to a considerable extent been drained, and
inclosed partly with hedges of thorn, and partly with
stone dykes. There is no part of the district in un-
divided common. The farm houses and buildings are
generally substantial, and all the more recent improve-
ments in the construction of agricultural implements are
gradually coming into use. The plantations have been
greatly increased within the last few years, and are now
very extensive : they consist of ash, elm, birch, alder,
oak, beech, and the various kinds of firs, for all of vihich
the soil is adapted. There are also some remains of
natural wood. The substrata in the adjacent parish of
Grange are partly limestone, for the preparation of which
for manure there are several kilns in this parish ; and
stone is found, of good quality for the roads, but it is not
quarried to any considerable extent. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £3740.
Rothiemay House, one of the seats of the Earl of Fife,
is beautifully situated on the north bank of the Doveron,
about a mile and a half below the confluence of the
Doveron and the Isla. A part of the ancient mansion
was rebuilt, and the remainder greatly improved and en-
larged, by the late earl, as an occasional residence ; the
grounds attached to the house are tastefully laid out, and
embellished with some timber of stately growth and*with
thriving plantations of more recent date. Mayen House,
the property and residence of John (Gordon, Esq., is an
elegant mansion beautifully situated on the west bank
of the Doveron, in grounds comprehending much pictu-
resque scenery. The village of Rothiemay, or Milltown,
as, since the establishment of an excellent meal-mill, it
has been more generally called, stands on the bank of
the Doveron near its junction with the Isla, and is de-
scribed under its own head. There is a woollen manu-
factory, on rather a limited scale, on the north bank of
the Isla. Fairs are held annually. Facility of commu-
nication is maintained by the turnpike-road from Huntly
to Banff and Portsoy, which jiasses through the parish,
and by commutation roads, of which about fifteen miles
intersect the parish in various directions. ForECCLESi-
ROTH
ROTH
ASTICAL purposes this place is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Strathbogie and synod of Moray. The
minister's stipend is £1*5. 3. 6., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £10. 10. per annum; patron, the Earl
of Fife. Rothiemay church, which is situated near the
village, is a substantial structure, erected about the
beginning of the present century, and well adapted to
the accommodation of the parishioners. The members
of the Free Church have a place of worship. The paro-
chial school affords instruction to about 130 children:
the master has a salary of £30, with a house, and an
allowance of £'2 in lieu of garden ; the fees average f^O,
and he also receives a liberal allowance from the Dick
bequest. Near Rothiemay House are the remains of a
Druidical circle, situated in the centre of a cultivated
field, and in a state of good preservation ; and in the
north-western part of the parish are vestiges of what is
supposed to have been a Roman road. James Ferguson,
the eminent astronomer, was a native of this parish.
ROTHIEMURCHUS, anciently a civil parish, but
afterwards united to Duthil, and now a quoad sacra pa-
rish in the parish of Duthil, county of Inverness, a
short distance (S.) from Aviemore ; containing 5'21 in-
habitants. This place was formerly shrouded in wood,
whence its name, which is derived from the Gaelic term
Rath a mhor-ghiuthais, signifying either " the plain ", or
" the circle or amphitheatre, of great pines ". The parish
was united civilly and ecclesiastically to that of Duthil
in 1630, and thus remained until IS'24, when by act of
parliament of the 5th of George IV., it was formed into
an ecclesiastical parish. The lands were purchased in
1595, on a forfeiture, by the ancestors of the present
proprietor. The river Spey forms the northern boun-
dary, separating Rothiemurchus from the rest of Duthil
and from Alvie ; while on the south and south-east is
the united parish of Crathie and Braemar, in Aberdeen-
shire. The surface comprehends a tract nearly square,
the sides of which measure between seven and nine miles ;
it is hilly and mountainous, and principally covered with
pasture, waste, forest, and plantatinns, a few portions of
level ground only being under cultivation. According
to the last survey, there were 8'20 acres of arable land,
15,413 of pasture, and 7120 of wood. The number of
acres under cultivation, and the number covered with
plantations, have been increased considerably within
these few years, and are still increasing. Though for the
most part of a sombre character, the scenery is consider-
ably diversified, and presents an assemblage of interest-
ing features, comprising lofty mountain ranges, isolated
hills, forests and plantations, lochs and streams, with a
few cultivated plains, so disposed as to constitute on the
whole an imposing picture.
The Brae Riach, a portion of the Grampian range, rises
4100 feet above the level of the sea ; it presents nume-
rous precipices, and is a resort for red deer and ptar-
migan. Together with a branch mountain called Lich-
Riach it forms the pleasant tract of Glen-Ennich, which
has good pasturage for sheep, and contains several lakes,
the principal of them being Loch Erinich, nearly sur-
rounded by lofty and romantic precipices. Loch-an-
Eilean, or " the lake of the island ", stretches along the
base of Ord-ban, " the white hill," an insulated eminence
near the western boundary, having an elevation of 1397
feet above the level of the sea, and clothed to the summit
with verdant foliage. In addition to the picturesque
435
beauties of the weeping-birclies and the lofty sable
pines upon its banks, this lake is ornamented with an
island, rendered interesting by a remarkably fine echo,
but especially by the ruins of a castle, traditionally re-
ported as one of the strongholds of the Wolf of Bade-
noch, celebrated for his burning IClgin cathedral. Half
a mile to the south of this is Loch Oanihuinn, also en-
circled by dark towering pines, and famous for the
" thieves' high road " running along its margin, which
was the usual pass of the Lochaber reivers in their visits
to JMoray. About the middle of the parish, to the east
of Glen-Ennich, is a pass through the mountains called
Laraig-ruadh (red pass), in which is a path beaten by
the cattle driven to market, the pass forming a nearer
transit to the southern markets than by the great High-
land road. One of the most conspicuous objects and most
valuable portions of the parish is the great pine-forest
extending from the base of the lofty Cairngorum range.
At the commencement of the present century, the pro-
prietor obtained an act of parliament for the unlimited
" manufacture " of the timber, and derived from this
source for many years an annual income varying from
£10,000 to £20,000. In consequence, a large part of
the wood was cut down ; and after the operation of saw-
ing by machinery on the spot, the timber was conveyed
on rafts down the river Spey to the village of Garmouth,
on the coast of the Moray Firth, where an agent resided
to superintend the sale. The works are at present sus-
pended on account of the proprietor's absence. Besides
the lochs interspersed in every direction, there are nume-
rous streams, tributaries of the river Spey : the Spey
abounds in salmon, trout, eels, and pike ; and all these,
except salmon, are found also in the lochs.
The SOIL in the vicinity of the river is alluvial and
rich, producing heavy crops, which are, however, some-
times injured by floods : that on the higher grounds is
various, frequently partaking of the character of the
mosses spread over the district, and which afford an
inexhaustible supply of fuel. Oats, bear, potatoes, and
turnips, are the chief crops, but they are raised only for
home consumptiim ; the last became general in Rothie-
murchus about five and thirty years ago, and are much
attended to. Numerous improvements in husbandry
have been adopted, and much waste land has been cleared
and improved ; draining and trenching have been and
are still carried on, and much benefit has been derived
from the use of lime, the extensive quarries here afford-
ing a good supply of limestone. The rocks are of the
same nature as those usually found among the Gram-
pians, being of the granitic formation ; and crystallized
quartz of all shades, but most frequently blue, is abun-
dant in the Cairngorum range, where it is collected. The
only mansion is that of The Doune, the property of Sir
J. P. Grant, Knt., puisne judge at Calcutta, who is sole
proprietor of Rothiemurchus ; it is a plain modern build-
ing, situated on the banks of the Spey, in the midst of
beautifully laid out grounds, and thriving plantations
comprising oak, lime, beech, and ash. These kinds of
wood are also found in some other parts, with larch,
alder, birch, and pine, the two last of which appear in
an especial manner to thrive on this soil. A road tra-
verses the parish, along the southern bank of the Spey,
extending from Craigellachie bridge, near Rothes, to the
bridge of Spey near Kingussie ; and there is a ferry
across the river at Inverdruie, distant from the road
3 K 2
ROUS
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only about 200 j'ards, by which a comTnuuication is kept
up with the great Highland road. The sub-post office at
Lynevilg, two miles off, on the north bank of the Spey,
is the receiving-office for this district ; and letters are
conveyed to it by mail from Perth, Inverness, Carr-
Bridge, and Kingussie. The nearest market-town is
Inverness, thirty-three miles distant ; but the farmers
take their cattle for sale to Grantown, Kingussie, and
Castletown of Braemar, distant respectively sixteen,
twelve, and thirty miles. Ecclesiastically the parish is
in the presbytery of Abernethy, synod of Moray, and in
the patronage of the Crown : the minister's stipend is
£120, with a manse, and a glebe of four acres and a half,
which has been lately much improved at the expense of
Sir J. P. Grant. The church, situated to the west of the
mansion-house of The Doune, and ornamented with a
belt of plantation, was rebuilt by Sir J. P. Grant, at the
cost of £39.">. A school, about the centre of the parish,
is supported partly' ya payment of £10 per annum from
the proprietor; the fees are about £10. The Gaelic is
the prevailing language, but it is gradually yielding to the
English.
ROTTEARN, a hamlet, in the former quoad sacra
parish of Ardoch, parish of Dunblane, county of
Perth ; containing not more than 29 inhabitants.
ROUCAN, a village, in the parish of Torthorwald,
county of Dumfries, 3:|: miles (E. N. E.) from Dumfries ;
containing 205 inhabitants. It lies in the western part
of the parish, on the high road from Dumfries to Loch-
maben. The population is variously employed, in agri-
culture, weaving, and handicraft trades. The river Lo-
char flows at a short distance westward of the village.
ROUSAY and EAGLESHAY, a parish, in the
North Isles of the county of Orkney ; containing,
with the islands of Eagleshay, Enhallow, and Wier,
1294 inhabitants, of whom 9^2 are in the island of
Rousay, 9 miles (N. by W.) from Kirkwall. This parish,
which is situated to the north-east of the main land,
comprehends the four islands just named, with two small
holms, or uninhabited isles. Rousay, the largest island,
is about nine miles in length and four in breadth ; it
consists chiefly of ranges of hills abounding with game,
and is watered by numerous springs of excellent quality.
Eagleshay, situated about a mile eastward of Rousay, is
three miles in length and one in breadth ; the surface is
level, but enlivened with a beautiful lake of fresh water,
and the soil is fertile e-xcept on the north side, which is
principally sand, and a rabbit-warren. The island of
Wier, to the south of Rousay, from which it is divided
by the sound of Wier, about half a mile wide in tlie
narrowest part, is little more than a fourth of the extent
of Eagleshay. Enhallow, a still smaller island, is situ-
ated in the middle of the sound between Rousay and
the Mainland. The several islands comprise together
an area of about 20,000 acres, of which 2200 are arable,
10.400 pasture, and the remainder undivided common
and waste. There is neither any natural wood nor any
plantation, and the scenery consequently is rather of
bold and romantic than of pleasing character. The
crops are oats, bear, barley, wheat, turnips, potatoes, and
other vegetables. The substratum of the various isles
is nearly similar ; in that of P^agleshay is obtained a
kind of shell-sand which makes good manure, and lime-
stone is found in small quantities, of a very compact
quality. Peat and turf, with which the islands abound,
436
constitute the fuel, with a little coal used by the chief
families. Westness, the residence of William Traill, Esq.,
of Woodvvick, is a handsome modern mansion, beauti-
fully situated on the south-west coast of Rousay. The
inhabitants are mostly employed in agriculture, and in
the cod, herring, and lobster fishery, which is carried on
to a considerable extent, affording employment to nearly
twenty boats of one hundred tons' aggregate burthen.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of North Isles and synod of
Orkney. The minister's stipend is £150, with an allow-
ance of £8. 6. 8. for communion elements, a manse, and
a glebe valued at £9 per annum ; patron, the Earl of
Zetland. The church is a neat modern structure. There
are places of worship for members of the Free Church
and the United Presbyterian Synod. The parochial
school is well attended ; the master has a salary of £26,
with a house and small garden, and the fees. A school
is supported by the General Assembly ; and there are
two other schools in the parish, maintained exclusively
by the fees. The island of Eagleshay is said to have
been the place where St. Magnus was murdered, and
the church which was erected to his memory on the spot
is still in a tolerably entire state : it is in the early
English style, with a tower at the west end ; is sur-
moimted by a low pyramidal roof, and consists of a
nave and choir, the roof of which latter is groined. Se-
veral of the ancient earls and bishops of Orkney made
this island their residence; and from the beauty of its
situation, it was for many generations the seat of its
proprietors, the families of Douglas and Monteith. In
Rousay are the remains of a small church : and on the
shore, a little to the west, is a large pile of stones, around
which are numerous graves formed with stones set edge-
wise. This spot, called Swendrow, is supposed to have
been that where Earl Paul was taken prisoner, and his
numerous attendants slain by Swein.
ROW, a parish, in the county of Dumbarton, 12
miles (W. N. W.) from Dumbarton ; containing, with
nearly the whole of the former quoad sacra parish of
Helensburgh, and with the villages of Gareloch-Head
and Row, 3717 inhabitants, of whom 226 are in the
village of Row. This place is said to have derived its
name, in the Gaelic spelt Rliue, and signifying " a point ",
from a narrow slip or tongue of land which projects
from its south-western coast nearly into the centre of
the Gareloch, and from the extremity of which is a ferry
to Roseneath, on the opposite shore. The lands at an
early period were included in the territories of the Earls
of Lennox, of whose baronial residence, Faslane Castle,
the foundations may still be ]>artly traced am(mg the
copse-wood with which the site has been long overgrown.
That portion of the parish extending from the shore of
the Gareloch to Glenfruin, together with the greater part
of that glen, was given by Alwyii, second Earl of Lennox,
to his younger son, Amelec, in the twelfth century, and
regularly descended to his great-grandson, Walter, who
became the representative of the family. According to
tradition, Sir William Wallace, after he had ravaged Dum-
barton, and set lire to the castle of Roseneath, being
chisely pursued by his enemies, leaped into the Gare-
loch, and, swimming to the opposite shore, was hospi-
tably entertained in the castle of Faslane by I'larl Mal-
colm. After the accession of the Faslane branch of the
family to the lordship of Lennox, little of the history of
ROW
ROW
the castle is known ; it appears to have been suffered to
fall into decay, and the lands attached to it seem to
have been gradually granted on lease, in small portions,
to several of the vassals. These lands were subsequently
occupied by the chiefs of the clans of Macfarlane, Ma-
caulay, and Colquhoun ; and during the greater part of
the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the district was
the scene of continued conflicts between these and the
rival clans of the Macgregors, Campbells, Camerons, and
others. In 1603, a sanguinary battle took place in Glen-
fruin, between Alister Macgregor, with 400 of his vassals,
and Alexander Colquhoun assisted by some of the neigh-
bouring lairds and the citizens of Dumbarton. It ter-
minated in the defeat of the latter, who with much diffi-
culty effected his escape, leaving 140 of his men dead on
the field. On this occasion the Macgregors carried off
600 head of cattle, 800 sheep and goats, and 280 horses.
The clan was, however, soon afterwards suppressed by
the arm of the law, and the whole race proscribed ; their
children were driven into exile, and their very name ex-
tinguished. Nor were these severe penalties relaxed till
towards the close of the eighteenth century. The clans
Macfarlane and Macaulay, also, gradually became less
powerful, and finally unable to levy contributions on the
neighbouring estates ; while on the other hand, the Col-
quhouns of Luss, increasing in influence, obtained pos-
session of all the lands in the parish, which, with the
exception only of the Ardincaple estate, are still the pro-
perty of Sir James Colquhoun, Bart.
The PARISH is bounded on the north-west by Loch
Long, on the south-west by the Gareloch, and on the
south by the Firth of Clyde ; and is about sixteen miles
iu length, and nearly four miles in mean breadth, com-
prising rather more than 40,000 acres, of which the
relative proportions of arable and pasture have not been
distinctly ascertained. Its surface is hilly and moun-
tainous, rising from the shore of the Firth in two con-
tinuous ridges increasing in height towards the north,
and between which lies the beautiful vale of Glenfruin.
The western ridge, extending along the shores of the
Gareloch and Loch Long, is partly cultivated, but chiefly
covered with heath interspersed with plantations ; and
attains at the highest point, the hill of Finnart, an eleva-
tion of 2500 feet above the level of the sea. The eastern
ridge, which stretches along the border of the adjacent
parish of Luss for several miles, terminates in the west-
ern range at the head of Glenfruin. Its mean elevation
is perhaps superior to that of the western ridge, but its
acclivities and summit are nevertheless clothed with
verdure, affording excellent pasture for sheep and cattle.
The strath of Glenfruin, the name of which is supposed
to signify " the cold glen " or the " glen of sorrow ", is
about five miles in length, and varies from one quarter
to three-quarters of a mile in breadth. With the ex-
ception of a little copse-wood towards the south, and a
few spots of plantation, it is destitute of wood ; and
though its soil in some parts is pretty fertile, it has been
but little cultivated. Still, in all its natural wildness, it
displays many features of romantic beauty. There are
no rivers in the parish, properly so called ; a small
rivulet flows along Glenfruin, and, after a course of
about seven miles, falls into Loch Lomond, in the pa-
rish of Luss. Some brooks descend from the higher
grounds, but they are generally dry in summer ; and
there are numerous springs in the sides of the hills.
437
The quantity of land cither in cultivation or capable
of being cultivated, exclusively of the valley of Glenfruin,
is comparatively small. Tlie soil is in several places
tolerably fertile, and, from the facility of obtaining lime,
the arable lands have been rendered productive; but
with the exception of a little barley which is sent to dis-
tant markets, scarcely more grain is raised than what is
requisite for the consumption of the inhabitants. The
other crops are chiefly turnijis and potatoes, of which
latter considerable quantities are forwarded to Greenock
and Glasgow, to the value of £1000 annually, and also
hay to the average amount of £500. The system of
husbandry has been gradually advancing under the aus-
pices of an agricultural association, including the pa-
rishes of Row, Luss, and Arrochar ; the lands have been
partly drained and inclosed, and many of the farm-
houses have been rendered more substantial and com-
modious. Great attention is paid to the management
of the dairy-lands, on which Ayrshire cows have been
introduced : of the produce, which is of excellent qua-
lity and abundant, the greater portion is consumed with-
in the parish, and the remainder sent to the Greenock
and Glasgow markets. The cattle reared are generally
of the West Highland breed, and much care is bestowed
upon their improvement ; the sheep are all of the black-
faced breed, except a few of the Cheviot on some of the
farms. Considerable numbers of both cattle and sheep
are sent to distant markets. Within the last few years
the plantations have been very greatly extended, espe-
cially on the lands of Ardincaple ; they are regularly
thinned, and under carefully management. Freestone
of a coarse texture is sometimes quarried for ordinary
building purposes, and limestone is occasionally wrought ;
but from the facility of procuring lime from Ireland at
a cheaper cost, the limestone quarries are not in con-
stant operation. Slate-quarries have been also opened ;
though, from its inferior quality, the slate is not much
used. Coal is supposed to exist in the parish ; but al-
though attempts have been made in two different places
by boring to the depth of fifty fathoms, none has been
yet discovered of sufficient thickness or quality to war-
rant the sinking of a pit. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £15,439.
Ardenconnel, the property of Sir James Colquhoun,
of Luss, is a spacious mansion in the pavilion style, situ-
ated on rising ground northward of the church, and
commanding a fine view of the Gareloch. Ardincaple
Castle, the property of the Duke of Argyll, is a hand-
some castellated mansion beautifully situated to the
south-east of Ardenconnel, in a demesne richly embel-
lished with thriving plantations, and containing some
strikingly picturesque scenery. Along the shores of the
Gareloch are numerous pleasing villas and cottages of
modern erection, inhabited by families during the sum-
mer months. The town of Helensburgh and the village
of Gareloch-Head are separately described. The village
of Row is situated on the shore of the Gareloch, about
two miles and a half from its entrance, and near the
tongue of land already mentioned : the scenery in the
immediate vicinity is almost unrivalled for beauty and
variety ; and the views obtained from the village in
every direction are extensive, and diversified with fea-
tures of the most romantic character. A post-office,
under that at Helensburgh, has a tolerable delivery.
Facility of communication is maintained by the turnpike
ROXB
ROXB
road from Dumbartou to Arrochar, which passes for
nearly sixteen miles through the parish ; by the road
from Helensburgh to Luss and Balloch ferry ; by the
Row ferry, and by steanaers from the pier at Helens-
burgh to Glasgow.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this parish, which was
detached from the parishes of Roseneath and Cardross
in 1648, is included within the bounds of the presbytery
of Dumbarton and synod of Glasgow and Ayr. The
minister's stipend averages £136, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £20 per annum ; patron, the Duke of
Argyll. The church, situated in the village of Row, was
built in 1763, and repaired in 1835 ; it is a neat plain
structure, and contains rather less than 7OO sittings.
Churches have been erected at Helensburgh and Gare-
loch-Head : in the former place are also meeting-houses
for Independents, the Free Church, and Baptists ; and
an episcopal chapel. The parochial school is in the vil-
lage of Row ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with
a house, an allowance in lieu of garden, and the fees.
There are several other schools, two of which have an
endowment of £10 per annum each, arising from a be-
quest of land in Glenfruin by Mr. Glen, of Portincaple.
Among the remains of antiquity are some faint vestiges
of the old castle of Faslane, and part of the walls of a
chapel said to have been dedicated to St. Michael, and
which is supposed to have been the domestic chapel of
the Lenno.x family, while resident at the castle : attached
to it is a burying-ground, which has almost ceased to be
used. Some few traces of a castle are also found on
the hill of Shandon : from its name, " the old dun," it
would appear to be of greater antiquity than the castle
of Faslane ; but nothing of its history has been pre-
served. There are likewise some relics of ancient chapels
in Glenfruin and on the lands of Kirkmichael and Millig.
Henry Bell, Esq., civil engineer, and the successful pro-
moter of steam navigation, was a resident of this parish;
and his remains are interred in the churchyard.
ROXBURGH, a parish, in the county of Rox-
burgh ; containing, with the village of Hieton, 979 in-
habitants, of whom 123 are in the village of Roxburgh,
4 miles (S. W.) from Kelso. In old documents this
place is styled Rocliesburgh and Rokesburgh : the local
pronunciation is Roshurgh, indicating the probable de-
rivation of the name from Ros, " a peninsula," and
burgh. The place appears to have been formerly a town
of considerable importance ; and there are still some re-
mains of an ancient castle, overhanging the river Teviot,
but atfording a very inadequate memorial of the original
strength of the fortress. The town was burned in the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and having been each
time rebuilt chiefly of wood, very little of it is left : a
few indistinct traces of its former existence are occa-
sionally found in the present village. Roxburgh Castle
■was taken and destroyed by Robert Bruce in 1312, and
again in 1460, when James II., who was present at the
siege, was killed by the bursting of a cannon: the s|)ot()n
which the king fell is marked out by a yew-tree planted
by the Duke of Rox1)urghe. The queen, after the death
of that monarch, assumed the government in the name
of her son, and continuing the siege, the castle, which
had for years been the seat of lawless violence, was
reduced and utterly demolished. In 1.547, the Duke of
Somerset, whose army was stationed in the neighbour-
hood, repaired a portion of the castle, suflTicicnt for the
438
reception of an English garrison : traces of the repairs
may be discovered among the ruins, which are now
covered with trees. Adjoining the village are the ruins
of Roxburgh Tower, called also Wallace Tower, and
Sunlaws Tower, situated near the river. It formed part
of a chain of communication between Roxburgh Castle
and the towers on the rivers Kale and Jed. Only the
ground-plan can be traced, with some of the apartments
on the basement, strongly arched over as a place of
shelter for cattle.
The PARISH is bounded on the north for several
miles by the river Tweed, and is of very irregular form,
about eight miles in length, varying from one mile to five
miles in breadth, and comprising 7573 acres, of which
5617 are arable, 1735 meadow and pasture, and 200
woodland and plantations. Its surface is generally flat,
but in some parts undulated, and rising into eminences
of considerable elevation, two of which at the south-
western extremity, the Dunslaw and the Penelheugh,
the latter bordering on Crailing parish, rise to the height
of 500 feet above the level of the sea. The river Teviot
flows through the parish ; and there are numerous ex-
cellent springs atfording an abundant supply of water.
In this district the soil varies very much, being in some
parts sandy and gravelly, and in others a fine rich loam.
The prevailing systems of husbandry are the four and the
five shift courses, which are found to be adapted to the
nature of the soil ; and the crops are usually favourable,
having rapidly improved since the more extensive use of
lime. The plantations are well managed ; the trees are
chiefly oak, ash, elm, birch, and beech, with various
kinds of pine. A remarkable elm, called the Trysting-
tree, appears to have been more than two centuries in
attaining its present growth, but it has lately begun to
decay. The different grasses thrive in the parish, espe-
cially the red clover, of which a sample of the seed ex-
hibited at a meeting of the Highland Society at Glasgow,
some years since, was much admired. In general the
farm houses and buildings are substantial and in good
condition ; the lands are well inclosed, and the fences
kept with great care. The substratum is chiefly sand-
stone of the secondary formation, varied with rocks of
basalt, greenstone, and greywacke. Under the sand-
stone is a large mass of rock called the Trow Craigs,
about 450 feet in breadth, extending into the Tweed,
and forming an immense dam over which the water is
precipitated in a fall of sixteen feet. The sandstone is
not much valued for building purposes, and few of the
quarries arc regularly worked. There are fisheries on
the rivers ; but the quantity of fish taken of late has
been inconsiderable, and the rental of the whole does
not exceed £60 per annum. A fair is held on the 5th
of August on St. James' Green, and is well attended : it
is for purposes of merchandise, for horses and cattle,
and the hiring of shearers and other servants ; consider-
able sales of wool are clfceted at it by the farmers of
the surrounding district, and generally to English deal-
ers. Fairnington, a plain ancient mansion, and Sun-
laws, a handsimie modern house in the Elizabethan
style, are the chief seats. Near the village of Roxburgh
is a ferry over the Toviot. There are some good roads,
one of which, leading from Kelso to Melrose, commands
a beautiful view of the surrounding country, of the
windings of the Tweed, and of the Teviot, over which is
a handsome bridge uniting this parish with that of
ROX B
IlOX B
Kelso. In 1846, parliament authorized the construction
of a branch from the Edinburgh and Hawick railway at
St. Boswell's to Roxburgh and Kelso, and of a branch
railway from Roxburgh to Jedburgh. The principal
fuel is coal ; but in the western parts of the parish there
is abundance of peat. The annual value of real property
in Roxburgh is £9248.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Kelso, synod ofMerse andTeviotdale, and in the patron-
age of the Duke of Roxburghe : the minister's stipend
is £225. 2. 7., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20
per annum. The church, situated in the village of Rox-
burgh, was built in 1752, and substantially repaired in
1828, and gives accommodation to 500 persons. There
are two parochial schools, one in Roxburgh and one in
Hietou, both affording a useful education. The master
of the former has a salary of £34. 4., and of the latter,
one of £17. 2. ; and the fees on the average, for each,
vary from £12 to £15 per annum. Each of the masters
has also a house and garden rent-free. About half way
between the towers of Roxburgh and Ormiston are the
remains of a camp, two miles up the river Teviot ; its
origin is unknown, but it is generally supposed to have
been an out-post for the better defence and security of
those forts. Part of the Roman road from the Firth of
Forth to York passes through the south-west of the pa-
rish. There are three caves at Sunlaws, which appear
to have been excavated in a remote age, probably as
places of refuge, or for the concealment of cattle and
other property, during the frequent incursions that took
place in the earlier periods of Scottish history.
ROXBURGHSHIRE, an inland county, in the south
of Scotland, bounded on the north by Berwickshire, on
the east by Berwickshire and the English county of
Northumberland, on the south by Dumfries-shire and
the counties of Cumberland and Northumberland, and
on the west by Dumfries-shire, Selkirk, and Edinburgh or
Mid-Lothian. It lies between 55° 6' 40" and 55° 42' 52"
(N. Lat.), and 1° 39' and 2° 36' (W. Long.), and is thirty-
eight miles in length and twenty-eight miles in breadth ;
comprising an area of 696 square miles, or 445,440
acres; and containing 9019 houses, of which number
8661 are inhabited ; and a population of 46,025, of whom
21,941 are males and 24,084 females. This county, in-
cluding Teviotdale and Liddesdale, was originally inha-
bited by the Gadeni and Ottadini, of whom the former
possessed the western portion, and the latter the east-
ern, which was of inferior extent. Of the numerous for-
tresses erected by those warlike tribes on the heights,
the chief, on the Eildon hills towards the north, was
subsequently converted by the Romans into a station
near the line of their military road, which passed along
the eastern base of these hills to the river Tweed. During
the border warfare, the county participated greatly in
the frequent hostilities tliat took place, and was alter-
nately in the possession of the English and the Scots ;
and the continued battles in ■which they were engaged
appear to have fostered a warlike spirit in the inhabit-
ants, many of whom fought under the banner of David
I. in 1138 at the battle of the Standard, in which the
men of Teviotdale were distinguished for their valour.
The county was anciently included in the diocese of
Lindisfarne, and subsequently in that of Glasgow ; it is
at present mostly in the synod of Merse and Teviotdale,
and comprises several presbyteries, and thirty-two pa-
439
rishes. For civil purposes, it is divided into the four dis-
tricts of Jedburgh, Kelso, Melrose, and Hawick, in each
of which the magistrates hold courts quarterly, or oftener,
as occasion may require. It contains the royal burgh of
Jedburgh, which is the county town ; the market-towns
of Hawick, Kelso, and Melrose, and part of the town of
Galashiels. Under the act of the 2nd WiUiam IV., the
shire returns a member to the imperial jjarliament ; the
number of persons qualified to vote is about 2000.
The SURFACE, though comprising some fine tracts of
level land, is mountainous towards the south, and is
throughout strikingly diversified with hills, generally of
pleasing aspect, and covered with verdure to their sum-
mits. In the north and centre the principal heights
are, Ruberslaw, which has an elevation of 1419 feet; the
Eildon hills, terminating in three conical summits, the
highest of which has an elevation of 1330 feet ; the
Dunian hills, which rise to the height of 1021 feet; the
Minto, of which the two summits are flat, and 858 feet
high ; and various other hills of inferior height. The
Carter Fell, on the confines of Northumberland, has an
elevation of 1602; and the Millenwood Fell and the
Windhead rise to 2000, feet. About two-fifths of the
land are arable and the remainder chiefly sheep-pasture ;
with about 8000 acres in woodland and plantations.
Among the rivers are the Tweed and the Teviot. Of
these the Tweed enters the county at Faldanside, and
flows along the vale of Melrose, then forms part of the
northern boundary of Roxburghshire, and afterwards
runs through the north-eastern part of the county, which
it leaves at Redden ; it receives the streams of the Gala, the
Liddel, the Allan, the Eden, and the Ettrick. The Teviot,
after winding along richly cultivated valleys for nearly
fifty-four miles, falls into the Tweed between Rox-
burgh Castle and Kelso ; it receives the streams of the
Ale, the Slitrig, the Borthwick, the Kale, the Oxnam,
the Rule, the Allan, and the Jed. The Hermitage, which
has its source near the Millenwood Fell, flows into the
Liddel near Castleton. There are no minerals peculiar
to the county ; the substrata are mainly greywacke, the
coal formation, red sandstone, and trap. Greywacke
and greywacke-slate prevail in the whole of the western
portion except Liddesdale, and form most of the hills
in that district ; the coal formation occupies all Liddes-
dale. The red sandstone is found in the middle and
northern parts of the county ; sandstone, also, of white
colour, occurs in some places : both are extensively
quarried. The trap rocks, which form the higher hills,
consist of greenstone, basalt, trap-tuffa, amygdaloid, and
porphyries of various kinds, of which the felspar, usually
of a reddish brown colour, is the most prevalent. The
principal manufactures are those of woollen cloth, flan-
nels, blankets, and stockings and worsted pieces ; em-
ploying a large number of persons : tanning and skinning
are carried on to some extent, and there is a manufac-
ture of coloured thread. The annual value of the real
property in the county, as assessed to the income-tax,
is £284,204, of which £235,041 are returned for lands,
£48,684 for houses, £298 for quarries, and the remain-
der for fisheries. Facility of communication is main-
tained by the Edinburgh and Hawick railway and the
Kelso and Berwick railway, and by good roads, which
have been much improved, and are kept in excellent re-
pair. British forts and Roman camps are numerous in
various parts of the county, which is intersected from
RUM
RUTH
north to south by the Roman road into North Britain,
called the Watling-street. Roxburghshire contains the
ruins of some important castles, and is still more re-
markable for its monastic structures : the abbeys of
Jedburgh and Melrose stood at the head of their class,
both for wealth and architectural grandeur, and the ab-
bey of Kelso was an institution of almost equal dignity.
RUM, one of the Hebrides or Western Islands, in
the parish of Small Isles, district of Mull, county of
Argyll, 12 miles (N. W.) from Arisaig, and 20 (N.)
from the island of Mull; containing 124 inhabitants.
This island, which is the largest of the four islands that
constitute the parish, is supposed to have derived its
name, in the Gaelic language signifying "room" or
'■ capacity", from its superior extent. It is situated in
the Atlantic Ocean, between the islands of Eigg and
Canna, from which it is neai-ly equidistant ; and is of cir-
cular form. Rum is from eighteen to twenty miles in
circumference, comprising 26,000 acres, of which a very
small proportion is arable and in cultivation, and the
remainder hill-pasture, moss, and waste. Its surface is
generally elevated, in parts mountainous ; and though
the hills in some few places are of verdant aspect, yet
the far greater number are abrupt and of rugged cha-
racter. On the eastern and north-eastern borders of the
island, the lands are overspread with heath and coarse
grass ; on the west and north-west the surface is covered
with soft and luxuriant verdure, affording rich pasturage
for sheep, and displays a beautiful contrast to the less
fertile portions. Amidst the mountainous districts in
the interior are fresh-water lakes of considerable extent,
in some of which trout of small size are found in great
abundance, and of good quality. The moors are fre-
quented by numbers of grouse ; and on some of the
higher hills, ptarmigans, curlews, snipes, herons, and
various other birds are to be seen. Deer were formerly
numerous ; but since the destruction of the woods they
have altogether disappeared.
The COAST is bold and rugged, more especially on the
south and west sides, where it is lined with one continu-
ous rampart of precipitous rock. Of the several small
bays with which the island is indented, the principal is
Loch Seresort, on the eastern coast, at the head of
which is the small hamlet of Kinloch, originally belong-
ing to the Clanranalds, but now the property of the
Macleans. A harbour has been formed here, which is
easy of access, and affords good anchorage for vessels of
any burthen. The bay is about two miles and a half in
length, and from five to seven fathoms in depth ; it is
open only towards the east, and defended on the north
and south by lofty hills rising from the extremities of
the loch, and affording secure shelter from the prevailing
winds. A commodious pier has been constructed, which
gives every facility to vessels in loading and unloading
their cargoes, and to the boats em])loyed in the fisheries.
The principal fishery is the herring-fishery, which is
carried on, however, only to a moderate extent ; the
herrings appear in the loch generally in the month of
August, but the inhabitants seldom take more than is
sudicient for the ronsum])ti()n of their own families.
There is a great variety of other fish.
The SOIL of the arable grounds is tolerably fertile,
producing crops of oats, barley, and potatoes. From
the great inequalities of the surface, however, the lauds
are better adapted for pasture than for tillage, and the
440
inhabitants place their principal dependence on the rear-
ing of sheep and cattle. The sheep, of which about 8000
are pastured, are of the black-faced breed, and, though
small in stature, are much prized for the delicacy of their
flavour and the peculiar fineness of their wool, much of
which is forwarded to Inverness, where it obtains a very
high price. The cattle are all of the Highland breed,
and are chiefly sold to drovers for the markets of the
south. Considerable numbers of horses of the native
breed are reared in the island, and also numerous herds
of swine, the latter for the Glasgow market. Rum is
composed of old red sandstone, traversed and overlaid
by various plutonian rocks : the sandstone is distinctly
stratified, and alternates with beds of a red-coloured
slate clay : in the cliffs of amygdaloid on the west occur
beautiful varieties of chalcedony, heliotrope, and other
minerals. The residence of Dr. Maclean is a neat man-
sion with extensive offices, erected by him as tenant in
\S'i6, at the head of Loch Seresort, and surrounded by
a highly improved demesne embellished with thriving
plantations. There is no village ; and the sole means
of communication with the post office of Arisaig, on the
main land, or with the adjacent islands in the parish, is by
small boats, of which every family keeps one for its own
accommodation. Steamers between the Clyde and the
port of Inverness pass and repass along the channel
several times a week. A missionary who received £75
per annum from the Royal Bounty, and for whom a
house was built by the heritor, formerly resided here,
and officiated in his own house, in which a large room
was appropriated as a place of worship ; and also in the
island of Canna ; but the mission was suppressed in
1835, since which time there has been no minister.
RUMFORD, a village, in the parish of Muiravon-
siDE, county of Stirling ; with 206 inhabitants.
RUSKHOLM, an isle, in the parish of Stronsay,
county of Orkney. This is a very small islet situated
to the west of the island of Faray, from which it is dis-
tant about a mile. Kelp was at one time largely manu-
factured on it.
RUSKIE, a hamlet, in the parish of Port of Mon-
teith, county of Perth, 3 miles (N.E.) from the village
of Port of Monteith ; containing 57 inhabitants. It lies
in the north-eastern quarter of the parish, in the vicinity
of a lake of the same name, one of a chain of lakes. On
the lands of Ruskie, which anciently formed a barony
possessed by the Stewart family, is a house named
Keirhead, situated on an eminence, and supposed to
have been a military post overlooking the plain on the
south.
RUTHERFORD, a hamlet, in the ])arish of Max-
ton, district of Mei.rosk, county of RoxnuROH, li
mile (E. by N.) from the village of Maxton ; containing
71 inhabitants. This, though now a small and unim-
portant place, was anciently considerable, and had a
church and hospital. The patronage at one time be-
longed to the Earls of Douglas, and was granted, pre-
viously to the year 1483, to James Rutherford of that
ilk ; but the church being afterwards suffered to go to
decay, the ])arish was united to that of Maxton, and the
advowson fell into oblivion. The hospital was dedicated
to St. Mary Magdalen, and was appropriated for the
reception of strangers and the maintenance of poor and
infirm [jcrsous. The family of Rutherford had the title
of baron from this place.
RUTH
RUT I-I
Burgh Seal.
RUTHERGLEN,apa-
rish, burgh, and market-town,
in the Lower ward of the
county of Lanark, '2 miles
(S. S. E.) from Glasgow ; con-
taining 6513 inhabitants, of
whom 5623 are in the burgh.
, This place is popularly sup-
(h^ posed to have derived its name
from Reutherus, King of Scot-
land, the fifth in descent from
Fergus L, founder of the
Scottish monarchy -, and who,
after a retirement of some years, during which time he
greatly augmented and concentrated his forces, made a
successful attack upon the Britons, from whom he wrested
a considerable portion of his territories, of which they
had gained possession. From the reign of this supposed
monarch, about two centuries before the Christian era,
little is recorded of the history of the place till the year
1126, when the inhabitants obtained from David L a
charter conferring upon the town the privileges of a royal
burgh. It appears to have been at that time superior in
importance as a place of trade to Glasgow, and to have
included within its limits the ecclesiastical demesnes of
that city till the year 1226, when Alexander IL granted
to the Bishop of Glasgow a charter of exemption from
certain services due to the corporation of Rutherglen.
From this period its trade and consequent prosperity
continued to decline, and that of Glasgow to increase,
till in 1692 the business was almost wholly transferred
to the latter place, which has since been progressively
advancing in population and wealth. Rutherglen Castle
was remarkable for its strength, and in 1306 was seized
by Edward L, King of England, whp had taken upon
him to arbitrate between Bruce and Baliol, then com-
petitors for the Scottish crown. It was retaken by Bruce
in 1313, and continued a fortress of importance, till
after the battle of Langside, when it was burned by the
Regent of Scotland. The building was however after-
wards repaired and enlarged, and became the seat of the
Hamiltons, of Elistoun : on their decline it was suffered
to fall into decay ; and it has by subsequent dilapida-
tions been levelled with the ground. Daring the dis-
turbances in the reign of Charles I., considerable excite-
ment prevailed in this place ; and on the celebration of
the return of Charles II. to the throne, a party of the
inhabitants, in resentment of the severities practised on
the Covenanters, committed some excesses, which appear
to have originated the battle of Bothwell-Bridge.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated on the river Clyde,
over which is a stone bridge of five arches, communica-
ting with the suburbs of Glasgow on the opposite shore,
and towards the erection of which the inhabitants con-
tributed £1000, in consideration of its being toll-free.
Further up the river, a bridge of timber was erected a
short time ago, in connexion with a new line of road
from the collieries in the parish, facilitating the convey-
ance of the produce to Glasgow. Rutherglen consists
chiefly of one spacious street extending in a direction
from east to west, regularly formed, and well paved, and
of a smaller range of buildings parallel with the former,
and called the Back-row ; from both which diverge se-
veral lanes leading to the principal farms in the parish.
Towards the east are vestiges of ancient foundations,
Vol. II. — i4I
giving rise to the supposition that the town was once
of greater size than it is at present. Formerly the trade
consisted, to a considerable extent, in the supply of sal-
mon for the French ports, in exchange for which brandy
was received ; but this branch of traffic has declined in
consc(|uence of the construction of a weir lower down
the river, which interrupts the navigation above the
bridge of Glasgow. The principal trade at present is in
coal, from the several miues in the parish ; in cotton
spinning, weaving, and printing ; and the weaving of
muslins for the Glasgow manufacturers. In 1845 an
act of parliament was passed for the construttitm of the
Clydesdale Junction railway, from the termination of the
Pollock and Govan railway at Rutherglen to Hamilton,
and to the Wishaw and Coltness railway at Motherwell;
making use, in its course, of part of the Pollock and
Govan railway, a line that was formed for the purpose
of connecting certain coal-fields on the south-east of Glas-
gow with that city. Here is a station of the Clydesdale
Junction railway : the line is amalgamated with the Cale-
donian, and presents great facility of intercourse. The
market is on Saturday. Fairs are held on the first Friday
after March 11th, the first Friday after May 4th, the first
Tuesday after June 4th, the first Friday after July 25th,
and the first Friday after August 25th ; the Wednesday
before the first Friday in November, and on that Friday;
and the first Friday after November 25th. The Belton
fair in May, and the St. Luke's in November, are the
largest and most numerously attended.
The charter bestowed on the inhabitants by David I.
in 1 126 is recited by several grants of his successors
down to the reign of James VI., who in 1617 confirmed
all previous gifts, and clearly defined the boundaries
and the privileges of the burgh. By these charters the
government was vested in a provost, two bailies, a trea-
surer, and a council of eleven, to which last an addition
of thirty others, to be elected by the council, was pre-
scribed by an act in I67O, all of them to vote in the elec-
tion of the magistrates. The town is now subject to
the provisions of the Municipal act, and the number of
councillors is eighteen : the provost and bailies are
chosen annually by the council ; and the town-clerk is
appointed in the same manner, but holds his office for
life. The magistrates exercise both civil and criminal
jurisdiction ; and during the last twenty or thirty years,
the average has been annually about fifty cases of the
former, and twenty of the latter. There are four incor-
porated trades, the smiths, the wrights and masons, the
tailors, and the weavers ; which have the privilege of
exacting a fee on the admission of a member. At the
Union the burgh was allowed to send one member to
the English parliament, in conjunction with Glasgow, Ren-
frew, and Dumbarton; but on the passing of the Reform
act, Glasgow was separated from the number, being em-
powered to return two members of its own, and Kilmar-
nock and Port-Glasgow were added. The right of election
is vested in the persons occupying houses of the annual
value of £10; the number of voters is I66.
The PARISH extends about three miles along the
southern bank of the Clyde, and is something more
than a mile and a quarter in average breadth. Towards
the river the surface is generally level, forming plains of
great fertility ; but in other parts is intersected with
hills and narrow glens. The soil is on the whole good,
and the system of agriculture improved ; the lands are
3 L
RUTH
RUTH
chiefly arable, but there are some large dairies, and much
attention is paid to the breed of live stock. Consider-
able progress has been made in draining and inclosing
the lands, which are divided among numerous proprie-
tors, whose handsome grounds add greatly to the scenery
and interest of the parish. Farme, the residence of Mr.
Farie, once the property of the Earls of Selkirk, and
subsequently of the Flemings, and the Hamiltons, is a
very ancient castle of much strength, the embattled
walls still remaining as a memorial of the baronial castles
of former times. It has been enlarged by its proprietor;
who has raised an embankment to preserve his land from
the inundation of the Clyde. Coal is abundant in the
parish, and eleven mines have been opened, of which
one is wrought by Mr. Farie on his estate at Farme,
two at Eastfield, one at Stonelaw, and one at Hamilton-
Farme ; together they afford employment to more than
500 persons. Ironstone, in very small quantities, is
found in some of these mines; and there are also several
quarries of good freestone, in which nearly a hundred
persons are engaged. About '200 persons are employed
in printing cotton, for which there are two establish-
ments, one in the town and one at Shawfield ; at which
latter place, also, is a bleachfield that became the pro-
perty of Messrs. Gowdie, who converted it into an
establishment for dyeing Turkey-red : it is now occu-
pied by Messrs. White as a chemical laboratory. A
cotton-mill was erected in 1800, which has been enlarged;
and on the lands of Farme are two extensive concerns
for dyeing Turkey-red. In addition to those employed
in the several works, about 300 of the inhabitants are
occupied in weaving muslin for the Glasgow manufac-
turers at hand-looms in their own dwellings. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £21,'295.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the presbytery of
Glasgow, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patron-
age of the corporation, the Kirk-Session, the heritors of
the parish, and the tenants of Shawfield. The minister's
stipend averages £280, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £14 per annum. Rutherglen church was of great an-
tiquity, and prior to the year 1199 was given with the
churches of Cathcart and Mearns to the abbey of Paisley,
by Jocelyne, Bishop of Glasgow. It was connected with
some transactions of importance in Scottish history,
being the scene of a negotiation of peace between Eng-
land and Scotland, concluded within its walls in 1297,
and also the place in which Sir John Monteith entered
into a convention for betraying Sir William Wallace into
the power of the English. Of this building nothing re-
mains but the tower, near which is the present church,
erected in 1*94, in good repair, and adapted for a con-
gregation of 800 persons. There are likewise a Free
church and a United Presbyterian church, the latter
capable of receiving a congregation of 950. The burgh
school affords a useful education ; the master, who is
appointed by the town-council, has a house and garden
rent-free, and a salary of £16. 13. 4. from the funds of
the burgh, in addition to the fees. There are Sabbath
schools, in which nearly 400 children are instructed ;
and several benefit societies. Traces may be seen of a
tumulus at Gallowflat ; it was anciently surrounded by
a ditch, and there was an ascent to the summit by
a paved road about six feet wide. Near it were found
two copper vessels, on the handles of which was in-
scribed the word " Congallus ". A stone coffin was also
442
found in a tumulus on Hamilton-Farme, long since
levelhd with the ground. The cross of the burgh, orna-
mented with sculptured devices, the most conspicuous of
which was one of our Saviour's riding upon an ass, was
demolished by a mob during the reign of Charles I.
Rutherglen gives the title of earl to the ducal family of
Hamilton.
RUTHVEN, a parish, in the county of Forfar, 3
miles (N.) from Meigle ; containing, with the hamlets
of Balbirnie, Barberswells, Bridgend, and Whins, 471 in-
habitants. This place was for many generations the seat
of a branch of the Crichton family, of whose ancient
baronial castle there are still some remains ; the family
becoming extinct in 1742, the lands were purchased by
Thomas Ogilvy, Esq. The parish is pleasantly situated
on the north side of the vale of Strathmore, near the
base of the Grampian hills. It is about two miles in
length, and nearly of equal breadth ; comprising an area
of 2034 acres, of which 1336 are arable, 452 woodland
and plantations, and the remainder meadow and pasture
land. The surface, which has a gentle declivity towards
the south, is diversified with some inconsiderable emi-
nences, one of them called Gallows hill. The river Isla,
after forming for some distance its northern boundary,
intersects the remainder of the parish, and, passing
under an ancient and picturesque bridge of two arches
on the road from Blairgowrie to Kirriemuir, and falling
from some ledges of broken rock, descends into a wide
pool which towards the south divides into two streams,
inclosing an island of about si.x acres in extent. This
river abounds with small trout and par, and in the
spawning season with salmon. In general the soil is a
light loam, resting on a substratum of gravel ; and the
crops are oats, barley, for which the soil is especially
adapted, turnips, and potatoes. The state of agricul-
ture is much improved; bone-dust and guano are ex-
tensively used as manures, and the rotation system of
husbandry is prevalent. The lands have been drained
and inclosed ; and the farm-buildings, which are chiefly
of modern erection, are substantial and well arranged.
Considerable attention is paid to the rearing of cattle, and
the feeding of sheep on turnips. The woodlands consist
chiefly of oak, of which there are extensive copses on
the banks of the Isla ; and the plantations are of larch
and Scotch fir. In this district the scenery is of pleasing
character, in some parts beautifully picturesque ; the
upper lands command fine views of the surrounding
country. The substratum is of the old red sandstone
formation, with a few pebbles of quartz, and some .slight
traces of organic remains ; freestone of excellent quality
is found, and quarried to a moderate extent. Tlie an-
nual value of real property in the parish is £1457.
Ruthven House, the scat of Mrs. Weddcrburn Ogilvy, is
a handsome modern mansion pleasantly situated on the
Isla, near the site of the ancient castle, which, having
become ruinous, was taken down all but a fragment many
years since.
There is no village properly so called. The spinning
of flax was introduced soon after the commencement of
the present century, and two extensive mills have been
built for that purpose on the banks of the Isla, in which
together about 180 [jersons are employed, in connexion
with the linen manufacturers of Dundee. On the same
river are mills for meal and corn, two threshing-mills,
and a saw- mill. Facihty of communication is afforded
RUTH
R UTH
by convenient roads, of which that from Blairgowrie to
Kirriemuir passes through the parish ; and by a hne of
railway within a few miles, whence coal and other re-
quisite articles are brought for the supply of the parish,
and to which corn and other agricultural produce are
conveyed, to be forwarded to Dundee and shipped for
the London market. Ecclesiastically this place is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Meigle, and synod of
Angus and Mearns. The minister's stipend is £150, of
which nearly three-fourths are paid from the exchequer ;
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £95 per annum :
patron, the Crown. Ruthven church, an ancient struc-
ture, is, according to some accounts, supposed to have
been erected by an Earl of Crawford as a chapel for his
tenants of the barony of Inverquiech, and to have been
subsequently obtained by the proprietors of Ruthven,
and appropriated as a parish church for their barony.
Tiie parochial school is well conducted ; the master has
a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and the fees.
On the south-west side of the parish were until lately the
remains of an intrenchment called Castle-Dykes, pro-
bably once a safe retreat in times of danger ; the ram-
parts were of earth, and had been apparently very
strong, and surrounded with a fosse. During the wars
in the reign of Edward of England, a battle is said to
have taken place in the vicinity of this parish ; and on
the south side of the vale of Strathmore are some re-
mains of a camp occupied by the English, and thence
called Ingleston, or " English town ". Stone coffins con-
taining fragments of human bones have been dug up ;
and there are several cairns.
RUTHVENFIELD, a village, in the parish of Tib-
BERMORE, county of Perth ; containing 4*25 inhabit-
ants. This is one of the only two villages in the parish,
which formerly contained several others, now no more.
The village of Ruthvenfield is the seat of a considerable
printing establishment, occupying one of the waterfalls on
the Lead stream : this waterfall, about sixty or seventy
years ago, was employed in turning an oil-mill, the pre-
mises belonging to which were subsequently converted
into bleaching-works, and more recently into a printfield.
After some time, the works in this last branch of busi-
ness lay dormant; but in I S30 they were commenced
anew by the present proprietors, Messrs. Duncan, from
Glasgow ; and now nearly "2,000,000 yards are printed
here, in every variety of style, for the home and foreign
markets, employing about 360 persons, of whom one-
half are men and one-half women and children. At
Huntingtowerfield, the other village, is a large bleaching
establishment.
RUTHWELL, a parish, in the county of Dumfries ;
containing, with the village of Clarencefield, 1039 inha-
bitants, of whom 16'2 are in the village of Ruthweli, 7^
miles (W. by N.) from Annan. This parish, in the four-
teenth century, in a charter granted by Thomas Ran-
dolph, Earl of Murray, to his nephew, Sir William
Murray, is called Ryval ; and the appellation is con-
tinued in all the charters to Sir William's descendants.
Ruthweli, most probably corrupted from Ruthwald, or
Rithwald, is the more modern name. It appears to be
derived from the Anglo-Saxon Rith, " a rivulet ", and
Weald or ll'ald, " a woody place "; terms descriptive of
the locality, through which a rivulet passes contiguous
to the church and village, and in which there are exten-
sive natural woods. No events of historical importance
443
are recorded ; but the parish was formerly remarkable
as containing the castle of Comlongan, for many genera-
tions the residence of the Murrays of Cockpool, a family
of great eminence in Annandale. Some of the Murrays
were wardens of the western border ; and Cuthbert
Murray of Cockpool was one of the commanders of the
army which defeated the Duke of Albany and the Earl
of Douglas, when they invaded Scotland in 1483. John
Murray, a younger son of the family, having acquired a
large estate, as well in Scotland as in England and Ireland,
was created Earl of Annandale by James VL, and after-
wards resided in the castle of Comlongan ; but the fa-
mily and title becoming extinct upon the death of his
son without issue, in 1658, Lord Stormont succeeded to
a considerable part of the property. His descendant,
Viscount Stormont, in 1799 became second Earl of
Mansfield ; and from him the ])resent earl, who is the
principal landowner in Ruthweli, descended in a right
line. At a place called Kirkstyle was in ancient times a
commandery belonging to the Knights of St. John of
Jerusalem, where they had a place of worship and a
burying-grouud. The order possessed large property in
the neighbourhood, which, when the society was abo-
lished, came into the hands of the Murrays. There are
still some tombs in the churchyard, ou which the insignia
and arms of the knights are cut.
The parish is about five and a half miles long and
two and a half broad, containing 8490 acres. It is
bounded on the north by the parish of Dalton ; on the
south by the Solway Firth and the river Lochar, the latter
of which divides it from Caerlaverock ; on the east by
Cummertrees ; on the west by Caerlaverock ; and on
the north-west by Mouswald. In general the surface is
flat and uninteresting, the highest land not rising more
than eighty or ninety feet above the level of the sea.
The waves have receded from the shore in late times ;
so that at low water the tide is almost out of sight, and
at high water falls short of a large space which it once
covered, and which now consists of extensive tracts of
green merse. The beach is low, and formed of clayey
sand which runs for several miles into the Firth, and is
known in the locality as " sleetch ". At the coni3uence
of the Lochar with the sea, some salmon are taken with
stake-nets ; and cod, skate, and herrings, with very fine
flounders, are caught off the coast.
The SOIL varies considerably in different places, some
of it consisting of a shallow sandy mould which requires
good manuring and cultivation to render it fertile, and a
large proportion of the parish being a strong gravelly
earth. On the low ground near the sea, and on the
banks of the Lochar, the soil partakes of clay mixed with
sand, and is the same kind of soil as that upon which the
extensive Lochar moss, to the north, rests. Shell-marl is
found in the parish ; but the expense of working it has
rendered it hitherto unavailable to agricultural purposes.
About 6000 acres are either cultivated or occasionally in
tillage ; 1400 acres are in moss, and 590 under wood.
All kinds of grain and green crops are grown, and the
most improved system of husbandry is followed ; the
farm buildings and inclosures, however, are in a very in-
different state. The cattle are Galloways ; the sheep are
of the black-faced breed, with some Cheviots. Con-
siderable tracts of moss have been reclaimed on some of
the farms ; and large portions of marshy ground, by
good draining and judicious cultivation, have been also
3 L 2
RUTH
S ADD
brought into tillage. Some land, too, has been recovered
along the shore of the Firth ; but the quantity is incon-
siderable in comparison with the extent capable of being
added to the productive soil of the parish. The princi-
pal rock is coarse limestone, which was once extensively
worked ; but its use is now superseded by the superior
lime obtained from Kelhead, onlyabout four miles distant.
The annual value of real property is £36.36.
There are two small villages, Ruthvvell and Clarence-
field : the former was erected into a burgh of barony by
charter of James VI. to Sir John Murray, of Cockpool,
in 1.509, with the privilege, now neglected, of holding
fairs and markets. Large quantities of salt were for-
merly made upon the coast by filtration, the parish en-
joying exemption from the duty under a grant by James
VI. ; but this manufacture was discontinued when the
salt-duty was abolished. Strangers used to visit Ruth-
well for the benefit of the sea air, bathing, and mineral
waters ; but there are now few visiters. Great facility
of intercourse is afforded by the Glasgow, Dumfries, and
Carlisle railway, which has a station here : the turnpike-
road from Dumfries to Annan and Carlisle also runs
through the parish ; and at the junction of the Lochar
with the Firth is a creek into which small vessels enter
with coal from the opposite coast of Cumberland. Ec-
clesiastically this place is within the bounds of the pres-
bytery of Annan and synod of Dumfries ; patron, the
Earl of Mansfield. The stipend of the minister is £"263,
with a manse, about 100 years old, but which has re-
ceived within the present century some enlargement and
repairs : the glebe consists of thirty-six acres, worth
thirty or thirty-five shillings per acre. Ruthwell church,
an ancient edifice, was formerly a very indiEFerent build-
ing thatched with heath, but has been greatly altered
and improved, and is now in good condition ; it con-
tains 420 sittings. Two parochial schools are held, in
one of which the classics, mathematics, and French are
taught, with the usual branches of education ; the master
has a salary of £34. 4., a house, and about £45 fees.
In the other school, only a plain education is given ;
the master has between £8 and £9 salary, £4 fees, and
Candlemas gifts. There are also a good parochial li-
brary, two friendly societies, and a savings' bank.
The antiquities are very interesting. There are yet to
be seen the remains of an old castle at Cockpool, a seat
of the Murrays; but their chief residence was the castle
of Comlongan, already noticed, a place of great strength
before the union of the crowns. It is sixty feet square
and ninety feet high, with battlements, and the walls are
of sufficient thickness to admit of small apartments
within them. The most celebrated relic of antiquity,
however, is an obelisk in the churchyard, which appears
to have been eighteen feet high, bearing numerous orna-
ments of a scriptural character, and Runic and Roman
inscriptions. The traditional account of it is, that it
was set up at a place called Priestside, near the sea, in
very early times, in order to assist the common people,
by sensible images, to receive religious instruction ; and
that it was subsetpiently removed to the church. Here
it remained, and was held in great veneration, till the
Relormation, after which it was thrown down as a rcUc
of idolatry. Some time since, in digging a deep grave,
an upper portion of the monument was discovered, on
which is represented part of the image of the Deity,
•with an Agnus Dei in his bosoni ; and on the reverse
444
are two human figures in the act of embracing. The
only large fragment of the pillar that seems to be irre-
trievably lost, is that which contained the transverse
arms of the crpss, and which may probably have been
much shattered by the fall when the whole was thrown
down, or may have been entirely destroyed by the zeal
of the agents of the General Assembly. There is a
chalybeate spring at Brow, not far from the junction of
the Lochar with the Firth ; near which is a stone table,
where it is said that Lord Stormont, father of the cele-
brated Earl of Mansfield, sat with bis son, and drank to
his health, when the latter was about to quit his native
land for the English bar.
SADDELL and SKIPNESS, a parish, in the district
of Cantyre, county of Argyll; containing 1813 inha-
bitants, of whom 846 are in Saddell, and 967 in Skip-
ness, respectively 19 and 32 miles (N. by E.) from Camp-
belltown. The name of the first of these places has
been at different times written in ancient documents
Saundle, Sandel, and Sandale, signifying in the Scandi-
navian language " a sandy plain". The terra Skipness,
in the same language, means " a ship-point", and had
reference to the place as a central station for the ren-
dezvous of the northern fleets, during their attacks upon
this coast. The two districts, the former having been
disjoined from Killean, and the latter from Kilcalmonell,
were united in 1753. An abbey of considerable note
was founded in Saddell about the year 1160, by Somer-
led. Lord of the Isles, who in 115S, with a fleet of fifty-
three ships, had seized Cantyre and the Western Isles,
then belonging to the crown of Man, and made himself
an independent chief. This religious house, which was
finished and endowed by Reginald, his son and successor,
was for monks of the Cistercian order, and was situated
in a beautifully secluded spot in the midst of trees, which
still overshadow its ruins. Its church was in the form
of a cross, the extremities respectively pointing to the
four cardinal points ; the length from east to west was
about 136 feet, by twenty-four feet in breadth, and that
of the transepts from north to south seventy-eight feet,
by twenty-four feet. Other buildings gave to the whole
a quadrangular form.
The PARISH is bounded on the east liy the sound of
Kilbrandon, which separates it from the Island of Arran ;
and on the south by Campbelltown. It is of a long
irregular figure, stretching twenty-five miles in extreme
length, and measuring three miles in average breadth ;
comprising considerable portions of well-cultivated ara-
ble ground, with some good pastures, and large tracts of
moor, heath, and mountain. The line of coast is very
circuitous, and marked with a number of creeks, promon-
tories, and bays. Some of the bays are spacious, though
rocky at the entrance, and embrace a fine expanse of
water, having a good sandy beach. The headlands are
in general low, and of various form, but all projecting
towards the south-east. In the neighbouring waters, in
every direction, cod, ling, mackerel, haddoik, whiting,
and other kinds of fish, are to be found in great abun-
dance ; but they are mostly neglected by the natives.
S A DD
SALE
The surface of the interior is also much diversified,
displaying a great variety of undulations, numerous hills
covered with heath, and dreary mountains and moors,
with several extensive valleys. Some of the valleys,
near the sea, are ornamented with interesting mansions
surrounded by verdant inclosures, tasteful gardens and
shrubberies, and well laid out grounds. Benintuirk, the
highest mountain, rises 2170 feet above the level of the
sea, and commands beautiful views, embracing the Isle
of Arran, the Firth of Clyde, the Craig of Ailsa, and the
Irish Channel, with other more distant features. The
most attractive prospect, however, though much less
extensive, is from the southern quarter, whence a mixed
landscape of the first order may be seen, combining
various striking features of both Highland and Lowland
scenery with great effect. Each of the valleys has its
own stream, generally well stocked with trout, and which,
after marking with its channel the side of some moun-
tain, slowly winds its way, in many places through se-
cluded hollows and recesses, till it loses itself in the
waters of the ocean. Most of the moors are enlivened
with silvery lakes, which also abound with trout ; and
the lakes and marshes originate several rivers, some of
them stocked with par and good-sized salmon. The
chief streams in the parish are the Skipness, the Claonaig,
the Crossaig, the Sunadale, the Torrisdale, the Saddell,
and the Carradale, the last a fine angling stream in
much repute.
On the higher grounds the soil is a light earth with
an admixture of gravel, but along the streams, a kind of
alluvial slimy compost; the subsoil in most places is
rock, clay, or gravel, but near the sea a pure white sand.
The meadows consist principally of moss, or of a deep
rich loam resting on clay. Until recently the husbandry
was very indifferent, the body of the people having
united other avocations with that of farming ; but the
most improved system has now been introduced by some
of the landholders, with extensive draining, and great
advances have been already made. The farms vary in
extent from 250 to 1500 acres, and the rent of arable
laud averages 1*4'. 6f/. per acre. The predominating
rock is mica-slate ; but quartz is also abundant, gene-
rally in a parallel direction with the former, but some-
times crossing it at right angles. Large detached blocks
of granite are also to be seen, of a very hard texture;
and in a quarry at Carradale have been found fine speci-
mens of obsidian, a species of lava which, though almost
black in the mass, when cut into thin pieces exhibits the
hue of dark-green glass. The natural woods in different
places comprise oak, ash, hazel, birch, and alder ; and
the plantations consist of Scotch fir, larch, and other
trees, in a thriving state. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Saddell and Skipness is £5251. Of late years
the population has partially declined, owing in some
measure to the breaking up of the cottar system, and
the consolidation of small farms. The parish is princi-
pally agricultural and pastoral ; but many hands which
are employed in husbandry give also a large part of their
time to fishing : this is especially the case with those
who dwell on the coast. About sixty-five boats belong
to the place, chiefly for taking herrings at a distance,
and usually carrying three men each. Cod and ling are
sometimes caught ; and salmon both at Carradale and
Skipness, with much success : lobsters are abundant,
and they are of excellent quality.
445
This parish is ecclesiastically in the presbytery
of Cantyre, synod of Argyll, and in the patronage of the
Duke of Argyll: the minister's stipend is £150, of
which more than a third is paid by tlie exchequer ; with
a manse, and a glebe of twenty acres, valued at about
£30 per annum. There are two parish churches, thir-
teen miles apart, one situated at Carradale, which is in
good repair, and the other at Claonaig, in a dilapidated
state : they accommodate respectively 354 and 2S8
persons. Two parochial schools are also maintained,
affording instruction in the ordinary branches ; the
masters each receive a salary of £25. 13. 4., and have
each a house, grass for a cow, and £4 fees : these schools
were not established until 1822. The most interesting
relic of antiquity is the ruin of the celebrated monastery
of Saddell, which however has nearly disappeared, the
materials having been quarried out of late years for
various uses. Skipness Castle is an ancient and vene-
rable pile of square form, with a court, the outer wall
comprehending a space of 450 feet. At Saddell, also, is
a castle of the same figure, of considerable size, and
formerly surrounded by water. Along the coast are
ruins of several forts, generally situated on the head-
lands ; and a few tumuli are to be seen. The church-
yard is remarkable for the number of curious inscrip-
tions and figures carved upon the gravestones, and as
the place of sepulture of persons celebrated in former
times. The Rev. Donald Mc Nicol, a scholar and anti-
quary, and author of the Review of Dr. Johnson's Tour to
the Hebrides, was minister of the parish in 1753.
SAGAY, an isle, in the parish of Harris, county of
Inverness. It is one of the numerous group of isles
in the sound of Harris, and is of very small extent, and
uninhabited.
ST. BOSWELL'S.— See Boswell's, ST.—Jnd all
places having a similar distinguishing prefix will be found
under the proper name.
SALEN, for a time a quoad sacra parish, partly in
the parish of Torosay, and partly in that of Kilninian
and Kilmore, district of Mull, county of Argyll, 8
miles (S. E. byS.) from Tobermory; containing 775 in-
habitants. This place, at one time only a missionary
station in Torosay, was severed from that parish for
ecclesiastical purposes, and, together with part of Kil-
ninian and Kilmore, erected into a quoad sacra parish,
under act of the General Assembly. A religious esta-
blishment appears to have been founded at a very early
period, which became a cell to the monastery of lona ;
and St. Columba is said to have preached occasionally
here, from which circumstance a rivulet near the ruins
of the convent not far from the village, still retains the
name of the Preacher's burn. The district is bounded
on the north by the bay of Aros, in the sound of Mull,
and on the south-west by Loch-na-Gaul ; and is inter-
sected by the road to Knock, which separates that por-
tion of it within the parish of Kilninian and Kilmore
from that which is in Torosay. Aros bay, though wild,
is marked with features beautifully picturesque, and de-
rives much interest from the remains of an ancient
castle, for many years the baronial residence of the Mac-
donalds, lords of the Isles, situated on the summit of a
rocky eminence overlooking the bay. The small village
of Salen is seated on the south bank of the water of
Aros, over which a bridge has been constructed on the
new line of road leading from Tobermory to Knock, at
S A LL
SALT
the head of Loch-na-Gaul : the surrounding scenery is
pleasingly diversified. Ecclesiastically Salen is within
the bounds of the presbytery of IMull and synod of
Argyll. The church, originally built about the year
1770, for the missionary station, was afterwards trans-
ferred to the parliamentary commissioners, by whom it
was considerably enlarged. The minister has a stipend
of £120 from the e.\chec|uer, with a manse built by go-
vernment in IS'JS, and a glebe comprising two acres of
land ; patron, the Crown.
SALINE, a parish, in the district of Dunfermline,
county of Fife, 6 miles (N. W.) from Dunfermline ; con-
taining, in 1841, 1057 inhabitants, of whom 3.58 were
in the village of Saline. This place is supposed to have
derived its name, signifying in the Gaelic language "a
hill or mountain ", from the hills within its limits, one
of which is of considerable height. The parish is situ-
ated at the western extremity of the county, and is about
seven miles in length from east to west, and about six
miles in extreme breadth, comprising an area of 5000
acres, divided among various proprietors. Towards the
north and east the surface is diversified with hills, the
highest of which has an elevation of nearly 500 feet
above the level of the sea ; but the western portion of
the parish is generally even. Near the village the land
is moderately fertile ; in other parts the soil is thin,
resting on a tilly bottom, and there are large tracts of
moss affording only an abundant supply of peat. Those
lauds which were marshy have been much improved by
draining. The system of agriculture has greatly ad-
vanced, and the crops of all kinds are favourable ; the
farm-buildings are substantial and commodious, and all
the more recent improvements in implements of hus-
bandry have been adopted. The substratum abounds
with coal, limestone, and ironstone. The coal is of good
quality, and there are mines in operation. There are
lime- works, also, at the extremity of the parish ; and
the ironstone is good, and wrought to a very great ex-
tent, operations for procuring it on an extensive scale
having been commenced in 1845 ; two new villages have
been built in the parish, and hundreds of persons are
employed in the works. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Saline is £6692. The seats here are Upper
and Lower Kinnedars, Bandrum, Balgonar, Kirklands,
Rhynds, Oakley, Burnside, and Grey-craig. The village
stands on the road leading to Auchterarder ; is very neatly
built, and has a rural appearance. It is divided into two
nearly equal parts by a stream which flows through it :
that part called the New Town is rapidly increasing in
extent. Ecclesiastically this place is within the limits of
the presbytery of Dunfermline and synod of Fife. The
minister's stipend is £156. 17- 2., of which one-half is
paid from the cxchcciuer ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £15 per animni : patron, the Crown. Saline
church is a plain structure situated in the village. The
members of the Free Church have also a place of wor-
ship. The parochial school is attended by a consider-
able number of children ; the master has a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees. There
is also a subscription school. In the parish are some ves-
tiges (if two towers, and also two Roman camps.
SALLYSBUKGH, a villatre, in the parish of Ber-
TBAM-SiioTTS, Middle ward of the county of Lanark,
4 miles (N. \V. by w.) from Shotts ; containing I96 in-
habitants. It is one of the four principal villages in the
446
parish, and stands on the high road from Glasgow,
throrgh Holytown, to Edinburgh. This village also
bears the name of Beardy-Row.
SALTBURN, a village, in the parish of Rosskeen,
county of Ross and Cromarty ; containing 329 inha-
bitants. The population is chiefly agricultural. A Gaelic
school was established here in 1823 by the Edinburgh
Gaelic Society, by whom it is wholly maintained ; the
master has a salary of £20, but no fees are charged.
SALTCOATS, a sea-port town, partly in the parish
of Stevenston, but chiefly in that of Ardrossan, dis-
trict of Cunninghame, county of Ayr, 6 miles (W. by
N.) from Irvine, and 32 (S. VV.) from Glasgow; con-
taining 4238 inhabitants, of whom 2S06 are in that part
within the parish of Ardrossan. This town, which is
irregularly built, is chiefly inhabited by seafaring men
connected with the shipping of the liarbours of Ardros-
san and Saltcoats ; by weavers ; and the various artificers
required by the business of the port. The harbour is
in that portion of the town which is within the parish of
Stevenston, and it has contributed much to the increase
of the population. A great number of the inhabitants
are employed in weaving for the manufacturers of Glas-
gow and Paisley ; the articles are lappets, gauzes, trim-
mings, shawls, silks, &c., in the manufacture of which
more than 450 looms are constantly at work. A large
number of females, also, are engaged in working muslins
in different patterns, for which this part of the country
is celebrated, and which by way of eminence are desig-
nated Ayrshire muslin. Many persons from the High-
lands and from Ireland have settled at this place, who
are employed in general trades. Several families, un-
connected with business, have erected handsome houses
at Saltcoats as a favourite residence for the benefit of
sea-bathing, for which its proximity to Ardrossan renders
it very convenient. The principal building is the town-
house, two stories in height, and surmounted by a lofty
spire. Its ground-floor is occupied by shops, a room for
the town library and reading-room, and a committee-
room ; the upper story contains a spacious apartment
which is appropriated to the monthly meetings of the
magistrates of the district, who here hold a court of
petty sessions, and in the intervals the apartment is
used as a news-room and for other general purposes.
Attached is a small lock-up house for the temporary
confinement of petty offenders. There is also a hand-
some building for a branch of the Western Bank of
Scotland established here. A mechanics' institution is
supported, in which lectures arc delivered weekly during
the winter season. A public library is also supported,
which forms an extensive collection of books on general
literature ; and a savings' bank has been some time esta-
blished.
Fishing is carried on to a considerable extent. Salmon
are found in the Firth, and sent in large quantities to
the neighbouring towns, and to Glasgow, Paisley, &c.
From fifteen to twenty boats, likewise, are employed in
the herring-fishery, for which purpose they frequent the
lochs in the north and west Highlands ; herrings are
also taken in tolerable ninnbcrs in the bay, and some
boats go to the coasts of Barra and other islands for ling
and cod. A fair is held on the last Thursday in May,
for cattle, pigs, shoes, and other articles of merchandise.
A post-ofliee is established here, which has a good de-
livery ; and facility of communication is maintained by
SALT
SALT
roads in every direction : the Ardrossan railway passes
through the place from the harbour of Ardrossan, and
unites with the Ayrshire railway at Kilwinning. The
parish church of Ardrossan is situated here, and the
town also contains a place of worship with 7'^0 sittings,
built in 1836 for the accommodation of the Gaelic inha-
bitants, and still possessed by them, but in connexion
■with the Free Church, which the congregation joined in
1843. There is another place of worship for members
of the Free Church, erected in 1843 ; and two or three
congregations connected with the United Presbyterian
Synod, and a congregation of Baptists, are likewise esta-
blished here. — See Ardrossan.
SALTON, a parish, in the county of Haddington ;
containing 770 inhabitants, of whom "261 are in the vil-
lage of East Salton, and 167 in the village of West
Salton, respectively 6 miles (S. VV. by S.) and 7 (S. W.)
from Haddington. This place, which is of considerable
antiquity, is supposed to have derived its name from
Nicholas de Soulis, who was proprietor of some land
here in the thirteenth century, and from whom it was
called Soulistown, since corrupted by abbreviation into
Salton. The earliest authentic notice of it occurs in
the twelfth century, when it was included among the
possessions of the De Morvilles, constables of the king-
dom, of whom Henry de Morville in the year 1 190 granted
the lands of Herdmanston, a portion of the manor, to
his sheriff, Henry de St. Clair, ancestor of the present
proprietor of Herdmanston. The De Morvilles, having
taken part with the English in espousing the cause of
Baliol, during the disputed succession to the Scottish
crown, were, on the accession of Robert de Bruce, de-
prived of their estates, which were bestowed on the family
of St. Clair. A great part of the manor subsequently
became the property of the Abernethy family, one of
whom, in the middle of the fifteenth century, was raised
to the peerage by the title of Lord Saltoun ; the lands
were purchased from that family by Sir Andrew Fletcher,
better known as Lord Innerpeffer, and ancestor of An-
drew Fletcher, Esq., the present proprietor.
The PARISH is about three miles and a half in length,
varies from two to three miles in breadth, and is bounded
on the west by the river Tyne, which separates it from
the parish of Pencaitland. It comprises about 3220
acres, of which 2600 acres are arable, 420 woodland and
plantations, and 200 in permanent pasture. The sur-
face rises gradually from the river Tyne towards the
south and east to a considerable elevation, of which the
highest point, called the Skimmer hill, and nearly in
the centre of the parish, is 600 feet above the level of
the sea : from this point the lands slope southward to
the Salton river. The scenery is strikingly diversified,
displaying in some parts the most lu.xuriant fertility,
enriched by stately timber and flourishing plantations,
and in others a pleasing variety of hill and dale. Some
of the farms are inclosed by hedges of thorn interspersed
with wild roses, and are separated by good roads bor-
dered on each side with rows of trees. The Salton water,
which skirts the parish for nearly three miles previously
to its junction with the Tyne, abounds with trout of ex-
cellent quality, and, in its winding course through the
grounds of Salton park, is crossed by two handsome
bridges of stone.
The SOIL is various, but principally a strong deep
clay ; on the higher grounds, of a lighter quality, and
447
in parts intermixed with sand ; in some places a loam
of great fertility ; and on the slope of the hill descend-
ing to the bank of the Tyne, a mixture of clay and
loam remarkably productive. In this parish the farms
vary in extent from 120 to 600 acres. The system of
agriculture is in a highly improved state, and the five-
shift course of husbandry generally prevalent. The crops
are, grain of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips, which last
are of comparatively recent introduction. Bone-dust and
rape manure are used extensively, and with so much
benefit as to have reduced the sale of Vw\e about one-
half. The farm-buildings are substantial and well
arranged, the lands inclosed, and the fences, partly
stone dykes and partly hedges of thorn, kept in good
order : the furrow-draining is effected by drains in some
parts constructed of stone, but generally of tiles. A
society for the encouragement of agriculture, instituted
by the late General Fletcher, has merged into the East
Lothian United Agricultural Society, who hold a meet-
ing annually at Salton for the distribution of premiums.
The substratum is principally limestone, in which various
species of fossil shells are found embedded ; and between
the strata are veins of freestone and whinstone. It is
generally believed that seams of coal lie under the lime-
stone ; but as there are collieries in the vicinity, afford-
ing an abundant supply at a very moderate cost, no at-
tempt has been made to ascertain the fact. Two lime-
stone quarries are extensively wrought ; and adjoining
each is a kiln constructed on the best principles, for
burning the produce into lime. On the lands of Salton
is also a quarry of freestone, chiefly worked for the te-
nants of that estate ; the stone is of good quality for
building, but of a reddish colour. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £5031.
Salton Hall, the seat of Mr. Fletcher, to whom nearly
four fifths of the lands in the parish belong, is an
ancient castellated mansion formerly strongly fortified,
but partly modernised and greatly improved and embel-
lished by the present family. It is surrounded by an
extensive park, well wooded, and comprising fine speci-
mens of stately timber ; the lawns, pleasure-grounds, and
gardens are tastefully laid out, and the scenery is embel-
lished with the winding waters of the Salton river.
The house contains numerous stately apartments, and
is enriched with a well-assorted library of more than
5000 volumes. Herdmanston, the property of Lord
Sinclair, and lately the residence of the Honourable
Adam Gillies, one of the senators of the College of Jus-
tice, is a handsome mansion of considerable antiquity,
and still retains many of its original features. This
was also a fortification of great strength ; parts of the
battlements and some of its turrets are still remaining,
and the fosse by which it was surrounded, though
nearly filled up, may yet be traced. The village of East
Salton is situated nearly in the centre of the parish, and
on the brow of the hill, commanding an extensive view
of the finest and most richly cultivated portions of East
Lothian, with the sea, and the coast of Fife. It is inha-
bited by persons employed in agriculture, and the various
trades that are carried on for the supply of the parish.
West Salton is a mile to the west of East Salton, and
nearly on the margin of the Salton water ; it has a
bridge over the river, and in its general character and
appearance, though situated on much lower ground,
differs but little from East Salton. The weaving of
SALT
SAND
Holland cloth, on its introduction into Britain by the
lady of Henry Fletcher of Salton, who had visited Hol-
land for that purpose, attended by two experienced
mechanics disguised as servants, was established in this
parish in 1750, and conducted for a time on a very ex-
tensive scale, supplying the whole of Scotland. In the
same year the British Linen Company formed their first
bleach'field, under the patronage of Lord Milton ; and
other manufactories were established here, all of which
have long ceased to exist. The only manufacture worth
notice now carried on is that of bricks and tiles for roof-
ing and draining, established in 1834 by the present
proprietor on his own lands. There is facility of inter-
course with the neighbouring market-towns of Hadding-
ton and Dalkeith, by means of good roads, of which the
road from Edinburgh to Duuse passes for three miles
through the parish ; and at West Salton is a post-office,
which has a daily delivery.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Had-
dington, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the
patronage of Mr. Fletcher : the minister's stipend is
£271. 6. 10., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £15
per annum, Salton church, situated in the village of
East Salton, is an ancient structure enlarged and almost
rebuilt in 1805 ; it is in the later English style, with a
square embattled tower surmounted by a handsome
spire, erected at the expense of General Fletcher, and
is adapted for a congregation of 400 persons. The pa-
rochial school, also at East Salton, affords education to
about seventy scholars ; the master has a salary of
£34. 4. a year, £20 fees, and £6 from Bishop Burnet's
augmentation fund, with a house and garden. There is
likewise a school in the village of West Salton, the mas-
ter of which has a salary of £'20 from Bishop Burnet's
fund, with £20 fees, and a house and an acre and a half
of land given by General Fletcher, who also erected a
spacious schoolroom. A library in the manse for the
use of the minister, originated by a Mr. Norman Leslie,
has been greatly augmented by an appropriation of part
of Burnet's fund, 'fhere are a good library for the use
of the Sunday scholars, and a branch of the East Lo-
thian Itinerating Library. In the south-west portion
of the parish are the remains of an ancient camp of
elliptical form, consisting of two concentric intrench-
ments. The inner area is about 500 feet in circumfer-
ence, and between it and the exterior is a fosse ten feet
in breadth, now nearly filled up. This work is supposed
to be either of Pictish or Danish origin. Within the
park of Herdmanston are the remains of a chapel erected
by John dc St. Clair in the thirteenth century; it is
now used as a burial-place by the Sinclair family, and
in it are two tombs inscribed to William de St. Clair
and Sibilla his wife. A few yards to the north is a frag-
ment of the ancient castle, consisting of one arch, on
the key-stone of which is the date of erection.
William Dunbar, the poet, has been generally consi-
dered a native of this place, but on very questionable
authority. Patrick Scougal, afterwards Bishop of Aber-
deen, was incumbent for about five years till 1664 ; and
Henry Scougal, his son, author of The Life of God in the
Soul o/.V/nn, and professor of divinity in King's College,
Aberdeen, in which office he died, in the twenty-eighth
year of his age, was born here in I66O. Gilbert Burnet,
Bishop of Sarum, was presented by the crown, in 1665,
to the incumbency of this parish, which he held till
448
1669, when he was appointed professor of theology in
the university of Glasgow. Andrew Fletcher, distin-
guished for his opposition to the Union of Scotland ;
and his nephew, Andrew, Lord Milton, lord justice-clerk,
were both natives of Salton.
SAMPHREY, an isle, in the parish of Mid and
South Yell, county of Shetland ; containing 36 in-
habitants. It is a small island lying in Yell sound,
about a mile and a half southward from Biga island.
SAMUELSTON, a village, in the parish of Glads-
MuiR, county of Haddington; containing 215 inha-
bitants. This village, which is situated on the north
bank of the river Tyne, consists of irregularly built and
widely detached houses. It is chiefly inhabited by per-
sons employed in agricultural pursuits, and in the various
trades requisite for the supply of the district. The
inhabitants formerly carried on an extensive trade in
meal ; and though it has been greatly diminished, there
are still two corn-mills, to one of which is attached a
saw-mill for cutting palings and other purposes. A
school of about thirty children has been established in
the village ; the master has a house and garden rent-
free, in addition to the fees, which are inconsiderable.
SAND, an isle, in the parish of Small Isles, county
of Argyll. This is a small islet, constituting the south-
east side of the harbour of Canna, and separated from
Canna island by a strait that is nearly dry at every ebb-
ing of the tide. It is suitable both for cultivation and
pasture, and is inhabited by a few persons.
SANDA, an island, in the parish of Southend, dis-
trict of Cantyre, county of Argyll; containing 11
inhabitants. This is a small island, lying near the outer
extremity of the peninsula of Cantyre, and measuring
about a mile and a half in length and half a mile in
breadth. Its name is of Scandinavian origin, and sig-
nifies "sand island." Here is a good natural harbour,
but between the island and the main land the sea is
extremely turbulent and dangerous, and for two or three
months in the year the place cannot be approached by
a small boat. Sanda was a common station for the
Scandinavian fleets during the contests so long carried
on for the possession of Cantyre and the neighbouring
islands. There yet exist here the ruins of an old chapel
dedicated to St. Columba. On the east side of the island
are two islets covered with excellent pasture ; and about a
league to the south is a dangerous sunken rock, a mile in
circumference, called Paterson's rock. — See Southend.
SANDA, an island, in the county of Orkney, 16
miles (N. E. by N.) from Kirkwall; containing 1892 in-
habitants. Tliis island, which is situated between the
island of North Ronaldshay and that of Stronsay, the
latter lying to the south, is bomulcd on the west by the
Atlantic Ocean, and on the north and east by North
Ronaldshay Firth, which is about seven miles broad.
It is twelve miles in length, and of extremely irregular
form, varying from half a mile to nearly three miles in
breadth. The coasts are indented on all sides with
spacious l)ays, the princijial of which are the bay of
Osterwick on the north, and that of Kettlctoft on the
south ; and of the numerous bold licadlands that project
into the firths, the most i)ron>inent are Whitcmill and
Taftsness to the north, the Start and Tressness to the
east, and Elsness and Spurness to the south. The is-
land comprises the two parishes of Cross and Lady,
which are described under their respective beads.
SAND
SAND
SANDEND, a fishing-village, in the parish of For-
DYCE, county of Banff, '2 miles (W. by N.) from Port-
soy; containing '25'2 inhabitants. This village, which
takes its name from its sandy beach, is situated on the
western shore of a small but secure bay of its own name,
in the Moray Firth. The bay is sheltered on the east
by the boldly projecting headland of Redhyth. The
inhabitants are chiefly employed in the lime quarries
near the village, which are in extensive operation, and
in the cod and herring fisheries off the coast, in which
they employ seven boats, each having a crew of four
men. The fisheries are generally attended with success,
and a great number of herrings are cured, and sent to
different markets, especially to Portsoy, whence they
are shipped to various parts of the Baltic by the vessels
which arrive at that port with cargoes of bones. In
successful seasons these fisheries are very lucrative. The
fishermen realise during an ordinaryseason a clear profit
of about £30 each. Every crew of four men pays to the
proprietor a rent of £4. 3. 4., for which a new boat is
supplied once in seven years, if required.
SANDFORD, a village, in the parish of Stonehouse,
Middle ward of the county of Lanark, I5 mile (S. E.)
from Strathaven ; containing II6 inhabitants. This
village is situated in the extreme south-west part of the
parish, and on the borders of the parish of Avondale,
which is here separated from Stonehouse by the Kype
water. The population is partly engaged in manufac-
tures and handicraft trades. Of five schools in the
parish, two are in this village.
SANDHEADj a village, in the parish of Stoney-
KiRK, county of Wigtown, 2 miles (S. S. E.) from the
village of Stoneykirk ; containing 140 inhabitants. This
small village is situated on the western shore of the bay
of Luce, and chiefly inhabited by persons engaged in
fishing. The fish caught are principally cod, which are
to be found in abundance, especially in the Irish Chan-
nel ; and various kinds of shell-fish are thrown on the
sands ; but of neither description is more taken than is
sufficient for the supply of the inhabitants of the district.
Sandhead bay is capacious, easy of access, and affords
safe accommodation for the vessels engaged in the fish-
ery, and good anchorage for sloops, which bring cargoes
of lime and coal from Whitehaven, Glasgow, and Liver-
pool. A post-office under the office at Stranraer has been
established in the village, and there are small inns.
SANDNESS.— See^WALLS and Sandness.
SANDRA, or Sanderay, an isle, in the parish of
Barra, county of Inverness; containing 14 inhabit-
ants. It is an isle of the Hebrides, situated in the
sound of the same name, about five miles south-east of
Barra ; and is two miles in length and of equal breadth.
On the east coast of the island is a Danish dnn.
SANDSTING and AITHSTING, a parish, in the
county of Shetland, 12 miles (W. N. W.) from Ler-
wick ; containing, with the islands of Little Papa and
Vementry, 2478 inhabitants. This parish lies in about
the middle of the Mainland, and is bounded on the
south and south-west by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the
north by the Minn, or Swarbach's Minn, a large arm of
the sea by which it is separated from the island of
Mnckle Roe. It is about ten miles in length and eight
in breadth, comprising large tracts of pasture and peat-
moss ; 777 merks of land under cultivation, which are
liable to public burthens ; and a very considerable ex-
VoL. IL— 449
tent of land, also under cultivation, taken from the pas-
ture or common, and paying no public burthens. The
shore of that part washed by the ocean is bold and
rugged, and marked by several curious natural caves,
frequented by seals and wild-fowl ; and the land in every
part, both on the north and south, is intersected with
voes, forming numerous well-secured natural harbours.
Of these. Grilling, Olla, and j4ir.<i of Seliroe are the prin-
cipal, affording excellent anchorage for vessels of heavy
burthen. On the south of the parish are the two voes
of Skeld ; and at a little distance, in the same direction,
are the entrances to Selivoe and Sandvoe. Seliroe is
remarkable for the unruffled tranquillity of its waters,
and the firmness of its anchorage, consisting of a strong,
blue, tenacious clay ; but Sandvoe, being much exposed,
and having a very loose bottom, is considered an inse-
cure and dangerous station. In addition to these, are
Sandsound roe, which extends upwards of five miles in-
land ; West Burriijirtli, on the north of Aithsting ; and
Brindister voe ; all of them, with the exception of Burra-
firth, commodious harbours having good anchorage.
Of the several others, Aith's voe is the chief, an inland
harbour of great extent, and affording tolerable accom-
modation for shipping. Among the various islands and
holms belonging to the parish, the smaller of which are
used only for grazing a few cows or sheep in summer
time, Vementry and Little Papa, both of which are inha-
bited, hold the most conspicuous place. The former is
of considerable size, covered partly with heather and
partly with verdant sward, and depastured by about 400
sheep, chiefly of the white-faced breed, with numerous
black-cattle. Little Papa, which is of smaller size, and
its pasture of inferior quality, is also grazed by several
head of black-cattle, and by about 200 sheep, which are
a cross of the white and black faced kinds.
The surface of the interior, of which no part is dis-
tant more than a mite from the sea, is chiefly marked by
a succession of knolls or inconsiderable elevations, there
being no remarkable hills, nor any lengthened tract of
low ground. These eminences are covered with heather,
interspersed with green patches ; and there are nume-
rous lochs in the parish, not fewer indeed than 140,
some of them large, and containing a stock of fine trout.
The land under cultivation is in general contiguous to
the shore. In some places the soil is sandy, in some
clayey, and in others a light brown earth ; but its pro-
minent character is that of moss, which runs very deep,
and affords the inhabitants a never-failing supply of
excellent fuel : in the moss are often found embedded, at
a great depth, fragments of birch and other wood. The
ordinary crops are bear, oats, and potatoes ; the last
occupy about one fourth of the ground under tillage.
Cabbages, turnips, and carrots thrive well, especially
carrots; and in the horticultural department, goose-
berries and currants, strawberries, rhubarb, mint, and
all kinds of culinary vegetables and herbs, arrive at per-
fection. The farms are generally of about three or four
acres only, and are under spade husbandry, not more
than two or three ploughs being in use ; the harrows
are entirely of wood, of the most simple construction,
and drawn over the ground by a man or woman by
means of ropes. The land, as in most Shetland parishes
where agriculture is in a rude state, consists of in-field
and out-field, and is, as it is called, run-rig, being but
scantily protected in any part by fences. The tenants'
3 M
SAND
SAND
cottages are of the meanest possible description ; but
the inmates appear to be reconciled to them by use.
Large numbers of sheep are reared, mostly of the native
breed, but now frequently crossed with the black and
the white faced : black-cattle and ponies are numerous ;
and there is a small, bristly, yet excellent breed of pigs,
one or two of which are generally kept by each family.
In the parish are about fifty mills turned by water, and
an almost unlimited number of hand-mills.
The rocks comprehend gneiss, limestone, blue and red
granite, also felspar, and several other varieties ; and at
a small distance from Tresta, a layer of porcelain earth
of a whitish hue is found. Near Innersand, chromate
of iron was quarried some years since ; but the profit
not being sufficient, the operations were afterwards dis-
continued. There are a few trees which thrive well in
favoured situations, such as the alder-tree and mountain-
ash ; and the holms in some of the fresh-water lochs
exhibit good specimens of hazel, brier, honeysuckle, and
willow ; but the excessive moisture of the climate, toge-
ther with the sea-spray, the long-continued rains and
storms, and the depredations of the cattle when pressed
for forage, forbid the hope of any thing like a regular
plantation in the locality. There are three good man-
sions ; Sand House, built in 1754 ; Garder House, built
about 1760 ; and Reawick, a plain structure of recent
date. Fishing here, as in the rest of the islands, engages
much attention. The taking of ling commences in May
or June ; that of cod, which is carried on in sloops of
from twenty to forty tons' burthen, begins about the
same time, and early herring-fishing has been prosecuted
some years, commencing in June. Formerly the herring-
fishing succeeded the taking of cod and ling. Besides
these three kinds of fish, tusk and other varieties are
taken : in most of the firths, haddock, whiting, flounder,
halibut, skate, and mackerel are plentiful, with sillocks
and piltocks ; also shell-fish of every description. A
fair is held annually at Whitsuntide, and another at
Martinmas, for cattle and horses ; the fish cured in the
parish is sent mostly to Spain, and the remainder to
Leith, Liverpool, and to Ireland.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
OInafirth, synod of Shetland, and in the patronage of
the Earl of Zetland. The minister's stipend is £158, of
which upwards of a fourth is received from the exche-
quer; with a manse, built in 1817, which is in a very
dilapidated state, and a glebe valued at £9 per annum.
The church was built in 1780, and reseated in 18'24, and
contains sittings for 437 persons. Aithsting church
was accidentally burnt down in February 184'2. There
is a meeting-house for Independents, and another for
Wesleyans. The parochial school, the premises for
which were built in 1803, at the cost of £105, affords
instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic, and book-
keeping; the master has a salary of £'26, with a dwelling,
and the fees. There are also two schools supported by
the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, who
grant the teachers salaries of £15 each; and an Assem-
bly's school, the master of which has a salary of £'21.
An institution called "the Shetland Fishermen's Fund"
was established in 1810, for the relief of aged and de-
cayed fishermen, and the widows of fishermen ; it is
managed by twelve directors, and has been of much
benefit to the parish among the objects for whom the
charity was designed. The district contains numerous
450
barrows or tumuli, supposed places of sepulture of the
aucieut Scandinavians ; and several forts built on high
ground for watch-towers and other purposes. There
are also five burying-places, at one of which, at Sand, a
mile distant from Kirk-holm, is still the chancel of a
church which tradition reports to have been constructed
out of gratitude for the kindness of the inhabitants, by
the crew of one of the ships of the Spanish Armada that
was wrecked here in 1588. The sufferers had at first
taken refuge and fortified themselves in Kirk-holm; and
remains of their works are yet visible on the isle.
SANDWICK, a parish, in the county of Orkney,
14 miles (W. N. W.) from Kirkwall; containing 1033
inhabitants. This parish, which derives its name from
the sandy bay whereon it is situated, was lately disjoined
from that of Stromness. It is bounded on the north by
the parish of Birsay, on the east by that of Harray and
the loch of Stenness, on the south by the parish of
Stromness, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean.
Sandwick is about six miles in extreme length and
nearly four miles in mean breadth, comprising an area
of 10,7'20 acres, of which '2294 are arable, 3'2'24 pasture,
and the remainder undivided common and waste. Its
surface is diversified with hills, which form a range
towards the western boundary, and of which those of
Vcstrafiold and Yonbell to the north, and Gyran and
Lingafiold to the south, stretch from the sea, diminish-
ing in height towards the east, and sloping gradually to
the shore of the loch. The coast, which is about four
miles in length, is precipitously steep, rising in some parts
to a perpendicular height of 300 feet above the level of
the sea. The waves have washed away the softer portions
of the rock, and formed numerous caverns, separated
by the harder portions, which have the appearance of
isolated columns. The rocks are frequented by pigeons
and various kinds of wild-fowl ; and the views from the
eminences on the shore combine scenes of romantic
grandeur and of milder beauty, embracing the Atlantic,
and the most fertile and most highly cultivated of the
Orkney islands. In this parish the soil differs greatly
in different parts : to the east of the bay, for some dis-
tance, it is a loose sand shifting with the wind; in other
parts a yellow clay, and in the valleys a rich black loam
alternated with clay. The principal crops are oats and
bear, with some potatoes. Except in a few instances,
the system of husbandry is in a very backward state,
the chief improvements hitherto introduced being in the
breed of horses, and the use of good agricultural imple-
ments : the farm houses and offices are indifferent; and
from the short duration of the leases, the tenants of the
siriallcr farms have little incentive to improve them. The
cattle are of the breed common to the isies, and hardly
any attempt has been made to better the stock.
There is no wood ; but within the last few years two
plantations of common and mountain ash, plane, elm, wil-
low, &c., have been made, which appear to thrive. The
rocks are ])rincii)ally granite, sandstone flag, sandstone,
and trap. Slates of various kinds, and of different degrees
of thickness, are {piarriod for roofing : a dark kind of
limestone is also found liere, which is l)urnt for lime; and
a liard description of sandstone lying near the granite is
generally used for millstones. Many of the strata contain
fossil fish and plants. The principal manufacture is
that of straw plat, which affords employment to most
of the younger females ; the manufacture of kelp is like-
SAND
S A N D
wise carried on, but to no great extent, not more than
seven or eight tons being made annually. Cod, haddock,
skate, and herrings are obtained from the Atlantic in
sufficient number tor the supply of the inhabitants ; and
also lobsters, many of which are sent to the London
market : trout are found in the loch of Stenness. A
fair for cattle is held in June, near the eastern boundary
of the parish. There is no village. Letters are delivered
through the Stromness post-office, and some facilities of
communication are afforded by a well-constructed road
which passes for two miles through the parish.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Cairston and synod of Orkney.
The minister's stipend, including £8. 6. 8. for communion
elements, is £158. 6. 8., of which £6. 5. 6. are paid from
the exchequer; with a manse built in 1633, and a glebe
valued at £12 per annum : patron, the Earl of Zetland.
Sand wick church, erected in 1836, partly on the founda-
tion of an ancient structure, is inconveniently situated
on the sea-shore ; it is a neat edifice containing 564
sittings. There are places of worship for the United
Presbyterian Synod and Independents. The parochial
school is well attended ; the master has a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, but the fees are
very inconsiderable, averaging not more than one shilling
per quarter for each scholar. A parochial library has
been established, which contains nearly 400 volumes.
On the western coast are some remains of the ancient
castle of Snusgar : in the township of Yeskenaby are
remains of a small church with a cemetery. Near the
base of the hill of Lingafiold is a cromlech ; and there
is another cromlech in the parish ; which also abounds
with tumuli and barrows. Many of these have been
opened, and found to contain pieces of burnt bone, urns,
and other relics. One of the barrows, opened by the
minister, was about fifty yards in circumference and seven
feet and a half in height, formed of a moist adhesive
clay, and covered by a flag- stone, on the removal of which
the grave appeared as perfect as when first made.
SANDWICK, an isle, in the parish of Mid and
South Yell, county of Shetland. It is a very small
isle, situated in the sound of Yell, and a short distance
from the western coast of the island of that name. Be-
tween it and the Mainland of Shetland is the isle of
Stour-bolra.
SANDWICK and CUNNINGSBURGH, a quoad
sacra parish, in the parish of Dunrossness, county of
Orkney and Shetland, 9 miles (S. by W.) from Ler-
wick ; containing 2167 inhabitants. This place com-
prises the ancient parishes of Sandwick and Cunnings-
burgh, anne.xed at an early period to Dunrossness, from
which they were separated for ecclesiastical purposes,
under act of the General Assembly, and erected into one
quoad sacra parish. The district occupies that portion
of the southern peninsula of Shetland which extends
from Dunrossness Proper, on the south, to the parish of
Quarff, on the north ; and is bounded on the east by
the North Sea, and on the west by the sound of Cliff,
It is nearly eleven miles in extreme length, and varies
from two miles and a half to almost six miles in breadth,
comprising about 20,000 acres, of which not more than
1200 are arable, and the remainder moorland pasture,
moss, and waste. The surface is diversified with hills
of moderate height, chiefly covered with moss ; and the
scenery, notwithstanding the want of timber and planta-
451
tions, is not wholly destitute of interest. The shores
are bold and rugged ; and between the headlands of
Ilaly Ness, on the north, and No Ness, on the south, is
the small island of Mousa, off the eastern coast of Sand-
wick. On this island are the remains of an ancient
Scandinavian fortress or Pictish castle, the most perfect
probably in Europe, consisting of a circular tower fifty
feet in diameter and forty-two feet in height ; the walls
are about ten feet in thickness, with an intermediate
space between the outer and inner surfaces. It is situ-
ated close to the shore ; and immediately opposite, on
the main land, are the ruins of a similar fortress, around
which are the foundations of several small houses.
There are no rivers in the parish : a small stream flows
from Cliff sound, and falls into the sea near the hamlet
of Cunningsburgh, at the head of Sandwick bay ; and
there is another streamlet, of equal size, in the neigh-
bourhood of Channerwick.
The soil of the arable land is tolerably fertile, but
nothing that can properly be called a system of hus-
bandry has been introduced. The parish is generally
inhabited by persons engaged in the fisheries off the
coast; and to their cottages, which are scattered in
clusters, are attached small portions of land in the
cultivation of which they employ themselves during the
intervals of the fishing-season, for the maintenance of
their families. The mosses afford abundance of peat
for fuel : almost in the immediate vicinity of the seve-
ral cottages are tracts of moss, on which the people
have a right of cutting turf. Some few families use
coal, obtained chiefly from the north of England. Stone
of good quality for building, and a greyslate which is
well adapted for roofing, are quarried to a moderate
extent ; limestone is also found in abundance, and
there are kilns for burning it at Cunningsburgh. To-
wards the close of the last century, a vein of copper
was discovered at Sand Lodge, and was wrought for
some time by a company from England ; but not being
found sufficiently productive to remunerate the working
of it, it was soon after abandoned, and the mine has not
been re-opened.
The fish taken here are ling, tusk, saith or coal-fish,
cod, skate, halibut, haddock, flounders, and other kinds
of white-fish ; and during the herring season, which
usually commences about the beginning of August and
continues till the end of September, the inhabitants are
engaged in the herring-fishery, for which a considerable
number of large boats have been fitted up at a great ex-
pense. For some years past the herring-fishery has not
been very successful, though in favourable seasons several
thousand barrels of fish have been taken by the boats
belonging to the parish, for the accommodation of which
there is a convenient harbour. The fish caught here are
purchased by the merchants of Lerwick, the nearest
market-town, and are sent thence by vessels to various
markets on the English and Irish coasts. Sand Lodge
is a neat modern mansion situated on the shore, and to
which several additions have been made by the proprietor.
There is no village properly so called, and the facilities
of inland communication are inconsiderable ; a turnpike-
road from Lerwick to Dunrossness was commenced a
few years since, but it was discontinued for want of
funds. Ecclesiastically the district is within the limits
of the presbytery of Lerwick and synod of Shetland.
The minister's stipend is £120, paid from the exchequer,
3 M 2
S ANQ
S ANQ
with a manse built by government, a garden, and an
acre of uninclosed land ; patron, the Crown. The church,
erected by the heritors in 180", at a cost of £'00, is a
neat substantial structure situated on a level green at
the head of Sandwick bay, and contains nearly 600
sittings. There are also places of worship for Wesleyans
and Independents. The parochial school of Dunross-
ness, situated here, is attended by about sixty children ;
the master has a salary of £25. 13. 4., with a house, an
allowance of £2. 2. iu lieu of garden, and the fees. A
school is supported by the Society for Propagating
Christian Knowledge ; and there are two small sub-
scription libraries, one iu Sandwick, the other at Cun-
ningsburgh.
SANDYHILLS, a village, in the former ecclesiastical
district of Shettleston, parish of Barony, county of
Lanark, and within the jurisdiction of the city of Glas-
gow ; 3 miles (E.) from Glasgow. It is situated in the
south-eastern part of the parish, and on the high road
from Glasgow to Airdrie. The population consists of
persons employed in the collieries in the vicinity, in
hand-loom weaving, and in agriculture.
SANQUHAR, a royal
burgh and a parish, in the
county of Dcmfries, 12
miles (N. W.) from Thorn-
hill, and 57 (S. W. by S.)
from Edinburgh ; contain-
ing, with the villages of
Wanlockhead and Crawick-
mill, and the hamlets of Cra-
wickbridge and Windyedge,
3577 inhabitants, of whom
163S are in the burgh. This
place, which is of great anti-
quity, appears at a very early period to have been in-
cluded in the possessions of a younger branch of the
Ross family, lords of the Isles ; from whom it passed,
by marriage with the daughter of the last Ross, lord of
Sanquhar, to William, sou of Thomas, Lord Crichton, in
the reign of Robert Bruce. The barony was subse-
quently purchased from the Crichton family by Sir William
Douglas, of Drumlanrig, and is now the property of the
Duke of Buccleuch, who derives the inferior title of Earl
of Sanquhar from this place. The town is pleasantly
situated at a short distance from the river Nith, on the
high road from Dumfries to Ayr, and consists principally
of one spacious street nearly a mile in length. A public
library was established in 1800 ; it contains nearly 1900
volumes, and is supported by subscription, There is
also a Freemasons' lodge. One of the chief branches of
trade is the weaving of cotton for the Glasgow manufac-
turers, who supply the yarn : this affords employment
to about 100 men ; and the tambouring of muslin is also
pursued to a considerable extent, about 400 females be-
ing engaged in it. The knitting of stockings, formerly
very extensive, and carried to a high degree of perfec-
tion, is almost discontinued. An extensive carpet-
manufacture has Ijcen established at the village of Cra-
wickmill, in which are numeroiis looms of the most aj)-
proved construction, with the rc(|uisite machinery for
preiiaring, dyeing, and spinning the yarn. In this es-
tablisliment, in which more than 200 persons are em-
ployed, about eighty tons of wool and 20,000 pounds of
English worsted yarns are annually consumed. A few
452
Bun
of the carpets are sold in the immediate neighbourhood,
and iiome are sent to the London market ; but the
greater number are exported to North and South America,
to Hamburgh, and St. Petersburgh. Four fairs are held,
one every quarter, and four annual markets ; the former
for general business, and the sale of shoes, onions, and
other articles ; and the latter for cattle.
The town was erected into a royal burgh by charter
of James VI., granted to Robert Crichton, lord of San-
quhar, in 1596, and under which the government is
vested in a provost, three bailies, a dean of guild, a
treasurer, and eleven councillors. There are five incor-
porated trades, the weavers, tailors, hammermen, shoe-
makers, and squaremen ; but none of them possess any
exclusive privileges. The magistrates exercise the usual
civil and criminal jurisdiction. The town-hall, situated at
the end of the High-street, was built at the sole expense
of the Duke of Queensberry, and is a neat structure with
a tower. Sanquhar is associated with Annan, Dumfries,
Kirkcudbright, and Lochmaben, in returning a member
to the imperial parliament ; the number of registered
voters is fifty-one. A savings' bank, in which the sums
deposited amount to £5000, was opened in the town in
1819. Facility of communication is afforded by turn-
pike and other roads, which are kept in excellent order ;
and by bridges over the Nith and the other streams.
The Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle railway will pass
by Sanquhar. A post-office is established, and the
British Linen Company have a branch bank here, opened
in 1S31.
The PARISH is about eighteen miles in length, and of
varying breadth, comprising an area of 38,880 acres, of
which 5513 are arable, 735 acres woodland and planta-
tions, and the remainder hill pasture, moorland, and
waste. It is bounded on the north-east and south-west
by hills of considerable elevation, of which Lowther on
the north-east, connected by a chain of heights with the
Hartfell mountains, towers 3130 feet above the level of
the sea, while Black-Larg hill on the south-west, near
the junction of the counties of Ayr and Galloway, is
2890 feet in height. The lands are divided into two
nearly equal portions by the river Nith, which intersects
the parish from south-east to north-west, and on both
sides of which extends a fine vale more than five miles
in length, whence the grounds have a gradual acclivity.
The Nith flows with a serpentine course, receiving iu its
progress the Crawick and the Minnick on the north-east,
and the Euchan and the Killoe on the south-west, with
numerous smaller streams. In the vale the soil is in
general dry and gravelly, in some parts a rich loam ; at
a greater distance from the river, on both sides, it is
chiefly clay and moss, deep, and well adapted for pasture.
The crops are oats, barley, jjotatoes, and turnips. The
system of husbandry has been improved ; draining is
extensively practised, and the lands have been inclosed :
the farm-houses are mostly commodious. Great atten-
tion is paid to the rearing and management of live-stock.
The cattle are usually of the native breed; and the sheep,
of which more tlian 20,000 arc kept, are all of the black-
faced breed, with the exception of about 2000 of the
Cheviot, and a few of the Leicestershire. There are 280
acres of natural wood along the banks of the rivers, con-
sisting of oak, birch, and hazel ; and on the lands of
Eliock arc above 450 acres of plantations of oak, ash,
mountain-ash, elm, birch, beech, hazel, Swedish maple.
S A U C
SC A L
larch, spruce, silver-fir, balm of Gilead, and Scotch fir ;
all under excellent management and in a very thriving
state. The substrata are limestone, whinstone, and
greywacke ; with coal and lead-ore. The limestone,
which is found only between the town of Sanquhar and
the village of Wanlockhead, has been wrought, but not
with any great success. The coal is found in great
abundance in the valley of the Nith, and at present
three mines belonging to the Duke of Buccleuch are in
operation, employing about sixty men ; the produce is
of good quality. There is also a seam, the property of
the burgh, in which twenty men are employed. The
lead-ore is extensively wrought at the village of Wan-
lockhead, which is described under its own head. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £9,'399.
Eliock House, the seat of James Veitch, Esq., about two
miles from the town, is an ancient mansion, and sup-
posed to have been the birthplace of the Admirable
Crichton.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Penpont and synod of Dum-
fries. The minister's stipend is £264. 19. "2., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per annum ; patron,
the Duke of Buccleuch. Sanquhar church, erected in
18'24, is an elegant structure in the later English style of
architecture, and contains 1000 sittings. A chapel, or
preaching station, in connexion with the Established
Church, was built at Wanlockhead in 1*5.5, by the
mining company, for the benefit of the persons employed
in the mines ; it contains250 sittings, and the minister has
a stipend of £65, paid by the Duke of Buccleuch, with a
house, and a small portion of land. There are places of
worship for members of the Free Church, the United
Presbyterian Church, Reformed Presbyterians, and Bap-
tists. The parochial schoolmaster has a salary of £.'34.
4. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees ; also the
interest of £100 bequeathed by the late Rev. David
Martin, a native of the parish, and a clergyman of the
Church of England. The Crichton school, the master of
which has a salary of £58, was erected within the last
few years, at a cost of £3000, including the site of the
building and the endowment for the master. A school
is also supported by the mining company in the village
of Wanlockhead. The remains of the ancient castle of
Sanquhar are situated on an eminence in the vicinity of
the town, and form an interesting and picturesque ruin ;
it was for some time in the possession of the English
during the reign of Edward I., but was retaken by Sir
William Douglas, who put the garrison to the sword.
The Rev. Andrew Thomson, an eminent divine, and
minister of St. George's church, in the city of Edinburgh,
who died in 1831, was a native of this parish.
SARCLET, a village, in the parish of Wick, county
of Caithness, 5 miles (S.) from Wick ; containing 138
inhabitants. This village, which is inhabited chiefly by
fishermen, is situated on a gently-rising ground in the
south-eastern part of the parish, overlooking a small cove
in the Moray Firth, which, at a considerable expense, has
been formed into a good harbour for fishing-boats.
SAUCHER, a hamlet, in the parish of Collage,
county of Perth, | a mile (N. W.) from the village of
Collace ; containing 68 inhabitants. In the neighbour-
hood are the celebrated hdls of Dunsinnan.
SAUCHIEBOG, a village, in the parish of Cambus-
LANG, Middle ward of the county of Lanark ; contain-
453
ing lOS inhabitants. This is one of thirteen small vil-
lages within the parish, the population of which is em-
ployed in the collieries of the district, and, from the
proximity to Glasgow, in the manufactures of that city.
In this village are about thirty dwelling-houses, chiefly
occupied by weavers.
SCALLOWAY, a village, in the district of Ting-
wall, parish of Tingwall, Whiteness, and Wees-
dale, county of Shetland, 6 miles (S. by W.) from
Lerwick ; containing 405 inhabitants. This place, the
name of which is said to signify " the harbour by the
mansion-houses ", was in ancient times the capital of
Shetland ; a burgh ; and the occasional residence of the
Earls of Orkney and Shetland, as well as of nearly all
the persons of consideration belonging to the islands.
After the cession of Shetland to the crown of Scotland,
the principal court of law, which under the crown of
Denmark had been held in a small island in the loch of
Tingwall, was removed to Scalloway, and the Foud or
chief magistrate himself resided here. But the most
memorable facts connected with the history of the
place, relate to the government and tyranny of Earl
Patrick Stewart, who, in 1600, obtained from the crown
a grant of the Shetland Isles, and erected a splendid
castle at Scalloway, the ruins of which are still imposing.
Here he took up his residence, and so cruelly oppressed
the inhabitants by laying on them numberless intolerable
burthens, and by other abuse of his unlimited authority,
which placed their lives at his disposal, that the par-
liament, about the year 1612, in consequence of an
appeal from the inhabitants, revoked his charter, and
annexed the lordship to the crown ; and the earl, two
years afterwards, was executed for high treason. The
village is situated at the south-western extremity of the
Tingwall district, at the foot of a valley consisting of
one of the finest and most fertile tracts in the country,
having a rich soil incumbent on a stratum of valuable
grey limestone. East of Scalloway stands the ancient
castle, on the margin of an excellent harbour called
Scalloway Voe : the building was occupied in the time
of Cromwell as barracks by his soldiery, who are said to
have introduced the cultivation of the cabbage, with
other improvements. Mr. Scott, the chief proprietor,
has a residence and garden in the village, where there
are several other good family houses ; but the place is
principally distinguished as a fishing-station, and has
risen to a condition of much prosperity within the last
few years, chiefly through the attention paid to the
taking of herrings, about 15,000 barrels of which were
shipped in a late year. A church has been erected for
the benefit of the village and neighbourhood ; and there
is a small place of worship for Independents ; also a
school supported by the Society for Propagating Chris-
tian Knowledge.
SCALPA, an island, in the parish of Strath (Isle of
Skye), county of Inverness ; containing 90 inhabitants.
This is an island of the Hebrides, lying in the sound be-
tween the Isle of Skye and the main land ; it is a high,
bluff, and rocky island, about five miles in length and
from two to three in breadth. The shores are low, and
formed of a blackish-coloured argillaceous sandstone.
In the highest part of the isle is a petrified rock of moss,
in which are varieties of shells ; and in many of the
higher grounds are found great quantities of shells,
several feet beneath the surface. The channel called the
SCAR
SCON
sound of Scalpa, separating the island from Strath, is
about three-quarters of a mile broad.
SCALPA, a village, in the parish of Kirkwall and
St. Ola, Island of Pomona, county of Orkney, 1^ mile
(S.) from Kirkwall. This is a small village, giving name
to a safe and commodious bay, and is the usual place
of landing from the coast of Caithness. The bay, called
Scalpa Flow, is a beautiful piece of water, being, as it
were, a small Mediterranean about fifty miles in circum-
ference, formed by twelve different islands, through
which are various outlets to the Pentland Firth, the
North Sea, and Atlantic Ocean. In time of war, Scalpa
Flow is the great thoroughfare for vessels coming north.
It abounds with numerous safe roadsteads and good
harbours for vessels of large size, such as Holm sound,
Floxa sound, the bay of Howton, St. Margaret's Hope,
and other places, where is excellent anchorage with suf-
ficient depth of water for ships of the largest class. The
principal entrance to the Flow from the east is through
Holm sound, and from the west through Hoyraouth.
On coming in, the tide is remarkably rapid, but it soon
subsides and becomes scarcely perceptible : the course
of the flood is, with little variation, from east to west ;
and on one part of the coast, where the current is inter-
cepted by a reef of rocks, it runs nine hours in one di-
rection, and three in the direction opposite. The smacks
employed throughout the season in fishing, and carrying
lobsters to the London market, all rendezvous in one or
other of the harbours encircling the Flow. In fine wea-
ther, the sea-banks near the village offer most pleasant
walks to the inhabitants of Kirkwall.
SCALPAY, an island, in the parish of Harris, dis-
trict of Lewis, county of Inverness; containing 31
inhabitants. This is a nearly circular island, lying at
the entrance to East Loch Tarbert, and separated from
the main land of Harris by the narrow strait of Scalpay
sound. Its dimensions are not easily ascertained, owing
to its parts being scarcely coherent, from a singular in-
tervention of lakes and of arms of the sea jutting through
it in various directions ; the extreme points of east and
west may, however, be computed as about three miles
distant from each other. The surface is low, and covered
for the most part with heath. On the eastern extremity
is a lighthouse, erected in 1788 ; and near the western
extremity are two of the best harbours in the Hebrides,
much resorted to by foreign shipping. The island is
called by mariners the Isle of Glass.
SCARBA, an island, in the parish of Jura and
Colonsay, district of Islay, county of Argyll. This
island, which is separated from the northern extremity
of the isle of Jura by the gulf of Coryvreckan, is
about three miles in length and nearly of equal breadth,
comprising an area of eight square miles. Its surface is
mountainous and rocky, and, towards the west, rises
from the Atlantic in abrupt and rugged precipices many
hundred feet in height. The cast side is indented by a
beautifid semicircular bay, from which the shore ascends
in rapid acclivities, interspersed with rocks, and crowned
with considerable tracts of birch and alder, presenting
a strikingly romantic appearance. The gulf of Cory-
vreckan, which is about a mile and three-quarters in
breadth, has in stormy weather a terrific aspect. Ex-
posed to all the fury of the Atlantic on the west, it forms
a dangerous wliirljjool fatal to small vessels at all times,
and frc(|uently to vessels of large burthen.
454
SCARP, an isle, in the parish of Harris, district of
Lewis, countyof Inverness; containing r29 inhabitants.
This is a high conical rocky isle, consisting of a solid
mountain, the diameter of which is about three miles.
It lies on the western side of Harris, at the entrance of
Loch Resort, and is separated from the main land of the
parish bv a narrow sound to which it gives name, some-
what less than a mile broad at high water.
SCARVY, an isle, in the parish of Harris, county
of Inverness. It is one of a cluster of small isles in
the sound of Harris, lying a little south of the islands of
Groay and Gillisay, which belong to the group.
SCONE, a parish, in the county of Perth, 2 miles
(N.) from Perth ; containing 2422 inhabitants, of whom
1364 are in the village of New Scone, and .56 in that of
Old Scone. It is supposed to have derived its name,
signifying in the British language " an ascent", from the
situation of its ancient castle on an acclivity rising gra-
dually from the sliore of the river Tay to a considerable
height. No satisfactory account, however, of the origin
or derivation of the name has yet been given. The place
appears to have been at a very early period the residence
of the kings of Scotland, and the place of their corona-
tion, for which occasions the celebrated stone, called
from an inscription of prophetic import the Stone of
Destiny, is said to have been placed here by Kenneth
Mc Alpine, King of the Scots, who finally subdued the
Picts, and united both nations into one kingdom. An
establishment of Culdees flourished at this place, which
obtained the appellation of the royal city, till the time of
Alexander I., when it was superseded by a priory of
canons regular of the order of St. Augustine, to whom,
according to the chronicles of Melrose, the Culdees re-
signed their church in 1115. Alexander had begun to
erect a castle and a palace at this place, but was ob-
structed in the prosecution of that purpose by a rebel-
lion of his subjects of the counties of Mearns and Moray,
over whom, however, after much peril, he obtained a
complete victory; in gratitude for his success founding
the ABBEY of Scone, in which the inaugural stone was
preserved, and many of his successors were crowned.
After the death of Alexander HI., Edward I. of Eng-
land, availing himself of an assumed superiority over
the kingdom of Scotland, put an end to the contest of
the different aspirants to the throne by nominating
John Baliol, who took the oath of fealty, and was
crowned in the abbey in 1292. A parliament was held
here in 1294, in which some measures were resolved on
that excited the jealousy of Edward, who, entering
Scotland with a powerful army, demanded the sur-
render of the principal fortresses, and, on his return
into England in 1296, took away with him the corona-
tion stone from the abbey of Scone, and placed it in
Westminster Abbey, where it forms the seat of the
chair of Edward the Confessor, used at the coronation
of the sovereign.
The abbey, which was dedicated to the Holy Trinity
and St. Michael, continued to flourish till the Reforma-
tion, when, after all its ornaments had been destroyed,
it was burned together with the palace by a furious mob
from Dundee, in resentment for the loss of one of their
party who had been killed by a shot discharged from
the palace during their work of demolition. The re-
venues of the abbey at this time were estimated at £1 140,
exclusive of considerable i)ayments in grain. Its lands
SCON
SCON
and other possessions belonged afterwards to the Earl
of Gowrie, on whose attainder they reverted to the
crown ; and about 1605 they were erected into a tem-
poral lordship, and granted by James VI. to Sir David
Murray, Lord Scone, and afterwards Viscount Stormont,
ancestor of the Stormont or Mansfield family, the pre-
sent proprietors. Charles II. was crowned here in 16.')I,
in the church of Scone, built probably by the Gowrie
family, and subsequently enlarged by the first Lord
Stormont : after the ceremony. His Majesty returned to
the seat of (the third) Lord Stormont, which formed his
palace on the occasion. Of this palace the Pretender
took possession during his visit in 1*15, previously to
his flight to Dundee on the approach of the royal army ;
as also did Prince Charles, on his visit in 1745.
After the destruction of the abbey the town fell
rapidly into decay. Some of the conventual buildings,
however, were occasionally occupied by the attendants
of James VI., when that king resorted to the place for
the diversion of hunting; and a building for some time
retained the appellation of the Earl of Errol's stables,
from its being occupied on those occasions by the earl,
who attended the king as hereditary grand constable.
There are still remaining an ancient gateway, and part
of the wall that surrounded the old palace ; to the east
of which is the Cross, almost the otdy memorial of the
original town, a pillar thirteen feet high, slightly orna-
mented, and rising from an octagonal pedestal, to which
is an ascent by a flight of steps. The only object of in-
terest in the old town is the splendid mansion of the Earl
of Mansfield, called indifferently the Abbey or Palace
of Scone, erected in ISOS, on the site of a former man-
sion built partly by the Earl of Gowrie after the de-
struction of the palace, and partly by the first Lord
Stormont, but never fully completed, and which was
taken down in 1803. The present palace is a spacious
and elegant structure in the later English style of archi-
tecture, erected by the late earl, and containing a suite of
apartments fitted up in a style of sumptuous magnifi-
cence. Of these the drawing-room is a splendid apart-
ment, commanding one of the richest prospects in the
county ; the dining-room, music-gallery, and library are
also noble apartments, enriched with ornaments of every
variety, and a valuable collection of paintings by the
chief masters, with several family portraits. The win-
dows of the grand hall are embellished with stained glass,
in which are emblazoned the armorial bearings of the
family ; and in various parts are disposed marble busts,
elegant and costly vases, cabinets of gems, and rare
antiques. Scone Palace is beautifully situated on a spa-
cious lawn sloping to the river Tay, and is surrounded
by an extensive park, with pleasure-grounds embellished
with plantations, and gardens tastefully laid out. Of
the most ancient of the trees are, an ash planted by
James VI., and a sycamore by Mary, Queen of Scots.
About fifty yards from the palace are the only remains
of the church erected after the destruction of the abbey,
consisting of an aisle built most probably by the first
Viscount Stormont, to whom there is an elegant marble
monument, on which he is represented in armour, kneel-
ing before an altar, with an armed figure on each side,
one supposed to represent the Marquess of TuUibardine,
and the other the Earl Marischal ; all most beautifully
sculptured in alabaster. The chief approach to the
house is by a drive through the park, over a bridge built
455
across a deep ravine at no great distance from the
terrace-gate on the south. There is also an ancient gate-
way leading to it from the cast. Among the remains of
antiquity carefully preserved in the palace are, an ele-
gant velvet bed embroidered by Mary, Queen of Scots,
during her captivity at Lochleven ; and the bed and
furniture of the chamber in whicii King Charles slept at
the time of his coronation. Her present Majesty Queen
Victoria, accompanied by Prince Albert, honoured the
Earl of Mansfield with a visit in September 1842, and,
after passing the night of the 6th here, returned on the
day following to Dunkeld. Previous to her departure,
a deputation from the magistrates of Perth waited upon
Her Majesty, requesting the royal signature in the
guildry books of the city, in which Her Majesty and
Prince Albert accordingly inscribed their names.
The PARISH is bounded on the west and south-west
by the river Tay, and comprises an area of nearly 6000
acres, whereof about 2500 are arable, and the remainder
meadow and pasture, with some extensive plantations,
and a moderate portion of waste land. Its surface rises
gradually from the banks of the river to a considerable
elevation, commanding many richly-varied and exten-
sive views ; and the scenery, which is generally of a
pleasing and interesting character, is in many places
beautifully picturesque. The streams that flow through
the parish are small. The Annaty, however, in its
course has several falls for giving motion to machinery ;
and there is also a canal from the Tay, which turns
several mills, and affords an abundant supply of water
for some bleach-works. The soil is in parts light and
gravelly, but near the banks of the river a strong rich clay ;
the crops are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips.
Considerable improvements have taken place in the sys-
tem of agriculture ; the lands have been drained, and in
many places properly inclosed ; the farm buildings and
offices are substantial and well arranged, and every
attention is paid to the management of the dairies. In
this district the substratum is mostly of the sandstone
formation, intersected with dykes of trap, which afford
excellent materials for the roads. Nodules of compact
limestone are occasionally found in the sandstone
quarries, of which those at Lethendy are extensively
wrought ; and in the softer beds occur small pieces of
jasper. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £9600. The village of New Scone, which has been
almost entirely built within the present century, on lands
belonging chiefly to the Earl of Mansfield and to Andrew
Murray, Esq., is situated on the turnpike-road from Perth
to Cupar-Angus, along which it extends for a consider-
able distance, consisting of houses neatly but irregularly
built. It has a post-o/fice subject to the office of Perth,
and a small library is supported by subscription. About
300 of the inhabitants are occupied in hand-loom weav-
ing. At Stormontfield, on the banks of the Tay, in the
north-west of the parish, is an extensive bleachfield be-
longing to John Maxton, Esq., in which about thirty
famihes are constantly employed, for whose residence
cottages have been erected : there is also a school, built
by the late Earl of Mansfield, for the instruction of their
children. These works are abundantly supplied with
water by the canal, and are conducted with due regard
to the comfort of the persons employed. The fisheries
on the Tay have much diminished during the last twenty
or thirty years, within which period the annual rent has
s coo
s c o o
fallen from the sum of £1100 to £100; the fish taken
here are salmon, grilse, sea-trout, yellow-trout, pike,
perch, and eels.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Perth and synod of Perth
and Stirling. The minister's stipend is £267. 11. "2.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £55 per annum ;
patron, the Crown. The jiarish church erected in 1*84
was taken down and rebuilt with the same materials in
the present village in 1804 ; an aisle was added to it in
1834. It is a neat structure, and has a seat, or pew,
about twelve feet in length, with a splendid canopy of
richly-carved oak, supported in the front by four pillars
of the same. In this seat, which was then in the parish
church enlarged by the first Lord Stormont, King
Charles II. sat to hear the sermon, at his coronation ;
it forms the only remnant of the ancient abbey of Scone,
or of its furniture, and is reserved as the family pew of
the Earls of Mansfield. The number of sittings in the
church is 638. There is a place of worship for mem-
bers of the United Presbyterian Church. Scone parochial
school is attended by about 150 children ; the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and
the fees. The master of the school at Stormontfield
receives an allowance of £4 from the Earl of Mansfield,
and £2 from the proprietor of the works, in addition to
the fees. There are also female schools in the parish.
In the immediate vicinity of the present palace there
have been found at various times some remnants of the
ancient abbey, and numerous stone coffins. In 1841
some workmen discovered part of a cell, in tolerable
preservation, from ten to twelve feet in diameter, and
surrounded with stone seats fifteen inches in breadth.
There are also portions of the eastern gateway, flanked
on each side by a round tower, and from which are
traces of the walls leading to the monastery : above the
gateway is a tablet on which are sculptured the royal
arms. The parish gives the title of Lord Scone to the
Earl of Mansfield, a descendant of William, the first earl,
lord chief justice of the Court of King's Bench, who
is supposed to have been a native of this place. David
Douglas, the eminent botanist, who died while making
botanical researches in the Sandwich Islands, in 1834,
was born here.
SCOONIE, a parish, in the district of Kirkcaldy,
county of Fife, 9 miles (N. E.) from Kirkcaldy ; con-
taining, with the town of Leveu, 2836 inhabitants.
This place, which is of considerable antiquity, and of
which the church at a very early period was granted by
Malduin, Bishop of St. Andrew's, to the Culdees of Loch-
leven, was formerly in part the property of the family
of Gibson, who held the lands of Durie. Of their de-
scendants, Lord Durie was one of the commissioners
sent in 1652 to treat with the English parliament on the
projected union of the two kingdoms ; and another of
the family sat in the first Scottish ])arliament after the
restoration of Charles II. to the throne. The parish is
situated on the Firth of Forth. It extends four miles
in length from north to south, and two miles in breadth
from east to west, and comprises about 4000 acres, of
which 3250 are arable, 250 woodland and plantations,
and 350 pasture and waste. The surface is gently un-
dulated, rising from the south to the north till it attains
an elevation of about 700 feet above the level of the sea.
From the higher grounds is an extensive prospect of the
456
Firth and the country on the southern shore, embracing
numtrous objects of romantic appearance, and much
beautifully varied scenery. The river Leven, which waters
the parish on the west, has its source in the celebrated
loch of the same name, and, after flowing through a
luxuriant valley, and receiving manj' streams in its
progress, falls into the bay of Largo near the town of
Leven. It abounds with trout, pike, and eels ; and near
its mouth was formerly a lucrative salmon-fishery. The
general scenery is agreeably diversified ; the surrounding
country is richly cultivated, and the plantations on the
demesnes of the principal seats add much to its embel-
lishment.
The SOIL of the parish is fertile; and the system of
husbandry, which consists of successive rotations of white
and green crops, is in a high state of improvement. The
crops are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips, of
which large quantities are grown ; and considerable
exports of grain and potatoes are made from Leven for
distant markets. Much attention is paid to the rearing
of cattle, generally of the Fife.shire breed ; and formerly
great numbers were sent in a lean state to London : at
present the cattle are all fattened in the parish, and
mostly sent to Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a few occa-
sionally to London by the Dundee steamers. Several
oxen bred in the parish have gained prizes at the High-
land Society's cattle-shows. Few sheep are reared ; but
many are purchased by the farmers at the neighbouring
fairs, and fed on turnips during the winter. In general
the farm-buildings are commodious, and some, of recent
erection, are very superior ; threshing-mills are attached
to most of the farms, and the latest improvements in
agricultural implements have been adopted. Great pro-
gress has been made in draining ; and from the advanced
state of agriculture, and the vicinity of the town and
port of Leven, which affords facility for disposing of the
produce, the lands have much increased in value. The
annual value of real property in the parish amounts to
£8988. The substratum is chiefly whinstone, of inferior
quality, and consequently not quarried to any extent ;
stone for building is generally brought from the quarries
of Inverkeithing and Blair. Strata of coal are found in
various parts, especially on the lands of Durie. The
mines were formerly wrought on a larger scale, and
great quantities were shipped from Leven to Holland
and other continental parts ; the quality is very supe-
rior, and it was once in such high repute that the best
description of Scottish coal is still called Durie coal.
After the death of the proprietor in 1802, the works
were discontinued ; but they have been re-opened within
the last few years. There is a bed of ochre four feet in
thickness on the lands of Durie ; it has been wrought
for many years, and great quantities of the produce are
exported. Several mills are in operation for spinning flax
and tow, a mill for crushing bones for manure, and one
for grinding ochre; and about 150 persons are employed
in weaving with hand-looms at their own dwellings.
The chief scats are, Durie, the property of C. M. Chris-
tic, Esq., a handsome mansion erected in 1762, and
situated in an extensive demesne embellished with thriv-
ing plantations ; Kilniux, the residence of J. B. Fernie,
Escj., erected in 1832, situated in grounds tastefully laid
out, and sheltered with some fine trees ; and IMontrave,
a handsome mansion erected in 1836, and also pleasantly
situated in improved grounds.
s c o u
S E L K
Scoonie is within the presbytery of Kirkcaldy, synoj
of Fife, and in the patronage of the Crown ; the minister's
stipend is £'25". I9. 5., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £50 per annum. The old church, situated about a
quarter of a mile from Leven, has been some time a ruin,
and the only jiart of it which is still preserved forms the
family vault of the proprietor of Durie. The present
church, erected in I776 near the town, and repaired and
enlarged in 1853, is a neat and well-arranged edifice
adapted for a congregation of 1000 persons. There are
places of worship for Independents, the Free Church,
and the United Presbyterian Church. The parochial
school affords a useful education ; the master has a
salary of £34, the fees, a good dwelling-house, and an
allowance of £2 for deficiency of garden-ground. A
society for religious purposes, under the management of
a committee of ladies, distributes about £'20 per annum
in promotion of its object ; and there is also a ladies'
charitable society, which distributes about £'24 per an-
num. Several friendly societies existed formerly ; but
from injudicious management few of them were able to
become permanent. Numerous stone coffins, supposed
to have been deposited after a severe conflict between the
Scots and the Danes, have been dug up in various parts
of the parish. Within the last five-and-thirty years, a
cairn on the summit of a hill, about forty yards square at
the base, was opened, and found to contain twenty stone
coffins, rudely formed of slabs placed on their edges
and covered with a superincumbent slab of stone. In
two of the coffins were small urns of clay, rudely orna-
mented ; and five of them contained each a larger urn,
fourteen inches in diameter and twenty-four inches
high. Great numbers of human bones were scattered
about, and in one of the smallest coffins were found
beads of charred wood. The urns were all in an in-
verted position, with their mouths resting upon a square
slab of stone. Mr. Jerome Stone, an eminent linguist,
was born in this parish in 17'27 ; he died in 17o7, leav-
ing an unfinished work entitled An Entjuinj into the
Original of the Nation and Language of the Ancient Scots,
and a finished manuscript of an allegory entitled Tiie
Immortalily of Authors.
SCOOisiIE-BURN, a hamlet of the town of Leven,
in the parish of Scoonie, county of Fife ; containing
30 inhabitants.
SCOTLAND-WELL, a village, in the parish of
PoRTMOAK, county of Kinross, 5 miles (E. S. E.) from
Milnathort ; containing I'i inhabitants. It is an an-
cient village, situated on the road from Milnathort to
Leslie, and about a mile eastward from Loch Leven.
In the vicinity is Bishop's hill, where are numbers of
copious springs of excellent water, one of which, the
easternmost, is remarkably exuberant. These springs
obtained the name, it is said, from Cromwell, of Pontes
Scotia ; whence the present designation of the village.
An hospital was founded at this place by William Mal-
voisine, who died in 1238 ; and was given to the Red
Friars by his immediate successor. It was a receptacle
for religious pilgrims, and the friars collected alms for
the relief of such Christians as were slaves in Turkey.
The ruins of the hospital, and of a chapel, are still to be
seen.
SCOURIE, a village, in the parish of Eddrachillis,
county of Sutherland, 2 miles (N. N. W.) from the
village of Eddrachillis ; containing 108 inhabitants.
Vol. II.— 457
This place is situated on the western coast of the county,
and on a safe and commodious bay, to which it gives
name. It contains a good inn, a post-office, the paro-
chial school, and a savings' bank. The road from Dor-
noch Firth, through Sutherland, terminates here. About
the middle of the sixteenth century, a branch of the
Mackay family planted themselves at Scourie, under the
designation of the " Mackays of Scourie". Of this
branch was Lieutenant-general Hugh Mackay, the cele-
brated commander-in-cliief in the time of William and
Mary ; he fought against Dundee at the battle of Killie-
crankie, and although the fortunes of the day proved
adverse, he showed great military skill in his retreat, and
retrieved his military reputation by his subsequent suc-
cesses in Ireland. He was to have been rewarded with
a peerage, under the title of Earl of Scourie, but this in-
tention was frustrated by the alleged intrigue of his rival,
Mackenzie of Cromarty. This distinguished soldier
closed his career in 1 692, shortly after the siege of Namur,
where he commanded the British division of the allied
army.
SCROGIEHILL, a hamlet, in the parish of Meth-
ven, county of Perth; containing 118 inhabitants.
This is an inconsiderable place, the population of which
is employed in agriculture.
SEATOWN OF DELNIES, a hamlet, in the parish
and county of Nairn, 3^ miles (W.) from the town of
Nairn ; containing 80 inhabitants. This is a small
place situated on the coast of the Moray Firth ; the
lands around it consist of the estates of East and West
Delnies. The coast road from Fort-George to Nairn
passes at a short distance from the hamlet.
SEIL, an isle, in the parish of Kilbrandon, county
of Argyll. This is an isle of the Hebrides, about two
miles in length and three in breadth, separated from the
island of Easdale by a strait a few hundred feet broad,
and from the main land by a narrow pass over which is
a bridge. It is in general flat, yet not altogether with-
out hills, from the higher of which is a fine view of the
numerous small isles scattered over the ocean in these
parts, with the distant mountains of Mull and Jura.
Here are several slate-quarries, but those of the island
of Easdale are more valuable.
SELKIRK, a parish,
partly in the district of Ha-
wick, county of Roxburgh,
but chiefly in the county of
Selkirk, of which it is the
chief town, 21 miles (S. E.
by E.) from Peebles, and 38
(S.E. by S.) from Edinburgh;
containing 3484 inhabitants,
of whom about 2500 are in
the burgh, and the remainder
in the rural districts of the
parish. This place, which is
of considerable antiquity, derives its name, in the Celtic
tongue signifying "the church in the forest", from the
ancient state of the surrounding district, which was
thickly covered with wood and appropriated as a royal
chase. From its proximity to the border, it was fre-
quently the scene of hostile incursions, and intricately
involved in all the ferocious and sanguinary wars of the
rival kingdoms, during the mutual efforts of their
monarchs to obtain the ascendancy. In the twelfth
3N
Bursh Seal.
S E L K
SELK
century it appears to have been regarded as a place of
importance ; and near the site of the present town a
monastery was founded by King David I., which was,
however, subsequently for greater security removed to
Kelso. The castle seems to have been a fortress of con-
siderable note, and is enumerated by Edward II., King
of England, as one of the strongholds in the possession
of his adherents. The inhabitants furnished a quota of
one hundred men who accompanied James IV. to the
battle of riodden Field ; and such was their zealous
attachment to their sovereign, and such their heroic
courage, that only four of the number returned from
that fatal conflict, in which the rest of the body fell.
The survivors brought with them a standard taken from
the enemy, part of which is still preserved in the hall of
the company of weavers, by one of whom it was captured.
Selkirk was afterwards burnt by the English during one
of the wars of the border, to compensate for which
injury, a grant of one thousand acres of the adjoining
lands was made by the crown to the citizens and their
posterity for ever. At Philiphaugh, within a mile of the
town, a battle took place between the forces of the Mar-
quess of Montrose and a body of Covenanters under
General Leslie, in which the former were defeated ; and
a field on the Yarrow, where it is said the latter put
many of their prisoners to death after the battle, is still
called the Slain Men's Lee.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated on a rising ground
commanding a fine view of the river Ettrick, over which
is a neat bridge. It is well built, containing several
streets with many good houses, inhabited by persons
employed in trade and the several large manufactures
carried on in the neighbourhood. The streets are lighted
with gas, and cleansed by the corporation ; and the in-
habitants are amply supplied with water. A public
library is supported by subscription, forming an exten-
sive collection of standard works : a mechanics' institu-
tion, in which lectures are delivered on various branches
of science, has alj^o an extensive library; and a news-
room has been established, which is well furnished with
newspapers and periodicals. A new line of road has
been opened, as an easier approach from Galashiels, and
which is one of the most pleasant drives in this part of
the country, embracing many fine views and much in-
teresting scenery. The woollen manufacture is carried
on here to a considerable extent, three large mills afford-
ing employment to 500 persons ; and several of the in-
habitants are engaged in stocking-weaving : there are
also a tannery, some gas-works, a fulling-mill, and ex-
tensive corn-mills. The post-office has two deliveries
daily ; and facility of intercourse with the neighbouring
towns is afforded by roads kept in excellent order. In
1646 an act of parliament was passed authorising the
construction of a branch to Selkirk of the Edinburgh
and Hawick railway. The market is on Wednesday, and
much business is transacted. Fairs are held on the first
Wednesday in March, the 5th of April, the 15th of July,
the .31st of October, and the 19th of December.
The date of the earliest charter of incorporation is,
from the loss of the original records, not precisely
known ; but the town is noticed as a royal nuuoii in a
charter of King William the Lion's, and the various
privileges and innnunities enjoyed by the inhabitants are
fully set forth and confirmed by charter of James V.,
granted in the year 1535, during his minority, and re-
458
newed, with a gift of lands, after he had attained his
majo-ity. All the charters were ratified by an act of the
Scottish parliament, obtained in favour of the burgh in
1633. The government is vested in two bailies, a dean
of guild and treasurer, and a council of twenty-nine
burgesses, assisted by a town-clerk, procurator-fiscal,
and other officers, all of whom are appointed by the
council : no provost has been chosen for many years.
The bailies and council are now elected under the au-
thority, and subject to the provisions, of the act of the
3rd and 4th of William IV. The freedom may be ob-
tained by six years' apprenticeship to a freeman of the
fleshers' or the shoemakers' company, or four years'
apprenticeship to a freeman of any of the other com-
panies, viz., the hammermen, the weavers, and the
tailors. Each of the companies retains and enforces ex-
clusive privileges; and the freedom may also be obtained
by purchase, for which the fee paid by a stranger varies
from £5 to £15, according to the company he joins.
Courts are holden by the bailies for the determination of
civil pleas, and for the trial of criminal offences, chiefly
cases of assault or petty thefts. A court is also held by
the dean of guild, assisted by the junior bailie and a
deputation of the town-council, for the adjudication of
infringements of the privileges of the burgh. The town-
hall is a handsome and well-arranged building, with a
lofty and elegant spire rising to the height of 1 10 feet,
and forming a conspicuous object in the view of Selkirk ;
it contains the requisite halls and court-rooms for the
transaction of the public business of the burgh and of
the county. There is likewise a prison, well adapted for
classification, and for the security of the prisoners.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the river
Tweed, and is of very irregular form, comprising several
detached portions, some of which are in the county of
Roxburgh. It is about seven miles and a half in length ;
of unequal breadth ; and, including the detached por-
tions, comprises 6300 acres, of which 3000 are arable,
1000 woodland and plantations, and 2300 meadow and
pasture. Its surface, which is generally elevated, is
diversified by numerous hills ; the principal are the
Three Brethren Cairn and the Peat, which are situated
between the Ettrick and the Tweed, the former having
an elevation of 197S, and the latter of 1964, feet above
the level of the sea. The scenery is richly varied ; and
though the old forests have disappeared, some extensive
plantations contribute greatly to its embellishment. The
rivers are the Ettrick, the Tweed, and the Yarrow, which
intersect the parish from west to east, and in their
course, flowing between wooded banks, display much
picturesque and truly romantic scenery. In general the
SOIL is of a light and dry quality, and the chief crops
arc oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips : the sys-
tem of agriculture is in a highly improved state. The
lands are well drained, and inclosed partly with dykes of
stone and hedges of thorn ; the farm houses and offices
arc commodious, and all the more recent improvements
in implements have been adopted. Considerable atten-
tion is paid to the live-stock, which has been much im-
proved by the influence of a pastoral society established
under the patronage of Lord Napier : tlie sheep are
principally of the white-faced breed, which thrives well
in these pastures. The plantations, chiefly of oak, pine,
birch, and fir, are well managed, and the amiual thinnings
afford a supply of wood for various uses. In the rural
SE L K
S E L K
districts of the parish, the general fuel is peat ; and in
the town and immediate vicinity, coal, brought from
Mid-Lothian. The principal substrata are greywacke,
and greywaclie and clay slate, but no quarries are
wrought to any extent. Bowhill, a seat of the Duke of
Buccleuch's, is a magnificent mansion situated in an ex-
tensive and a richly-wooded demesne. Haining, Yair,
PhiHphaugh, Broadmeadows, and Sunderland Hall are
also handsome modern mansions in grounds embellished
with plantations. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £14,703 for the Selkirkshire portion, and
£989 for the Roxburghshire portion.
Selkirk is the seat of the presbytery of Selkirk, in the
synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and is in the patronage
of the Duke of Roxburghe : the minister's stipend is
£275. ,5. 9-. with a manse, and a glebe valued at £21 per
annum. The church, built in 17^4, and thoroughly re-
paired in 1829, is a plain neat edifice adapted for a con-
gregation of 800 persons ; it is situated in the centre of
the town. There are places of worship for members of
the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church.
The parochial school affords a liberal and extensive
course of instruction to about seventy scholars, and has
long maintained an eminent degree of reputation ; the
master has a salary of £.50 per annum, including an
allowance in lieu of house and garden, and the fees
average about £80. The burgh school, the master of
which is appointed by the magistrates, affords instruc-
tion to about sixty scholars : the corporation pay the
master a salary of £30 per annum, and maintain the
school buildings from the common fund ; the course
comprises the English language, writing, arithmetic,
mathematics, and drawing. A school at Newark is sup-
ported by the Duke of Buccleuch, who gives the master
£1.5 per annum, with a house, and coal. A parochial
library is established, which forms a good collection of
volumes ; and there are a missionary and a friendly
society in the town, and a savings' bank for some years
established.
At Newark are the remains of the ancient castle, pre-
viously noticed, which was the residence of Anne,
Duchess of Buccleuch and Monmouth, after the deca-
pitation of her husband in the reign of James VI. ; it is
the property of the Duke of Buccleuch. At Oakwood
are the remains of another castle, the property of the
Scotts of Harden, celebrated as the abode of the noted
wizard, Michael Scott, of whom many legendary tradi-
tions are still current. About two miles to the west of
Philiphaugh may be traced the lines of an intrenchment
thrown up by the Marquess of Montrose, on an eminence
overhanging the Yarrow ; and the house in the town in
which he spent the night previous to the battle is still
pointed out. Coins, apparently Roman, have been
found at various times, in a state of almost complete
obliteration ; and skulls of the wild ox, and a Roman
spear, were dug up some years since in a moss. Of the
eminent characters connected with this place were, An-
drew Pringle, Lord Alemoor, lord of session in the last
century, celebrated for his learning and eloquence ;
Mungo Park, the African traveller, who was born at
Fowlshiels, where one of his brothers at present resides ;
and Sir Walter Scott, who was for many years sherilf of
the county, and of whom a statue was lately erected in
the market-place by the inhabitants. Selkirk gives the
title of earl to a branch of the family of Douglas.
459
SELKIRKSHIRE, an inland county, in the south
of Scotland, bounded on the north by the counties of
Peebles and Edinburgh, on the south by Dumfries-shire,
on the east by Roxl)urghshire, and on the west by Pee-
bles-shire. It lies between 55° 22' and 55° 43' (N. Lat.)
and 2° 50' and 3'^ 20' (W. Long.), and is twenty-seven
miles in length from south-west to north-east, and six-
teen miles in breadth ; comprising an area of 263 square
miles, or 168,320 acres ; and containing 1522 houses,
of which 1446 are inhabited ; and a population of 7990,
of whom 3972 are males and 4018 females. The county
was anciently inhabited by the Gadeni and Ottadhii, and,
like that of Roxburgh, with which in its early history it
is identified, formed part of the forest of Ettrick, the
favourite resort of the Scottish sovereigns for the pur-
pose of hunting. In many of the royal charters the
county is styled " the Forest "; and on the bank of the
Yarrow are the remains of an ancient castle, which was
the hunting-seat of the kings, and the residence of the
keeper of the forest, who was also constable of the royal
castle of Selkirk. The lands were included among the
possessions of the abbey of Melrose, and are now held
by charter from the crown ; about two-thirds are the
property of the Duke of Buccleuch, and the remainder
is divided among numerous freeholders. The county is
within the synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and com-
prises the whole of the parishes of Yarrow and Ettrick,
about eleven-twelfths of the parish of Selkirk, and
smaller portions of six other parishes. It contains the
royal burgh of Selkirk, which is the county-town ; part
of the market-town of Galashiels ; and numerous small
hamlets, of which none can be considered as villages.
Under the act of the 2nd of William IV., the county re-
turns one member to the imperial parliament; the num-
ber of persons qualified to vote is 420.
The SURFACE is mountainous, and even the lowest
portions of the land have an elevation of 300 feet above
the level of the sea. The chief mountains are, Black-
house, Windlestrae-law, Minchmoor, and Ettrick-pen,
which range from 2200 to 2400 feet in height ; and
Lawkneis, Wardlaw, Hangingshaw-lavv, the Three Bre-
thren, Black-Andrew, and Peat-law, which have an ele-
vation varying from 1964 to 1990 feet. Several hills
from 1000 to 1800 feet in height afford good pasturage
for sheep. The principal valleys are those of Ettrick
and Yarrow, with portions of the vales of Tweed and
Gala ; and the chief rivers are those from which the
four vales take their names. Of the rivers, the Tweed,
in its course from Peebles-shire, intersects the northern
portion of the county for nearly ten miles, and, previ-
ously to its entering Roxburghshire, receives the Ettrick
and the Gala. The Ettrick has its source in Ettrick-
pen, divides the county nearly into two equal parts, and,
after a course of thirty miles from south-west to north-
east, falls into the Tweed. The Yarrow, issuing from
St. Mary's loch, flows in a north-east direction into the
Ettrick near Selkirk ; and the Gala, after forming the
north-east boundary of the county for about four miles,
falls into the Tweed near Galashiels. .S'^ Mary's loch
and Loch Lowes are separated from each other by a
narrow strip of land about one hundred yards in length.
The former is about three miles long and half a mile
broad, and the latter little more than three-quarters of
a mile in length and a quarter of a mile in breadth.
Their banks are richly wooded, and the scenery derives
3N 2
SH A P
S H A P
a beautifully romantic character from the mountains
by which they are encompassed. Of the lands, about
10,000 acres are arable, 2300 woodland and plantations,
1250 acres garden and pleasure grounds, and the re-
mainder mountain pasture, principally for sheep. The
soil of the arable land is rich, producing abundant crops
of excellent wheat, even on the slopes of the hills, at an
elevation of 700 feet above the level of the sea. There
are no minerals ; the substratum is principally whin-
stone, alternated with considerable portions of granite.
The principal manufactures are those of woollen cloth
and stockings : the first of these is chiefly carried on at
Galashiels, and has been greatly improved and extended ;
the stockings are mostly for the home trade. There are
two tanneries, and several establishments for making
agricultural implements. Facility of communication is
aiforded by turnpike and other roads that intersect the
county in various directions. The annual value of real
property in Selkirkshire, as assessed to the income-tax,
is £49,766, of which £38,714 are returned for lands,
and the remainder for houses. There are some remains
of forts erected by the original inhabitants on the
heights i and about a mile west of Galashiels, are ves-
tiges of the great ditch called the Catrail, twenty-three
feet wide, with ramparts on each side from nine to ten
feet in height. It passes through the county, over the
south part of Minchmoor, and crosses the Tweed at
Sunderland.
SHAINT, isles, in the parish of Lochs, county of
Ross and Cromarty. These are three small isles of
the Hebrides, well known to mariners, lying in the
channel between the islands of Lewis and Skye, and in
the district of the former. One of them is called lUuiii
Moair, or St. Mary's Island ; and together they are
sometimes designated the Holy Isles. On St. INIary's
was anciently a chapel, dedicated to the Virgin. Black-
cattle are pastured upon them all, and they are famous
for fattening sheep ; as are also some small rocks in
their neighbourhood, which have fine grass upon their
summits. A family usually resides on the largest for
the purpose of tending the cattle.
SHANDWICK, a village, in the parish of Nigg,
county of Ross and Cromarty, 4^ miles (N. E.) from
the village of Nigg; containing 192 inhabitants. It is
a small place in the north-eastern part of the parish,
and on the eastern shore ot the county. Near the vil-
lage is a large stone or obelisk, called in Gaelic Clacli a
ChaTriilli," the stone of the burial-ground"; in height
it is eight feet, in breadth Ibnr, and in thickness one, and
it is of great antiquity. According to tradition, it com-
memorates a shipwreck of Danes upon the coast, in
which three sons of the king of Denmark perished, and
■were buried on this spot. For ages the ground around
was used for sepulture, but it has not been so employed
for the last sixty or seventy years.
SHAPINSHAY, an island and parish, in the county
of Orkni.y, ;1 miles (N. N. E.J from Kirkwall; contain-
ing 9.'i."j inhabitants. This island is said to have been
visited by the Roman general Agricola, in his voyage
round Hritain ; and a place still called (irucnla, on the
western coast, nearly opposite the Skerry of Vasa, where
tlie tide is rapid and the sea shallow, is sujjposed to
commemorate by its name the loss of one of his ships,
which, i)eing driven by the violence of the waves, was
.stranded near the spot. In 1263, Haco, King of Norway,
460
in his expedition against Alexander III. of Scotland, is
said to have Iain with the whole of his fleet for a consi-
derable time in a harbour near Kirkwall, called Elidar-
u'icit, which is clearly identified with the harbour now
designated Elvvick, on the south-west coast of Shapin-
shay. The parish, which is of very irregular form, is
about seven miles in length from south-west to north-
east, and five miles in extreme breadth ; comprising
about 6270 acres, of which not more than 750 are arable,
2400 acres pasture, and the large remainder waste. For
the most part the surface is low and comparatively even,
but towards the centre rises gradually to a considerable
elevation, the Wart or Ward hill commanding an ex-
tensive and richly diversified view over fifteen surround-
ing parishes, with the North Orkney Isles and the va-
rious firths. Along the shore the soil is rich and fertile,
producing excellent crops of grain of different kinds,
and the meadows and pastures are luxuriant ; but in-
land the surface is sterile and unproductive, affording
only scanty pasturage for sheep. Agriculture, with the
exception of some farms in the hands of one of the pro-
prietors, is in a very neglected state ; and the general
aspect of the island is dreary, from the want of wood
and plantations. The substrata are chiefly sandstone
and sandstone-flag, with clay and a little limestone.
ClifFdale, the residence of Captain William Balfour, a
handsome modern mansion near the village of Elwick,
is the only seat.
The small village of Elwick, built on the shore of the
harbour by the late Colonel Balfour, is inhabited chiefly
by fishermen, who for part of the year are engaged in
the cod and herring fisheries, in which about fifty boats
are employed. Eleven of these are during the season
used in the cod-fishery, and the quantity taken generally
averages about two tons and a half per boat, at £10 per
ton ; the average quantity of herrings for each boat is
sixty cranes, sold at ten shillings a crane. The making
of nets, of which about one hundred, valued at sixteen
shillings each, are annually produced, also affords em-
ployment to a considerable number of persons ; and
nearly 200 females in the parish are engaged in the
manufacture of straw-plat. Ecclesiastically this place
is within the bounds of the presbytery of the North Isles
and synod of Orkney; patron, the Earl of Zetland. The
minister's stipend, including £S. 6. 8. for communion
elements, is £158. 6. 8., of which half is paid from the
exchequer; with a manse built in 1831, and a glebe
valued at £21 per annum. Shapinshay church is a neat
and commodious structure erected in 1821. There is a
place of worship for the United Presbyterian Synod.
The parochial school was established in 1804, and is
well attended; the master has a salary of £25. 13. 3.,
with a small dwelling-house, and the fees. A school is
also supported by the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge, the master of which has a salary of £15.
Opposite to the mouth of the harbour is the small island
of Kllerhohn or Elhardliolm, where arc some vestiges of
an ancient chapel of which iu)thing is recorded : lead-
ore has been found there, but it has never been wrought.
There is a large iipright stone in the parish, called the
Standing Stone, supposed to be Drnidical ; and on the
north side, near the sea, is a large mass of black stone,
prostrate, called the Black Stone of Odin. In Shapin-
shay are also several of those remains called Picts' houses,
along the coast; and nearCliffdale a subterranean build-
SH ET
S li E T
ing has been discovered, consisting of upright pillars of
loose stones about four feet in height, sup|)orting a roof
of broad flag-stones that covered an area in which was
found an ancient ring of gold.
SHAWHEAD, a village, in the parish of Kirk-
patrick-Ironghay, stewartry of Kirkcudhrihht, S
miles (\V.) from Dumfries ; containing 84 inhabitants.
It is a very small place, in the southern quarter of the
parish, and contains one of two parochial schools. The
church is distant from it, north-eastward, about four
miles.
SHEEP, an isle, in the parish of Southend, county
of Argyll. This is a small island, lying southward of
the peninsula of Cantyre, and close to the island of
Sanda. It is well calculated for the pasturage of sheep,
from which circumstance it derives its name.
SHERIFFHALL-ENGINE, a hamlet, in the parish
of Newton, county of Edinburgh, 1 mile (S. E.) from
the village of Newton; containing 4/ inhabitants. This
is a small colliery- hamlet, lying in the southern part of
the parish, near Sheriffhall Mains.
SHETLAND, or ZETLAND, ISLANDS, forming,
with Orkney, a maritime county, in the northern e.v-
tremity of Scotland ; bounded on the north by the
North Sea, on the east by the German Ocean, and on
the west by the Atlantic. They lie between 59° 51' and
60° 5'2 (N. Lat.) and 52' and 1° 57' (W. Long,), and
extend for about seventy miles from north to south, and
fifty-four miles from east to west ; comprising an area of
about 855 square miles, or 547,200 acres ; 5530 houses,
of which 5388 are inhabited ; and containing a popula-
tion of 30,558, of whom 13,176 are males and 17,382
females. These islands, like those of Orkney, with
which in their history they are closely identified, appear
to have been visited by the Romans, though they
effected no permanent settlement in either. They were
at a very early period inhabited by the Picts, of Scan-
dinavian origin, who, long after their defeat by Kenneth
II., and the consequent union of the two kingdoms of
the Scots and the Picts, continued, under his successors,
to maintain in these distant territories a kind of inde-
pendent sovereignty. As closely connected with the
Orkneys, the islands were governed by a succession of
petty kings till they were subdued by Harold Harfager,
who attached them as appendages to the crown of Nor-
way, and placed them under the government of a suc-
cession of Norwegian earls. On the marriage of James
III., however, with the Princess Margaret of Norway,
they became, and they have ever since remained, part
of the kingdom of Scotland. They give the title of Earl
of Zetland to the Dundas family.
Previously to the abolition of episcopacy, Shetland
formed part of the diocese of Orkney ; at present it
constitutes the synod of Shetland, and comprises the
presbyteries of Lerwick, Burravoe, and Olnafirth, and
twelve parishes, the ministers of which are appointed by
the Earl of Zetland exclusively. There are also two
parliamentary incumbencies, in the gift of the Crown.
For civil purposes the islands are united with those of
Orkney, forming one county under the jurisdiction of a
sheriff-depute, who appoints two sheriffs-substitute, one
for each of the districts. By the provisions of the act
of the 2nd of William IV., Shetland is also associated
with Orkney in returning a member to the imperial par-
liament. The only town is Lerwick, besides which there
461
are merely the village of Scalloway and some small ham-
lets, on the coasts. Lerwick was erected into a royal
burgh of barony in IS18.
Shetland comprises a cluster of ninety islands, of
which twenty-five are inhabited, and the remainder
small holms principally appropriated to i.asture. They
are nearly contiguous to each other, being separated only
by narrow sounds or firths; with the exception of Foula
and Fair Isle, of which the former is about twenty -five
miles to the west, and the latter twenty miles to the
south, of Mainland ; and except also the Out Skerries,
which lie about six miles north-eastward of Whalsay.
Of the inhabited islands the principal is Mainland, ahovt:
fifty-five miles in length and twenty-five miles in breadth.
To the north of Mainland, from which it is separated by
Yell Sound, is the island of Yctt, twenty miles long and
seven miles in average breadth ; to the north of which,
again, is the island of Unst, about twelve miles in length
and from three to four in breadth. These three are the
most important of the group. Of the other islands the
largest is Fetlar, to the east of Yell, about four miles
and a half in length and three and a half in breadth ;
and to the south of this, and opposite to Lerwick, is the
island of Bressay, about four miles long and two miles
in breadth. Of the two distant islands, Foula, supposed
to be the Ultima Thule of the ancients, is three miles in
length and a mile and a half in breadth ; while Fair Isle is
about the same in length and two miles broad. Among
the remaining inhabited islands are Whalsay, Burra,
Trondray, and the Out Skerries ; and in addition to
these are numerous small isles, holms affording pas-
turage to cattle, skerries covered by the tide at high
water, and rocky islets, which it would be tedious to
enumerate.
The general surface is diversified with hills, of which
Rona, the highest, has an elevation of 1476 feet above
the level of the sea. Between the hills are valleys of
pleasing appearance, of which those near the coasts have
a wildly romantic character ; but the great scarcity of
trees detracts much from the beauty of the scenery.
There are numerous springs of good water, and some of
these send forth streams of moderate extent, none of
which, however, can claim the appellation of rivers.
The surface is also enlivened with lakes, many of them
of picturesque character, and some of considerable size ;
most of the lakes abound with trout, and in several are
small islands on which are the remains of Pictish castles.
On an island in Loch Strom are the ruins of a castle once
inhabited by a son of one of the Earls of Orkney.
Of the large number of acres, not more than 25,000
are in cultivation : more than 500,000 are hilly moorland
pasture, water, and waste; there are also several fertile
meadows, and wide tracts of moss affording an abundant
supply of fuel. In general the soil is a light sand inter-
mixed with clay and gravel, but in some parts a clayey
loam ; the most fertile lands are those near the coasts.
The chief crops are oats, bear, potatoes, and turnips.
Husbandry is in a comparatively low state ; but from
the institution of agricultural associations, which award
premiums for the breaking up of waste lands and for
other improvements, there is every prospect of its ad-
vancing. The principal manure is sea-weed, of which
great abundance is found upon the coasts; with dung,
ashes of peat, and mould mixed together. Spade hus-
bandry is still much in vogue, owing principally to the
SHET
SHEW
sraallness of the farms and the ruggedness of the sur-
face : little has been done in the draining and inclosure
of lands ; and the want of good roads is a great obstacle
to improvement. The cattle and sheep are both of the
native breeds, strong and hard}', but small in stature ;
of the former about 45,000, and of the latter about
80,000, are generally fed on the different pastures.
Poultry are largely kept on the several farms, and swine
are fed in great numbers. The horses, of which about
20,000 are pastured on the hills, are of the native breed,
small, hardy, and sure-footed ; they are well known as
Shetland ponies or shelties, and not a few are reared for
the supply of the southern markets. Limestone is quar-
ried for use as mortar, for which purpose it is burnt
with peat, but it is not employed for agricultural pur-
poses; sandstone-slate is also found, and quarried for
roofing. The prevailing rocks are of granite, gneiss,
mica and clay slate, limestone, sandstone, and serpen-
tine. Copper and iron ores are found, and great quan-
tities of chromate of iron have been quarried from the
serpentine rocks in Unst : chromate is also to be obtained
in Fetlar, Northmavine, and Innersand of Sandsting.
From the remains of ancient trees found in the mosses,
there is every reason to conclude that the islands for-
merly abounded with wood, though at present, except in
one or two gardens, in which are a few sycamores,
scarcely a tree of any kind is to be seen. The residences
of the proprietors of land are Belmont, Buness, Hammer,
Lund, Uyeasound, and Uyea, in Unst ; Brough Lodge,
and Smithfield, in Fetlar ; GIoup, Midbrake, Greenbank,
Reafirth, West Sandwick, and Burravoe, in Yell ; Sym-
bister, in Whalsay ; Gardie House, in Bressay ; 011a-
berry, Busta, Mossbank, Lunna, Melbie, Reawiek, Scal-
loway, Sand Lodge, and Quendale, in Mainland ; and
others.
The chief manufactures are, the knitting of wool into
stockings, gloves, shawls, and mits, and the weaving of
coarse woollen-cloth ; the fleece of the Shetland sheep is
remarkably soft, and has been wrought into stockings of
so fine a quality as to sell for forty shillings per pair.
Kelp, for which the coasts do not afford so ample a sup-
ply of material, is not manufactured here to the same
extent as in the Orkneys. The main dependence of the
population is the cod, ling, and herring fisheries, for
which convenient stations have been established on the
coasts, at Unst, Yell, Fetlar, Delting, Bressay, Scalloway,
Northmavine, Papa-Stour, and other places. Among
the fish taken are tusk, haddock, skate, halibut, floun-
ders, and oysters of very large size ; the shores also
team with saith, or coal-fish, which form a considerable
part of the food of the labouring people, and, according
to their size, are called sillocks and piltocks. The trade
embraces the exportation of dried fish, herrings, oil,
butter and eggs, beef, cattle and sheep, Shetland ponies,
hosiery, gloves, and worsted shawls ; and the importa-
tion of almost every requisite for the use of the fisheries,
clothing, manufactured goods of all kinds, groceries, and
numerous other articles for the supply of the inhabitants.
The port is Lerwick, where is the custom-house; and
exclusively of the sloops employed in the fisheries, the
number of vessels registered as belonging to tlie place is
seventy, of the aggregate burthen of above ^000 tons.
Vessels on their voyage to the (ireenland whale-fisheries,
and to those of Davis' Straits, touch at this port, where
they take in a coosidcrable number of men, who are
462
much esteemed for their skill and intrepidity. On Sum-
burgh Head, the southern extremity of Mainland, is a
substantial lighthouse, erected at a cost of £40,000,
displaying a fixed light visible at a distance of twenty-
two nautical miles. The annual value of real property in
the Shetland Isles, as assessed to the income-tax, is
£19,9'29. The remains of antiquity are, Pictish castles,
which are to be seen in profusion, in many instances on
islands in the lakes ; tumuli, which were found to con-
tain human bones inclosed with square stones ; the
ruins of churches and religious houses, among which are
those of St. Hilary's kirk ; Druidical pillars ; old forts,
one of which consists of two concentric circular mounds
of earth and stone ; numerous barrows ; and various
other relics, which are noticed under the heads of the
islands and parishes where they occur.
SHETTLESTON, a district, in the parish of Barony,
and within the jurisdiction of the city of Glasgow,
county of Lanark ; containing 72^0 inhabitants, of
whom 1543 are in the village of Shettleston, 3 miles (E.)
from Glasgow. This district is about four miles in
length and three miles in average breadth, and com-
prises nearly 3800 acres. The surface is varied, the soil
generally fertile, and the lands in profitable cultivation.
For the most part the substratum is coal, of which nu-
merous mines are in active operation ; there are also
quarries of good sandstone : fossils of fish, and of trees
and vegetable substances, are frequently found in the
coal beds. The Monkland canal passes through the
northern part of the district, affording facility for con-
veying the produce of the collieries to Glasgow and other
places. The village is situated on the road to Edinburgh,
and the most important work carried on in it is a very
extensive engineering establishment, from which steam-
boilers, agricultural implements, &e., are sent to all
quarters of the world. This work has been in the hands
of the Law family for three generations, having been
commenced by the present Mr. Law's grandfather ; and
the articles manufactured are of so superior a descrip-
tion, as to have frequently obtained premiums at the
agricultural shows in Scotland, England, and Ireland.
There are other villages in the district, namely, Tolleross,
Sandyhills, Westmuir, Parkhead, Lightburn, &c., in-
habited by persons mostly employed in agriculture, in
the mines, and in hand-loom weaving. The village of
Tolleross owes its origin to the Clyde iron-works, in its
immediate vicinity. Tolleross House, an ancient man-
sion, was built about the middle of the seventeenth cen-
tury ; and of the several other mansions the chief are
Ciarteraig, Easterhill, Dolbeth, and Sandyhills. Shet-
tleston church, built by subscri[)tion of the landholders,
in 175'2, is a neat structure containing 911 sittings: it
is in the presbytery of (Tlasgow, synod of (Glasgow and
Ayr, and the minister is appointed by the Crown. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship ;
and in the village of Tolleross is one for members of the
United Presbyterian Church. There are two parochial
schools. The late Captain Robert Tennent bequeathed
£460, the interest of which is distributed among the
poor.
SIIKWALTON, a village, in the parish of Dun-
DONAi.n, distriit of Kvi.K, county of Ayr, 5 miles (\V.
by S.) from Kilmarnock; containing '219 inliabitants.
Thi.s is a colliery-village seated on the bank of the
Irvine, in the northern quarter of the parish. The
SH I E
SKAT
colliery has been a considerable time in operation, and
the produce is largely exported : the depth of the shaft
is thirty-five fathoms, and there are two seams of coal,
one thirty-four, and the other forty-three inches thick,
the distance between the two being about sixteen feet.
In the viliae;e is a school.
SHIELDAG, for a time a quoad sacra parish, partly
in the parish of Gairloch, but chiefly in the parish of
Applecross, county of Ross and Cromarty, 10 miles
(N. W.) from Lochcarron ; containing 1899 inhabitants,
of whom 188 are in the village of Shieldag. It includes
the north-eastern portion of the parish of Applecross,
which, together with the south-western part of the
parish of Gairloch, was separated from those parishes
for ecclesiastical purposes, and erected into a quoad
sacra parish, under act of the General Assembly. The
district is about eighteen miles in extreme length, and
nearly fifteen miles in breadth, comprising a large extent
of surface, of which, with the exception of some narrow
strips of land near the coast, the whole is one continued
tract of barren rocky hills, affording only scanty pas-
turage for a few flocks of sheep and some cattle. Of
the very small proportion under cultivation the soil is
tolerably fertile, producing favourable crops of barley,
oats, and potatoes ; but there is nothing either in the
system of husbandry, or in the management of the lands,
requiring particular notice. Except two or three families
in the interior who are employed in tending sheep and
cattle, the population are resident on the coast, and
place their chief dependence on the fisheries, which are
carried on to a considerable extent. The agricultural
produce, beyond what is requisite for the supply of the
inhabitants, is sent to Glasgow ; and the few sheep and
cattle reared in the pastures are sold to small dealers in
the adjacent districts, who purchase for the more distant
markets. On the east the coast is indented by Loch
Shieldag, which forms an inlet from the centre of Loch
Torridon towards the south, and is two miles and a half
in length and one mile in mean breadth, forming an ex-
cellent station for vessels employed in the fisheries.
The village is situated on the west of Loch Shieldag,
and consists chiefly of irregularly-built cottages extend-
ing along the shore, and inhabited by fishermen who,
at their intervals of leisure, are employed in the cultiva-
tion of the lands. The fish taken here are, salmon, which
are found in considerable numbers, yielding a tolerable
rent to the proprietors; cod, ling, sythe, cuddy, flounders,
and various other kinds of white-fish ; with shell-fish of
different sorts, of which the cockle and mussel are found
in large quantities. Several boats are also engaged in
the herring-fishery, which is carried on to a good extent,
affording the principal means of subsistence for the in-
habitants. Within a small distance from the village is
a natural wood of fir, producing excellent timber for
boat-building and other purposes. Facility of inland
communication is maintained by the turnpike-road from
Shieldag to Lochcarron, the nearest post-town, from
which letters are brought by a carrier at the public ex-
pense ; and several foot-roads intersect the parish in
various directions. Loch Shieldag, as already observed,
affords safe anchorage to the vessels employed in the
fisheries ; and at Loch Torridon are ample opportunities
of conveyance to distant ports. Ecclesiastically the dis-
trict is within the limits of the presbytery of Lochcarron
and synod of Glenelg. Shieldag church was built in
463
1827, by parliamentary grant, at a cost, including the
manse, of £1480; and is a neat substantial structure
containing 300 sittings. The minister's stipend is £120,
paid from the exchequer ; with a manse and garden :
patron, the Crown. A place of worship in connexion
with the Established Church, and in which the minister
of Shieldag preaches once a month, was erected at Kis-
horn by the proprietor of Applecross and a few of the
inhabitants ; it is a commodious structure containing
200 sittings. A school is supported from the funds of
the General Assembly ; and there is a Free church.
SHIRGARTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Kippen,
county of Perth ; containing 80 inhabitants. It is a
small place, situated in a detached portion of Perthshire
surrounded by Stirlingshire, and a short distance west-
ward of the village of Kippen.
SHONA, an island, in that portion of the parish of
Ardnamurchan which formed part of the quoad sacra
parish of Aharacle, county of Inverness ; containing
110 inhabitants. This island is situated in Loch Moi-
dart, on the western coast. It is between three and
four miles long, and one mile and a half broad, com-
posed for the most part of masses of rock, rather scantily
covered with heath and wood, but exhibiting here and
there spots of great verdure and fertility. The dwell-
ing-house of the principal resident, and the scenery
around it, arc very beautiful. In the island are nume-
rous creeks for fishing-boats, which are resorted to in
the cod-fishing season by crews from the Southern High-
lands : there is also excellent and secure anchorage for
shipping.
SHONAVEG, an island, in that portion of the parish
of Ardnamurchan which formed part of the quoad
sacra parish of Aharacle, county of Inverness ; con-
taining 26 inhabitants. This is a small isle, on the east
side of Shona island, in Loch Moidart.
SHOTTS, Lanarkshire. — See Bertram-Shotts.
SHUNA, an island of the Hebrides, in the parish of
Kilbrandon, district of Lorn, county of Argyll;
containing 69 inhabitants. It is a small isle on the
coast of the county, separated from the island of Luing
by a sound of its own name. The isle is noted for its
slate and limestone quarries ; and there is a quay for
the accommodation of vessels engaged in the export of
these articles.
SIBBALDBIE, in the county of Dumfries. — See
Applegarth and Sibbaldbie.
SILVERBANKS, a village, in the parish of Cam-
buslang, Middle ward of the county of Lanark ; con-
taining 150 inhabitants. It is one of thirteen small
villages and hamlets in the parish, the inhabitants of
which are principally miners, or weavers who work for
the manufacturers of Glasgow.
SIMPRIN, county of Berwick.- — See Swinton.
SINCLAIRTON, in the county of Fife.— See Clair-
TOWN, St. ; and Pathhead.
SKATERAW, a hamlet, in the parish of Innerwick,
county of Haddington, 1 mile (N. E.) from the village
of Innerwick ; containing 72 inhabitants. It lies in the
northern extremity of the parish, on the road from Ber-
wick to Dunbar, and near the line of the North-British
railway. Here is a small harbour opening into the sea,
erected some years since by Messrs. Brodie of Thorn-
tonloch, and Lee of Skateraw ; it is used for the export
of lime, and import of coal.
SKEN
SK EN
SKEILAY, in the parish of Harris, county of In-
VERNKSS. This is a small isle of the Hebrides, of some-
what triangular shape, lying at the western entrance of
the sound of Harris, and about a mile and a half distant
northward from the island of Pabbay. On the west side
is the islet, of minute size, called Little Skeilay.
SKENE, a parish, in the district and county of
Aberdeen, 9 miles (W. by N.) from the city of Aber-
deen ; containmg 1S46 inhabitants. This place was
originally part of the royal forests of the kings of Scot-
land, and was granted to the ancestor of the ancient
family of Skene by Malcolm Canmore, as an acknow-
ledgment of his having saved the life of that monarch
by killing with his dirk a wild boar by which the king
was attacked while hunting in the forest. In comme-
moration of that event, the intrepid defender of his
sovereign assumed for his family name the Gaelic term
Skiati, signifying " a dagger or dirk ", which eventually
was extended to the estate, and from which the present
name of the parish is obviously derived. The lands con-
tinued to descend from the ancestor of the family, by
direct succession, to his heirs, till the year IS'JT, when
the family became extinct ; they are now the property
of the Earl of Fife, as heir of entail. The parish is
bounded on the west and on the south by the Leuchar,
separating it from the parishes of Echt and Peterculter
respectively. It is about six miles in length and four
miles in extreme breadth, comprising 9-100 acres, of
which 6350 are arable, 1300 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder moorland, moss, and waste. The
surface is diversified with numerous small hills of mo-
derate height, whose summits are mostly planted with
fir, adding much to the pleasing character of the scenery.
There are also interspersed, fertile valleys in a high state
of cultivation, contrasting with several large tracts of
moor and moss. On the south-west boundary is the
Loch of Skene, a fine sheet of water of elliptic form,
about three miles in circumference, and twelve feet in
its greatest depth ; it abounds with pike and eels, and,
receiving numerous small rivulets, forms a natural re-
servoir for supplying water-power to several mills and
other works. The Leuchar bum issues from the Loch
of Skene, and after passing southward along the western
boundary of the parish, takes an eastern course along
part of its southern limit, and flows through the parish
of Peterculter into the Dee.
In general the soil is light and gravelly, of different
degrees of fertility in different parts, but most produc-
tive on the old infield lands : the chief crojis are oats
and barley, potatoes, turnips, and the usual grasses.
The system of husbandry is greatly improved. The
lands have been mostly drained ; and where the com-
mon mode has not been found sufficiently effectual, fur-
row-draining has been adopted. Considerable tracts of
waste have been reclaimed and brought under profitable
cultivation. The lands have been inclosed, chiefly with
fences of stone, for the erection of which materials are
found in abundance ; and the farm-buihlings, of late
years much ini[)rove(l, are generally substantial. (Jn
the hills and moorlands is good j)asturc for sheep and
cattle; and m\ich attention is paid to live-stock. Few
sheep are reared, many of the sheep-walks having within
the last few years been converted into plantations. The
cattle, of which about '2.500 are kept, are usually of the
native breed, and considerable numbers are sent from
464
Aberdeen to the London market. A few horses for
agricultural purposes are also bred on the farms, and
these are for the most part hardy and robust. With
the exception of some wood on the lands of Skene, the
plantations are generally of recent formation : they con-
sist of ash, pine, plane, willow, and the various kinds
of fir ; they are well managed, and regularly thinned.
There is nothing peculiar in the geology ; the principal
subsoils are sand, gravel, and clay, and the rocks afford
stone of good cjuality for the construction of fences.
The annual value of real property is £"397.
Skene House, one of the seats of the Earl of Fife, is
situated in the western part of the parish, and has been
enlarged. It was for many generations the residence of
the family of Skene. The walls of the mansion are of
great thickness ; the interior, which has been lately
fitted up anew, contains many stately apartments, a fine
collection of pictures, and a library of more than 6000
volumes. The demesne is embellished with timber of
venerable growth, among which are a stately chesnut-
tree on the lawn, and some beautiful silver-firs in the
avenue ; the plantations of more recent date are also
extensive. Easter-Skene, a mansion in the Elizabethan
style, erected by the present proprietor, and situated in
a well-planted demesne commanding a view of the Loch
of Skene and the lower range of the Grampians ; and
Kirkville House, a handsome residence in the cottage
style, are the other principal houses.
There is no village properly so called. A factory for
spinning woollen yarn, the machinery of which is driven
by the water of Loch Skene, and, on the failure of that
power, by steam, has been established at Garlogie by
Messrs. Hadden and Sous, of Aberdeen; and about I'^IO
persons are constantly employed here, in connexion
with their carpet-manufactory in that city. The fac-
tory is conducted with the most scrupulous regard to
the comfort of the work-people, for whose accommo-
dation there are neat cottages, and a schoolroom for
the instruction of their children under a master and
assistants maintained by the company. Several of the
inhabitants of the parish are employed in the handicraft
trades requisite for the wants of the neighbourhood ;
there are shops in various parts for the sale of different
wares, and some inns. Facility of communication is
afforded by the turnpike-roads to Alford and Strathd<m,
and to Kincardine and Tarland, which branch as forks
from the Aberdeen road near the eastern boundary, and
on the former of which there is an office under the post-
office of Aberdeen, whence letters are regularly delivered.
There are also roads kept in repair by statute labour.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bomids of the
presbytery and synod of Aberdeen. The minister's sti-
pend is £1.58. 6. 8., of which one-third is paid from the
exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £'20
l)er annum : patron, the Earl of Fife. Skene church,
which is situated nearly in the centre of the parish, was
built in 1801, and has been repaired; it is a neat sub-
stantial structure, and contains "00 sittings. There are
])laces of worship for niemliers of the Free Church and
Independents. The parochial schoolmaster has a salary
of £30, with a house, an allowance of £'2 in lieu of gar-
den, and the fees ; he also participates in the Dick be-
quest, and receives £'20 from a bequest by Dr. Milne, of
Bombay, for the gratuitous instruction of twenty-five
poor children. There are several Sabbath schools, nu-
S K I R
S K I R
merously attended ; and a parochial library, forming a
collection of upwards of 600 volumes, is supported by
subscription. The principal relics of antiquity are some
remains of Druidical circles, and vestiges of a Roman
road leading from the river Dee to the Don, which may
still be traced in its progress through tlie parish, and
near which were lately found two Roman urns, a sword,
and some spear heads. In Si<ene House are preserved
some manuscripts of a date prior to the invention of
printing, and a charter of Robert Bruce confirming the
original grant of the lands by iVIalcolm Canmore. The
identical "skian" with which the wild boar was killed,
is said to be in the possession of a distant relative of
the family.
SKEOTISWAY, an isle, in the parish of Harris,
county of Inverness. It is one of a large group of
isles lying in East Loch Tarbert, and is about a mile in
length, and of very irregular form.
SKERRIES, islands, in the parish of Nesting, Luna-
sting, and Whalsay, in the county of Shetland ; con-
taining 12'2 inhabitants. These are three small isles,
sometimes called the Out Skerries, in contradistinction
to the Pentland Skerries, and they are named respectively
Bruray, Grunay, and Housay. They lie about fifteen
miles north-east from Whalsay, and twenty miles dis-
tant from the Mainland : on the western side are se-
veral detached rocks, and ten miles north-west of the
group is the islet of Muckle Skerry. Each of the three
islands is about a mile in extent, and in all are beds of
primitive limestone associated with gneiss. The popu-
lation consists of fishermen and their families. A light-
house on the low rocks here would materially contribute
to the security of the eastern coast of Shetland, and in
war time would be particularly advantageous, as vessels
are then almost constantly cruising between the Naze of
Norway and the Isles of Shetland.
SKETTERAW, a village, in the parish of Fette-
RESSO, county of Kincardine, 6 miles (N. E. by N.)
from Stonehaven; containing 183 inhabitants. This
village is situated on tlie eastern coast, to the north of
Stranathro, and is chiefly inhabited by persons employed
in the white-fishery, which is carried on to a consider-
able extent, seven boats, having each a crew of five per-
sons, being regularly engaged. Great quantities of had-
docks are taken here, of which, after supplying the
markets in the immediate neighbourhood, considerable
numbers are cured, and sent by the Edinburgh steamers
to the London market. During the season, the inhabit-
ants are also engaged in the herring-fisheries at Peter-
head and Fraserburgh. The Aberdeen railway passes
near the village.
SKIANID, a village, in the parish of Tongue, county
of Sutherland, 3^ miles (N. by W.) from Tongue
church ; containing 243 inhabitants. This place is situ-
ated on the western shore of the Kyle of Tongue, where
the indentations form a kind of harbour protected by a
small island called Rabbit Island. Southward of the
village is a ferry to the opposite side of the Kyle, leading
to the village of Tongue.
SKILTIEMUIR, a hamlet, in the parish of Cock-
pen, county of Edinburgh ; with 45 inhabitants.
SKIPNESS, county of Argyll. — See Saddell.
SKIRLING, a parish, in the county of Peebles,
2 miles (E. N. E.) from Biggar ; containing 345 inhabit-
ants, of whom 75 are in the village or hamlet of Skir-
VoL. II.— 465
ling, and the remainder in the rural districts. This
place, the name of which, in some ancient documents
written Scraicline, is of uncertain derivation, is not dis-
tinguished by any particular event prior to the reiirn of
Robert the Bruce, by whom the barony, together with
the advowson of the church, was granted to John Mon-
fode, to whose successors the gift was confirmed by
charter of David II. From this family the barony passed
to the Cockburns, and subsequently to various other
families till the time of the Revolution, when it was in
the possession of General Douglas, a member of the
Queensberry family, after whose death at the battle of
the Boyne it was purchased by John, first Earl of Hynd-
ford, and given to his second son, the Honourable William
Carmichael, whose descendant Sir Alexander Gibson
Carmichael, Bart., is the present proprietor.
The parish is two miles and a half in length and
nearly the same in breadth, and comprises about 3330
acres, of which 2610 are arable, forty woodland and
plantations, and the remainder rough pasture and waste.
Its surface is pleasingly undulated, in some parts rising
into hills of inconsiderable height. The Biggar water
skirts the parish for some distance on the S(mth, and is
the principal stream. It has been deepened so as to
receive the numerous drains that have been laid down
for the improvement of the lands, by which means, and
by embankments, a considerable portion of unproduc-
tive ground has been reclaimed and brought into pro-
fitable cultivation. The stream, however, is still far
from being sufficiently deep to allow of the improvement
of which the fine level land on its banks is susceptible.
There is little variety in the scenery ; the want of wood
renders it destitute of beauty, and the imperfect state
of the inclosures gives it rather a bleak appearance.
The soil, however, is generally fertile, and the pastures
rich, with the exception of a few patches : the crops
are, oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips. Agriculture is
advanced, and the rotation plan of husbandry usually
practised ; the lands are well drained, and all the more
recent improvements in implements have been introduced.
Lime, bone-dust, and guano are plentifully used ; and
the farm-buildings, though inferior to some others in the
adjoining districts, are substantial and commodious. The
dairy forms a principal object of attention ; the cows are
mostly of the Ayrshire breed, and so much care has been
bestowed on their improvement that many of the pre-
miums awarded at the annual exhibition of Biggar have
been adjudged to farmers of this place. A few sheep are
reared, all of the black-faced breed. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £2258.
The village is pleasantly situated, and has facility of
communication vtith Biggar, the nearest market-town,
and with other places in the district, by roads kept in
excellent repair. Fairs are held on the third Tuesday
after the 11th of May, the first Wednesday after the
11th of June, and on the 15th of September, for cattle
and horses. There is a small prison for the temporary
confinement of offenders, under the jurisdiction of a
baron-bailie appointed by the lord of the barony. Eccle-
siastically this place is in the presbytery of Biggar,
synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage
of Sir Alexander Gibson Carmichael : the minister's sti-
pend is £216. 4. JO., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £60 per annum. Skirling church, which is con-
veniently situated, is an ancient edifice ; it was thoroughly
3 O
S K YE
S L A I
repaired in 17'20, is still in good condition, and adapted
for a congregation of 200 persons. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial
school affords a useful education ; the master has a
salary of £34. 4. 4^., with £'25 fees, and a house and
garden. Attached to the school is a library supported
by subscription, comprising a collection of about 300
volumes of well-selected works. A friendly society, also,
has been established more than forty or fifty years.
There are no vestiges of the ancient castle of Skirling,
the very site of which has been obliterated by the plough.
It was long the residence of the Cockburn family, of
whom Sir James Cockburn in the sixteenth century held
the castle of Edinburgh for Mary, Queen of Scots, and
was appointed one of her commissioners at the con-
ference at York. From the firm fidelity with which he
adhered to the fortunes of that queen, he became ob-
noxious to the regent Murray, by whose order bis castle
of Skirling was utterly demolished in 1568. Several
coins of Adrian and Antoninus have been found at Great-
laws, in the parish, within the last five-and-thirty years;
and near the same place were discovered some very an-
cient sepulchres, formed of upright flags of whinstone
covered with a slab of the same material. At Kirklaw-
Hill are slight remains of some religious establishment
whose history is altogether unknown. Howe, the cele-
brated painter of cattle, was a native of Skirling, of
which his father was minister.
SKYE, an island, in the Atlantic Ocean, forming
part of the county of Inverness, and containing 23,082
inhabitants. This island, which is one of the larger of
the Hebrides or Western Isles, derives its name, signi-
fying in the Scandinavian language " mist ", from the
vapours in which the summits of its mountains are fre-
quently enveloped. Skye is bounded on the east by a
channel that separates it from the main land of Inver-
nessshire ; and on the west by the Minch, by which it
is divided from the islands of North and South Uist.
It is about fifty-four miles in extreme length, and varies
from three to thirty-five miles in breadth ; comprising
an area of nearly 450,000 acres, of which about 37,500
are arable, and the remainder mountain pasture and
waste. There are three distinct ranges of mountains.
The central range, in which the most conspicuous eleva-
tions are Glamich and Ben-ua-Cailich, varies from 2000
to 3000 feet in height ; the northern range, including the
heights of CuchuUin and Blaven, is of still greater eleva-
ti(m ; and the mountains of the southern range average
nearly 2000 feet. Between these ranges are tracts of
undulated and hilly moorland, varying from 500 to 1000
feet in height. The only level portions of land are the
plains of Kilmuir in the north-west, and Bracadale in the
west. There arc numerous small streams abounding
with salmon and trout ; also several inland lochs, which,
with the exception of Lochs Coruisk, Crcich, and Colm-
kill, are little more than jiools. The coast is every-
where rocky, and in some parts lofty and precipitous,
bounded by ranges of cliffs varying from 300 to 600
feet in height, and some of which ijresent beautiful spe-
cimens of columnar formation. Of the inlets of the
sea, with which the coast is deeply indented, the prin-
cipal arc. Loch Slapin, Loch Scavaig, and Loch Kishart,
on the south ; Lochs Bracadale, Dnnvcgan, and Snizort,
on the north-west ; and Broadford bay on the east. The
chief islands off the coast are Bona, Rasav, and Scalpa,
466
separated from the main land by the several sounds to
which they respectively give name. The arable lands
are in a state of profitable cultivation, and in the moun-
tain pastures large numbers of sheep, black-cattle, and
horses of small size are reared ; the district is also cele-
brated for a breed of small dogs called Skye terriers.
The island constitutes a presbytery in the synod of Gle-
nelg, and contains the parishes of Bracadale, Duirinish,
Kilmuir, Portree, Sleat, Snizort, and Strath, all of which
are separately described.
SLAINS and FORVIE, a parish, in the county of
Aberdeen, 5 miles (E. by S.) from Ellon; containing,
with the villages of Collieston and Oldcastle, 1211 inha-
bitants. This parish, which is situated on the shore of
the German Ocean, received an augmentation, at what
period is uncertain, by the annexation of part of the ad-
joining parish of Forvie ; the rest of which had been
overwhelmed by the changing and drifting sands upon
the coast. It is of triangtilar form, measures upwards
of six miles in extreme length, and is bounded on the
south-west by the river Ythan, by which it is separated
from the parish of Foveran ; and on the north-west by
the Forvie burn, separating it from Logie-Buchan. It
comprises a total area of about 9000 acres, and the
greater part of the land is under cultivation ; there are
some peat-moss, fifteen acres of wood, and 1900 acres
of sand-hillocks, partly covered with short coarse grass
called bent, and anciently belonging to the parish of
Forvie. The line of coast measures about six miles ; it
presents in most places bold, craggy, and precipitous
rocks, frequently rising 200 feet high, and is deeply in-
dented with fissures, bays, and caves. Some of the
caves are celebrated for their interesting petrifactions,
especially the Dropping Cave, or White Cave of Slains,
which exhibits beautiful white stalactical incrustations.
These breaks and caverns were long the haunts of
smugglers, and the receptacles of large deposits of con-
traband goods, being found well adapted for conceal-
ment and security. One of them, called Hell-lura, is
more than 200 feet in length, with an arch in some
parts thirty feet high ; while another, called the Nee-
dle's-eye, is ninety feet long, four feet wide, and from
twenty to thirty feet high ; it forms a massive body of
rock, and in stormy weather a grand and imposing scene
is presented, from the impetuosity of the waves.
The surface of the district is undulated, and strongly
marked by drifting sands, or links, extending from the
shore, and, as already stated, covering an area of 1900
acres. This was formerly under profitable tillage, but
is now an irrecoverable desert, and the sands continually,
though very slowly, make further encroachments on the
good land. The locality is particularly bleak and stormy,
and entirely bare of wood, excepting a few acres of
plantation on the estate of Leask ; the dampness and
severity of the climate prevent the growth of trees, and
wholly forbid the hope of bringing garden fruit to matu-
rity. Copious springs of excellent water pour forth from
numerous rocks on the coast. There are three lochs,
two of which, called Cot-hill and Sand loch, each about
fifteen acres in extent, arc supposed to have been formed
l)y tlic drifting of the sand. The otiier, called the Mucklc
Loch of Slains, is by far the largest and most beautiful,
covering about seventy acres, and being nearly sur-
rounded by the Kippet hills. These hills rise gradually
to the height of fifty or sixty feet, and form a ridge of
SLA I
SLAM
gravel mixed with smooth pieces of limestone weighing
from one to sixteen pounds : this limestone was formerly
burnt and applied to agricultural use, but has now been
superseded by the importation of English lime. The
grassy covering of the acclivities greatly improves the
scenery of this sheet of water, which in some places
reaches the depth of more than fifty feet. The Muckle
Loch renders the district where it is situated strikingly
interesting.
The SOIL runs through almost every variety, but its
prevailing character is clay. Oats, bear, and turnips are
raised of good quality, especially the last, to the im-
provement of which great attention has been paid by
the careful selection of the seed, and the plentiful ap-
plication of bone-manure. The only permanent pasture
is a small tract along the sea-coast. A portion of fine
rich land with a loamy soil, occasionally in grass,
stretches nearly across the district ; it belongs to the
estate of Cluny Castle, and is grazed by large flocks of
sheep. The rotation system is followed : and draining,
the reclaiming of waste land, the erection of new farm-
houses, and the improvement of the breed of cattle, have
all been carried on with spirit, agricultural enterprise
having received a powerful impulse from the facilities of
steam navigation. The rocks on the coast consist of
gneiss and mica-slate, occasionally intermixed with
quartz ; and blocks of granite are sometimes to be seen.
Sand is obtained in large quantities, of a calcareous
nature, and greyish hue ; it is used advantageously as
manure on damp or wet soils, but, on account of its hot
nature, has been found highly injurious on matured
grounds. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish is £51.57. The only mansion is the house of Leask,
a substantial and elegant residence, built about twenty
or thirty years since.
There are two villages, Oldcastle and Collieston, which
are principally inhabited by fishermen engaged in the
white-fishery, comprising ling, mackerel, turbot, whiting,
halibut, skate, soles, flounders, haddock, and cod ; the
two last kinds are taken in very large quantities, and
form the chief articles of traffic. In addition to this,
five boats have gone for the last few years, with success,
to take herrings at Peterhead. The river Ythan is fre-
quented by swarms of almost every description of wild-
fowl, and is well stocked with salmon, grilse, various
sorts of trout, eels, and other fish. It is found espe-
cially serviceable for its abundant supply of mussels,
which furnish bait not only to the fishermen here, but
also to those of many other villages on the east coast,
and the right of taking which is rented at £300 per an-
num. Cod-fishing commences in October and ends in
February, and the fish caught, amounting in the season
to above 20,000, are contracted for by a dealer who
sends them pickled to the London market ; the had-
docks are cured and forwarded to Leith and Glasgow,
and large quantities of the mussels are sent to Aberdeen.
The Ythan is navigable for a short distance from the
sea, and forms an important means of communication,
by which vessels come to the parish with bone-manure
and lime, and return laden with grain : they also bring
coal, but a considerable portion of the fuel in use is peat,
obtained from a moss of 250 acres. The post commu-
nication is with Ellon ; but the produce of the soil is
sent for sale chiefly to Newburgh, sometimes to Aber-
deen and Peterhead.
467
Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery of
Ellon, synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of
Colonel John Gordon, of Cluny : the minister's stipend
is £217, with a manse, and a glebe worth £9 per annum.
The church, standing within 300 yards of the shore, was
built at the beginning of the present century, and accom-
modates 654 persons with sittings. The parochial school,
for which handsome premises were erected in 1838,
affords instruction in Latin, mathematics, and naviga-
tion, in addition to the elementary branches ; the master
has a salary of £30, with a house, and £14 fees. Slains
Castle, the former residence of the Hay family, was de-
molished by order of King James VL, in consequence
of the Earl of Errol having joined in the Earl of Huntly's
rebellion. It must have been very secure against ap-
proaches and attacks, occupying a peninsular rock more
than 100 feet high, with communication merely by a
narrow defile on the north. The foundation of the old
church of Forvie is still visible on the sands, and is the
only relic of the lost parish. On the grounds of Leask
stand the ruins of the chapel of St. Adamannan, a disciple
of St. Columba, consisting of a gable and a Gothic win-
dow overspread with ivy : the edifice was erected, as is
supposed, about the close of the sixth century.
SLAMANNAN, or Slamanan, a parish, in • the
county of Stirling, 6 miles (S. S. W.) from Falkirk ;
containing, in 1841, 979 inhabitants. This place, in the
sessional records and crown presentations, is called
" Slamanan, otherwise St. Lawrence," and it is con-
cluded that on account of the dedication of the church
to that saint, the latter name was occasionally or perhaps
invariably applied to the parish till the former, the ety-
mology of which is quite uncertain, became the ordinary
appellation. In the year 14*0 the chief lands were con-
veyed under the great seal to Lord Livingstone ; and
the superiority, and the patronage of the church, re-
mained in the Callendar family, successors to the Living-
stones, till 1715, when they were forfeited to the crown.
From certain existing records, however, it appears that
the Earls of Callendar were not the sole proprietors, but
that some estates were feued from the Lords Torphichen.
This locality, from its proximity to the ancient Caledo-
nian forest, from remains of castles, trenches, and other
military works, and the names of several places in the
vicinity, is conjectured to have been the scene of warlike
conflicts ; but nothing is known with certainty on this
point. The parish was formerly of much less extent
than at present, measuring originally only five miles in
length and three in breadth. In 1730, upon the division
of the parish of Falkirk, when the whole of that of Pol-
mont was taken therefrom, a part also was annexed
quoad sacra to Slamannan, increasing its limits to six
miles in length and upwards of four in breadth.
The SURFACE is broken by ridges, running from east
to west, and much undulated, producing a great diver-
sity in the scenery, the soil, and crops ; and as the
ground, rising from the north, attains an elevation of
more than 600 feet above the level of the sea, at its
southern limit, the severity of early frosts, and wintry
storms, often impede the labours of the husbandman.
The stream of the Avon traverses the parish from west
to east, and formed its northern boundary before the
annexation of the Falkirk portion. It takes its rise in a
moss in New Monkland, and though of small breadth,
yet, when swollen after rain or snow, overflows its banks
3 02
SLAT
SLEA
to a great extent, and frequently in time of harvest en-
tirely destroys the neighbouring crops. It contains
good trout, but they are killed in great numbers every
year when some stagnant waters used fur steeping lint
are emptied into the stream ; and after floods, on ac-
count of the mossy nature of the water, cattle invariably
refuse to eat the hay made from the meadows near it.
The Great Black loch, situated here, affords the principal
supply to the reservoir on the lands of Auchingray
formed for feeding the Monkland canal ; besides which
there is a loch called the Little Black loch, stocked like
the former with perch and eels.
On each side of the Avon the grounds are composed
of a mixed alluvial soil, which is light and fertile, and
produces good crops when not flooded. In other parts
the soil is clayey and heavy, and to a considerable extent
cold wet moss, especially between the ridges, and in the
western district, where the crops only come to maturity
in very fine seasons. Oats and barley are raised, and a
little wheat, with large quantities of potatoes, turnips,
and cabbages, and some lint. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £4373. The nature of the
strata was unknown, and the mineral contents of the
place une.Kplored, till the recent construction of the
Slajnannan railway, the cuttings for which partially laid
open the rock, and caused bores to be made by way of
experiment. Fine freestone has been found in abun-
dance, and good coal is wrought on a considerable scale,
■200 tons of it being sent off daily by the railway. Iron-
stone, also, as well as coal of various kinds, is exten-
sively spread beneath the lands ; and as a decided im-
pulse has been given to agricultural efforts, by the faci-
lities of conveyance supplied by the new method of
transit, so it is expected that mining operations, now
comparatively in their infancy, will derive equal advan-
tages. Since the census of 1S41, upwards of 200 work-
men and miners have settled in the parish. Coal and
peat are the fuel of the inhabitants, who obtain both
from their own district, from which, also, the large
whinstone blocks used in the construction of the railroad
were quarried. Tiie marketable produce is disposed of
at Falkirk and Airdrie. Ecclesiastically the parish is in
the presbytery of Linlithgow, synod of Lothian and
Tweeddale, and in the patronage of the Crown ; the
minister's stipend is £2.57, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £28 per annum. Slamannan church, rebuilt
about 1816, is a plain edifice, nearly square in form, and
contains upwards of 600 sittings. The parochial school
affords instruction in Greek, Latin, mensuration, and
all the ordinary branches ; the master has a salary of
£34. 4., with a house, and £20 fees. There is another
school in the parish.
.SLATEFORD, a village, in the parish of Colinton,
county of Edinhurgh, 3 miles (S. W.) from Edinburgh ;
containing 221 inhabitants. This village is situated on
the Water of Leitii, and the district around is a scene of
considerable activity and industry j numerous mills are
driven by the river, and at Inglis-Green, immediately
below Slateford, is an excellent bleachfield under the di-
rection of Mr. M'Whirter. There are three bridges over
the river at Slateford, one being a viaduct on the line of
the Caledonian railway, one an aqueduct on the line of
the Union canal, and one a common bridge on the line
of the Edinburgh and Lanark road. The a(|ueduct con-
sists of eight arches, and is 500 feet in length ; the via-
468
duct has fourteen arches, each of thirty feet span, and,
though not so lofty as the aqueduct, is elevated forty feet
above the level of the river. A little further on, the rail-
way crosses the canal by a cast-iron skew-bridge, sixty-
three feet in span, and only fourteen feet above the level
of the canal. Slateford forms the first station out of
Edinburgh, on the Caledonian railway. In the village
is a post-office. There is also a meeting-house, built in
1784, the minister of which has a salary of £130, with a
dwelling-house and garden.
SLATEFORD, a village, in the parish of Edzell,
county of Forfar, 6 miles (N. by W.) from Brechin;
containing 290 inhabitants. This village is situated near
the western bank of the North Esk river, in the south-
eastern quarter of the parish. — See Edzell.
SLEAT, or SLATE, a parish, in the Isle of Skye,
county of Inverness, 16 miles (S. by W.) from Broad-
ford ; containing 2706 inhabitants. This parish, the
name of which is supposed to be of Danish origin, is
situated in the south-eastern part of the island, and is
twenty-five miles in length and five in average breadth,
comprising 24,056 acres. About 1335 acres are arable,
3956 green pasture, 18,265 hill pasture, and 500 wood.
It is chiefly a peninsula. The northern part, reaching
to Kyle-Rhea, a.ferry that separates Skye from the main
land of Glenelg, comprehends but a small proportion of
the area compared to the southern or peninsular district,
which is connected with the northern by a narrow
isthmus formed by the approximation of an arm of the
sea on the east, called Loch-in-daal, and another on the
west, called Loch Eishart. The whole of the eastern
boundary is washed by the channel which extends be-
tween Skye and the counties of Ross and Inverness ;
and though the shore is not so deeply indented here as
in many other parts of the island, it is yet far from re-
gular in its outline, particularly in the southern portion.
The interior displays considerable variety of scenery;
the eastern side, where most of the cultivated ground is
situated, is ornamented with the thriving plantations of
Armadale Castle, and exhibits specimens of superior
husbandry in its arable and pasture lands. Westward
are tracts of low bleak moorland, forming a contrast to
the bold elevations of Strath, and especially to the lofty
and pinnacled range of Cuillin beyond. The lakes are of
small extent, and principally in the moorlands ; they
contain trout, which are sometimes taken by anglers.
The paucity of fish in these waters is compensated by
the supply of various kinds in the neighbouring seas,
comprehending herrings, cod, ling, skate, mackerel, sal-
mon, flounders, and others.
Towards the middle of the parish the soil is mossy,
furnishing the inliabitants with plenty of good peat for
fuel. In the jjortiou under tillage it is clayey, but on
account of the humidity of the climate and the wetness
of the ground, the crops are late. The farmers consist
partly of a superior order called tacksmen, who hold
their lands by lease, generally for fifteen years, and partly
of crofters or small tenants, who hold at will, and culti-
vate mere allotments of ground. These two classes are
so entirely different in circumstances, and in the results
of their agricultural labour, that they form a perfect
contrast to each other. The tacksmen pursue a regular
system of husbandry, including a rotation of crops ; pay
much attention to the rearing of sheep and cattle ; and
have conveaient and comfortable farm-buildings. The
SLED
SM AI
crofters, on the contrary, are chiefly anxious to raise
potatoes, which having planted in the spring, and ma-
nured with sea- ware, they leave home, and proceed to
the south in search of employment, there being but little
demand for labour in the parish. At the end of harvest
they return ; appropriating their summer earnings to
the payment of their rent, and the relief of those who
are sick or infirm ; and remaining throughout the winter
entirely unoccupied. Most of this class have cattle and
sheep grazing on the hills ; but these being far too nu-
merous for the quantity of pasture, they are lean and
stunted, and contribute only in a small degree to the
means of subsistence. The crofters are thus extremely
poor ; they are all clad in home-made apparel, rarely
taste butchers' meat, and consider oatmeal a luxury ; a
depressed state arising from over-population, and the
consolidation of several tracts and their conversion into
sheep-farms. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £'2097.
The substrata consist of gneiss, intersected with trap
dykes. The stone used in building the castle of Arma-
dale, the seat of Lord Macdonald, proprietor of the
parish, was brought from quarries in the adjoining parish
of Strath ; freestone being employed for the more mas-
sive, and granite for the ornamental portions. Armadale
Castle, built about thirty or forty years since, is particu-
larly admired for its hall and staircase, which are beau-
tifully finished, and the latter ornamented with a window
of stained glass by Egginton of Birmingham, containing
a fine figure of Somerled, Lord of the Isles, the founder
of the family, represented in full Highland costume.
The rooms are all commodious and well proportioned,
and some of them exceedingly handsome. Several good
roads connect different parts of the parish ; and a par-
liamentary road runs through it, communicating between
Armadale and Broadford. Steam-boats plying between
Glasgow and Portree touch here every day in summer,
and once a fortnight in winter. The chief produce ex-
ported consists of herrings and cod sent to the district of
the Clyde, of sheep sent to the Falkirk trysts, and of
black-cattle. Ecclesiastically this place is in the pres-
bytery of Skye, synod of Glenelg, and in the patronage
of the Crown : the minister's stipend is £158, of which
£96 are paid by the exchequer ; with a manse, built
about half a century since, and a glebe valued at £6 per
annum. The church, situated at Kilmore, near the
centre of the parish, is a plain structure bearing the date
1631 ; it has latelj' been repaired, and contains sittings
for about 500 persons. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship. Sleat parochial school affords
instruction in the usual branches ; the master has a
salary of £30, with a house and fees. There is an As-
sembly's school at Tormore. Another school is sup-
ported by the Society for Propagating Christian Know-
ledge ; and a school has been established by the Gaelic
School Society, at the ferry of Kyle-Rhea. An ancient
building called Dun-scaich, situated on the west side of
the parish, and another, called the Castle of Knock, on
the east, are supposed to have been at a remote period
residences of the barons of Sleat. Sir John Macpherson,
who held a high appointment in India, was born here.
The place confers on the Macdonald family the title of
barons of Sleat.
SLEDMUIR, a hamlet, in the parish of Kirriemuir,
county of Forfar ; containing 84 inhabitants.
469
SLOHABERT,ahamlet,in the parish of KiRKiNNER,
county of Wigtown, 1^ mile (W. S. \V.) from Kirkinner
village; containing 54 inhabitants. This is a very small
place, lying in the southern (juartcr of the parish, a short
distance from the estate of Barnbarroch.
SMAILHOLM, a parish and village, in the county of
Roxburgh, 6 miles (W. N. W.) from Kelso ; containing
592 inhabitants, of whom 304 are in the village. This
place, the name of which is variously written Smalham,
Smalholm, and Smailholm, was chiefly distinguished for
its tower, a spacious square building supposed to have
been a border fortress, and the remains of which still
exist on the farm of Sandyknow, in the south-west of
the parish, formerly tenanted by the grandfather of
Sir Walter Scott. Sir Walter has celebrated this resort
of his childhood in his border tale The Eve of St. Juhri,
in which he describes the tower of Smailholm and its
surrounding rocks ; and in his Marmion he alludes to his
early residence at .Sandyknow, as having exercised a pe-
culiar influence in predisposing his mind to that style of
poetry in which he so much excelled. The parish is
situated at the north-eastern extremity of the county,
and bounded on the east by the river Eden ; it extends
nearly four miles in length, and varies in its breadth,
which in the widest part is rather more than three
miles. Smailholm comprises 4057 acres, of which 3450
are arable, 450 meadow and pasture, and about sixty
woodland and plantations. 'The surface is diversified
with both flat and rising grounds, the latter in some
parts having an elevation of more than 500 feet above
the level of the sea; and the scenery, which in many
places is picturesque, is pleasingly embellished with
plantations. The soil is in general good, and the system
of agriculture advanced : the plantations consist of firs
and various kinds of hard-wood, and are in a thriving
and healthy condition. Of late years the land has been
much improved by draining, and by the introduction of
lime ; the crops are usually favourable, the farm-buildings
substantial and well arranged, the lands inclosed, and
the fences, which are chiefly of thorn, neatly kept. Lime-
stone is found in the parish, but, from the scarcity of
coal for burning it into lime, it is not worked ; coal
brought from a considerable distance is the principal
fuel, and the thinnings of the plantations afford also
a partial supply. The substratum is principally whin-
stone rock of a very hard quality, which abounds in the
southern parts, and is procured for making and repair-
ing roads. There is also a quantity of rotten-rock, used
for the farm-roads. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £309"^.
The village consists of three divisions, called respec-
tively the East Third, the West Third, and Overtown :
in the first, through which passes the turnpike-road from
Lauder, are situated the parish church, the manse, and the
parochial school. A savings' bank was established some
time ago, but it has been discontinued since the year
1830. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Lauder, synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patron-
age of George Baillie, Esq., of Jerviswoode: the minister's
stipend is £'205. 12. 9., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £17. 5. per annum. Smailholm church, which is con-
veniently situated, appears to have been erected about
the year 1632, as a stone removed from the building
while undergoing repairs bore that date, with the in-
scription Soli. Deo. Gloria. It has accommodation .'"or
S M A L
SN IZ
300 persons. The parochial school affords a useful
education ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with
£30 fees and a house and garden : the number of scho-
lars is about eighty.
SMALLHOLM, a hamlet, in the parish of Loce-
MABEN, county of Dumfries, 3^ miles (S. S. E.) from
the town of Lochmaben ; containing 6'2 inhabitants. It
is situated on the west bank of the Annan, in the south-
east quarter of the parish, and on the high road from
Lochmaben to Annan. This is one of the four villages
forming the ancient barony of Fourtowns, the tract com-
prising which is of remarkable fertility. The tenants of
the lands around the villages were formerly called the
" King's tenants ", and the " Crown's rentallers ", the
property having constituted part of the original royal
domains, or proper patrimony of the crown. It was in-
cumbent on the tenants to furnish provisions and other
necessaries for the use of the royal fortress of Lochmaben,
and it is probable that the tenants themselves composed
the garrison of the castle, which existed as a border de-
fence till the union of the crowns. The population of the
village of Smallholm is exclusively agricultural.
SMALL ISLES, a parish, partly in the county of
Inverness, but chiefly in the district of Mull, county
of Argyll ; containing the island of Eigg in the former,
and the islands of Canna, Muck, and Rum, in the latter,
county ; and having 993 inhabitants. This district an-
ciently formed part of the parish of Sleat, from which
it was severed in 1726, by act of the General Assembly,
and erected into a distinct parish. On its separation the
parish took the name of Eigg, from the island of Eigg,
where its minister had his principal residence, but sub-
sequently received its present name, by which it is more
generally known, from the several islands of which it
consists, and of each of which a minute description is
given under its own head. The surface and the soil, with
the various other features of the parish, vary greatly ;
some parts are more or less adapted for tillage, and
others for pasture. The principal employment of the in-
habitants is the rearing of sheep and black-cattle. A
small quantity of kelp is made from the abundance of
sea- weed which is found on the coasts, and which is also
used as manure. Cod, ling, and other kinds of white-
fish, are taken off the coast ; and during the season,
several of the inhabitants are engaged in the herring-
fishery, which is tarried on to a small extent. The
mansion-houses are those of Mr. Macneil in the island
of Canna, and Dr. Maclean in the island of Rum ; the
lands attached to them have been greatly improved, and
embellished with plantations, which are well managed
and in a thriving state.
There are no villages, neither are any important manu-
factures carried on : a few of the inhabitants are em-
ployed in the building and repairing of boats, and in
some of the usual handicraft trades connected with the
fisheries, ornecessary for the supply of immediate wants.
The means of communication from island to island is by
small boats, of which each family has at least one for its
own use. The annual value of real property in the pa-
rish is £664. Ecclesiastically it is within the bounds
of the presbytery of Skye and synod of (ilenelg. The
minister's stipend, including communion elements, is
£158. 6. 8., of which £64. 16. 4. are paid from the ex-
chequer ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per
annum : patron, the Crown. There is no church ; ser-
470
vice is held in the schoolroom at Eigg, which is capable
of accommodating a congregation of eighty persons.
Nearly one half of the people are of the Roman Catholic
persuasion, and meet for public worship in the house of
the priest. Those who are of the Free Church have also
a place of worship. The parochial school, for which an
appropriate building in the island of Eigg was erected in
1829, is attended by about thirty scholars ; the master
has a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and the
fees. There is a Gaelic school in Muck, supported by a
society. Some remains of ancient fortresses exist on the
islands of Canna andMuck, but in avery dilapidated state;
and on the island of Rum are still left vestiges of dykes
formerly used for ensnaring the deer.
SMITHTOWN OF CULLODEN, a hamlet, in the
parish and county of Inverness ; containing 64 inha-
bitants.
SMITHYHAUGH, a village, in the parish of Auch-
TERARDER, county of Perth, S^ miles (E.) from the
town of Auchterarder ; containing 391 inhabitants^ This
village, which within the last few years has rapidly in-
creased in extent and population, is beautifully situated
on the banks of the river Ruthven, and in that part of
the parish which was anciently the parish of Aberuthven,
now annexed to Auchterarder. The inhabitants are
chiefly employed in hand-loom weaving for the manu-
facturers of Glasgow, and in the woollen-manufacture,
for which there is a small factory on the river for shawls,
blankets, and similar articles. On the same stream are
numerous mills, as noticed in the account of the parish ;
from which circumstance the village probably derived its
previous appellation of Miltown.
SNIZORT, a parish, in the Isle of Skye, county of
Inverness, 7 miles (N. N.W.) from Portree ; containing
3220 inhabitants, of whom eighty- seven are in that part
of the quoad sacra parish of Steinscholl which is within
Snizort. This parish is bounded on the east by the
sound of Rasay, and on the west by Loch Snizort. It is
about twelve miles in extreme length and nearly six miles
in breadth, comprising an area of 37,000 acres, of which
the far greater part is hill and moorland pasture. The
surface is marked with flat hills of moderate elevation,
partly covered with green pasture, and partly with heath :
in the south-east is a mountainous ridge called the Storr,
whose isolated peak, rising to a great height above the
adjacent hills, and broken into irregular forms, has a
strikingly romantic appearance. Between the hills are
some small valleys, the principal of which, namely,
Glenhaltin, Glenhinistil, and Glen-Uigg, not only afford
luxuriant pasturage, but contain also large tracts of rich
arable land. There are numerous springs of excellent
water; and of the several rivers, which, when swollen
with rains, flow with an impetuous course, the principal
one falls into the bay of Snizort. The coast is indented
with small bays ; the most important are, that of Snizort,
which intersects the pari.>ih for nearly five miles, and the
bay of Uigg, forming a semicircular basin a mile and a
half in circumference, on the w-est. The shore is bold
and rocky, exce])t at the heads of the bays, where it is
generally low and sandy ; and on the east side of the
coast is a bcautilul cascade, where the water has a fall of
ninety feet from the |)rojecting rock into the sea, and
under which is a naturally formed foot-path in the cliff,
whence this interesting cascade may be seen with sin-
gular effect.
t'W-/;
SNIZ
SORB
Husbandry is generally in a very imperfect state, and
a large proportion of the improveable land is still a
barren waste. The larger farms are under tolerably good
management, and on these impfoved implements of agri-
culture are in use ; but in all the smaller allotments the
old and inefficient modes are yet practised. The chief
dependence of the inhabitants is on the rearing of black-
cattle, sheep, and horses. At the head of Loch Snizort
is a fishing-station, where salmon are taken ; and cod
and ling are found off the coast, many tons of which are
sent annually to Glasgow and Liverpool. Herrings were
formerly caught in abundance ; but very few of late have
visited this part of the coast. At the bay of Uigg is a
receiving-house for letters, and the packet from Harris
arrives there weekly, to convey the mails thence to their
destination ; facility of communication is also afforded
by a good road which passes through the whole length
of the parish to Portree. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Snizort is £2958.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Skye and synod of Glenelg.
The minister's stipend is £158. 2. 11., of which more
than one half is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £15 per annum : patron, the
Crown. The church, situated at the head of Loch Sni-
zort, built about the year 1800, and originally contain-
ing only 450 sittings, has been enlarged, and now con-
tains sittings for 750 persons. There is a place of wor-
ship for members of the Free Church; also a preaching-
station on the south side of the bay of Snizort, in which
are 400 sittings. At Uigg is a place of worship for
Baptists. The parochial school is well conducted ; the
master has a salary of £30, with a house, an allowance
of £2 in lieu of garden, and the fees. There are other
schools, supported by the General Assembly and societies
for the education of the poor, the masters of which have
salaries of £'20 each ; and in the district of Borvie is a
school endowed by the late Donald Mc Dermid, Esq.,
with the sum of £1000, from which the master receives
a salary of £35 per annum : he also possesses a house
and garden.
On a small island formed by the river Snizort near
its influx into the sea, are the ruins of the ancient church,
supposed to have been originally the cathedral of the
Isle of Skye : it is now appropriated only as a place of
sepulture. There are numerous cairns in the parish, in
some of which have been found the coffins of the chief-
tains over whose remains they were raised : in the cairn
of Ina was discovered, on the lid of a stone coffin, the
handle of a military weapon resembling a sword ; and
within the coffin was an urn of burnt clay, elaborately
carved, but without any inscription. While digging
peat on the farm of Sheader, there was discovered in
the moss a small box of ancient weapons, on one of
which, when cleared from rust, appeared the name of
"Bocchus", supposed to have been sheriff of Ross, which
included the Isle of Skye when the Macdonalds were
Earls of Ross. This weapon was probably the sword of
state usually placed before him while holding his courts.
There are also remains of Druidical circles, and several
circular forts. Among the rocks on the eastern coast is
a large perpendicular mass of stone, 360 feet in circum-
ference at the base, and about 300 feet high, tapering
gradually toward the summit, and forming a natural
obelisk of strikingly romantic appearance.
471
SNOASSUMUL, an isle, in the parish of Barra,
county of Inverness. This is an islet of very minute
size, lying in the sound of Watersay, at its eastern en-
trance. It is uninhabited.
SOAY, an island, in the parish of Bracadale, county
of Inverness ; containing 1 13 inhabitants. It is situ-
ated about south-east-by-east of the point of Rhuandu-
nan, opposite to Loch Skavaig, and is separated from
the Isle of Skye by the sound of its own name. On the
north-west is a deeply-indented harbour which nearly
divides the island into two parts.
SOAY, an isle, in the parish of Assynt, county of
Sutherland. This is a small isle, on the western
coast of the county, at the entrance of Loch Inver ; and
is about half a mile in length, very narrow, and rather
flat, though not wholly so. There is much heather, but
a portion of the island affords good pasturage.
SORBIE, a parish, in the district of Machers,
county of Wigtown, 6 miles (S.) from Wigtown ; con-
taining, with the villages of Garliestown and Sorbie,
1700 inhabitants, of whom 809 are in the rural districts,
and 235 in the village of Sorbie. This place compre-
hends the three ancient parishes of Sorbie, Kirkraadrine,
and Cruggleton, which were united about the middle of
the seventeenth century. It is supposed to have derived
its name, originally Sourbij, signifying in the Saxon lan-
guage " a gloomy habitation", from the position of its
castle on the confines of a cold and dreary marsh that
has been since drained and brought under cultivation.
Sorbie Castle, of which there are but inconsiderable
remains, belonged in the reign of James IV., with the
lands attached to it, to the family of Hannay, and con-
tinued in their possession till about the commencement
of the present century : the Earl of Galloway is now
the principal landed proprietor. The castle of Cruggle-
ton, from which that parish took its name, and of which
only some of the foundations of the walls, and part of
an arch, are at present left, was seated on the summit
of a bold promontory near the mouth of Wigtown bay.
It is said to have been the baronial residence of John
Cumyn, Earl of Buchan, in the thirteenth century, as one
of the coheirs of the ancient lords of Galloway. In 1292,
the earl obtained from Edward I. of England licence to
procure lead in the Calf of Man, for the roofing of his
castle of Cruggleton; which, after his subsequent defeat
by Robert Bruce, was, with the neighbouring lands, for-
feited to the crown. Of its subsequent history little is
known; it became a ruin towards the close of the seven-
teenth century, and the estate is now the property of Sir
Andrew Agnew, of Lochnaw, Bart.
The parish is bounded on the east by Wigtown bay,
and is about six miles in extreme length, varying from
three miles and a half to nearly six miles in breadth,
and comprising 9000 acres, of which 7700 are arable,
with a moderate proportion of meadow and pasture,
400 woodland and plantations, and the remainder moor
and waste. Its surface is diversified with hills of mo-
derate elevation, interspersed with fertile valleys, and
commanding from their summits fine views of the bay
of Wigtown, Solway Firth, the Cumberland mountains,
and the Isle of Man. The scenery, enlivened with flou-
rishing plantations, is agreeably varied, and in some
parts picturesque. There are no rivers of any impor-
tance. On the north-western boundary is Loch Dowal-
ton, so called from a former proprietor of the lands, a
SORB
SO RN
fine sheet of water more than three miles in circumfer-
ence, and varying from six to twenty feet in depth. From
this lake, which abounds with pike, perch, and eels, issues
a small stream which intersects the parish from west to
east, and flows into Garliestown bay. In various parts
of the parish are perennial springs, aflFording an ample
supply of excellent water.
The COAST, including its several windings, is about
twelve miles in extent. It is indented with numerous
bays, the principal of them being those of Garliestown
and Rigg, the latter of which, in compliment to Capt.
Hunter, of the royal navy, who brought his ship to an-
chor there, has since been sometimes called Hunter's
bay : on the north is Orchardton bay, which is dry at
low water. The bay of Garliestown is well adapted for
the construction of a spacious harbour, which would
greatly facilitate the trade between the western coast of
England and this country. Innerwell, Allan, and Whap-
ple are smaller bays. The principal headlands are Ea-
gerness, Innerwell, and Cruggleton Points, of which
Eagerness Point is the most prominent. The shore on
the north, and at Garliestown and Rigg, is flat and
sandy : at Eagerness it is rocky, but not precipitous ;
while from the south-east of Rigg bay to Whithorn it is
bold and precipitous, rising in some places abruptly to
a height of 200 feet above the level of the sea. The
rocks on this part of the coast are perforated with two
nearly contiguous caves, each about 1'20 feet in depth,
and both having arched roofs of great beauty, naturally
formed in the solid rock ; one is 100 feet in height and
thirty-six feet in width, and the other forty feet high
and fifteen feet wide. A salmon-fishery is carried on at
Port-Innerwell, which produces an annual rental to the
proprietors of £"200 ; and herrings, mackerel, cod, and
various other kinds offish, are also taken here in abun-
dance. Herrings were likewise found some years since
off Garliestown, and many of the inhabitants were en-
gaged in the fishery ; but from recent want of success,
it has been almost discontinued.
In general the soil is light, but fertile, and in a high
state of cultivation ; the crops are oats, barley, potatoes,
turnips, and a little wheat, with the usual grasses. Hus-
bandry has been much improved of late ; the farm houses
and offices are mostly substantial and conveniently ar-
ranged, the lands inclosed, and the fences kept in good
order. The greatest encouragement is given by the
proprietors, and the liberal terms on which the leases
are granted afford a powerful stimulus to improvement.
Great attention is paid to live-stock. The sheep are of
the common native breed, with a mixture of others ;
many are bought in at the Falkirk trysts, and, when
fattened on turnips, sent to "the Liverpool markets by
steam-boats, for which the parish has every facility. The
cattle are all of the Galloway breed ; they are mostly of
a black colour, without horns, and are usually sold when
two or three years old to dealers who send them to
Dumfries, where they are purchased for the supply of
the English markets. The plantations comprise oak,
a.sh, beech, birch, alder, plane, and the various Ivinds of
firs, for all of which the soil appears to be adapted; they
are regularly thinned, and in a thriving state. In the
grounds of CJalloway House are some remarkably fine
specimen.s of laurel, evergreen, Turkey oak, and horse-
chesnut. Tlie annual value of real property in the parish
is £8646. Galloway House, the seat of the Earl of Gal-
472
loway,is a stately mansion erected about the middle of the
eighte»nth century, and beautifully situated on the coast,
between the bays of Garliestown and Rigg, over both of
which it commands an interesting view, with the Cum-
berland mountains and the Isle of Man in the distance.
It contains spacious and elegant apartments tastefully
embellished, and a library of many thousand volumes
in the various departments of literature ; the grounds
are richly embellislied with ancient timber and thriving
plantations. A large addition has been made to the
mansion within the last few years.
The village of Garliestown is described under its own
head. That of Sorbie was commenced towards the
close of the last century, under the auspices of the Earl
of Galloway : it is situated nearly in the centre of the
parish ; the houses are neatly built, and the environs
abound with pleasing scenery. The manufacture of
damask, lately discontinued, was established in the vil-
lage about fifty years since, and was brought to great
perfection, both for fineness of texture, and beauty and
variety of pattern ; the damask was made from the best
Dutch flax spun by hand, and the articles produced were
in high repute throughout Scotland and England. Some
damask manufactured here in 1800 was sent to Edin-
burgh, and submitted for competition at the annual
meeting of the Board of Trustees, where it obtained the
highest premium ; and complete suits of table-linen
have been prepared at this place for most of the noble
families in the kingdom. The manufactory afforded
employment to about 100 persons, including both wea-
vers and spinners. There are rope and sail works at
Garliestown. Letters are delivered daily from the post-
office of Wigtown ; and facility of communication is
maintained by good roads, which intersect the parish in
various directions, and by steam-boats and other vessels,
which frequent Garliestown harbour.
Ecclesiastically this parish is in the presbytery of
Wigtown and synod of Galloway : the minister's stipend
is £'244. 13. *., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £15
per annum ; patron, the Crown. Sorbie church, situ-
ated in the village, was built in 1750, and repaired in
1826; it is a substantial structure containing 500 sit-
tings. The members of the Free Church have a place
of worship ; and there is a place of worship at Garlies-
town for Independents. The parochial school is attended
by about sixty children ; the master has a salary of
£33. 3., with a house and garden, and the fees. There
are several other schools, of which two, at Garliestown,
are endowed by the Earl and Countess of Galloway.
Some remains exist of the ancient church of Kirkma-
drine, which appears to have been a very small structure ;
its churchyard is still used as a buryiiig-ground by some
families. Patrick Hannay, a poet of some eminence,
was a native of this parish : a volume of his poems,
published in 1662, was recently sold in London for the
sum of £42. 10. 6.
SORN, a iiarish, in the district of Kyi.e, county of
Ayr, 3^ miles {E.) from Mauchline ; containing, with
the former (juoad sacra district of Catrine, 4054 inha-
bitants. This place, anciently called Dalgain, derived
that Celtic a|)p('llation from the nature of the soil, and
its present name, which is also of Celtic origin, from
the position of its castle on a bold promontory project-
ing into the river Ayr. The time of the erection of this
castle, and the name of its original founder, are not re-
SORN
SO UT
corded ; but it is thought to be of great antiquity. In
the early part of the 15th century the fortress, and the
lands pertaining to it, became the property of the ances-
tor of the Hamihon family, one of whom, Sir William
Hamilton, was lord treasurer of Scotland in the reign of
James V., who paid a visit to Sir William on the mar-
riage of his daughter to Lord Seaton, and remained for
some time at the castle. By this marriage the estate
descended to the Earl of Wintoun, who sold the castle and
lands to the Loudoun family ; and after passing to various
other proprietors, they were purchased about half a cen-
tury since by the family of the present owner.
The PARISH is about six miles and a half in length
and of nearly equal breadth, comprising '23,9.50 acres, of
which 1'2,600 are arable, 780 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder hill pasture and moss. Its surface is
pleasingly varied with plains, and with hills of various
elevation, the highest of which, on the north-east boun-
dary of the parish, is nearly 1600 feet above the level of
the sea. The river Ayr intersects the parish from east
to west, and in its course receives numerous streams,
several of which have their rise in the higher grounds
here : of these the Cleugh, a picturesque burn, flows
along a deep and richly-wooded dell abounding with
beautiful scenery, into the Ayr, near the castle ; thus
forming a strikingly romantic feature in the landscape of
the parish, which is also embellished with flourishing
plantations. On the banks of the Ayr the soil is gra-
velly, on the higher grounds a reddish clay, and on the
hills a kind of peat-moss resting on a substratum of
clay : the crops are oats, potatoes, and hay, with a few
acres of wheat and barley ; beans, turnips, and carrots.
The system of agriculture is improved, and the rotation
of crops generally adopted ; furrow-draining is exten-
sively practised, and much indifferent land by that means
has been rendered productive. Lime is found in abun-
dance, and forms the principal manure. The farm-
buildings are substantial and commodious, and on many
of the farms are threshing-mills, mostly driven by horses.
The breeds of live-stock are not much attended to ; the
cattle are chiefly of the Cunninghame, and the sheep of
the black-faced, breed. Few horses are reared except
some for husbandry, and these are of an inferior kind.
The annual value of real property is £99*0.
In this district the substrata are limestone, ironstone,
slate-clay, sandstone, and coal. The limestone, which is
of excellent quality, is extensively wrought for manure
and other uses ; and the ironstone, though never smelted
here, was formerly sent in great quantities to the works
of the Muirkirk Iron Company, and was found to con-
tain a large proportion of iron. The coal was once
wrought near the village of Sorn, producing an abundant
supply at a moderate expense, and it has been in con-
templation to commence operations for that purpose in
other parts of the parish : coal is brought at present
from the collieries at Auchinleck,four miles distant. In
the parish are a mill for grain, to which is attached a
saw-mill ; a carding-mill, a public brewery, and two
licensed private breweries. Sorn Castle, Gilmillscroft,
Auchmaunoch, Glenlogan, Catrine Bank, and Kingswell
are the principal houses. The village of Sorn is pleas-
antly situated on the road from Ayr to Muirkirk, in a
vale of considerable extent watered by the river Ayr, and
is chiefly inhabited by agricultural labourers : a few of
the inhabitants, however, are employed in hand- loom
Vol. II.— 4-3
weaving. A sub-post-oRice has been established here ;
and facility of communication is afforded with the neigh-
bouring places by good roads which pass through the
parish, and by a stone bridge over the Ayr. Fairs are
held on the second Tuesday in March, O. S., and the first
Monday in November ; they are for the sale of cattle
and agricultural produce. A race is held on the fair
days. The village of Catrine, situated on the north bank
of the river, is described under its own head.
The parish was separated from that of Mauchline in
169'2, when the chapel of ease of Sorn, which had been
erected more than thirty years, became the church. It
is in the presbytery of Ayr, synod of Glasgow and Ayr,
and in the patronage of Mrs. Agnes Somervell. The
minister's stipend is £195. 11., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £15 per annum. Sorn church, built in
1658, was thoroughly repaired in 1826, and is adapted
for a congregation of 61 1 persons. The parochial school
is situated close by the church, not far from the village
of Sorn ; the master has a salary of £34. 4., with the
fees, and a house and garden. There are also places of
worship and schools at Catrine. A friendly society was
established in 1832, which has a fund of more than £250.
Dr. Matthew Stewart, professor of mathematics in the
university of Edinburgh, and father of Professor Dugald
Stewart, was occasionally a resident of this parish ; and
the house in which he lived is still remaining. On his
decease, his son became heritor of the estate, and spent
much of the earlier period of his life here. Mr. Stewart
died in 1828, and was succeeded by his son, Lieutenant-
Colonel Matthew Stewart, who has erected a handsome
dwelling-house on another site : this house, from the
circumstance of James V. having, on his way to Sorn
Castle, reposed himself by the side of a well near the
place, bears the name of Kingswell.
SORNHILL, a village, in the parish of Riccarton,
district of Kyle, county of Ayr, 6 miles (E. S. E.) from
Kilmarnock ; containing 95 inhabitants. This village is
situated near the eastern extremity of the parish, and
till within the last few years was supposed to form part
of the adjacent parish of Galston, with which its popu-
lation was invariably returned. It is small, and irregu-
larly built, consisting chiefly of a few cottages inhabited
by persons employed in the neighbouring collieries, and,
in the making of bricks and tiles, for which some ex-
tensive works have been established in the immediate
vicinity.
SOUL-SKERRY, an isle, in the parish of Stromness,
county of Orkney. It lies about ten leagues distant,
west-north-west, from the village of Stromness, and is a
great resort of seals ; but the surge is so considerable
round the isle, that the fishermen have frequently been
unable to effect a landing. A fatal accident happened in
November 1786, in prosecuting this perilous fishing.
SOUTH BRIDGEND.— See Bridgend, South.—
And all places having a similar distinguishing prefix, will
be found under the proper name.
SOUTHDEAN, a parish, in the district of Jedburgh,
county of Roxburgh, 10 miles (S. by W.) from Jed-
burgh ; containing, with the village of Chesters, 868
inhabitants. This parish, which is also called Chesters,
derives the name of Southdean, peculiarly appropriated
to the upper part, from its having formed the south valley
in the ancient forest of Jed, which with very trifling ex-
ceptions was wholly cut down during the last century.
3P
so U T
SOUT
The parish is pleasantly situated on the banks of the
river Jed, is nearly thirteen miles in length and seven
in breadth, and comprises about 25,000 acres, of which
little more than 3000 are arable and in cultivation, 500
woodland and plantation, and the remainder sheep-
walks and rough pasture. In the lower parts the soil
is generally a light black earth, with gravel, but in some
places a strong clay : along the banks of the river, gravel
inclining to heath is predominant ; and in the upper
parts is a light and friable soil, with moss and stiff clay.
The system of agriculture is much improved, and an
additional quantity of arable land has been recently
brought into cultivation. Considerable improvements
have been also made by plantations, and by draining the
sheep pastures, thus greatly benefiting the lands, and
increasing the healthiness of the parish. About 15,000
sheep, principally of the Cheviot breed, are pastured ;
and there are about 1600 long-wooUed sheep, of which
kind a few were introduced about thirty or forty years
since. Black-cattle are also reared in considerable
numbers, and the breed has been improved by the in-
troduction of the short-horned bull from the south. The
wool produced here was formerly sent into Yorkshire
for sale, but is now uniformly bought by the manufac-
turers of Hawick, Galashiels, and Jedburgh ; it is of ex-
cellent quality, and greatly esteemed. There are several
quarries of red and white sandstone, the latter well
adapted for ornamental buildings ; and coal is supposed
to e.xist, though some attempts lately made to procure
it were abandoned on account of the expense. A vein
of antimony was discovered on the lands of Abbotrule,
but it has not been worked with success. Abbotrule is
an ? ancient mansion pleasantly situated; Wolflee is a
handsome mansion of modern erection, in the early
English style of domestic architecture. The annual va-
lue of real property in the parish is £6172.
Southdean is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Jed-
burgh, synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the pa-
tronage of the Crown and Lord Douglas, the latter
having two turns to one of the Crown : the minister's
stipend is about £"234, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £40 per annum. The church, built in I69O, and in
excellent repair, is conveniently situated. The parochial
schoolmaster has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with about £'20
fees, and a house and garden. Many tumuli were for-
merly to be seen, but they have now almost disappeared
in the progress of cultivation. There are still several
remains of ancient fortifications, or peels, which were
numerous in districts situated near the border ; and also
various sites of camps, some of them of circular form.
Among the fastnesses at one of the extremities of the
parish, admirably adapted for concealment, the Rev.
Mr. Vcitch and Mr. Rryson, who suffered during the
persecution of the Presbyterians, found shelter and a
secure asylum. The scene of the Itaid of the Red Swire,
the last of the border conflicts, is within the limits of
the parish. Thomson, the poet, whose father was in-
cumbent of Southdean, to which he was translated from
Ednam about two years after the poet's birth, spent his
childhood and part of his youth in this parish ; and
there is still, in the manse garden, a hawthorn-trcc of
unusual size, which is regarded with veneration, being
associated in the minds of the inhabitants with the
memory of the author of The Seasons, The tree is now
quite dead, and some evergreens are trained up the
474
branches. It is believed that the original of Sir Walter
Scott's Dandy Dinmont was the late Mr. James David-
son, farmer, of Hyndlee in the parish.
SOUTHEND, a parish, in the district of Cantyre,
county of Argyll, 7| miles (S. by W.) from Campbell-
town ; containing, with the island of Sanda, 1594 inha-
bitants. This place takes its present name, which it has
had only since the Reformation, from its position at the
southern extremity of the peninsula of Cantyre. It
consists of the ancient parishes of Kilcolmkill and Kil-
blaan, the former name signifying " the cell or church
of St. Columba, the founder of churches," and the latter
" the church of St. Blaan." On the east and south it is
bounded by the Firth of Clyde and the North Channel,
on the west by the Atlantic, and on the north by the
parish, town, and harbour of Campbelltown. Besides
the mainland portion, it comprehends the small island
of Sanda, at a short distance on the south-east, and the
much smaller islands of Glunamore and Sheep Isle, both
of them close to the former. The parish extends eleven
miles in extreme length, measures about five miles at
its greatest breadth, and comprises 3'2,318 acres, of
which one-fourth are computed to be under cultivation
as arable and pasture, the proportion of the arable to the
pasture being one to five. Of wood, natural and planted,
there are not more than from 100 to 150 acres.
The line of coast is about nineteen miles in extent ;
and though sandy towards the east, on the side opposite
the Atlantic it is bold, rocky, and commanding in its
aspect. It contains numerous caves, some headlands,
and several bays girt with coral rocks, of which the bays
affording the best anchorage are Dunaverty, Carskey, and
Machririoch. The Mull of Cantyre, the Epidium Promon-
torium of the Romans, is the chief headland, and the
nearest point of land in Britain to Ireland, the distance
from the promontory to Tor Point, in the county of
Antrim, being only eleven miles and a half. This rocky
projection is well known for its lofty and imposing ap-
pearance, exhibiting an assemblage of massive pillars
that overhang the ocean in dreary solitude : the rocks
are of a singular variety of forms, and of magnificent
grandeur, bidding defiance with unbroken front to the
most furious storms. Adjoining is the mountain of
Knockmoy, the highest in the district, rising 2036 feet
above the level of the sea, and forming a noted landmark
to all vessels coming from the west. Its summit com-
mands one of the most striking and diversified views in
the upper districts of Scotland, embracing, in the midst
of the fine clear swell of the adjacent deep, the islands
of Islay, Rathlin, Jura, and (iigha, and, in the distance,
the mountains of Mull. Towards the east, the expanse
of the Firth of Clyde appears with great cflTect, with the
towering hills of Arran, the Ayrshire coast, and the
moimtains of Carrick and (ralloway, the horizon being
bounded by the picturesque isle of Ailsa. The island of
Sanda, separated from the main land by a channel three
miles in breadth, is of irregular form, about four miles
in circumference, and being covered with good pasture,
serves the purpose of a large sheep-farm. It has passed,
at different times, iindcr different names, but its present
appellation is considered the most ancient, on the au-
thority of Adomnan, Abbot of lona, who wrote the life
of St. Columba in the year 680. During the visits of
the Scandinavians to these coasts, and their attacks upon
Cantyre and the adjacent islands, Sanda, according to
so UT
SOUT
the historian Buchanan, was an important station for
their fleets. When the Danish fleet assembled here the
isle was called Avona Porticosa, and by the natives it is
still termed Aven. The sound is much frequented for
its anchorage by small vessels sailing up the Firth of
Clyde, which has about twelve fathoms of water at three
miles from the shore.
The navigation on this coast requires great experience
and caution, on account of some remarkable eddies and
dangerous sunken rocks. One of the former, a rapid
current resembling a whirlpool, runs about a mile and
a half from the Mull, and often drives vessels on shore
by taking a strong course to the east when the tide
flows westward. A very dangerous rock also, called
Paterson's Rock, nearly 300 yards in length, lying east-
south-east of Sanda, and always covered at high water,
has been the occasion, partly through the force of the
current, of many shipwrecks. A lighthouse, called the
Mull of Cantyre lighthouse, was commenced in 1*^6, and
finished two years afterwards : the light, which was
first exhibited on the night of the 1st of December,
1788, appears as a star of the first magnitude at the
distance of six or seven leagues. This beacon, so im-
portant for the secure navigation of the channel between
Scotland and Ireland, is one of the number built by the
Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses, who were ap-
pointed by act of parliament in the year 1786, with a
jurisdiction extending along the entire coast of Scotland
and the Isle of Man. The structure stands on a cliff
280 feet above the level of the sea, and near the rocks
usually known as "the Merchants." It is bounded by
a shore composed of gigantic masses of mica-slate and
quartz-rock, continually lashed by the tremendous waves
that are almost always in action in this quarter ; while
inland nothing is to be seen but mountains and mo-
rasses, the nearest habitation being five miles distant.
A new road was formed to it through the mountains, in
ISSS, to increase the facilities of communication j^re-
quired in the transmission of the necessary articles.
The surface of the interior is in some parts pleas-
ingly diversified with rising grounds, and with valleys
traversed by their respective streams, the chief of which
are the valleys of Coniglen and Glenbreckry, lying nearly
parallel with each other. The stream of the Breckry,
which runs along the latter, issues from Knockmoy, and
loses itself in the sea at Carskey bay; while the Coniglen,
the larger of the two streams, and which is often sud-
denly swollen, after flowing some distance in a south-
eastern course joins the Firth of Clyde at Dunaverty
bay. The general scenery is wild and dreary ; and the
extensive ranges of rocky mountains contain large and
cheerless peat-bogs, the depositories of immense trunks
of trees, constituting the remains of ancient forests.
The more cultivated portions of the parish, however,
are frequently picturesque : but the great scarcity of
wood deprives the surface of an important feature of a
fine landscape. The soil varies considerably. The
slopes generally exhibit a light gravelly earth, on a tilly
subsoil ; while moss, clay, loam, and other varieties are
also to be seen in different places, with their usual
mixtures and modifications. Towards the sea, on the
eastern coast, the prevailing soil is of a light sandy
nature ; and alluvial deposits of some depth are found
along the valleys, in which the cultivation has been con-
tinued with least intermission. The crops are bear, oats,
475
beans, potatoes, and turnips ; the soil, especially in the
eastern district, being considered too liglit for wheat
and barley : in some places, however, favoured with a
deep loamy earth, it is thought that these kinds of grain
might, with the security of good inclosures, be advan-
tageously raised. In general the land requires much
draining, and by this description of improvement the
arable ground has been increased nearly one-third within
the last few years; the Duke of Argyll has also straight-
ened and eml)anked the Water of Coniglen, at a cost of
£1600. Neither the sheep nor the cattle are remarkable
for their appearance or quality. The former, with the
exception of a few Leicesters lately introduced upon the
low lands, are an inferior variety of the native black-
faced, with a mixture of Lintons ; and the cattle are a
cross between the Irish and the West Highland, and
not to be compared with the original breed in the upper
country. The stock is perhaps deteriorated partly by
the nature of the pasture, whi('h, though sweet and
nutritious where the soil is dry and genial, is often the
reverse on account of a spongy, crude, and marshy sub-
soil. On the whole the husbandry of the parish is well
conducted, and the houses of the superior tenants are
comfortable dwellings, some of them however roofed
only with straw ; many of those occupied by the cottar
class are constructed of clay and turf, and are confined
and damp. There are two mills, one of them a corn-
mill, the other for manufacturing starch from potatoes.
In this district the strata comprehend almost every
kind of rock, in various combinations, and in some
places embedded with minerals, among which are fluor-
spar and rock-crystal. The prevailing rocks, however,
are sandstone, slate, quartz, and limestone ; the first of
these predominates, and of the last, as well as of whin-
stone, good quarries are in operation. Sanda consists
chiefly of sandstone of a reddish and a grey colour,
veined with slaty clay of different hues ; it supplied a
large proportion of the material employed in erecting
the parish church, and has been used for several of the
principal mansions in the county. The rocks have an
ornamental appearance on some parts of the coast,
where, broken into different shapes, the lofty cliffs over-
hang the sea, and form natural arches of considerable
size. Belts and clumps of plantations surround some
of the chief houses, and, being very uncommon in this
quarter, attract the eye with great effect. The estate of
Keil, a few years since a rude and uncultivated tract,
has, by the plantation of some thousands of larch, pop-
lar, and other trees, with the addition of good shrub-
beries, assumed a very beautiful appearance ; and the
grounds of Ballyshear, a handsome modern residence,
have also received the improvement of some well laid
out plantations of considerable extent. In the parish are
also the mansions of Keilcolm-Keil, Carskey, and Leven-
strath, the last surrounded by grounds ornamented with
several choice clumps of thriving trees. The produce
of the parish is usually sent for sale to Campbelltown,
where several annual fairs are held, and also a weekly
market for grain. From the neighbourhood of the same
place, coal of an inferior kind is brought for fuel.
The roads are well kept, and several good bridges have
been built. The annual value of real property in South-
end is £8763.
Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery of Can-
tyre, synod of Argyll, and in the patronage of the Duke
3P2
SPEY
S P E Y
of Argyll. The minister's stipend is £158, of which
£91. 10. are paid by the exchequer; with a manse, and
a glebe of nearly eleven acres, valued at £15 per annum.
Southend church, accommodating 500 persons, was built
in 1774, and is now in good repair; it is pleasantly
situated on a rising ground, skirted by the stream of
the Coniglen on the south-east. There is also a place of
worship for the United Presbyterian Church. The paro-
chial school affords instruction in the ordinary branches ;
the master has a salary of £34. 4., with the legal accom-
modations, and £'27 fees : a new school-house has been
erected. A second school is supported by the Society
for Propagating Christian Knowledge ; and there is
another, partly dependent on an annual gratuity from
the Duke of Argyll. The ruins of a religious edifice
dedicated to St. Columba are still in good preservation,
situate near the shore of Keil, where tradition says the
saint landed from Ireland. The ruins, also, of a reli-
gious house dedicated to St. Coivin are to be seen ; and
those of St. Catherine's chapel occupy the bank of a
stream in the retired vale of Glenadle, adjacent to a
cemetery, and a holy well frequented till lately by sick
persons. Obelisks and urns are to be found in various
parts : and there are remains of several Danish forts :
the principal one is near the Mull, on the summit of a
precipitous rock 180 feet high, and surrounded by three
walls.
SOUTHMUIR, a village, in that part of the parish
of Kirriemuir which formed the quoad sacra parish of
LoGiE, county of Forfar ; containing 1048 inhabitants.
— See Kirriemuir.
SOUTHWICK, in the county of Kirkcudbright.
— See CoLVEND and Southwick.
SOUTRA, Haddington. — See Fala and Soutra.
SPEYMOUTH, a parish, in the county of Elgin,
^ mile (N. by W.) from Fochabers ; containing, with
the villages of Garinouth, Kingston-Port, and Mosstod-
lach, 1774 inhabitants, of whom 681 are in the rural
districts. This place, consisting of the ancient parishes
of Dipple and Essil, united by act of the General
Assembly in 1731, derives its name from its situation
near the mouth of the river Spey, which here falls into
the Moray Firth. It appears to have been at a very
early period the scene of various conflicts between the
Scottish kings and their rebellious subjects. In 1078
the confederate insurgents of Caithness, Moray, and
Ross, after an ineffectual attempt to intercept the
passage of Malcolm III. with his army over the Spey
to attack their main body on the opposite shore, laid
down their arms, and submitted to his authority. In
1 1 10, another and a more formidable party of rebels
assembled at this place, to oppose the progress of Alex-
ander I. and his army, when a sanguinary battle occurred,
which terminated in the total defeat of the insurgent
forces, numbers of whom svere left dead on the field.
During the reign of Malcolm IV., also, a severe battle
was fought on the moors between Speymouth and Urqu-
hart, an adjoining parish, in which the rebels of Moray,
who had mustered here in great force, were routed with
much slaughter. All the chief families of the province
who had favoured the rising were dispersed into distant
parts (if the kingdom, and their lands transferred to less
turl)uleiit proprietors.
In 1650 Charles II. landed here from Holland, where
he had taken refuge. He was warmly received by the
476
Laird of Innes and other loyal persons, and was enter-
tained by the steward of Lord Dunfermline at his house
at Garmouth, in which, indeed, he is said to have signed
the Solemn League and Covenant. The remains of this
house have been taken down, but the site is still pointed
out. The last transaction of any importance connected
with the parish was in 1746, when the forces of the
Young Pretender, on their retreat from the south, as-
sembled here in great numbers, being resolved to make
a desperate stand against the royal army under the
Duke of Cumberland. On this occasion, the chieftains
took up their head-quarters in the manse, while the
troops were encamped along the banks of the Spey ; but
from want of concert among the leaders, and from the
insubordination of the men, the rebels abandoned their
design, and fled with the greatest precipitation on the
approach of the royal army. The Duke with his forces
crossed the Spey on the Vith of April, and encamped
on the plain between the river and the church ; after
sleeping in the manse for that night, he advanced towards
Inverness, and on the I6th gained the battle of Culloden,
which put an end to the rebellion.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the Moray
Firth, and on the east by the river Spey. It is nearly
seven miles in length from north to south, and about
two miles in mean breadth ; comprising almost 7000
acres, of which about 2500 are arable, 500 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder meadow, pasture, moor-
land, moss, and waste. Along the shore of the firth the
surface is tolerably flat, but, about half a mile to the
south, rises abruptly into a small hill of moderate eleva-
tion, beyond which is a large tract of table-land, not
many yards above the level of the river. Further towards
the south, the ground rises by a gradual ascent till it
terminates in a high hill on the southern boundary of
the parish. The Spey abounds with salmon, grilse, and
trout of excellent quality. A salmon-fishery, which is
rented by a company under the Duke of Richmond, em-
ploys twelve boats, having each a crew of seven men
and a boy ; and very considerable numbers of fish are
taken, some of which are packed in ice, and sent to the
London market.
Though generally light, the soil is not unfertile ; in
some parts there is a black loam of greater depth, rest-
ing on a gravelly subsoil, and the soil of the arable lands
near the river is luxuriantly productive. The crops are
oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual
grasses. The farms are mostly of moderate size, vary-
ing from thirty to 200 acres in extent; the system of
husbandry is im])roved, and a due rotation of crops is
carefully observed. Lime is in general used for manure,
but bone-dust has been introduced upon the turnip
lands, and with complete success. The cattle are of a
cross between the Aberdeenshire and the Highland :
with the exception of what are fattened for the butcher,
they are sold when two or three years old to the graziers
in Aberdeenshire and other counties to the south. The
sheep, of which a few flocks arc kept, are a cross between
the Cheviot and the small brown- faced Morayshire
breed ; and the horses, of which as many are reared as
are re(|uisite for the |)urposes of ngriculture, are strong
and hardy, though small in stature. The annual value
of real property in Speymouth is £8589. The planta-
tions, which have been this century much extended,
especially in the northern portion of the parish, arc priu-
SPOT
SPOT
cipally fir, interspersed with other kinds of trees ; they
are under careful management. For the most part the
substrata are sandstone of a reddish colour, which in-
creases in the durability of its texture in proportion to
its depth : in the upper part of the parish, moorstone is
quarried for building. The villages of Garmouth and
Kingston-Port, in which a very extensive trade is carried
on in the exportation of corn and fish and the importation
of coal, and in the building and repairing of ships and
boats for the fishery, are described under their respective
heads. Letters are delivered daily from the post-office
at Fochabers. Facility of communication is maintained
by the turnpike-road from Aberdeen to Inverness, which
passes through the parish. A bridge over the Spey,having
been greatly damaged by the flood in 1829, was repaired
in 1832.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Elgin and synod of Moray.
The minister's stipend, including a vicarial tithe on sal-
mon, is about £150, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £25 per annum ; patrons, alternately, the Earl of
Moray and Sir W. G. G. Gumming. The church, erected
in 1732, and repaired and enlarged in 1799, is a sub-
stantial structure affording ample accommodation. The
parochial school, which is situated at Garmouth, is at-
tended by about fifty children : the master has a salary
of £29. 18. 9., with a house and garden, and the fees ;
also the interest of a bequest of 2000 merks Scotch by
Mr. Gordon, of Edinburgh. A school is supported by
the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, who
allow the master a yearly salary ; and a Sabbath school,
to which a library is attached, is maintained by sub-
scription. A subscription library, now containing nearly
300 volumes of standard works, was established in 1823;
and a mechanics' library, of nearly equal size, in 1825.
This parish was anciently the burial-place of the Duffs
of Braco, ancestors of the Earl of Fife. Jane, daughter
of James Innes, Esq., of Redhall, a place not far from
the church, was wife of Governor Pitt, and great-grand-
mother of the late illustrious William Pitt.
SPITTALFIELD, a village, in the parish of Caputh,
county of Perth, 4i miles (E. by S.) from Dunkeld ;
containing 238 inhabitants. This is a neat village, in-
habited chiefly by weavers ; whence the name. It lies
on the borders of Cluny parish, upwards of a mile east-
ward of the parochial church, and contains the school.
It is the sole property of Sir John Muir Mackenzie of
Delvine, Bart., the principal heritor in the parish. In
1775, a stamp-office for linens was established here.
SPOTT, a parish and village, in the county of Had-
dington, 2 miles (S.) from Dunbar ; containing 603 in-
habitants, of whom 161 are in the village. This place,
the name of which appears to be descriptive of its re-
tired situation, is chiefly distinguished for its proximity
to the scene of the memorable battle fought on the 3rd
of September, 1650, between the Scots under General
Leslie and the English under Cromwell. The former,
strongly encamped on the summit of Doon hill, and
superior in numbers, were induced to descend into the
plain at the moment when Cromwell, despairing of suc-
cess, and weakened by want of provisions, was about to
re-embark his troops at Dunbar. Observing this move-
ment from an eminence on which he stood, Cromwell
ordered an immediate attack ; the Scots were put to
the rout, and pursued with great slaughter. The remains
477
of Leslie's camp are distinctly traceable; and warlike
implements, and bones of the slain, are still found in
the vicinity. The parish is about ten miles in length
and five in breadth, and comprises nearly 4000 acres, of
which 2800 are arable, 100 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder rough pasture and waste. A wide
tract of land intersecting the parish was formerly an
open common, and supposed to belong to the parish of
Dunbar ; it is now inclosed and brought into cultiva-
tion, and in all probability will eventually be annexed,
in portions, to the several parishes to which its divisions
are contiguous. The surface of Spott is pleasingly un-
dulated, presenting a striking combination of hills and
dales. The eminences generally increase in elevation as
they approach the Lammermoor hills, where they attain
a height of 7OO feet above the level of the sea. Doon
hill, the site of General Leslie's camp, and within a mile
of the village, rises to 550 feet. The principal stream is
the Spott water, which abounds with trout, and which,
after winding along the vale where the village is situ-
ated, is joined by a smaller burn from the grounds of
Spott House; it is then called the river Broxburn, and
falls into the sea at Broxmouth. Another stream, called
Bothwell water, after skirting the parish on the south,
falls into the Whitadder near the parish of Cranshaws.
In the vicinity of the village is St. John's Well, from
which the town of Dunbar is supplied with water.
The SOIL is generally light and sandy, but in some
parts clayey : the crops are wheat, barley, oats, pota-
toes, and turnips, for which last the lighter soils are
well adapted, and of which large quantities are raised.
Agriculture is in a very forward state, and bone-dust
and rape manures have been extensively introduced ; the
farm houses and offices are substantial and well arranged,
the lands inclosed, and the fences kept in good order.
Great attention is paid to the improvement of live-stock,
and considerable numbers of sheep and cattle are pas-
tured ; the sheep are principally of the Cheviot, Leices-
tershire, and black-faced breeds, and the cattle of the
short-horned and Highland breeds. In the lower parts
the substrata are red sandstone and conglomerate rock ;
the hills are chiefly of greywacke and secondary trap.
The sandstone is quarried for building and for other
purposes. Spott House is beautifully situated at the
foot of Doon hill, in a demesne embellished with natural
wood and with thriving plantations ; it is a handsome
mansion, and has been greatly enlarged and improved.
Oliver Cromwell slept in this house the night after the
battle of Dunbar : the room is still shewn. Bowerhouse
is a modern mansion, pleasantly situated near the north-
ern boundary of the parish, and commanding extensive
and richly-diversified prospects. The village is delight-
fully seated in the small valley watered by the Spott
rivulet ; it is neatly built and well inhabited, and, when
seen in combination with the church nearly adjoining it,
forms an interesting feature in the landscape. A manu-
factory of potato starch and flour, which employs about
six persons, is carried on upon the farm of Easter
Broomhouse. Facility of communication with Dunbar,
the nearest market-town, and with other places in the
vicinity, is afforded by good roads. The annual value
of real property in Spott is £6445. It is ecclesiastically
in the presbytery of Dunbar, synod of Lothian and
Tweeddale, and in the patronage of James Sp^j^sq. :
the minister's stipend averages £272, with a iii^K, and
Sp^j^s
a n^^K, i
SPRO
S PRO
a glebe valued at £30 per annum. The church is con-
veniently situated. The parochial school is well con-
ducted ; the master has a salary of £34. 4., with £18 tees,
£3. 6. 8. the proceeds of an ancient bequest, and a house
and garden.
SPRINGFIELD, a village, in the parish of Grait-
NEY, county of Dumfries, 4 miles (W.) from Long-
town, in England ; containing 453 inhabitants. This
is a neat and well-built village, situated on a dry and
healthy soil, on the west bank of the river Sark. It was
commenced in 1791, upou the estate of Sir William
Maxwell, of Springkell, on building leases for ninety-
nine years. In 1793 it already consisted of about forty
houses, and since that time it has considerably in-
creased, owing to the advantages it possesses with re-
spect to situation. The river is well adapted for ma-
chinery ; the small port of Sarkfoot is not above a mile
distant, and the great road from England to the west of
Scotland passes through. The Caledonian railway and
the Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle railway form a junc-
tion here. About a quarter of a mile south of the vil-
lage is Graitney, or Gretna, green. — See Graitney.
SPRINGFIELD, a village, in the parish and district
of Cupar, county of Fife, 5 a mile (N.) from the town
of Cupar; containing 480 inhabitants. It is situated
in the western portion of the parish, on the road to
Rathillet, and is chiefly inhabited by persons connected
with the trade of Cupar and the several manufactures
carried on in the parish. The houses are neatly built,
and the village is rapidly increasing in extent and popu-
lation.
SPRING-GARDEN, for a time a quoad sacra dis-
trict, in the West parish of the city of Aberdeen,
county of Aberdeen ; containing 1887 inhabitants.
This was wholly a town district, and was separated from
the parish of West Kirk, under an act of the General
Assembly in 1834, and annexed to a Gaelic church.
The stipend of the minister amounted to £140 arising
from seat-rents and collections, and £10 from the
Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. The
church, built in 1795, by subscription and loan, con-
tains 700 sittings.
SPRINGHOLM, a village, in the parish of Urr,
stewartry of Kirkcudbright; containing 26'2 inhabit-
ants. A large part of the population is extremely poor,
owing to the want of employment, the neighbourhood
not supplying sufficient means of industry.
SPROUSTON, a parish, in the district of Kelso,
county of Roxburgh ; containing, with the village of
Lempitlaw, 1439 inhabitants, of whom 420 are in the vil-
lage of Sprouston, 2 miles (E. N. E.) from Kelso. This
place, the name of which is of uncertain derivation, is of
considerable antiquity, and appears to have formed part
of the endowment of the Abbey of Kelso in the year 1 128.
From its situation near the border, it participated in the
hostilities of the border warfare, and was destroyed
about the year 1540 by the invading army under the
Duke of Norfolk, which laid waste many villages on the
river Tweed. The village seems to have been anciently
of much greater extent than it is at present, and founda-
tions of old houses are said to have been discovered by
the plough in the lands above the Scurry rock, to which
plate it f)riginally extended in that direction. The pa-
rish is bounded on the nortii by the river Tweed, and
on the east by the county of Northumberland. It is
478
about four miles in length and nearly of equal breadth,
comprising 8207 acres, of which 7130 are arable, 130
woodland and plantations, and the remainder rough pas-
ture and waste. The surface is broken by the heights
of Haddenrig, which traverse the parish nearly in the
centre, in a direction from north-east to south-west, and
by those of Lempitlaw, which extend along the south-
ern extremity. Both ridges are of gradual ascent, and
between them is an extensive valley, which, though gene-
rally fertile, contains some portion of marshy land.
On the banks of the river the soil is a rich black
loam, and in a very good state of cultivation; in the
higher parts of the parish it is generally of a clayey
nature, but on some portions of Haddenrig poor and un-
productive. The crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes,
and turnips. Agriculture is highly improved : the lands
have been well drained, and inclosed ; the farm-build-
ings are mostly substantial and commodious, many of
them of a superior order ; and all the more recent im-
provements in the construction of implements have been
adopted. The plantations are chiefly of fir, and are
judiciously managed. The sheep fed in the parish are
usually of the Leicester breed, and great attention is
paid to live-stock generally. Freestone of excellent qua-
lity was formerly abundant, and about half a mile from
the village a quarry was largely wrought ; the stone was
much esteemed for building, and was used in the erec-
tion of Kelso bridge, and of Abbotsford. On its being
exhausted, a new quarry was opened, but the stone is of
inferior quality, and is not extensively worked. Upon
the Tweed is a salmon-fishery, the rent of which, includ-
ing also a ferry, produces a little more than £70 per
annum to the proprietors. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £11561.
The village of Sprouston is pleasantly situated on the
river, and contains about 100 cottages, inhabited chiefly
by persons employed in agriculture, and in the several
trades which are carried on for the supply of the inha-
bitants of the parish. It possesses facility of commu-
nication with Kelso, the nearest market-town, and with
other places in the district, by roads kept in order by
statute labour, and by the turnpike-roads from Carham
to Cornhill and to Wooler. Great facility of intercourse
is also now afforded by the Kelso and Berwick-on-Tweed
railway, lately opened. Ecclesiastically the parish is in
the presbytery of Kelso, synod of Merse and Teviotdale,
and in the patronage of the Duke of Roxburghe : the
minister's stipend is £243. 3. 8., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £25 per annum. Sprouston church,
erected in I78I, and repaired in 1845, is a substantial
edifice, situated on an eminence nearly in the centre of
the village, and adapted for a congregation of 500 per-
sons. The parochial school affords a useful education ;
the master has a salary of £30, with £40 fees, a house,
and garden. There is a school at Iladden, which has a
small endowment given by Lady Ker, and an allowance
of £10 a year from the heritors ; the remainder of the
income is derived from fees. There is also a school at
Lempitlaw, the muster of which receives £10 a year from
the heritors. Iladden-Stank and Rcddcn-burn are fre-
quently noticed in the histories of the border warfare,
as places t)f meeting of the commissioners on both sides
appointed for adjusting the boundaries of the two king-
doms, and for the settlement of the various disputes
which arose during those unsettled times. Haddenrig
S P Y N
S P Y N
is distinguished as the site of a sanguinary conflict be-
tween the Scottish forces and a body of English cavalry
consisting of 3000 troops, in which the latter were de-
feated. Part of the ancient church of Lempitlaw, which
was originally a separate parish, was remaining till with-
in the last few years ; but the ruins have been removed
at different times, to furnish materials for building and
for other uses. The churchyard, however, is still used
as a burying-place by the inhabitants of that district of
the parish.
SPYNIE, NEW, a parish, in the county of Elgin,
25 miles (W. by N.) from Elgin ; containing, with the
village of Bishopmill, 1 164 inhabitants, of whom 409 are
in the rural districts. This place derived its name from
Loch Spynie, originally an arm of the sea three miles in
length and one mile in breadth. Its distinguishing
adjunct. New, arose from the desertion of its ancient
church, which was situated at the eastern extremity of
the parish, and the erection of the present structure in
1736, on a more centrical and commodious site. On
the foundation of the see of Moray by Malcolm Can-
more, in 10.57, the cathedral of that diocese was esta-
blished at this place ; and the castle of Spynie, the ori-
ginal date of which is not precisely known, became the
chief residence of its bishops, and so continued till the re-
moval of the see to Elgin, by Alexander II., in 1244.
The palace, after this transfer of the seat of the diocese,
was still the occasional abode of the bishops : the last
prelate that resided here was Colin Falconer, who died
in 1680, universally respected and regretted. The re-
mains of the palace, which are in a very dilapidated
condition, are situated at the eastern extremity of the
parish, on the border of the ancient loch ; and the
precincts occupy a site of nearly ten acres. This once
magnificent structure, with its various buildings, in-
closed a quadrangular area 120 feet long and nearly of
equal width, surrounded by a strong embattled wall, de-
fended at the angles with lofty square towers of unusual
strength, one of which, still remaining, is sixty feet in
height : on the eastern side was an entrance under an
embattled gateway tower protected by a portcullis and
drawbridge. Upon the walls of some of the apartments,
may be distinctly traced the outlines of paintings with
which they were embellished, chiefly representations of
scriptural subjects.
The PARISH is bounded on the south by the river
Lossie, and is about four miles in length and two in
breadth, comprising an area of ,5000 acres, of which
3000 are arable, 1500 in natural wood and in planta-
tions, and the remainder rough pasture and waste. The
surface is varied. For about a mile from the eastern
extremity it is tolerably level, but it is thence intersected
by a ridge which gradually increases in height, till it
terminates at the western extremity in a hill of consi-
derable elevation. Loch Spynie was drained in the year
I8O7, at a cost of nearly £11,000, in the expectation of
bringing a large tract of land into profitable cultivation ;
but the bottom was found impracticable for any agricul-
tural purpose. The chief benefit derived from the un-
dertaking is the preservation of the rich grounds around
its margin from the inundations to which they were pre-
viously exposed. The land recovered affords only coarse
pasture, which is neither nutritious nor wholesome ; and
the black- cattle that are turned into it to graze, in a
very short time lose their original colour, which changes
479
into grey. The Lossie has its source in Loch Lossie, in
the parish of Edenkillie, and, flowing in a north-eastern
direction, passes the city of Elgin, and falls into the
Moray Firth at Lossiemouth ; it abounds with trout,
and affords good sport to the angler.
On the banks of the Lossie, and on the lowlands on
each side of the ridge, the soil is richly fertile, though in-
cluding almost every variety from the lightest sand to the
most tenacious clay. The crops are, grain of all kinds,
beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips. Husbandry is in an
advanced state, and much waste land has been reclaimed
by trenching, draining, and embankments : on several
of the farms great efforts have been made by the tenants,
under the inducement of premiums of £5 allowed by
the landlord for every acre of waste brought into culti-
vation. In general the farms are of moderate extent,
and the farm houses and buildings substantial and com-
modiously arranged : the lands have been well inclosed
with hedges of thorn ; and all the more recent improve-
ments in the construction of implements are adopted.
The number of sheep reared has been greatly diminished
since the plantations have been extended, and is now
inconsiderable ; the cattle are usually of the most ap-
proved breeds, and due attention is paid to their im-
provement. The agricultural produce is chiefly sent to
Elgin, but considerable quantities of grain are shipped
at the adjacent sea-ports for the southern markets.
There are large tracts of natural wood : on the south
side of the hill at the western extremity of the parish, is
a fine forest of oak belonging to the Earl of Fife. The
plantations, which extend along the whole of the moor-
land ridge, consist of firs interspersed with various other
kinds of trees, and are in a thriving state, adding greatly
to the beauty of the scenery. In this parish the sub-
strata are chiefly sandstone and clay-slate. The sand-
stone, which is of excellent quality for building, is of a
yellowish hue, and susceptible of a fine polish ; the prin-
cipal quarries are at the base of Quarrywood hill, and
from them was taken the stone for the erection of Dr.
Gray's hospital at Elgin. There are also freestone-
quarries on the lands of Seafield and Findrassie, the
former of which supplied the materials for building
the village of Bishopmill ; the latter quarry affords stone
of good quality for dykes. Near the summit of Quarry-
wood hill is a quarry of hard and durable gritstone, pro-
ducing millstones for the supply of the surrounding
country to a wide extent. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £4295.
Findrassie House, a handsome modern mansion, is
situated about a mile to the westward of the ancient
palace, in a tastefully embellished and richly-planted
demesne. On the north bank of the Lossie, near Bishop-
mill, is a bleachfield for linens and yarn ; but no manu-
facture is carried on in the parish, the population being
chiefly employed in agriculture. The village of Bishop-
mill is connected by a handsome iron bridge with the
city of Elgin, of which it forms a suburb, and within
the parliamentary boundaries of which it is included.
Letters are delivered regularly from the post-office of
Elgin ; and facility of communication is maintained by
the great north road from Aberdeen to Inverness, which
intersects the south-western portion of the parish, and
by the turnpike-road from Elgin to the sea-port of Los-
siemouth, which passes through its eastern extremity.
Ecclesiastically it is within the limits of the presbytery
ST A F
ST A F
of Elgin and synod of Moray. The minister's stipend
is about £185, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £14
per annum ; patron, W. F. L. Carnefrie, Esq. New-
Spynie church, situated on the hill of Quarrywood, was
erected in 1736, and is a substantial structure contain-
ing 400 sittings. The parochial school is near the
church : the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house, an allowance of £2. 2. in lieu of garden, and the
school fees ; also a portion of the Dick bequest. A
parochial library has Ijeen established at Bishopmill, and
is supported by subscription. The only remains of an-
tiquity beyond what have been previously noticed, are
some vestiges of a Danish encampment on Quarrywood
hill, now almost concealed among the plantations. This
parish gave the title of baron to a son of the Earl of
Crawfurd, who in 1590 was created Lord Spynie.
SQUARETOWN, a hamlet, in the parish of New-
ton, county of Edinburgh, 1 mile (N. E. by E.) from
the village of Newton ; containing "7 inhabitants. It
lies in the north-eastern part of the parish, on the road
from Newton to Inveresk.
STAFFA, a celebrated island, in the parish of Kil-
NiNiAN, district of Mull, county of Argyll. This
small island, which is one of the Hebrides or Western
Isles, derives its name, of Scandinavian origin, from the
columnar formation of the rocks upon its coast, and
which prevails also throughout nearly the whole of its
interior arrangement. It is separated from the western
shore of the Isle of Mull by Loch-na-Keal, and is about
one mile and a half in circumference ; of irregularly
elliptic form ; and most easily accessible on the western
side, where the coast is of less precipitous height. The
surface is elevated, rising in some parts more than 200
feet above the level of the sea at ordinary tides ; but
though interspersed with rugged and barren rocks, it is
for the most part clothed with luxuriant grass, affording
excellent pasture for black-cattle. Nearly in the centre
of the island was formerly a rude hut, built with frag-
ments of basaltic columns, and which, during the sum-
mer months, afforded shelter to the family of the herds-
man, who had the care of the cattle. When seen from
a distance, the island appears like a shapeless mass of
rock rising from the sea. It is only when the spectator
has approached within less than a quarter of a mile of
its shores, that it displays those features of romantic
grandeur which have rendered it the great object of at-
traction to all who visit this part of the country. To
the south of Stalfa, from which it is separated by a
channel little more than twenty yards in width, is the
small island of liuachaille, or the Herdsman, of some-
what pyramidal form, and consisting of an entire mass
of small basaltic pillars inclining in every possible direc-
tion, but generally tending to the summit ; a few have
a horizontal position. Along the western coast of Staffa
the basaltic columns are very irregularly arranged ; in
some parts extending little more than half way down
the rock ; in others ascending immediately from the sea,
and abruptly broken or terminated before they reach
the summit. Towards the south-east they rise with ma-
jestic symmetry in a lofty and magnificent range, above
which the higher surface of the island towers like the
massive dome of a stupendous cathedral. In many
parts the columns form segments of circles ; some take
an obliquely vertical direction ; some are perfectly hori-
zontal, and others exhiljit different degrees of curvature.
480
All display a rich diversity of colours, some varying
from a dark purple to a black, others being tinged with
hues of green, orange, and yellow. On the eastern coast
is the principal colonnade, called the Great Face of Staffa,
which can only be seen to perfection during the morning
sun, and of which the loftiest point has an elevation of
112 feet above high-watermark. It consists of three
several ranges of rock, of unequal thickness, and having
an inclination of nine degrees towards the east. Of
these, the lowest is a mass of trap-tuffa, about fifty feet
thick : the middle range is of columnar formation, rising
vertically from the plane of the bed on which it lies, to
a height of fifty-four feet above the surface of the water;
and the uppermost range is an irregular mixture of
small pillars and shapeless masses of basaltic rock. In
front of the central range is the well-known causeway,
formed of broken portions of columns which were once
continuous to the height of the cliffs ; presenting a great
breadth of surface similar to mosaic pavement, and ter-
minating in a point near the Cave of Fingal. Though
less regular in its formation, this greatly exceeds the
Giant's Causeway, in Ireland, both in its dimensions
and in picturesque variety. On the north coast of the
island is a cavity in the rocks resembling an immense
mortar, from which the waves that nearly fill it during
storms are expelled by the expansion of the condensed
air within, producing at intervals of nearly half a mi-
nute a report like that of a vessel firing signals of dis-
tress, and which is distinctly heard tilt a distance of
several miles.
The coast is indented with numerous romantic caverns,
of which the most interesting are the Cave of Fingal,
the Cormorant's or Mackinnon's Cave, the Boat Cave,
and the Scallop or Clamshell Cave : all of these are
marked with features of picturesque beauty and impres-
sive grandeur. The Cave of Fingal is 227 feet in length,
and forty-two feet wide at the entrance, lessening gradu-
ally to a breadth of twenty feet at its furthest extremity.
The entrance is by a lofty arch, 1 17^ feet high, from
which the height of the cave by degrees diminishes to
sixty feet at the opposite end ; and in consequence of
the free admission of light, the whole of the cave, which
resembles the interior of a vast and magnificent cathe-
dral, is seen in all the beauty of a regular artificial
structure. On each side is a lofty range of basaltic
columns, supporting a massive roof partly consisting
of the upper portions of pillars whose shafts have been
apparently destroyed by the violence of the waves. The
sea flows into the cavern, and the water has a depth, at
the entrance, of eighteen feet, which at the further extre-
mity diminishes to nine feet. During very calm weather
the interior may be fully explored by a boat, which, how-
ever, the slightest agitation of the waters would destroy,
by dashing it violently against the sides of the cave.
In stormy weather the only means of exploring the in-
terior is by a narrow causeway, about two feet wide,
consisting chiefly of the bases of the broken columns
whose upper portions form the roof. From this cause-
way, which, being constantly wet with spray, is slippery
and very dangerous, is obtained a magnificent view of
this singularly picturesque and romantic cavern, of which
it is scarcely possible to convey in words an adequate
description. The Cormorant' sot Mackinnon's Care, though
little visited, is easy of access. It is 224 feet in length,
and forty-eight feet in breadth throughout its whole ex-
S T A I
ST A I
tent ; the entrance is nearly fifty feet in height, and is
crowned with a complicated arrangement of columns
worn into a concave recess, which overhangs the opening.
The interior of this cave, from its being formed in the
lower stratum of the rock, is destitute of that columnar
arrangement which adds so much beauty to the Cave of
Fingal ; and it has little other ornament than what it
derives from the regularity and simplicity of its form.
It opens on a gravelly beach on which a boat may be
drawn up with perfect security.
The Boat Cave is accessible only by sea, and is also
formed in the lower stratum of the rock : it is 150 feet
in length, twelve feet wide, and sixteen feet in height.
The entrance is overhung by broken columns, depending
from the higher stratum, and arranged in a graceful
curve receding from the sides of the opening to the
centre. Above this columnar arrangement the rock
projects boldly towards the sea, casting over the en-
trance a depth of shadow which adds greatly to the
impressive beauty of its appearance, by a regular suc-
cession of shades gradually softening from the darkest
gloom into a cheerful light. The Scallop or Clamshell
Cave, though less picturesque in its internal appearance,
is of very singular formation. It is 130 feet in length,
thirty feet in height, and eighteen feet wide at the
entrance, gradually diminishing in breadth towards its
extremity. The interior, on one side, is a continued
series of bent columns, verging towards the centre of
the roof, and resembling the timbers of a ship ; the
opposite side is formed by the ends of broken columns,
the intervals between which are filled in some places
with calcareous matter, resembling a honeycomb, and
in others with masses of rugged rock. There are nu-
merous other caves in diflferent parts of the island, pos-
sessing a higher or lower degree of interest. The co-
lumns of these caves display great variety both in form
and in dimensions, varying in the number of their sides
from three to nine, and in diameter from one foot to
four feet and a half: the most prevalent are pentagonal
and hexagonal in shape, and about two feet in diameter.
Several clusters of columns have an appearance of being
quite straight and parallel, yet upon minute examination
few are found to be perfectly so ; and in difTerent parts
of the isle they vary greatly in their altitude, increasing
on the western coast from thirty- six to fifty-four feet in
height, and on the eastern from a very inconsiderable
height to an elevation of eighteen feet. Facilities of
communication are afforded by steamers which ply from
Oban, expressly with visiters, to Staffa and lona, twice
a week, from the middle of June to the end of Septem-
ber. They remain, however, only for one hour, and as
that time is insufficient for a due inspection of the beau-
ties of StafFa, visiters sometimes stay till evening, and
return in one of the small Ulva boats to the Ulva inn,
where tolerable accommodation is provided. The island
was visited by Her Majesty the Queen, in her trip to
Scotland in the year 1847.
STAIR, a parish, in the district of Kyle, county of
Ayr, 4i miles (S. W. by W.) from Mauchline ; contain-
ing 823 inhabitants. This place was erected into a
parish in the year 1673, for the accommodation of the
family of Dalrymple, of Stair, who resided at a great
distance from their parish church of Ochiltree. The
half of the minister's stipend, however, which this family
agreed to pay, having been improperly allocated, and
Vol. II.— 481
there being other differences between the parties, the
faults of the erection were amended by a new process
in 1709, when several lands were disjoined from, and
others united to, the parish constituted in 1673. Stair
lies between the rivers Ayr and Kyle or Kill, the former
separating it from Tarbolton on the north and Mauch-
line on the east, and the latter from Coylton on the
west throughout the greater part of its boundary in that
direction. It measures about six miles in extreme length
and two in extreme breadth, but at one place is entirely
crossed by a part of the parish of Ochiltree. The parish
comprises 4040 acres, of which above 600 are under
wood, and nearly all the remainder arable. Its surface
is diversified by undulations, and the general scenery is
agreeably enlivened by the two rivers : which are con-
sidered excellent trouting streams, the Ayr afforded
also a large supply of good salmon till within the last
twenty or thirty years ; but this fish has since been
taken only to a very limited extent, in consequence of
the obstruction offered at the mouth of the river by the
formation of a dam.
With the exception of that near the rivers, the soil
is mostly a stiff clay on a retentive subsoil. The lands
are portioned into thirty-six farms, and cultivated under
the rotation system, producing chiefly oats, peas, and
barley, with small crops occasionally of potatoes and
turnips. Wheat was formerly raised on some of the
lands ; but its culture was discontinued, having been
found prejudicial to the pasture. The farm buildings
are generally good, and the inclosures, which are mostly
thorn hedges, receive much attention ; but draining is
still in a backward state, though it has latterly excited
some interest. Arable land lets on the average at about
£1 per acre, and the leases run nineteen years. The
sheep are of the native breed, with some mixtures, and
both the sheep and the cattle are comparatively few ;
but milch-cows are kept to the number of nearly 500,
and about 6000 stone of cheese are annually made. This
district is distinguished for its valuable minerals, com-
prising coal, sandstone, clay-slate, plumbago, copper
and antimony, and limestone; the copper and antimony,
however, have not been wrought, and the hmestone, ou
account of its peculiar situation, and its great depth in
a coal shaft, is of little use. The banks of the Ayr
consist almost entirely of red sandstone ; and a yellow-
ish and a grey-coloured freestone are found, the latter
of which is extensively quarried, supplying most of the
building-stone used in the neighbourhood. There is
also a quarry of fine white freestone in full operation ;
and on the banks of the Ayr is a species of whetstone
lying forty feet deep, known as the " Water-of-Ayr
stone ": it has long been regularly worked, and prepared
to a considerable extent for sale in the home market,
and for exportation. The coal is abundant, and has
been wrought on the estates of Drongan and Drumdow
in large quantities ; the works at the former place have
been open for 150 years, and are still in full operation, but
the Drumdow works, which are recent, have been sus-
pended. A flourishing pottery of earthenware has been
long carried on, upon the Drongan estate, producing
various black and brown vessels for domestic and dairy
purposes, flower-pots, chimney-pots, &c. This ware is
not only in great demand throughout the county of Ayr,
but also in Dumfries-shire, Galloway, and other parts ;
and large quantities of it are sent to Glasgow, the High-
3Q
ST A I
STAN
lands, and to America. There are numerous grain-raills
turned by horses. A saw-mill, also, has been erected
on the property of Dalmore ; and one of the grain-mills
has a threshing-mill attached, driven by water-power.
The annual value of real property is £4951.
The plantations on the estate of Barskimming cover
about 450 acres, and consist of hard-wood trees, Scotch
fir, and belts and clumps of larches ; a large proportion
is of mature growth, and supplies regular fellings. A
young and thriving plantation of 150 acres ornaments
the estate of Drongan ; and there are thirty-eight acres
on the property of Stair, where, also, numerous clumps,
said to have been disposed according to the manner in
which the British troops were drawn up at the battle of
Dettingen, have been lately cut down. A solitary tree,
yet standing on an adjacent eminence, is still called the
General. In a holm near the river is Stair House, the
ancient residence of the family of Dalrymple : after
having passed, with an estate of 168 acres, through
many hands since it was disposed of by the original
proprietors, it was re-purchased by the seventh Earl of
Stair about twenty years since. The mansion is inha-
bited by a tenant ; it is partly ancient and partly mo-
dern, and much dilapidated, especially the older portion.
Iq the vicinity are a very fine willow, and a Lombardy
poplar of ample stature and beautiful appearance, with
several full-grown beeches, the remains of the sylvan
treasures that once so profusely ornamented this locality.
BaTskimming House, situated on the bank of the Ayr, is
a spacious and elegant mansion, with two wings, which
were built about the year IS 16, when, also, many im-
provements were made in the interior. The eastern
wing contains an apartment more than sixty feet long,
with three divisions, appropriated to the reception of a
library of about 18,000 volumes, comprising the finest
editions of the Greek and Roman classics, and the
choicest works in other departments of literature and
science, collected by the present proprietor. A lawn
spreads itself out before the mansion, ornamented with
many trees, especially Scotch firs, of great stature and
beauty ; and at a short distance further up the river, is
a secluded spot encompassed with stately beeches, in
which Burns composed the poem entitled Man is made
to Mourn. Another mansion is that of Drongan, now
in a dilapidated state in consequence of the death of the
proprietor several years since at Calcutta ; he resided
there as a merchant and banker, and at the time of his
decease was about to return to his native country to
settle on his property. The agricultural produce of the
parish is generally sent for sale to Ayr and Kilmarnock.
To the former place a road runs from Dumfries, by way
of Cumnock, through the parish ; and Stair is intersected
also by a public road leading from the stewartry of
Kirkcudbright to Glasgow : there are three bridges over
the Ayr, supplying facilities of communication with dif-
ferent parts. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the pres-
bytery of Ayr, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the
patronage of the Earl of Stair : the minister's stipend is
£-215, with a manse, and a glebe of thirty acres, valued
at £'25 per annum. Stair church is a plain edifice, beau-
tifully situated near the bank of the river. The members
of the Free Church have a place of worship. The jjaro-
chial school affords instruction in the ordinary branches;
the master has a salary of £30 per annum, with a house,
and the fees.
482
STANE, a village, in the parish of Cambusnethan,
Middle ward of the countjViof Lanark, ^ a mile (S. E.)
from Shotts Iron-Works ; containing 570 inhabitants.
This village is situated in the north-eastern part of the
parish, and on the south side of the South Calder water,
by which it is separated from the parish of Shotts. The
neighbourhood is the seat of the principal coal-field of
the iron-works at Shotts ; and the population has con-
sequently considerably increased, since their establish-
ment, in this quarter of the parish. One of two endowed
schools of the parish is at Stane.
STANLEY, a manufacturing village, and for a time a
quoad sacra parish, partly in the parish of Redgorton,
but chiefly in that of Auchtergaven, county of Perth,
2 miles (E. S. E.) from the village of Auchtergaven ;
containing 1945 inhabitants. This place takes its name
from an ancient mansion, once the family seat of the
Nairnes, and now the residence of George Buchanan,
Esq. It is situated on the banks of the river Tay,
and owes its origin entirely to the cotton-works in its
immediate neighbourhood. Previously to the estab-
lishment of these works in 1/85, the place consisted
only of one solitary dwelling, called the Gate House from
its having been the lodge of Stanley House ; but since
the introduction of the manufacture, the village has
progressively increased in population and extent, and is
become a flourishing town. The houses are neatly built,
and the inhabitants are amply supplied with water. A
subscription library has been established, which forms a
well-selected collection of nearly 600 volumes of useful
works on general literature. There is also a library
containing about the same number of volumes, exclu-
sively for the use of the scholars attending the Sabbath
evening school. The surrounding scenery is pleasingly
diversified, and in many parts enriched with stately
timber, and thriving plantations of more recent growth :
within the distance of a mile are the falls of Campsie.
The inhabitants are, of course, chiefly employed in the
cotton-works adjoining ; and with a view to encourage
habits of frugality, and prudent provision for old age, a
savings' bank was opened here by a few persons con-
nected with the works.
The mills are situated at a short distance from the
village, and were erected by Messrs. Dempster and Co.,
who in 1800 sold the concern to Messrs. Craig and Co.,
by whom the mills were carried on till the year IS 14,
when they were discontinued. They were subsequently
purchased by Messrs. Buchanan and Co., the present
proprietors, under whose superintendence they have been
so greatly increased and improved that they are at pre-
sent among the most extensive of the kind in the country.
Their machinery is propelled by water, brought from the
Tay by an aqueduct 800 feet in length, ten feet high, and
eight feet in breadth, carried through a hill 150 feet high,
of which the superincumbent stratum is supported on
arches. The water has a fall of twenty-two feet, and
gives motion to seven wheels of large diameter, whose
aggregate power is equal to 200 horses. These cotton-
works contain 40,000 spindles and 2 12 power-looms, and
alford employment to 900 persons ; they are carried on
with liberality, and confer great benefit on the popula-
tion of the district in which they are situated. There is
a ferry across the Tay at this place, and the village has
every facility of communication with the neighbouring
towns by means of the high road from Edinburgh, and
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with the other portions of the parish by good roads kept
in repair by statute labour. Here is also a station of the
Perth and Forfar railway.
The proprietors of the mills have erected a chapel of
ease at an expense of upwards of £3000, for the accom-
modation of the inhabitants of the village and the dis-
trict around ; it is an elegant structure with a tower, and
adapted for a congregation of 1150 persons. The minis-
ter has a stipend of £1 50 per annum, with a house and
garden provided for him rent-free by the proprietors, who
are the patrons. The company have also erected a spa-
cious school for the instruction of the children employed
in their works, whose hours of labour are so regulated
as to afford them the full benefit of the institution ; the
master has a salary of £20, paid by the company, and
about 100 children on an average attend. There is a
place of worship for members of the Free Church. A
benevolent society has been established for the assistance
of the poor, and is supported by voluntary subscription ;
the annual distribution averages £60. A funeral society
has been also established, and there is a society for as-
sisting poor people to the school fees necessary for the
education of their children. Stanley House, for many
ages the scat of the Nairne family, has apparently been
built at different periods. Its present name is of com-
paratively modern date, having been given to it towards
the close of the seventeenth century, after the union of
the families of AthoU and Nairne, in honour of a Mar-
chioness of Atholl who was the daughter of James
Stanley, Earl of Derby. It has been modernised and
much improved, and is a spacious and elegant mansion,
beautifully situated on the margin of the river Tay, in a
demesne in which are some stately trees ; upon the
lawn near the house are two remarkably fine yews, and
some beech-trees of luxuriant growth. On the banks of
the Tay, near the village, are the ruins of a religious house
which was connected with the abbey of Dunfermline.
STAR, a village, chiefly in the parish of Kennoway,
and partly in that of Markinch, district of Kirkcai.dy,
county of Fife, 4 miles (N. E.) from the village of Mark-
inch; containing 4/6 inhabitants, of whom 1S5 are in
the parish of Markinch. This village, which is situated
on the eastern boundary of Markinch, is neatly built, and
has a pleasingly rural aspect. The inhabitants are chiefly
occupied in agriculture, but some are employed at their
own houses in hand-loom weaving, and others in various
works in the vicinity.
STAXIGO, a village, in the parish of Wick, county
of Caithness, 1 mile (N. E.) from the town of Wick :
containing 230 inhabitants. This place is of consider-
able antiquity ; and there are still remaining, in good
preservation, two large storehouses built nearly three
centuries since by the Earls of Caithness for the recep-
tion of their rents, at that time paid in kind : each is
capable of containing 4000 bolls of grain. The village is
situated at the head of the natural harbour from which
it takes its name, and is inhabited chiefly by persons
employed in the fishery, for whose boats the harbour
affords every requisite accommodation.
STEIN, a hamlet, in that part of the parish of Duiri-
NiSH which constituted the quoad sacra parish of Water-
NiSH, county of Inverness, 6 miles (N.) from Dunvegan ;
containing 38 inhabitants. It lies on Loch bay, on the
north-west coast of the Isle of Skye, and was established
some years since by the British Society for extending
483
Fisheries. Under the auspices of the parliamentary com-
missioners, an excellent road has been made to this vil-
lage from the head of Loch Sligichan, by Loch Bracadale
and Dunvegan ; a distance of about thirty-one miles.
STEINSCHOLL, a quoad sacra parish, partly in the
parish of Sm/.ort, but chiefly in that of Kilmuir, Isle of
Skye, county of Inverness, l6i miles (N. by W.) from
Portree ; containing 1542 inhabitants, of whom 1455 are
in Kilmuir. This parish, which was separated for eccle-
siastical purposes from the parishes of Kilmuir and
Snizort under the act of parliament passed in 1844, is
about fourteen miles in extreme length and nearly four
miles in breadth, comprising an area of 18,900 acres.
Its surface is diversified with hills, and watered by nume-
rous springs, some of which are supposed to possess
chalybeate properties. Within the last few years, a
spring has been discovered the water of which, on analysis,
was found to contain muriates of lime and potash, sul-
phates of soda, lime, and magnesia, and peroxide of iron.
Steinscholl is in the presbytery of Skye and synod of
Glenelg : the minister's stipend is £120 per annum, paid
from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe : patron,
the Crown. The church, erected at the expense of
government in 1828, is a neat structure containing 350
sittings. Divine service is generally performed in the
Gaelic, but occasionally in the English, language. A
Gaelic school, for which a house has been built by the
inhabitants, is supported by the Gaelic School Society ;
and a school for which a building has been erected by
the heritor, at a cost of £200, was at first supported by
the General Assembly, but is now maintained by govern-
ment as a parochial school : the master's salary is £30,
paid from the exchequer, and he has a garden.
STENHOUSE-MUIR, a village, in the parish of
Larbert, county of Stirling, 2^ miles (N. W. by N.)
from Falkirk; containing 1206 inhabitants. Part of
this village is the property of William Forbes, Esq., of
Callendar, and part held by the Carron Company on
lease. It is chiefly remarkable for the remains of the
ancient manor-house, originally built in 1622, and con-
sisting of two sides of a quadrangle, with a turret at the
point of junction, under which is a well- staircase, and four
turrets at the extreme angles of the building. The inhabit-
ants are employed in the collieries and foundries belonging
to the company, and are supplied with provisions from the
market of Falkirk, on the opposite bank of the Carron.
STENNESS, county of Orkney.— See Firth.
STENNESS, an isle, in the parish of Northmavine,
county of Shetland. It is a small isle on the north
coast of the main land, covering a small bay in the pa-
rish, where is a good fishing-station, with drying-houses
and other conveniences.
STENTON, a parish, in the county of Hadding-
ton ; containing, with the villages of Beil-Grange and
Pitcox, 686 inhabitants, of whom 236 are in the village
of Stenton, 3 miles (S. E. by S.) from Prestonkirk. This
place derived its name, either from the lands abounding
with stones, or from its proximity to a valuable quarry
of freestone, whence materials were taken for the build-
ings in the vicinity. The parish extends into the Lam-
mermuir range, and is ten miles in length. The low-
lying part is about three miles and a half in length from
north to south, and about three miles in breadth from
east to west, comprising 3000 acres, of which 2000 are
arable, 500 meadow and pasture, 400 woodland and
3 Q2
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plantations, and the remainder moor. In some parts of
the paris^h the land is very elevated, including Spartle-
down, the loftiest peali of the Laramermuir. The scenery
is varied ; and the lands are enriched by a lake of arti-
ficial formation, more than two miles in circumference, the
shores of which abound with picturesque objects in richest
combination. Springs of excellent water are to be found
in several parts, from one of which, issuing from the
base of a lofty hill into a deep dell inclosed by embank-
ments at the extremities, is formed the lake alluded to,
which abounds with trout brought from Loch Leven, and
with carp and tench of superior quality. The hills that
encompass the lake are well wooded, and the scenery ren-
ders it a place of frequent resort to parties of pleasure.
Near the village is another copious spring, called Rudewell,
over which is a circular building of stone, surmounted
by a sculptured cardinal's cap, upon the preservation of
which is said to depend the tenure of the Beil estate.
The SOIL is generally clay, of various qualities, in some
parts tenacious, and in others softening into fertile loam;
there is also a considerable portion of land of lighter
quality, which abounds with pebbles, but which is well
adapted for turnips. The crops are wheat, oats, barley,
peas, turnips, and potatoes. Agriculture is highly im-
proved : the lands are well drained ; the introduction of
bone and rape-dust manures has been productive of
much benefit to the soil; and all the more recent im-
provements in implements of husbandry have been
adopted by the tenantry. Considerable attention is paid
to live-stock ; cattle at two years old are now in as great
perfection as formerly at three years. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £6368. Bed, once the
residence of the Belhaven family, and now possessed by
Mrs. Hamilton Nisbet Ferguson, of Dirleton and Bel-
haven, a direct descendant in the female line, is an an-
cient mansion much enlarged and improved. The late
Mr. Nisbet, whose father married the heiress of Beil, made
great additions to the mansion, at an expense of more than
£40,000. It is seated on an eminence, sloping gently,
and formed into a succession of terraces in front of the
house, which has been extended to a length of nearly 500
feet. The new building is in strict harmony with the
style of the ancient mansion, and the whole constitutes
one of the most splendid seats in the country ; the
apartments are stately, and elegantly fitted up, and con-
tain a rich variety of marbles, and a well assorted col-
lection of paintings by the first masters. The terraces,
embellished with the choicest flowers, and kept in the
best order, give a peculiar character to the appearance of
the mansion, which is further heightened by a stream
that flows at the base of the eminence. In the grounds,
which are laid out with much taste, is one of the finest
cedars in the country, conveyed from London by the
anti-Union Lord Belhaven in a pot, and planted about
the beginning of the last century ; it is fourteen feet in
girth and sixty feet high, and its branches spread over
an area '200 feet in circumference. The village is in-
habited chiefly by persons engaged in trades requisite for
the supply of the parish : a very small number are em-
ployed in weaving, which was formerly carried on to a
greater extent. The nearest market-town is Dunbar,
with which, and with places in the more immediate
vicinity, conununication is afforded by good roads.
Ecclesiastically the parisli is in the presbytery of Dun-
bar, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in thepatron-
484
age of Mrs. H. N. Ferguson : the minister's stipend is
£■295. 10. 1., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £21
per annum. Stenton church is a spacious and handsome
structure in the later English style, with a lofty square
embattled tower, the whole built in 1819 at an expense of
more than £"2000, towards which the heritors contributed
£900 ; the remainder was given by Mrs. Ferguson, by
whom the erection was proposed, to remedy the defi-
ciency of the old church, which was ill adapted and in-
conveniently situated. The edifice is adapted for a con-
gregation of 400 persons, and was opened for divine
service by the late distinguished Dr. Chalmers. The
parochial school affords a useful education ; the master
has a salary of £34. 4., with £40 fees, and a house and
garden. A library is supported, and there are two itine-
rating libraries.
STEVENSTON, a market-town and parish, in the
district of Cunninghame, county of Ayr, 5 miles (W.
N. W.) from Irvine, and 14 (X. N. W.) from Ayr; con-
taining 3791 inhabitants, of whom 143'2 are in that por-
tion of the town of Saltcoats which is within the parish.
This parish derived its name from Stephen Lockhart,
who fixed his residence in the place, of which and of
other lands, constituting the barony of Stevenston, his
father had in the year 11*0 obtained a grant from
Richard Morville, Lord of Cunningharae, and Constable
of Scotland. From the Lockharts the barony soon
afterwards passed to the Loudoun family, with whom it
remained nearly till the time of the Reformation, when
it became part of the possessions ol the Earl of Glencairn.
After passing through other families, among whom were
the Boyds, the Cunninghames, and the Hamiltons, the
estate was divided ; and it is now in the possession of
various proprietors. The town is principally inhabited
by persons engaged in the works carried on in the neigh-
bourhood, and in the mines and quarries of the parish ;
and from its immediate proximity to Saltcoats, its trade
is intimately identified with the trade of that place,
which is described under its own head. It is neatly
built, and well supplied with water ; a public library is
supported by subscription, and a post-office has been
established. Many of the inhabitants are employed in
weaving for the manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley,
and a considerable number of the females in flowering
muslins. The market, which is abundantly supplied
with provisions of all kinds, is on Saturday ; and a fair
is held yearly on the 30th of October, which is chiefly a
pleasure-fair, and a mart for hiring servants. Facility
of communication with distant ports is afforded by the
harbours of Saltcoats and Ardrossan.
The PARISH is about five miles in length, extending
from the harbour of Saltcoats to the bar of Irvine. It
is about three miles in extreme breadth, and is bounded
on the east by the river Garnock, which for nearly
three miles forms a boundary between it and the parish
of Irvine , on the south by tlie Firth of Clyde; and on
the south-east by the confluence of the rivers Garnock
and Irvine. It comprises about 4000 acres, of which
'2000 are arable. The surface, though undulated and
acclivous, in no part attains an elevation of more than
300 feet above the level of the sea. Near the eastern
boundary are two richly planted eminences of great
beauty, commanding extensive and varied prospects, and
forming interesting features in the appearance of the
parish, as seen from different points of view. The
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scenery is enlivened with some well-grown wood, and
flourishing plantations on the lands of the resident
heritors ; on the grounds of Ardeer, Sea-Bank, and
Kerilaw the plantations are particularly extensive and
highly ornamental. Though some of the low lands are
of a loamy quality and tolerably fertile, the soil is gene-
rally unproductive ; in the upper part of the parish it is
a stiff clay, and the lands near the Firth are thickly in-
terspersed with sand-hills. The crops are oats, wheat,
potatoes, beans, turnips, barley, and carrots. Agricul-
ture is improved, but there is still a large portion of
unprofitable land j there are some dairies which are well
managed, and a considerable number of cattle are grazed.
The farm-houses are mostly in good condition, and the
lands are all inclosed with hedges of thorn, kept in good
order : there is a large mill for grain, of great antiquity.
The sand-hills abound with rabbits, which were intro-
du«ed in 1777, about 100 having been brought from the
island of Little Cumbray : nearly 6000 are annually
killed.
In this parish the rocks are chiefly of greenstone,
limestone, and sandstone ; and coal is found in some
places. The greenstone, which is exceedingly compact,
is quarried principally for mending the roads ; the lime-
stone is quarried for the supply of the lands on which it
is found, and the sandstone is wrought extensively.
There is a remarkably fine vein of white freestone at
Ardeer, which has obtained the appellation of Stevenston
stone. Great quantities of it are raised, not only for the
use of the neighbourhood, but for that of Dublin and
Belfast, where it is in much demand ; it admits of a
very fine polish, and is esteemed for mantelpieces and
ornamental works. About forty men are constantly
employed in this quarry, the produce of which is con-
veyed by a railroad to the port of Ardrossan, where it is
shipped. A superior kind of firestone, also, called Os-
mond stone, is raised from a quarry at Parkend, and is
in great request for ovens and furnaces. Coal is very
extensively wrought in the parish : t'he quantity raised
annually averages nearly 40,000 tons, of which about
two-thirds are shipped for Ireland, and a third con-
sumed in the neighbouring districts ; the number of
persons employed in the collieries is 200, of whom fifty
are boys. The annual value of real property in Stevens-
ton is £6313. The Ardrossan railway, already noticed,
which forms a junction with the Ayrshire railway at
Kilwinning, passes through the parish in an east-by-
north direction, after proceeding close by the sea-coast
for a short distance. There are several handsome man-
sions, situated in tastefully ornamented demesnes : of
these, Kerilaw, Ardeer, Sea-Bank, Hullerhirst, and Hay-
ocks are the principal.
Stevenston is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Ir-
vine, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of
Gavin FuUertoa and Robert Cunningham, Esqrs. : the
stipend of the minister is £250. 9., including £4. 3. 4.
arising from the interest of a bequest 5 with a manse,
and a glebe of the annual value of £20. The church is
a handsome and substantial edifice, erected in 1832-3,
on the site of the ancient church of St. Monoch ; it is
well situated, and adapted for a congregation of 1175
persons. There are places of worship for the United
Presbyterian Church and the Free Church. Stevenston
parochial school affords a useful education : the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden va-
485
lued at £6, and the fees ; also an allowance of £2. 2. 9.
for additional garden-ground, and the interest of a small
bequest. There is likewise a school, the teacher of
which has a good school-house from Mr. Cunningham,
in addition to the fees. The interest of a bequest of-
£180 is applied to the support of a Sabbath-evening
school. There are some interesting remains of the tur-
reted castle of Kerilaw, the baronial residence of the
Earls of Glencairn. In 1832 some workmen, when
levelling a field at Dubbs, in the parish, discovered, at
about five feet below the surface, a pavement six yards
in length and two feet in breadth, at one end of which
was a stone coffin containing an urn of l)lack, and
another of grey, pottery, with some fibula; of jet, finely
polished.
STEWARTON, a burgh and parish, in the district
of CuNNiNGHAME, couuty of Ayr, 9 miles (N. E.) from
Irvine ; containing 4656 inhabitants. This place de-
rived its name from its ancient proprietor, James, High
Steward of Scotland in the thirteenth century, and is
supposed to have been subsequently the residence of
some of the kings of the Stuart line. Among the char-
ters granted to the proprietors of the lands is one by
Robert III. to John Stuart, Earl of Buchan, son of the
Regent, conferring upon him the lands of Stewarton,
and others in Cunninghame, on the resignation of the
Earl of Douglas. The lands had previously belonged
to the potent family of Ross, whose representative, the
Earl of Glasgow, takes his title of Lord Boyle of Stew-
arton from this place ; and three cadets of the Cunning-
hame family held considerable portions, and were re-
spectively baronets of Corsehill, Robertland, and Auchen-
harvie. The property is now divided among numerous
owners, of whom Wdliam Cuninghame of Lainshaw,
Esq., Alexander Kerr, Esq., of Robertland, Sir Thomas
Montgomery Cunninghame of Corsehill, Bart., James
S. Burns, Esq., of Auchenharvie, and Colonel S. Mac-
alister of Kennox, are the principal. Few events of
any importance are recorded in connexion with the
place. The castle of Robertland, the stronghold of the
Cunninghames, was burnt by the Montgomeries of Eg-
linton, in a feud between them and the Cunninghames,
in 1586 ; in revenge of which, Hugh, fourth Earl of Eg-
linton, was afterwards waylaid and shot at the ford of
Annock.
The PARISH is situated on the confines of Renfrew-
shire. It is nearly ten miles in extreme length, and
from three to four in extreme breadth ; comprising
about 13,000 acres, of which 2500 are arable, nearly
7000 meadow and pasture, 200 woodland and planta-
tions, and the remainder hill pasture, moss, and waste.
The surface is beautifully diversified, rising by gentle
acclivities from the south-west towards the north-east
(where it terminates on the border of Renfrewshire) in
hills of various elevation, commanding from their sum-
mits extensive and finely-varied prospects over the sur-
rounding country. On the west are seen the isles of
Jura, Arran, and Ailsa, with the coast of Ireland faintly
in the distance ; on the north, the mountain of Ben-
Lomond ; and on the south, the hills of Kirkcudbright
and Dumfries-shire. The principal river is the Annock,
which has its source in a lake in the parish of Mearns,
and, taking a south-western direction, flows in a beauti-
fully winding course through this parish, and falls into
the Irvine. There are several streams tributary to the
STEW
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Annock, which intersect the lands in various directions :
these are, the Swinsey, the Corsehill, and East burns,
flowing into the Annock at the town of Stewarton ; and
the Glazart, which joins it about four miles to the south.
At the hamlet of Bloak is a mineral well, the properties
of which are not perfectly known ; it was discovered in
1810, and a small but handsome building has been
erected over it by the proprietor of Lainshaw, who has
appointed a person to take care of it.
In general the soil is fertile ; in some parts light and
friable, and well adapted for green crops ; in others, of
deeper and stronger quality, producing wheat and other
grain. The arable lands are under good cultivation ;
but the greater portion of the parish is in pasture. The
crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips.
Husbandry is in a highly improved state ; the farm
buildings and offices are substantial and well arranged,
and the lands have been drained, and inclosed chietly
with hedges of thorn, kept in excellent order. There
are about 2500 cattle. Great attention is paid to the
management of the dairy-lands, and the produce, which
is abundant and of fine quality, is sent principally to
Glasgow, Paisley, and Kilmarnock, where it obtains a
ready sale. About "00 sheep and 500 swine are fed.
There are few remains of the ancient woods. The plan-
tations, which are chiefly on the lower lands, are com-
paratively of recent date, and consist of various kinds of
trees, for which the soil is well adapted, and which are
under careful management and in a thriving condition.
In this parish the principal substrata are whinstone,
freestone, and limestone. The freestone is of good qua-
lity for building, for which purpose it is occasionally
quarried ; the limestone, which lies near the surface, and
is easily wrought, is burnt into lime on several of the
lands. Coal is found in some plates, and, being readily
obtained, is used on the spot for burning lime; but no
.seams sufficiently thick to encourage the sinking of a pit
have yet been discovered, though some attempts have
been made to find them, at a considerable expense. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £17,023.
Lainshaw House, the seat of Mr. Cuninghame, is a spa-
cious and handsome mansion, erected in 1S2S, and plea-
santly situated on the banks of the Annock, in a demesne
embellished with thriving plantations. Lochridge, built
in 1637 ; Kennox, an ancient mansion with recent ad-
ditions ; Girgenti, a modern residence ; Robertland, also
a modern structure ; and Williamshaw, partly ancient
and partly modern, are likewise finely situated.
The TOWN of Stewarton is situated on the banks of
the river Annock, nearly in the centre of the parish ;
and, since the establishment of its manufactures, has
greatly increased in population and extent, now contain-
ing nearly 3000 inhabitants. It is more than three-
quarters of a mile in length, consisting of several inter-
secting streets ; the houses are well built, and to some
of them is attached a portion of ground for the cultiva-
tion of fruit, vegetables, and flowers. The streets are
lighted with gas from works establi.shcd in 1832, at a
cost of £1200; and the inhabitants are amjjly supplied
with water. A public library, founded in 1810, forms a
large collection of volumes in the various departments
of literature ; and there is a public news-room, well sup-
plied with journals and periodical publications. A hor-
ticultural and florists' society, also, has been established.
The environs of the town, which are pleasant, and
486
abound with picturesque scenery, contain some handsome
houses and villas. The manufacture of bonnets and
caps has long been established here, affording constant
employment to 500 persons. In the manufacture of
cotton and silk fabrics, of more recent introduction,
about 300 persons are employed ; and shirtings, sheet-
ings, towelling, table-linen, blankets, druggets, and other
fabrics are woven by others. Mills for carding and
spinning, &c., have been erected ; and there are two
carpet-manufactories, in one of which 150, and in the
other about forty, persons are employed. The making
of steel clock-work is peculiar to this place, and the
produce is in great demand both at home and for the
American market. There is also a large manufactory of
spindles for cotton and woollen mills. A very extensive
manufacture of bricks, and of tiles for roofing and for
draining, is carried on in the vicinity of the town ; the
quantity of tiles alone produced annually is estimated
at 500,000. All the handicraft trades necessary for the
wants of the neighbourhood are pursued ; and there
are numerous shops in the town, stored with various
kinds of merchandise. Branches of the Union Bank of
Glasgow and Messrs. Hunter's bank at Ayr, have been
opened here ; and also a savings' bank. The market is
weekly, on Thursday ; and fairs for horses, cattle, and
dairy-stock, are held on the first Monday in May, the
last Thursdays in June and December, and the first Fri-
day in November. The May and June fairs are also for
hiring servants. Facility of communication is main-
tained by the turnpike-roads to Glasgow, Paisley, and
Kilmarnock, which pass through the town ; by other
roads kept in good repair by statute labour, which inter-
sect the parish in various directions; and by bridges over
the several streams. There is also a station of the Ayr-
shire railway at the distance of four miles from the
town, to which an omnibus runs twice a day. The
burgh is governed by a baron-bailie appointed by the
superior of the barony, Mr. Cuninghame of Lainshaw,
but his jurisdiction extends only over the markets and
fairs ; the magistrates of the county hold justice-of-peace
courts for petty offences. A commodious court-house
for the trial of prisoners, and a lock-up house for their
temporary confinement, have been erected in the town,
and are both the property of Mr. Cuninghame. The
suburbs are chiefly on the lands of Sir T. M. Cunning-
harae of Corsehill.
For ECCLESIASTICAL pnrposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Irvine and synod of Glasgow
and Ayr : the minister's stipend is £280. 19- 2., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £12 per annum; patron,
Mr. Cuninghame. Stewarton church, originally built in
1696, and repaired and enlarged in 1825, is a handsome
edifice centrically situated, and containing 1400 sittings.
There are places of worslii]) for members of the Free
Church, the United Presbyterian Church, and the Con-
gregational Union. The parochial school is attended
by about thirty children : the master has a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with a house, an allowance of £2. 2. in lieu
of garden, and the school fees ; also £5 per annum,
from a bequest by Mr. Smith for the gratuitous instruc-
tion of poor children. There are some remains of the
ancient castles of Corsehill and Auchenharvie. On the
braes of CarndtilT, the property of Mr. Deans, of Peacock
Bank, have been found three urns containing human
bones. About a mile from the town, on the farm of
STIR
STIR
Chapelton, were dug up the foundations of an ancient
chapel, of which, however, no authentic records have
been preserved. Among the eminent persons connected
with this place was Dr. Robert Watt, compiler of the
Bibliotheca Brilannka, a work of celebrity ; he was born
on the farm now called Girgenti, in the year 1774, and
died in 1819.
STEWARTON and WISHAWTON, a village, in the
parish of Cambusnethan, Middle ward of the county of
Lanark, 3i miles (E. by S.) from Hamilton; containing
2149 inhabitants. These places adjoin each other, and
form a considerable village, situated in the western
quarter of the parish, on the high road from Carluke to
Hamilton, on both sides of which the houses are for the
most part built. The population is principally engaged
in manufactures, and in the collieries of the neighbour-
hood. A large distillery has been lately erected at the
west end of the village by Lord Belhaven, with sheds
for feeding cattle, and other buildings, the whole of the
best masonry, and in complete uniformity, presenting a
handsome range. On the estate of Wishaw a tile-work,
also, is in operation ; and the vicinity is altogether im-
portant as a mineral district. The Wishaw and Coltness
railway, for which an act was obtained in 1829, extends
from the termination, in the parish of Old Monkland, of
the Monkland and Kirkintilloch railway, southward to
the estates of Wishaw, Coltness, and Allanton, all in this
parish. An act was passed in 1849 authorizing the sale
of this railway to the Caledonian railway company.
Wishaw House, the seat of Lord Belhaven, stands on the
river Calder, about a mile from the village, and is a fine
mansion in the castellated style, the outline much varied
by the different heights and projections of the towers
and embattled walls. The apartments are suitable to
the extent of the building ; and several of them, re-
markable for their elegance, contain family and other
portraits. Around the house are extensive orchard-
grounds and gardens. A school in the village is well
attended.
V\l\ I !i
Obverse. Reverse.
Ancient Burgh Seal.
STIRLING, a parish, partly in the county of Clack-
mannan, but chiefly in the county of Stirling ; con-
taining 9095 inhabitants, of whom 8307 are in the royal
burgh of Stirling, 42 miles (W. N. W.) from Edinburgh.
This place, in the more ancient documents, is called
Striuelyn, Striviling, and Styrlyng, and in the present seal
of the burgh is designated Oppidtim Sterlini. It is of
remote antiquity, and is supposed to have been a Ro-
man station connected with that of Camelon, whence
a road to the north of Scotland passed close to the
Castle hill here, on which was one of the numerous
fortifications raised by Agricola in this part of the
487
country. On the face of the rock overlooking the road,
and commanding the river I'orth, which is here of com-
paratively inconsiderable width, has been found a Roman
inscription ascribing to the second legion the erection of
this fortress, which is thought to have occupied the site
of the present castle, whose precise date has not been
distinctly ascertained. Towards the latter part of the
ninth century, Ella and Ostricht, princes of Northumbria,
having defeated Donald V., King of Scotland, and taken
him prisoner, advanced to Stirling, rebuilt the castle, and
placed in it a strong garrison, which retained possession
of the place till it was restored by treaty to Kenneth
HI., who, about the year 975, not only recovered his
territories in this part of the country, but made himself
master of the whole district of Strathcluyd. The castle
appears to have attained a considerable degree of im-
portance in the course of the twelfth century. It was
one of the four principal fortresses of the kingdom deli-
vered to the English in II74, by William the Lion, as
part of his ransom from captivity, and in fulfilment of the
treaty by which King Henry II. of England was acknow-
ledged superior of the whole of Scotland. This claim
of superiority being subsequently renounced by King
Richard I., Stirling Castle and the other fortresses were
restored to the Scottish monarchs, and remained in their
possession till the revival of that claim by Edward I.,
when, on the defeat of the Scottish army at Dunbar in
1296, the English, in order to secure the conquest of the
country during the disputed succession to the throne,
made themselves masters of all the chief fortresses of
the kingdom. William Wallace, however, the intrepid
champion of his country's freedom, recovered Stirling
from the English, and afterwards laid siege to the
castle of Dundee. While he was engaged in reducing
that fortress, the English again assaulted Stirling; but,
the Scottish army taking up their position on the
north side of the Forth, to dispute the passage of the
river by the troops of Edward, which had encamped on
the south, Wallace hastened from Dundee to the relief
of Stirling, and obtained a signal victory over the Eng-
lish while attempting to cross the river. The result of
this battle, in which many of the English were slain,
with only a very inconsiderable number of the Scottish
forces, was, the temporary delivery of the country from
the English invasion.
In the following year, however, Edward entered the
kingdom with an army of 80,000 men, and having de-
feated the Scots at Falkirk, again took possession of
Stirling, and repaired the castle, which, in his retreat,
Wallace had burnt. The fortress was in 1298 besieged
by the Scots, to whom, after a series of reverses in the
fortunes of Edward, it was surrendered by capitulation ;
but in 1300 it was again taken by the English after a
siege of three months, during which it was bravely de-
fended by the garrison under its governor. Sir William
Oliphant. In 1304, Edward, in his progress towards the
south, approached to Stirling, and, after a feeble attempt
on the part of Cumyn, guardian of the kingdom, to in-
tercept him, laid siege to the castle, which, however, held
out so resolutely against his assaults that, when he ulti-
mately obtained possession of it, he refused all terms of
capitulation, and sent Sir William Oliphant prisoner to
London. In 1314 the fortress, which till then had been
garrisoned by the English, was invested by Edward
Bruce, brother of the King of Scotland, who, after a siege
STIR
STIR
of some months, obtained from the governor a promise
of surrender if not reheved within a stipulated period.
On the day previous to the appointed time, a detachment
of SOO cavalry from the army sent by Edward for the
relief of the several garrisons, and of which the main
body had been intercepted by Bruce, having advanced
by a circuitous route to dislodge the besiegers of Stir-
ling, were pursued by Randolph, Earl of Moray, who, with
a body of 500 horse, put them completely to the rout.
The spot where this conflict took place is still called
Randolph-Field. After the battle of Bannockburn,
which finally established the independence of the Scot-
tish monarchy, the town and castle were evacuated by
the English ; and the garrison, according to the terms
of capitulation, returned unmolested into England. In
the reign of James I., Murdoch, Duke of Albany, who
had acted as regent of the kingdom during the captivity
of that monarch in England, was, with his father-in-law
the Earl of Lennox, and his two sons, beheaded on the
Mote hill, a small mount near the castle, pursuant to a
verdict pronounced by a jury of twenty-one members of
a parliament held for the purpose. In 1437, Sir Robert
Graham and several of his associates were executed on
the same spot, for the assassination of the king in the
convent of the Black Friars at Perth.
The castle about this time had become a royal resi-
dence ; James II. was born within its walls, and James
III. repaired and embellished several portions of the struc-
ture that had fallen into dilapidation, and erected many
additional buildings. Among these were, the house of
parliament, containing a fine hall 120 feet in length,
now occupied as a barrack by the garrison ; and also
the chapel royal, which was rebuilt by James VI. for the
baptism of Prince Henry. During the late war the
chapel was converted into an armoury, but it is now in
part restored to its original purpose, though only for the
garrison. A palace was erected within the precincts of
the castle by James V., which was completed by Queen
Mary ; it was a quadrangular edifice surrounding an
area in which the king's lions are said to have been
kept. The building was profusely embellished with sta-
tuary, including well-sculptured figures of King James
and his daughter, and numerous grotesque figures; it
contained several magnificent apartments, and a spacious
hall with a roof of oak exquisitely carved. James V. was
born and crowned in the castle: Mary, also, was crowned
in it, when scarcely nine months old ; and James VI., soon
after his birth, was brought hither, and baptized with
great pomp, on which occasion Queen Elizabeth presented
a massive font of gold, to be used at the ceremony. Stir-
ling soon followed the example of Perth and St. Andrew's
in adopting the Reformed doctrines. In 1559, the lords
of the congregation took possession of the town, in order
to prevent the introduction of a French force which had
been sent to the assistance of the Earl of Murray ; and
in their zeal for the abolition of popery, the inhabitants
demolished the abbey of Cambuskenneth and the con-
vents of the Black and the Grey Friars. In 1571 John
Hamilton, formerly Archbishop of St. Andrew's, who had
assisted at the baptism of James VI., was executed here
for his i)articipation in the death of the Regent Murray ;
and in the same year a |)arliament was held in the castle
by the Karl of Lennox, who was then regent. On the
4th of September, in that year, the town was surprised
by the Earl of Huntiy and about 400 of his adherents,
488
who, surrounding the houses of the principal inhabit-
ants, carried off the Regent Lennox and ten other noble-
men as prisoners. Huntly's party was eventually de-
feated by the Earl of Mar, and the noblemen were res-
cued from its power ; but the Regent, who had been
severely wounded in the conflict, died of his wounds on
the following evening, and was interred in the chapel
royal. Twenty-six of Huntly's party were brought into
the town as prisoners, and two of them publicly exe-
cuted on the following day. After the resignation of
Mary, Queen of Scots, James VI. was crowned in the
church of Stirling, a sermon being preached on the occa-
sion by the reformer, John Knox ; and during his mi-
nority the castle was the constant residence of the prince,
under the tutelage of his preceptor, the celebrated George
Buchanan. That monarch held his first parliament in
the castle in the year 157S, and, after his marriage to
Anne, princess of Denmark, frequently resided herewith
his queen, who gave birth to the infant prince, Henry,
at Stirling. In 1584 the Earls of Angus and Mar, the
master of Glammis, and others who had been concerned
in the Ruthven conspiracy, took forcible possession of
the town. Being expelled by the garrison, they fled
into England ; but they returned in the following year,
and having raised a powerful force, were preparing to
besiege the castle, at that time but ill prepared to hold
out, when the king sent commissioners to treat with
them, and a compromise was effected by the pardon of
their rebellion, the reversal of their forfeitures, and the
restoration of their eligibility to offices in the state.
On the proclamation, in 1637, of the mandate for the
adoption of the Liturgy of the Church of England, the
privy council and the courts of session were by royal
command removed from Edinburgh to this town, where
they continued for many months to hold their meetings.
The Liturgy was proclaimed at the market-cross ; upon
which the Earl of Home, with other nobles and a num-
ber of the ministers, entered a public protest against its
reception ; a body of about '2000 Presbyterians assem-
bled in the town in the course of the evening, and on
the following morning marched to Edinburgh. After
the battle of Dunbar, in 1650, the remains of the Scot-
tish army retreated to this town, in which the magis-
trates of Edinburgh, andnthe Committees of Church and
State, held their meetings ; and the last Scottish parlia-
ment in which the sovereign personally presided was as-
sembled in the castle, and afterwards adjourned to Perth.
Pursuant to the resolution at this parliament, an army
was collected at Aberdeen, which, after marching to
Stirling, and being joined by the troops at this place,
encamped at Torwood under Charles II., who com-
manded in person ; but the prince was ultimately com-
pelled to retreat before the troops of Cromwell, and,
retiring to Stirling, encamped in the King's Park. Upon
Cromwell's retreat soon afterwards into England, he was
followed by Charles at the head of this army, which was
subsequently defeated at the battle of Worcester. Soon
after OoniweU's dejjarturc. General Monk advanced to
Stirling witli u powerful force, and taking possession of
the town, erected batteries on the tower of the church
and in the adjoining burying-ground, in order to reduce
the castle, which, after a protracted siege, he ultimately
obtaiiitd l)y capitulation. During the siege, the registers
and national records, which had been for greater security
deposited in the castle, were removed to the Tower of
STIR
STIR
London, where they remained till the Restoration ; but
they were unfortunately lost in a storm that overtook the
ship in which they were being brought home. The Duke
of Argyll, previously to the battle of Sheriffmuir in 171-'>,
encamped his forces in the King's Park, adjoining the
town. In 1745, during the progress of the Young Pre-
tender's career, the walls were repaired by government,
and the castle put into a state of defence. Upon his
return, however, in the following year, the town was
occupied for some time by his adherents, who, violating
the terms upon which they had obtained admission, pil-
laged the houses of the inhabitants, and invested the
castle, which must ultimately have surrendered for want
of provisions, had not the approach of the army under
the Duke of Cumberland compelled the Pretender to
withdraw his forces from the neighbourhood. On the
13th of September, 1842, this place was visited by Her
Majesty, in the course of her first tour in Scotland ; the
royal cortege arrived at the barrier at half-past eleven
o'clock in the morning, and the provost, attended by
the town-clerk and magistrates, presented the keys of
the burgh to Her Majesty, who then proceeded through
the town.
Few other events of historical importance have oc-
curred in connexion with this town, the history of which
is mostly identified with that of its ancient castle, to
whose foundation it is indebted for its origin. In the
reign of Queen Anne, the fortifications of Stirling Castle,
which, according to the articles of the Union, was one
of the four principal fortresses guaranteed to be kept in
repair, were considerably extended, and the internal ar-
rangements rendered more commodious for the garrison.
The garrison now consists of a lieutenant-governor, de-
puty-governor, fort-major, and other officers, a chaplain,
barrack-master, barrack-serjeant, and master-gunner,
with a force of infantry generally averaging from 250 to
300 men. The demesnes attached to the castle include
the royal park and gardens ; the Ladies' Hill ; the Val-
ley, a level inclosure in which tournaments and other
feats of chivalry were formerly celebrated for the enter-
tainment of the court ; the Ballingeich road : the Gowan
or Gowling Hills ; and a few houses in that part of the
town called the Castle Hill. These, with the exception
of the Valley, constitute what is styled the constabulary,
which is under the management of the Commissioners
of Woods and Forests. Stirling Castle, which for some
centuries consisted only of a single tower, has, from fre-
quent additions and improvements, been greatly im-
proved, and is now one of the most splendid buildings
of the kind in the kingdom. The principal entrance
was once defended by four massive circular towers, of
which two only, and those much reduced in height, are
remaining. From its elevated situation on a precipitous
rock rising abruptly from the surrounding plain, the
view obtained from this entrance is singularly interest-
ing, embracing a vast expanse of Highland scenery in-
cluding the lofty summits of Benvoirlich, Benledi, Ben-
venue, and Ben-Lomond. The intermediate tracts of
country are interspersed with stately mansions, with
villages and hamlets ; enriched with woods and thriving
plantations, and enlivened with the meandering courses
of the rivers Allan, Teith, and Forth, flowing through a
fertile plain bounded on the one side by the Campsie
hills, and on the other by the Ochils. This entrance
leads into a spacious quadrangle, where are the remains
Vol. II.— 489
of the stately palace of James V., the parliament house,
now converted into barracks, and the chapel royal : in
the centre of the quadrangle is a court still retaining the
name of the Lion's Den. From this a low gateway leads
into the Nether Bailicry, in which are the magazines
and offices belonging to the castle, and from which an
old gateway, anciently the principal entrance, opens into
a narrow path called Ballengeich, conducting to the
town. Between the town and the fortress is the espla-
nade, on the south and west of which is the King's Park ;
here the Stirling races are held. Immediately imder
the castle walls, on the south side, are the royal gardens,
in which is a circular mound of moderate elevation,
called the " King's Knot " surrounded by a concentric
bank at the distance of a few feet, of nearly equal height :
this mound and bank are said to have served as seats
for the king and the nobility, in the celebration of the
sports of the Knights of the Round Table, in honour of
King Arthur. Beyond, for some distance, is a plain in-
closed by the traces of what was formerly a canal, on
which the court were wont to sail in barges. The
banks of the Castle Hill are here richly-wooded, and
have been laid out with great taste as a promenade,
which, at almost every step, both in ascent and de-
scent, commands a prospect of picturesque and romantic
scenery. The castle itself, also, from the stately magni-
ficence of its remains, and the rich style of its architec-
ture, abounding in beautiful details, as well as from its
position on the acclivities and summit of a rock, forms a
striking feature in the landscape.
The TOWN is finely situated on the south bank of
the river Forth, and consists of numerous well-formed
streets, several of them of modern date and handsome
appearance. King-street is a wide thoroughfare, in
which are the market-places, numerous substantial
houses, and some of the public buildings ; and a new
street opened in 1840 forms a communication with
Bridge-street, in the direction of the two bridges. There
is a bridge of five arches over the Forth, to the north of
the town, on a line with the great north road ; and be-
yond this, at a little distance, is an ancient bridge of
four arches over the river, which, preserving much of
its original character, has a very picturesque aspect.
Spittal-street, conducting to St. John's street, in which
are the church and an old hospital ; and Baker-street,
in a parallel direction ; are both good streets, though
the latter is in some parts steep and narrow, and con-
tains several houses of very ancient date. Broad-street
is spacious, and has at one extremity the unfinished
palace of the Earl of Mar, hereditary governor of the
castle, commenced in 1570, and built with the ruins of
Cambuskenneth Abbey. In the Castle Wynd is the
mansion called Argyll House, now occupied as an hos-
pital for the garrison, a quadrangular building erected
in 163'2 by Sir William Alexander, afterwards Earl of
Stirling, and which subsequently became the property
of the Duke of Argyll, who entertained James VII. for
some time in it when Duke of York, and whose de-
scendant held his council of war here during the rebel-
lion of 1715. The streets are well paved, and lighted
with gas i and the inhabitants are amply supplied with
water, an act for a better supply having been passed
in 1848.
The Stirling Subscription Library, founded in 1805,
and supported by a proprietary of shareholders, forms a
3 R
STIR
STIR
collection of more than 4000 volumes on general litera-
ture, and is annually augmented : this and the public
reading-room are kept in the Athenseum, a handsome
building with a lofty spire, in King-street, erected in
181*. There are also several circulating libraries in the
town. The School of Arts was instituted in IS'SG, for
the promotion of mechanical stvidy and improvement in
the arts and sciences : it has a library of 1 000 well-
chosen books, a museum, some philosophical apparatus,
and a theatre for the delivery of lectures during the
winter ; it is well supported by subscription, and has
about 200 proprietary memliers. Two weekly news-
papers are published, the Stirling Observer on Thurs-
day, and the Stirling Journal on Friday ; and both main-
tain an extensive circulation in the surrounding district.
A medical society has been established by the practi-
tioners in the town and vicinity, for the promotion of
literature and the general pursuits of science connected
with the profession. A horticultural society was founded
herein 1812, an agricultural association in 1834; and
in 1840, an appropriate building was erected by Messrs.
Drummond for the reception of the agricultural museum
established by them in 1831, being the first institution
of the kind in Britain : it contains an extensive collec-
tion of specimens of seeds, roots, grains, minerals, im-
plements of every variety, improvements in draining-
tik'S, and every thing connected with the study and
promotion of husbandry. The approach to the town
from St. Ninian's is through a pleasing tract of country,
embellished vvith handsome mansions and picturesque
villas, with thriving plantations ; and a promenade called
the Back Walk, on the south of the Castle Hill, taste-
fully laid out in 1*23 by Mr. Edmondstone, of Cambus-
Wallace, and subsequently much improved, is a favourite
place of public resort.
The woollen-manufacture, which since 1830 has very
greatly increased, is now the principal branch of trade ;
while the cotton-manufacture, which was extensive, has
become inconsiderable. There are three large steam-
mills for spinning woollen yarn, in which about 170 per-
sons are employed; and nearly *00 persons are occupied
in weaving at their own dwellings : the articles manu-
factured are tartans, shawl- pieces, and other similar
goods. The weaving of carpets is carried on to a mo-
derate extent. There are several dyeing establishments,
and rope-making is also conducted on a tolerable scale.
Coach-building is pursued to a considerable extent,
affording employment to more than a hundred persons ;
there are tanneries and some large malting establish-
ments, and the manufacture of soap and candles is con-
ducted with success. Many of the inhabitants are em-
ployed in the various other trades necessary for the
supply of the neighbourliood ; and there are numerous
handsome shops, well stocked with all the articles of
merchandise required for the use and convenience of the
inhabitants ; and also some hotels for the reception of
the families and visiters who, during the summer and
autumn, make Stirling their temporary place of resort.
Of these, the Royal Hotel, a spacious and elegant build-
ing erected in 1840, in tront of the Friars' Wynd, and
containing very superior accommodations, forms an
nrnameut to the town. The market, on Friday, is abun-
dantly supplied with grain, and with provisions of every
kind. Fairs for cattle and horses are held on the Friday
before Old Hansel Monday ; the first Fridays in February,
490
March, April, May, August, and November; the second
Frida" in December, the third in September, and the
last in May. There are also hiring-markets on the last
Friday in March, and the third in October. The Corn
Exchange, where the grain market is held, is a spacious
edifice of recent erection, containing above the area a
stately apartment for public meetings ; and the branch
establishments of the Commercial Bank, in Spittal-street,
the Bank of Scotland, in King-street, and the National
Bank, in Baker-street, are all substantial buildings. The
Scottish Central railway proceeds by the town, near
which the Dunfermline railway diverges from the line.
Facility of communication is also afforded by good roads
which pass through the town and parish, and by steam-
ers plying constantly between Stirling and Edinburgh.
The port of Stirling, a member of that of Alloa, carries
on an extensive trade in grain, of which considerable
quantities are shipped ; and there is a moderate extent
of foreign trade, consisting chiefly in the importation of
timber from Norway, and bark from Holland. The
number of vessels registered as belonging to the port is
twenty-two, varying from fifty to 350 tons in burthen ;
of these, two are employed in the foreign trade, and the
others in the coasting-trade, and to ports within the
United Kingdom. Stirling harbour is formed by a bend
in the Forth, and has a good quay for the loading and
unloading of vessels. The navigation of the river was
much impeded by shallows, which retarded the approach
of vessels of great burthen ; but an act of parliament
■was obtained a few years ago for deepening the river,
and consequently improving the trade of the port, and
promoting the prosperity of the adjacent district. Sal-
mon-fishing has been long carried on with success, and
is still a lucrative pursuit, the rents of the fisheries
amounting to some hundreds of pounds a year : the fish
are sent chiefly to Edinburgh and London.
The inhabitants received a charter of incorporation
from Alexander I., constituting the town a royal bukgh,
to which he afterwards added th<- privileges of a mer-
chant-guild ; and by another charter he exempted them
from tolls and customs throughout the kingdom. These
charters were confirmed, with additional grants, by King
David H. The fisheries of the Forth, and the right of
levying small customs, were added by Robert H. ; and
subsequently, by charter of James IV., the inhabitants
were invested with the customs on salt and leather, and
the right of appointing a sheriff within the burgh. By
charter of Mary, Queen of Scots, they obtained a grant
of lands, tenements, and buildings, and of the churches,
chapels, and colleges founded within the liberties, and
various other immunities and privileges, all which were
ratified by charter of Charles I. in 1641. This charter
continued in force till the year iJl-i, when the burgh
was disfranchised by a decree of the Court of Session.
It was, hosvever, soon afterwards restored by the king
in council, who also made several alterations in the
constitution, and vested the government in a provost,
four bailies, a dean of guild, a convener, and fourteen
other councillors, in all twenty-one, of whom fourteen
were chosen from the merchant-guild, and seven from
the incorporated trades. By the Municipal act of the
3rd and 4th of William IV., the government is now
vested in a ])rovost, lour bailies, a treasurer, and fifteen
town-councillors. The provost in all pul)lic proceedings
is, under charter of James IV., styled the high-sheriff,
STIR
STIR
and the bailies arc called sheriffs. They exercise both
civil and criminal jurisdiction within the burgh, holdinq;
courts twice a week, for the trial of offences, and the
determination of pleas, in which they are assisted by the
town-clerk, who acts as assessor ; and one of the magis-
trates attends daily to hear police cases. The revenue
arises from the tolls and customs of the bridge and
port, the markets, and the fisheries ; and the corpora-
tion have the patronage of the church, the burgh schools,
and principal charitable institutions. There are seven in-
corporated trades, viz,, the hammermen, weavers, tailoi-s,
shoemakers, skinners, bakers, and fleshers, the admis-
sion fees to which vary from £]. 10. to £3. 10. for sons
of freemen, from £5 to £1.'> for apprentices, and from
£50 to £50 for strangers. The police is under the
superintendence of the magistrates of the burgh, which
is divided for this purpose into four wards, a bailie pre-
siding over each : the force consists of four Serjeants
and thirty-six constables. The chief officer of the county
police has also his principal station in the town. The
sessions for the county are held in the town-hall, a spa-
cious and handsome building in Broad-street, with a
lofty steeple in which are a clock and a chime of musical
bells. It contains the council-chamber, with the various
apartments for transacting public business, and the
several court-rooms ; and the standard pint measure,
called the Stirling Jug, an ancient vessel of brass, in the
form of a truncated cone, and weighing 15lb. troy, is
preserved here. The old gaol, situated in St. John's
street, was ill adapted for the classification of the prison-
ers, and a new gaol has been erected, on a very exten-
sive scale, and in a more eligible situation. Stirling is
associated with Dunfermline, Culross, Inverkeithing, and
Queensferry, in returning a member to the imperial par-
liament ; and the parliamentary boundaries include cer-
tain parts of the adjoining parish of St. Ninian's.
The PARISH is two miles in length from east to west,
and about a mile and a half in breadth from north to
south, comprising an area of 1030 acres. It is of very
irregular form, determined by the winding of the river
Forth on the north, and on the east deeply indented by
the parish of St. Ninian's. The surface is beautifully
varied, rising gradually from the south-east to an eleva-
tion of more than '200 feet towards the north-west, and
terminating in the precipitous rock crowned by the
castle, which, especially when viewed from the south
and west, presents an object of venerable grandeur.
In general the soil is a carse land, but in the King's
Park, which has an undulating surface, is warm and
dry, and well adapted for oats, barley, and turnips ; the
whole of the parish is in a high state of cultivation, and,
except that portion which forms the constabulary of the
castle, is divided into farms of about 100 acres. The
farm-buildings are suited to the size of the farms, are
comfortable, and in good repair ; and, under the en-
couragement of the Agricultural Society, every improve-
ment in draining, manuring, and managing the lands,
and in the breeds of sheep and cattle, has been brought
to perfection. The river Forth, receiving in its approach
to this place the waters of the Teith and the Allan,
attains a tolerable breadth, and flowing in beautiful
windings, forms a feature of great interest in the land-
scape. It abounds with salmon, grilse, smelts, pike,
perch, trout, eels, and other fish ; and is navigable for
vessels of seventy tons to the bridge of Stirling. The
491
rocks are of basaltic formation, and coal is abundant,
though no mines are in operation within a less distance
than two miles ; greenstone and sandstone are also
found. In the coal formation are thin strata of iron-
stone ; and in the greenstone, veins of calcareous spar.
Clay is also abundant, occurring in beds of great thick-
ness, one of which has been ascertained to be more than
seventy feet in depth : in this scum were lately found
embedded, at a depth of fourteen feet, the antlers of a
deer, and at a depth of twenty feet, the scull of a dog,
both in perfect preservation. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £1.5, 285.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Stirling and synod of Perth
and Stirling, the former of which has its seat here, and
the latter alternately here and at Perth. From the
time of the Reformation till 1607 the parish was under
the care of only one minister ; but in that year a second
was appointed, to whom a fixed stipend was granted by
the corporation in 1643; and from 1731, upon petition
from the inhabitants, a third minister was some years
maintained, who officiated in the western portion of the
church, while the first and second ministers did duty
alternately in the eastern. After the deposition of this
third minister, however, in 1740, for secession, the West
church was used only on sacramental occasions, for the
accommodation of such as could not find room in the
East church, till the year 1817, when the third charge
was revived, and the West church re-opened. Under the
present arrangement, the minister of the first charge
officiates in the East church, and the minister of the
second charge in the West : the minister of the third
charge till lately officiated alternately in both, as col-
league to the first and second ministers ; but for some
time past he has officiated in a church called the North
church, built by subscription in 184'2. Thus three con-
gregations assemble ; but there is only one kirk-session.
The stipend of the first minister is £348. 17- 10., with
an allowance of £40 in lieu of manse, and a glebe of
about five acres ; the stipend of the second minister is
£250, and that of the third £200, both paid by the Cor-
poration, who are the patrons of the three charges.
Stirling parish church, situated in the upper part of the
town, is said to have been the church of the Franciscan
monastery founded by James IV. in 1494. It is an
ample and handsome structure in the decorated English
style of architecture, with a massive tower twenty-two
feet square, rising from the west end to the height of
ninety feet. The nave is divided from the aisles by ranges
of pillars supporting the lofty roof The eastern portion,
of circular form, and said to have been added to the
original structure by Cardinal Beaton, is embellished
with a spacious window of elegant design ; and the west
window of the nave, which is also of large dimensions,
is enriched with delicate tracery, and ornamented with
stained glass. The building forms one of the finest
specimens of its style in this part of the country. In
1656 the interior was divided into two distinct places of
worship, called respectively the East and the West
church, and the whole was put into a complete state of
repair in 1817 ; the East church contains 1187, and the
West 1177, sittings. The North church contains 1050,
There are also two large places of worship for members
of the Free Church, two connected with the United
Presbyterian Synod, one each for the Cameronians, In-
3 R2
STIR
STIR
dependents, Methodists, and Baptists, and an Epis-
copalian and a Roman Catholic chapel. Stirling has no
parochial schools strictly so called, hut there are four
schools under the patronage of the corporation, in which
nearly 500 children receive instruction. Of these, the
High or Grammar school is under the direction of a
rector, who receives a salary of £50 per annum, and an
allowance of £'30 for an assistant. The writing-school,
in which, writing, arithmetic, the mathematics, naviga-
tion, and other branches are taught, is under the care of
a master who has a salary of £50 a year ; and the masters
of the first and second English schools have each a
similar sura. These salaries are all paid by the cor-
poration, who appoint the masters. There are numerous
other schools in the parish, some of which are partly
supported by the corporation, and others exclusively by
the fees.
SpitUil's Hospital was founded in 1530 by Robert
Spittal, who endowed it with funds that were vested
in land now producing an income of about £400 per
annum, for the relief of decayed members of the several
incorporated trades. The objects of the charity formerly
lived in the house called the Trades' House, in Spittal-
square. About seventy-four persons receive a weekly
allowance each, varying from one shilling and sixpence
to two shillings and sixpence. Cou-aiie's Hospital was
founded in 1639, by John Cowane, merchant, who en-
dowed it with the sum of £'2'2'2'2, which was vested in
the purchase of land now producing £'2000 per annum,
for the support of twelve decayed members of the mer-
chants' guild, for whose reception a building was soon
afterwards erected. Few, however, could be prevailed
upon to reside in the house. The income is therefore
distributed b)^ the corporation among 140 out-pension-
ers in weekly payments varying from one shilling and
sixpence to eight shillings, and among eleven who receive
quarterly payments varying from £1 to £2. 10. The
hospital, which is situated close by the church, is a hand-
some building with a statue of the founder in front, and
is crowned with battlements and pinnacles ; the lower
apartment is used as the guildhall, and the upper as a
schoolroom. Allan's Hospital was founded in 1*24 by
John Allan, who endowed it with £1666. 13., which
were vested in lands yielding £300 per annum, for
the maintenance, clothing, education, and apprentice-
ship of sons of indigent tradesmen. A house was built
in Spittal-street, in which the boys were formerly
boarded, and taught by the master ; but this arrange-
ment was afterwards altered, and the lower part of the
building is now occupied as schoolrooms, and the upjicr
let out in tenements. About twenty-three boys are
educated on this foun<lation. Alexander Cunningham,
of the town of Stirling, in the year lb09 betiueathed the
residue of his estate, amounting to £5/24. 11., for the
maintenance, clothing, education, and apprenticeship of
sons of guild-merchants and mechanics, of whom about
twenty receive the benefits of the endowment. A dis-
pensary was established in 1830, and is supported by
subscription, under the direction of a committee ; the
medical department is under the management of a sur-
geon and three consulting i)hysicians, and the dispensary
is open three days in the week, such of the patients as
arc i;nal)le to attend being visited at their own homes.
Among the eminent persons once connected with this
place, in addition to those previously noticed, are, Dr.
49'2
Robert Pollock, first principal of Edinburgh College ;
Dr. Henry, the historian ; and Dr. John Moore, author
of I'ieiLS of Society and Manners in France, Italy, and the
Continent, and father of the gallant General Sir John
Moore, who fell at the battle of Corunna. — See Cambus-
KENNETH.
STIRLINGSHIRE, a county, in the eastern part of
Scotland, bounded on the north by Perthshire and
Clackmannanshire ; on the east by the county of Lin-
lithgow ; on the south-east by part of Lanarkshire;
and on the south, and also on the west, by the county
of Dumbarton. It lies between 55° 56' and 56° 16'
(N. Lat.) and 3° 30' and 4° 14' (W. Long.), and is about
forty-five miles in length and eighteen miles in extreme
breadth, comprising an area of about 489 square miles,
or 312,960 acres; 16,614 houses, of which 15,813 are
inhabited ; and containing a population of 82,057, of
whom 41,004 are males and 41,053 females. The early
history of this county is involved in much obscurity.
At the time of the Roman invasion it became a station
of importance, and Agricola is said to have erected some
fortifications on the hill on which the castle of Stirling
was afterwards built, as commanding the Roman road
from Camelon to the north of Scotland. In confirma-
tion of this opinion, are adduced the remains of Roman
forts in several parts of the county, the traces of the
wall of Antonine, and the discovery of coins, weapons,
and various other relies of antiquity. After the depar-
ture of the Romans from Britain, the county was fre-
quently the scene of hostilities between the sovereigns
of the adjacent kingdoms. The battle in which Kenneth
II. of Scotland obtained that victory over the Picts which
put an end to their existence as a nation, and united both
kingdoms under his dominion, is said to have taken place
in a field near Stirling, thence called Canibuskeuneth ;
and two upright stones, yet remaining, are thought to
have been raised in commemoration of his success. In
the ninth century, this portion of the country became
the conquest of the Northumbrian Saxons ; and it con-
tinued to be included in their territories till the time of
Kenneth III., who not only recovered this part of his
rightful dominions, but also made himself master of the
extensive kingdom of Strath-y-Cluyd. Ever since that
period Stirling has formed an integral portion of the
kingdom of Scotland. The subsequent history of the
county is so intimately blended with that of its castle,
which in the reign of the Stuarts became a royal resi-
dence, and so closely identified with the general history
of Scotland, that any further detail here would be super-
fluous.
The county is included chiefly in the synod of Perth
and Stirling, and contains parts of several presbyteries,
and tw'enty-one parishes. For civil purposes it is under
the jurisdiction of a sheriff-depute, who appoints a
sheriff-substitute. The general quarter-sessions and
other courts are held at Stirling, and the ordinary and
small-debt sheriff courts at Stirling and at Falkirk ; the
sheriff's small-debt circuit courts are held at Lennox-
town, Drynicn, and 15alfron. The only royal burgh is
that of Stirling, the county town ; besides which the
shire contains the ])opnlous burgh of Falkirk, and the
thriving and pleasant towns or villages of St. Ninian's,
Airth, Halfron, 15aunockburn, Caniclon, (Jarron, Denny,
Drymen, Fintry, (irangemouth, Gargunnock, Kiilearn,
Kilsyth, Kippen, Larbert, Lennoxtown, Milngavie, Lau-
STIR
STIR
rieston, Polmont, and Strathblane. By the act of the
2nd of William IV., the county returns one member to
the imperial parliament.
The SURFACE is diversified with mountains and hills,
with valleys, and some fine tracts of fertile plain. It
abounds in ornamental timber, and the scenery is pic-
turesque, in many parts strikingly romantic. The most
conspicuous of the mountains is the ridge called the
Campsie Fells, extending from the east of the parish of
Denny, through Kilsyth, Campsie, Strathblane, and Kil-
learn, for nearly twenty miles towards the west. These
hills have an elevation varying from 1300 to 1.500 feet
above the level of the sea, and from the highest of them,
in the parish of Kilsyth, a most extensive and interesting
prospect is obtained, embracing an area of some thou-
sands of square miles. Towards Loch Lomond, on the
west, which is more especially regarded as the Highland
district of the county, rises the majestic mountain of
Ben-Lomond, 326'2 feet high. Many of the hills in the
eastern and southern districts are covered with verdure
to their summit, and have a pleasing aspect.
The principal rivers are the Forth, the Carron, the
Endrick, the Blane, the Kelvin, and the Bannockburn.
Of these the Forth has its source in two streams near
the mountain of Ben- Lomond, one of which, the less
important, and called the Duchray water, rises in this
county, bounds it for a short distance, and at Aberfoyle,
in the county of Perth, unites with the other. The other
rises close to Loch Katrine, and flows eastward through
part of Perthshire. Receiving various streams in its
progress, the Forth bounds the county for many miles,
and enters it at Craigforth, where it is augmented by
the waters of the Teith ; it attains a considerable breadth
at Stirling, where it becomes navigable, and thence gra-
dually expands into the Firth of Forth. The Carroii
rises in the parish of Fintry ; and after a rapid course,
in which it turns several mills, and forms a romantic
cataract called the Linn Spout, it affords a supply for
the reservoir of the Carron iron-works, at Larbert, and
falls into the Forth at Grangemouth. The Endrick has
its source also in the parish of Fintry, and, taking a
western direction through the vale to which it gives
name, forms some interesting cascades : one of these,
called the Loup of Fintry, has a fall of ninety feet.
This river flows into Loch Lomond at a short distance
from Buchanan House. The Blane, a small but pleasing
stream, rises in the Lennox hills ; it waters the parish
of Strathblane, to which it gives name, and, after a
course of about twelve miles, in which it forms a pleas-
ing cascade of seventy feet, flows into the Endrick in
the parish of Killearn. The Kelvin has its source in the
parish of Kilsyth, and flowing in a south-western direc-
tion, forms a boundary for some miles between the county
of Stirling and the counties of Dumbarton and Lanark ;
it falls into the Clyde at Partick, about two miles west
of Glasgow. The Bannockburn, celebrated for the me-
morable battle between the Scots under Robert Bruce
and the array of Edward II., rises in the parish of St.
Ninian's, and, after a short course through a picturesque
glen, falls into the Forth a few miles below Stirling.
Numerous smaller streams, descending from the hills,
also intersect the surface in various directions ; they all
abound with trout, and salmon are found in most of the
rivers. There are not many lakes, and none of them
are of any great extent except Loch Lomond, which ex-
493
tends for nearly fourteen miles along the western boun-
dary of the county.
Of the lands, about 200,000 acres are arable, .50,000
meadow and good pasture, and nearly 63,000 hill pas-
ture, moorland, and waste. This is exclusive of the
parish of Alva, which, though more than four miles
distant from the nearest confines of Stirlingshire, and
entirely surrounded by the counties of Clackmannan
and Perth, has since the commencement of the seven-
teenth century been attached to this county. The soil is
extremely various, but generally fertile. In the eastern
portion of the county is a beautiful expanse of carse
land in the highest state of cultivation, consisting of
clayey loam, interspersed with tracts of light gravelly
soil, and small patches of sand : on the banks of the
Forth are more than 40,000 acres of this rich alluvial
soil. In different parts are tracts of wet retentive clay ;
and the higher moorlands, of which there are some ex-
tensive breadths, are chiefly moss ; but most of the hills
afford excellent pasture for sheep. The principal crops
are wheat, oats, barley, flax, peas, beans, potatoes, and
turnips : vegetables of all kinds are raised in great
abundance, and of good quality ; and fruit-trees of every
description thrive luxuriantly. Agriculture, though va-
rying in different parts according to the varieties of the
soil, is in a highly improved state ; the lands are well
drained, and inclosed chiefly with hedges of thorn and
double trenches. On the carse lands the farms are
generally about 100 acres in extent ; but many of the
hill-farms extend to 4000 acres. The farm-buildings
are substantial and commodiously arranged, and every
recent improvement in the construction of agricultural
implements has been adopted. Few cattle are reared in
the county, which is generally supplied from the High-
lands. The cows on the dairy lands, to the management
of which much attention is paid, are of the Ayrshire
breed ; and the horses for draught, chiefly of the Lanark
or Clydesdale breed. The sheep, many thousands of
which are pastured on the moorlands, are mostly the
black-faced 'or Highland, with some of the Tweeddale
description and other breeds.
There are strata of whinstone and granite, of which
the hills are mainly composed, and freestone of various
colours, of which some valuable cjuarries are extensively
wrought at Torwood, in the eastern part of the county.
In the parish of Killearn are quarries of millstone grit,
which is much in request. In the parishes of Campsie,
Fintry, and Strathblane, are found fine specimens of
basalt, of which there are several extensive rocks dis-
playing ranges of some hundreds of columns, in different
directions. Limestone, ironstone, and coal abound in
the eastern districts, the last in such quantity as not
only to supply the home demand, but also, by means of
the Forth and Clyde canal, to furnish Edinburgh with
that article at a very moderate price. The principal
coal-mines are in the Lennox hills, and there are mines
likewise in the immediate vicinity of the canal. Copper
and lead ore, and cobalt, have been raised, but not in
considerable quantities ; and some veins of silver were
wrought towards the close of the last century. There
are numerous coppices of natural wood in the county,
and at Torwood and Callendar some remains of the
ancient Caledonian forest. The timber is chiefly oak,
beech, birch, and hazel ; some of the oaks are of very
large growth, and all the trees thrive well in the soil.
STIR
STIT
On the whole there are about 1350 acres of natural
wood. Extensive plantations, also, have been formed,
which are in a flourishing condition ; they consist of
oak, ash, elm, beech, pine, larch, and spruce and Scotch
firs. In this county the seats are Airth Castle, Airthrey
Castle, Alva, Buchanan House, Callendar, Craigforth,
Culcreuch, Dunmore Park, Gargunnock, Glorat, Kerse,
Kiucaid, Kinnaird, Leckie, Lennox Castle. Westquarter,
and numerous others.
The principal manufacture is that of cast and malleable
iron goods, for which there is a most extensive and ably
conducted establishment on the banks of the river Car-
ton, which is noticed imder the head of Carron, where
these celebrated works are situated. There are iron-
works likewise at Falkirk, in which about 700 persons
are employed. The nail-manufacture is also carried on
in several of the villages. The woollen-manufacture is
extensive ; the chief articles are carpets, coarse woollen
cloths, and tartans. There are manufactories for cotton
goods, and paper ; copperas and alum works ; distil-
leries ; and other establishments. Facility of commu-
nication is afforded by good roads throughout the
county ; by the Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Scottish
Central, and the Slamannan railways ; by the Forth and
Clyde canal, and the Union canal. Much commerce is
carried on at the port of Grangemouth, on the Firth of
Forth, with Norway, Sweden, and the Baltic, in timber,
hemp, tallow, iron, flax, and grain. Ship-building is
pursued here to a considerable extent ; and the number
of vessels registered as belonging to the port in a late
year was I79, of the aggregate burthen of 26,561 tons.
A number of vessels, varying from thirty-five to fifty
tons, also belong to the port of Stirling. There are
steam-packets for passengers, luggage-steamers, and
other facilities of intercourse. The total annual value
of real property in the county, as assessed to the income-
tax, is £279,705, of which £181,147 are returned for
lands, £63,559 for houses, £16,57S for mines, £16,199
for iron-works, £1203 for fisheries, and the remainder
for quarries.
Among the monuments of antiquity are several Roman
camps ; and a conical building supposed to have been
of Roman origin, though from its form it acquired the
appellation of Arthur's Oven, remained in a very perfect
state till about the middle of the eighteenth century,
when it was removed. Portions of the wall of Antonine
are to be seen in various parts, and also traces of Roman
roads, of which one of the most perfect leads to Camelon,
supposed to have been the principal station of the Romans
in this part of Britain. In the county are numerous
Pictish forts, several Druidical remains, and various
ruins of ancient castles, of which Castlecary, said to have
been originally a Roman fortress, and those of Torwood,
Colzium, and Rough Castle, are among the principal.
The castle of Stirling, also of great antiquity, and which
in the time of the Stuarts was made a royal residence, is
still preserved as a royal garrison. There arc remains of
the ancient abbey of Cambuskenneth, foundedliy David I.,
and of several other religious houses founded by suc-
ceeding kings of Scotland, among which are the convent
of Dominican Friars established by Alexander II., and
the Franciscan monastery by James IV. Numerous
cairns and tumuli are to be seen; and remains of Roman
pottery, coins, and other relics of antiquity, have been
discovered at various times.
494
STITCHELL and HUME, two ancient parishes, now
united the former in the district of Kelso, county of
Roxburgh, and the latter in the county of Berwick ;
containing together 847 inhabitants, of whom 161 are
in the village of Stitchell, 4 miles (N. by W.) from
Kelso. The district of Stitchell, which is situated on the
north-eastern boundary of Roxburghshire, is supposed
to have derived its name, signifying in the Saxon lan-
guage "a declivity", from the elevated site of the village,
more than 400 feet above the level of the Tweed at Kelso.
Towards the close of the sixteenth century, the lands
of Stitchell came into the possession of Robert Pringle,
whose grandson Robert was created a baronet by Charles
II., in 1683 ; and they are still the property of his de-
scendant, the present Sir John Pringle, Bart. The dis-
trict of Hume, which adjoins Stitchell on the north,
appears to have derived its name, originally Home, from
its ancient proprietors, the Homes, descended from the
Earls of Dunbar and March, and who, in 1605, were
raised to the peerage by the title of Earls of Home,
which their descendants still retain. Home Castle, the
baronial residence of the family for many generations,
and the picturesque ruins of which are seated on the
summit of a hill nearly 800 feet above the level of the
sea, is intimately connected with events of historical im-
portance. According to tradition, w'hen James II. went
to the siege of Roxburgh, he placed his queen in the
castle of Home for greater security ; and it is said that,
in one of her daily walks to join the king, she was met
by a messenger from Roxburgh who informed her of
James's death by the bursting of a cannon. This melan-
choly intelligence, abruptly communicated, is reported to
have instantaneously produced the premature birth of a
child, of which the queen was delivered on a hill in the
neighbourhood, which from that event has since been
called the "Queen's Cairn". During the border warfare,
the castle was for many years a place of defence for the
surrounding districts. In 1547 it was besieged by the
English forces under the Duke of Somerset, against whom
it was for a long time valiantly sustained by Lady Home,
after the death of her husband, who had been killed a
few days before in a general engagement with the
enemy. At length the garrison capitulated on honour-
able terms, and the castle was surrendered to the duke ;
but in 1549 it was retaken by the Scots, who put the
English to the sword. During the time of Cromwell,
the castle was again besieged by the English, under
Colonel Fenwick, whom Cromwell, after the capture of
Edinburgh Castle, had sent to summon the garrison to
surrender. The governor, whose name was Cockburn,
received the summons in a spirit of contemptuous
defiance ; but the forces of Cromwell, having brought a
battery to bear upon the walls, soon made a breach ;
and the governor, after stipulating for the lives of the
garrison, surrendered the castle to the assailants. Only
some trifling fragments of the castle now remain ; the
area inclosed by the exterior wall has been converted
into a garden, and few traces of the vaults are dis-
cernible.
The PARISH is bounded on the west by the water of
Eden, which separates it from the parish of Nenthom.
It is from five to six miles in length, and from three to
four miles in breadth, comprising about 5500 acres, of
which the whole are arable, with the e.vccption of fifty
acres of woodland and plantations apd 300 acres waste.
S T O B
STO B
The surface rises gradually from the south towards the
north, where it attains an elevation of more than COO
feet above the level of the sea ; and towards the western
boundary is the hill crowned by the ruins of Home
Castle. The water of Eden, which bounds the parish
for about a mile and a half, forms in its course a pictur-
esque cascade, falling from a rock near Newton-Don-
house, forty feet in height : the stream abounds with
trout, alTording good sport to the angler. In general
the soil is strong, in some parts clayey, and on the
whole fertile, producing crops of grain of all kinds, for
■which it is vifell adapted, and the other usual crops.
Husbandry is in a very improved state, and the lands
under excellent cultivation j the farm-buildings are sub-
stantial and well arranged, and the inclosures kept in
good order. The sheep are of the customary English
breeds, and are noted for the fineness of their wool :
during the winter they are mostly fed upon turnips.
The cattle are also of the ordinary breeds. Grain and
other agricultural produce are sold at Kelso, whence
considerable numbers of cattle and sheep are sent for
the supply of the southern markets. The substrata are
principally whinstone ; and at a place near Hardie's Mill,
in the district of Hume, is a rising ground called Lurgie
Craigs, in which are some polygonal columns of basaltic
formation, from five to six feet in height, and about
seventeen inches in diameter, closely resembling those
of the Giant's Causeway. The annual value of real
property in Stitchell is £4033, and in Hume £4011.
Stitchell House, the property of Sir John Pringle, a
spacious and handsome mansion, situated in a well-
planted demesne to the west of the village, is the only
seat. The village is neatly built, and inhabited chiefly
by persons employed in agricultural pursuits : the hamlet
of Hume, which contains only about thirty inhabitants,
derives its sole importance fi'om its proximity to the
ancient castle. Ecclesiastically this parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Kelso, synod of Merse and
Teviotdale. The minister's stipend is £219. 14.7., with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £27 per annum; patrons,
the Crown, and Sir H. P. H. Campbell, Bart. The
church, situated in the village q^ Stitchell, is a substan-
tial structure, in good repair, and affording ample ac-
commodation. There is a place of worship for members
of the United Presbyterian Church. Two parochial
schools, one in the village of Stitchell, and the other in
Hume, are attended by about ninety children each ; the
masters have each a salary of £25, with a house and
garden, and fees varying from £20 to £25 annually; each
has also £2. 10. from an ancient bequest for the gra-
tuitous instruction of children. The late Sir W. Camp-
bell bequeathed £25 per annum to be distributed in
meal and coal to the poor. Sir John Pringle, Bart.,
president of the Royal Society, was a native of Stitchell.
Hume, or Home, gives the title of Earl to the family of
Home.
STOBBSMILLS, a village, partly in the parish of
BoRTHWicK, and partly in that of Temple, county of
Edinburgh, 1| mile (N. W.) from the village of Borth-
wick ; containing 203 inhabitants. In this place were
established, in 1794, the works of the first gunpowder
manufactory erected in Scotland. The village lies in a
secluded vale, along which flows a rivulet tributary to
the South Esk, and useful in turning the mills of the
factory, which is still conducted on an extensive scale.
495
The gunpowder made here is exported to almost every
part of tlie world. — See Temple.
STOBHILL, a village, in the parish of Newbattle,
county of Edinburgh, 3 miles (S. S. E.) from the vil-
lage of Newbattle ; containing 130 inhabitants. It is a
small place, situated in the southern part of the parish,
and on the confines of a detached jjortion of the parish
of Temple. The road from Borthwick to Cockpen passes
through it. Here is a chapel, with a regular preacher,
who is supported by subscription, chiefly of the neigh-
bouring gentlemen.
STOBHILL-ENGINE, a small hamlet, in the parish
of Cockpen, county of Edinburgh ; containing 64 in-
habitants.
STOBO, a parish, on the river Tweed, in the county
of Peebles, 6 miles (W. S. W.) from Peebles ; contain-
ing 465 inhabitants. This parish, which was consider-
ably increased by the addition of part of the parish of
Dawick, on its suppression in 1742, is about seven miles
in length, and five miles and three-quarters in extreme
breadth. It is bounded on the east and west by the
Lyne and Biggar waters, respectively ; and comprises
12,583 acres. Of this area, 1255 acres are arable, 587
v;oodland and plantations, and 10,741 hill pasture, moor-
land, and waste, of which about 800 acres might at a
moderate expense be brought into profitable cultivation.
The surface is divided, by three ranges of hills from
north to south, into valleys watered by streams tributary
to the Tweed, which bounds and intersects the parish.
Of the hills forming these ranges, the most considerable
are the Pyked Stane, which has an elevation of 1884
feet; the Benvalla, which has an elevation of 1850; the
Binliga, of 1692 feet, and the Flint hill, which has an
elevation of 1621 feet, above the level of the sea. The
Tweed bounds and traverses the parish for nearly seven
miles, and in its course receives the waters of the Biggar
and the Lyne ; the Stobo burn has its rise near the base
of the Pyked Stane, and, after a course of about five
miles through the parish, falls into the Tweed. Good
trout are found in the Tweed and the Lyne ; and in the
former, salmon also.
The soil is various, but chiefly light and gravelly ; on
the northern parts of the hills, and generally at the
base, a stiff clay ; and in the meadows on the banks of
the Tweed, a rich and fertile loam intermixed with sand.
Crops are raised of oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and
turnips. The system of agriculture is improved : the
lands are well drained, and inclosed with stone dykes ;
the farm houses and offices, substantial and well ar-
ranged ; and all the more recent improvements in im-
plements of husbandry have been adopted. Consider-
able attention is paid to the rearing of sheep and cattle,
for which the hills afford good pasturage : the chief
breed of sheep is the Cheviot, with a few of the black-
faced ; and the cattle are mostly of the old breed, in
some instances improved by a cross of the Teeswater
and the Ayrshire. The woods and plantations are well
managed, and in a thriving condition. In this district
the substrata are chiefly whinstone and clay-slate : the
latter has been extensively quarried for many years ; the
slate is of good quality, and very similar to that found
in the county of Argyll. The whinstone has been merely
wrought where it occurs near the surface, and only for
materials for making inclosures. Stobo Castle, for many
years the residence of the late Sir James Montgomery,
ST ON
STON
Bart., is a handsome modern mansion, of whinstone with
ornaments of freestone. The nearest market-town is
Peebles, with which facility of communication is afforded
by roads kept in good repair. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £3367.
It is in the presbytery of Peebles, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale, and in the patronage of Sir Graham
Montgomery. The minister's stipend is £158. 6. 7.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £42 per annum ;
he has also ten bolls of meal, the proceeds of one-half
of the glebe of Da wick. The church is an ancient struc-
ture in the pointed style of architecture, adapted for a
congregation of 200 persons. Stobo parochial school
affords a useful course of instruction ; the master has a
salary of £32 per annum, with £28 fees, and a house
and garden. The poor receive the interest arising from
a fund of £545, which has accumulated from the balances
of collections. On a moor in the parish, formerly ap-
propriated to the mustering of the militia of Tweeddale
by the sheriff, and which still retains the name of
Sherilfsmuir, are two upright stones three feet in height,
and about six feet distant from each other, thought to
mark the grave of some chief who fell in an engagement
here. There are also some cairns or heaps of stones,
supposed to have been raised over the tombs of distin-
guished persons ; and in a circular cavity about 250
feet in circumference, were interred, it is said, the bodies
of men slain in battle ; but there are no authentic re-
cords of any conflict having taken place. Lord Chief
Baron Montgomery, of Her Majesty's Exchecjuer in
Scotland, who contributed greatly to the improvement
of the lands and the agriculture of the parish, was in-
terred in the family burying-ground in the churchyard,
in 1803. His son. Sir James Montgomery, the second
baronet, already alluded to, having been bred to the I)ar,
was appointed lord-advocate of Scotland, which office,
however, he resigned two years after, in 1806; he died
in 1839, and was succeeded by Sir Graham, the present
baronet.
STOER, or STORE, for a time a quoad sacra
parish, in the parish of Assynt, county of Sutherland,
19 miles (W. N. W.) from the village of Assynt; con-
taining 1478 inhabitants. This district was separated
ecclesiastically from the parish of Assynt, by authority
of the General Assembly, in 1834. Its greatest length,
by computation, is fourteen, and its greatest breadth
eleven, miles ; and the population, which is chiefly col-
lected in a number of villages and hamlets, is, with a
very few excc])tions, of the poor and working classes,
principally engaged in agricultural pursuits, and occa-
sionally in fishing. Stoer was placed under the presbytery
of Dornoch, synod of Sutherland and Caithness, and
the patronage vested in the crown. The stipend allotted
to the minister was £120, paid from the exchequer,
with a manse, a glebe of the annual value of £2. 5.,
and the privilege of cutting peat. The church was
built in 1828, by the parliamentary commissioners.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship, situated nearly a mile to the north nf the parlia-
mentary church, and capable of accommodating 700
persons. Schools are held.
STONEFIELD, a village, in the parish of Blan-
TYRE, Middle ward of the cf)uiity of Lanark, 1;^ mile
(N. K. by K.) from the village of Blantyre ; containing
174 inhabitants. It lies in the north-eastern part of
496
Burgh Seal.
the parish, and on the west bank of the Clyde, which
here separates the parish from that of Bothwell. The'
population of the village is chiefly employed in the
manufactures of the district, and a few in common
handicraft trades.
STONEHAVEN, a sea-
port town and burgh of ba-
rony, partly in the parish of
DuNNOTTAR, but chiefly in
the parish of Fetter esso,
county of Kincardine, 15
miles (S. S. W.) from Aber-
deen, and 94 (N. by E.) from
Edinburgh; containing 3012
inhabitants, of whom 950 are
in that part of the town with-
in the parish of Dunnottar.
This place is situated on the
coast, at the influx of the river Carron into the German
Ocean, and at the head of a fine bay sheltered on the
north and south by lofty hills. It comprises tvio dis-
tinct portions, called respectively the Old and the New'
Town. The Old Town, on the south bank of the river,
consists principally of one spacious street irregularly
built ; it once belonged to the Earl Marischal Keith,
and in the year 1607 Stonehaven was constituted the
head burgh of the county. The New Town, which
stands on the north bank of the Carron, on a peninsula
formed by that river and the river Cowie, was built
about the year 1760, on the lands of Mr. Barclay of Ury,
and consists of several well-formed streets diverging
from a square in the centre, in which is the market-
house. The two portions of the town are connected by
a bridge, and form a continued line along the sea-shore.
The houses are well built, and in the New Town have
a handsome appearance : the streets are paved, and
lighted with gas by a company established in 1837 ; and
the inhabitants are amply supplied with water. Some
fine coast scenery is to be found near Stonehaven.
There are no manufactures of any importance; but
the weaving of cotton and linen for the houses of Aber-
deen, formerly more extgnsive, still affords employment
to a considerable number of persons, many of whom
are females. The Glenury distillery consumes about
6000 quarters of barley annually. A brewery has long
been established, which supplies the adjacent districts
with ale and beer ; and there are some mills for the
spinning of woollen yarn. The trade of the port consists
principally in the importation of coal and lime, bone-
dust, salt, slates and tiles, paving-stones, and groceries ;
and m the exportation of grain, of which nearly 14,000
quarters are annually shipped, potatoes, whisky, cured
fish, timber, and live-stock. In 1825 the harbour was
placed imder the direction of a board of commissioners,
who expended £8000 on its improvement, by the removal
of a mass of rock at the entrance, the erection of an
extensive pier, and the construction of an inner harbour,
in which vessels may find shelter from all storms.
Lights, also, have been fixed by the Commissioners of
Northern Lights, as a secure guide to the harbour,
which has the advantage of being easily accessible in
easterly gales. The steamers plying between Leith and
Aberdeen regularly touch at the port. The market is
held weekly, (ui Thursday, and is abundantly supplied
with grain and provisions of all kinds. Fairs are held
STO N
ST ON
annually, for cattle and sheep on the Thursdays before
Old Christmas-day and Candlemas ; for cattle and
horses on the third Thursday in June, and the second
Thursdays in August and October ; and for hiring ser-
vants on the '25th of May and the '21st of November, or,
if those days fall on Sunday, on the preceding Saturday.
The market-house is a handsome and commodious
building, erected in 18'27, comprising also a hall for
public purposes. Facility of intercourse is maintained
by the Aberdeen railway, by excellent roads, and by the
steamers which call at the harbour. The exact date of
the charter by which the town was erected into a burgh
of barony is not known ; but it is recognised as such in
the act of parliament passed in I6O7, transferring the
seat of the sheriffdom from Kincardine to this place,
which it constituted the county town. The government,
under the superior, is vested in two bailies, a dean of
guild, a treasurer, and three councillors, chosen by the
holders of land within the burgh. No jurisdiction,
however, is exercised by the magistrates in civil matters,
and their criminal jurisdiction extends only to petty
offences. The county buildings contain a hall appro-
priated for holding the courts, with committee-rooms,
and offices for the sheriff-clerk ; and on the basement
are cells for prisoners, and apartments for the keeper of
the gaol. — See Dunnottar, and Fetteresso.
STONEHOUSE, a parish, in the Middle ward of
the county of Lanark ; containing 2471 inhabitants, of
whom 1794 are in the village of Stonehouse, 7 miles
(S. S. E.) from Hamilton. This place is said to have
derived its name from the residence of the principal
proprietor, a mansion of stone and lime, situated near
the site of the present village, and which, being at the
time a kind of building of rare occurrence in this part
of the country, was considered of sufficient interest to
give name to the parish. It seems much more probable,
however, that the appellation is a corruption of Stone
Hows or Hollows, from certain extensive localities
answering to that description, in various parts of the
parish ; in proof of which it may be mentioned, that on
two old communion cups still preserved the name is
spelled Stain Hows. The parish is about six miles in
length and three in breadth, and is bounded on the east
by the Cander stream, on the west and north by the
river Avon, and on the south by the Kype. It comprises
7560 acres, of which 300 are woodland and plantation,
and the remainder chiefly arable land. With the ex-
ception of the above-mentioned hollows, the surface is
in general even, but gradually rises from the centre
towards the north and south. Its appearance has been
greatly improved by numerous plantations, which in
some parts, and more especially on the lands of Mr.
Lockhart of Castlehill, include much ornamental timber.
There are also some few remains of ancient trees of
venerable aspect, though the greater portion of the old
wood has long since been cut down for various purposes;
and around the churchyard and manse are some plane-
trees of luxuriant growth.
The soil is generally rich and fertile. Considerable
improvements have taken place in draining, and a moss
of considerable extent has been reclaimed and brought
into profitable cultivation, producing abundant crops
of oats, barley, and wheat, with rye-grass and clover.
There was also a considerable extent of marsh at Goz-
lington, which has been improved, and converted into
Vol. II.— 497
meadow land. The Avon, in its course by the parish,
formerly abounded with salmon ; but few have been
found of late, as their passage is intercepted by the
increased elevation of a mill-dam. This river flows
with great impetuosity, being obstructed in its progress
by huge masses of stone, wliich, falling from its pre-
cipitous and rocky banks, have in some parts choked
up its channel. After receiving the waters of the Kype
and the Cander, it takes a northern direction, and falls
into the Clyde near Hamilton. The crops raised in the
parish comprise oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and
turnips, with a small portion of flax ; the lands are well
inclosed, partly with stone, and partly with hedges of
thorn and beech. Freestone abounds in the parish, as
well as whinstone of sufficient cjuality for mending the
roads ; limestone of a good description is also prevalent,
and is worked for manure. In the fissures of the vein
of limestone are fine specimens of mica, interspersed
with globular particles of a bright yellow colour. Iron-
stone has been discovered in thin beds above the lime-
stone in detached nodules of good quality, but not in
quantity sufficient for working ; and coal is also found,
but it is worked only for burning the limestone. The
annual value of real property in Stonehouse is £7079.
The village is situated nearly in the centre of the
parish, and the approach to it is facilitated by a hand-
some bridge over the Cander water. It consists chiefly
of one principal street about a mile in length, and some
smaller streets which are macadamized, and kept in
neat order. The houses are mostly but one story high,
and covered with thatch ; but of late years several of
larger dimensions, and roofed with slate, have been
erected, and two new streets have been formed, adding
materially to the appearance of the place, which is
rapidly increasing in population and importance. The
weaving of silk and cotton has been carried on to a con-
siderable extent for many years, and to this has lately
been added the weaving of silk and woollen into tartan
and other dresses : the number of persons thus employed
is about 500, working with hand-looms at their own
dwellings. In the upper part of the parish, near the
mouth of the Kype, is a small manufactory of coarse cot-
ton yarn, which is chiefly used for lamp and candle wicks.
A number of persons are also employed in the lime and
coal works, and in three manufactories of draining-tdes.
The new turnpike-road from Edinburgh to Ayr passes
through the village, and, communicating with the road
from Glasgow, affords great facility of intercourse with
places in the vicinity. Fairs, chiefly for black-cattle
and wool, are held at Martinmas, in May, and in July,
which are numerously attended ; and a post-office has
been established.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Hamilton, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patron-
age of Robert Lockhart, Esq., of Castlehill : the minis-
ter's stipend averages £250, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £20 per annum. Stonehouse church, a
handsome modern structure, surmounted by a well-
proportioned spire, is situated in the centre of the
village, and is adapted for a congregation of 900 persons.
There are places of worship for members of the Free
Church and a congregation of the United Presbyterian
Church. The parochial school affords a useful educa-
tion ; the master has a salary of £28 per annum, the
fees, and a house and garden. There are three other
3 S
STON
STON
schools, one of them altogether on private adventure,
and the other two having each a schoolroom provided
for the master by subscription. On the banks of the
Avon, and near a farmhouse called Coat or Cat Castle,
there is understood to have been in former days an old
castle ; but not a vestige of it is to be seen : the ground,
when struck by the foot, is said to sound hollow, as if
vaulted underneath. Tradition says there was a similar
building near the farm of Low Tweedieside, on the
banks of the Kype. At the junction of the Avon and
Gander waters, are the remains of an encampment called
the " Double Dykes" ; it comprises an area of nearly
four acres, completely surrounded by masses of perpen-
dicular rock, except in one point between the channels
of the rivers, which approach within fifty yards of each
other, where the narrow interval was artificially fortified
by three lofty dykes, some parts of which are yet entire.
On the farm of West Mains, a Roman tumulus was dis-
covered, in which were found numerous urns containing
burnt bones and ashes ; several of them were in good
preservation, and ornamented with flowers elegantly
carved, and various other devices. Not far from the
same spot are remains of the Roman road from Ayr to
Castle-Cary, which in some places is still entire, and is
formed of large stones rudely placed. Roman urns have
also been found in tumuli that have been opened in other
parts of the parish.
STONEYHILL, a hamlet, in the parish of Inveresk,
county of Edinbxjrgh, § a mile (W. S. W.) from Mussel-
burgh ; containing 36 inhabitants. The lands of Stoney-
hill were formerly possessed by a family named Dobie,
and subsequently by Sir William Sharp, son of the well-
known Archbishop of St. Andrew's : they afterwards
came, together with the lands of Monktonhall, and the
coal under the whole lordship of Inveresk, to the Earl
of Werayss. Stoneyhill House is in the vicinity of the
hamlet.
STONEYKIRK, a corruption of Stephenkirk, a
parish, in the county of Wigtown ; containing, with the
fishing-port of Sandhead and the hamlet of Stoneykirk,
306*2 inhabitants, of whom fifty-six are in the hamlet, 5
miles (S. S. E.) from Stranraer. This place, the name of
which, originally Siep/ienAJr/c, was derived from the dedi-
cation of the principal church, consists of the three an-
cient parishes of Stoneykirk, Clayshank, and Toscarton,
united about the time of the Reformation. It appears
to have been at an early period the residence of the
Tiianes of Galloway, of whose baronial castle there were
till lately some remains on the lauds of Garthland, con-
sisting chiefly of a square tower forty-five feet in height,
on the battlements of which was legible the date 1274.
There are but few events of importance connected with
the parish. Some vessels belonging to the Spanish Ar-
mada were wrecked off the western coast, not far from
a bay which, in commemoration of that circumstance,
has since been called the bay of Float ; and at Money
Point, near the bay, a considerable number of Spanish
dollars was subsequently discovered.
The I'AKlsii is bounded on the east by the bay of
Luce, and on the west by the Irish Channel, and is
nearly ten miles in length and three miles and a half in
average breadth, comprising about 2 1 ,.'>00 acres, of which
19,000 are arable, '.',7^> woodland and plantations, and
the remainder, whereof 1100 might be reclaimed, moor-
land and waste. Its surface is varied ; in some parts
498
tolerably level, and in others diversified with numerous
hills, none of which, however, attain any considerable
degree of elevation. The only stream approximating to
the character of a river is the Poltauton burn, which sepa-
rates the parish from the parish of Inch, on the north.
This stream, which is twenty feet in width, takes an
eastern course, and flows into the bay of Luce ; it
abounds with par and pike, affording good sport to the
angler, and salmon and sea-trout are occasionally found,
entering it from the bay. The west coast is bold and
rocky, towards the north in some places precipitous, but
less elevated towards the south ; it is indented on that
side with several small bays, giving shelter to vessels
employed in the fisheries, and the principal of which are
Port-Spittal, Port-Float, and Ardwell bay. The eastern
coast is more level, and towards the north the shore for
a considerable extent is sand, which is dry at low water;
the principal bays are Sandhead and Chapel-Rosan. The
sands extending from Sandhead, and forming a continua-
tion with those of Luce, were, previously to the erection
of the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway, fatal to num-
bers of vessels, which were stranded on this part of the
coast. These sands abound with shell-fish of various
kinds, particularly with the razor-fish, which, during the
months of March and April, is caught in great numbers ;
mackerel are also plentiful in the bay of Luce in the
month of August. Off the western coast, cod are found
in abundance ; and the fishery is carried on to a con-
siderable extent, for the consumption of the adjacent
district : every facility for extending it into a lucrative
pursuit is afforded by the advantages of the place, but no
more fish are taken than suffice for the inhabitants.
Along the shore of the bay the soil is sandy ; but in
other parts, though light and dry, it is generally fertile.
Crops are raised of wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, and
turnips, with the usual grasses ; flax was formerly grown,
but its cultivation has been some j'^ears totally discon-
tinued. Husbandry has been greatly improved. The
farm-houses, many of which are of recent erection, are
substantial and comfortable, and the offices well arranged.
Much waste land has been reclaimed by draining, and
brought into profitable cultivation; and all the more
recent improvements in the construction of agricultural
implements are in use. The plantations consist of firs of
various kinds, interspersed with other trees, and are all
in a thriving state : there are also considerable remains
of natural wood, chiefly ash, birch, and elm. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £11,060. Bal-
greggan, the seat of Patrick Maitland, Esq., a handsome
mansion beautifully situated in a richly- wooded demesne ;
Kildrochat, the residence of the late Countess of Rothes ;
and Ardwell, the seat of Sir John McTaggart, M.P., are
the principal houses. The village of Sandhead is de-
scribed under its own head ; the village or kirk-town of
Stoneykirk consists only of a few luwscs around the
church. A post-office under that of Stranraer is esta-
blished, and facility of communication is maintained by
the county-road from Stranraer to Kirkmaiden, and other
roads that intersect the parish. For ecclesiastical
purposes this parish is witliin the limits of the presbytery
of Stranraer and synod of Galloway. The minister's
stipend is £'2'M. 1.5. 1 1., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £10 per annum ; patrons, alternately, the Crown and
the Earl of Stair. Stoneykirk church, which is situated
about two miles from the shore of Luce bay, was built
STO R
STO R
in 18'27, at a cost of £2000 ; it is a substantial structure
in the later English style of architecture, and contains
nearly 1000 sittings. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship. The parochial school affords a
complete course of instruction ; the master has a salary
of £'25. 13. 3., with a house and garden, and the fees.
On the lands of Ardwell are some remains of Druidical
circles and Picts' houses. On those of Garthland, two
lachrymatories of gold, weighing three ounces and a half
each, were found in 1783. Upon the farm of Clayshank,
the foundations of a church may be distinctly traced ;
and at Kirkmadrine, the churchyard of which is still pre-
served as a burying-place, are some gravestones with
ancient inscriptions. There are several artificial mounds
of earth in the parish, one of which, near Balgreggan
House, of circular form, is 460 feet in circumference at
the base and sixty feet in height, and has on its summit
an excavation surrounded with a ditch.
STORE, county of Sutherland. — See Stoer.
STORNOWAY, a burgh of barony, a sea- port, and
a parish, in the Island of Lewis, county of Ross and
Cromarty, 120 miles (N. W. by W.) from Dingwall ; con-
taining, with the former quoad sacra parish of Knock or
Uii, 6218 inhabitants, of whom 1354 are in the burgh.
This parish, originally called Uii from the situation of its
ancient church on an isthmus, derives its present name
from the position of the town at the northern extremity
of the bay of Stornoway, on a point of land projecting
into the harbour. The town, which at first consisted
merely of a few small cottages inhabited by fishermen,
attained a high degree of importance under the patronage
of the late Lord Seaforth, and his representative, the late
J. A. Stewart Mc Kenzie, Esq., M.P., who, by marriage
with his lordship's daughter, became superior of the
barony and its sole proprietor. Stornoway is situated
on the eastern shore of the harbour, and consists of
several spacious and regular streets of well-built houses.
A public library and a news-room are supported by sub-
scription, and card and dancing assemblies are held in
the same building, a handsome structure containing also
apartments for the brethren of St. John's Masonic Lodge.
A malt-mill, with a spacious warehouse attached for the
reception of grain, which can be landed at the door from
vessels in the harbour, has been erected upon the most
improved plan ; there is a distillery upon a very exten-
sive scale, and also a mill for grinding corn. An attempt
was made some time since to introduce the straw-plat
manufacture, for which purpose Mrs. Mc Kenzie engaged
two well-qualified persons, to whom she paid salaries ; but
after a few of the younger females had been taught, the
work was discontinued. The only manufacture carried
on is that of kelp, and this to a very small extent.
The principal trade of the port arises from the fisheries,
the produce of which is sent chiefly to the several towns
on the Clyde, and to Ireland. The fish generally taken
off the coast are cod and ling, of which, on an average,
about 120 tons are annually cured in the parish, the cod
valued at £12, and the ling at £15, per ton. Herrings,
also, are taken, though not in great quantity ; and had-
docks, soles, conger-eels, flounders, and a fish called the
laithe, which is considered superior to the whiting in
flavour, are found in abundance : the flounders taken in
Broad bay are of very excellent quality. The number of
boats engaged in fishing is about 1500. The number of
vessels registered as belonging to the port is sixty- seven,
499
varying from fifteen to 140 tons, and amounting to 3059
tons' aggregate burthen : the amount of duties paid at
the custom-house in 1 843 was £277. Stornoway harbour
affords safe anchorage for vessels of any size, which may
enter at any state of the tide, and find shelter from all
winds ; and numerous British and foreign vessels, when
driven by stress of weather, accordingly find a sure
refuge here. A lighthouse was erected by the proprietor
on Aniish point, to enable vessels to make the harbour
at night ; but from an apprehension that the light might
be mistaken for another in the vicinity, it has not been
exhibited. The quay is well adapted for the loading and
unloading of vessels, and there is a neat custom-house,
the establishment of which consists of a comptroller,
collector, and tide-waiter. There are a rope-work, and
several places for repairing vessels, in which many ship-
carpenters are employed. Nearly adjoining Stornoway
is an inclosed moor, on which a large fair for cattle is
held on the second Wednesday in July ; the fair is fre-
quented by great numbers of dealers from the main land
and from England, and many thousand head of cattle
are sold. In the town are several good inns for the ac-
commodation of visiters, and of persons attending the
fair ; a branch bank ; and some insurance offices. The
post-office has a tolerable delivery ; and facility of com-
munication is maintained by vessels frequenting the
harbour, by a packet which plies twice a week between
this place and Poolewe, and a steam-boat once a week
to the Clyde, and by statute roads that intersect the pa-
rish. The town was erected into a burgh of barony
by charter of James VI. ; and in 1825 the Honourable
Mrs. Stewart Mc Kenzie, then superior of the burgh,
granted the resident lessees and burgesses the privilege
of electing the magistrates and town-council. The
government is vested in two bailies, and a council of
six. There are no incorporations having exclusive
privileges ; but a person cannot carry on trade within
the burgh without becoming a burgess, for which he
pays to the common fund an admission fee of £1. 13. 4.
The magistrates exercise civil jurisdiction in cases of
debt to a trifling amount ; and the sheriff-substitute for
the district of Lewis, who resides in Stornoway, holds his
courts in the town.
The PARISH is bounded on the east and south by the
channel of the Minch, which separates Lewis from the
main land. It is about sixteen miles in length and
nearly ten miles in breadth, comprising 35,000 acres, of
which 2700 are arable, about two acres woodland or
plantation, and the large remainder moorland pasture
and waste. The surface rises gradually from the coast
towards the northern boundary, where it attains, at the
hill of Mournack, which is the only hill of any note, an
elevation of about 7OO feet above the level of the sea.
From the want of woods and plantations the scenery is
generally destitute of beauty. The rivers are, the Creid,
which issues from Loch Creid, in the north-western
extremity of the parish, and falls into the bay of Storno-
way ; and the Laxdale, the Tong, the Upper and Nether
Coll, and the Gress, which have their sources in the
northern part of the parish, and flow southward into
Broad bay. There are also numerous lakes, but they
are not remarkable for any particular features, and
the largest is less than three miles in circumference j
they all abound with black trout of small size. In the
rivers Creid, Tong, and Gress, a few salmon and sea-
3 S 2
STO R
STOW
trout are occasionally found. The coast is mostly bold
and rocky, and is indented with bays, of which the chief
are, the bay and harbour of Stornoway ; Broad bay,
which, from a sunken reef at its entrance, is not safe
for vessels ; Loch Ure ; Bayble ; and Tolsta bay. The
principal headlands are Tolsta, Kneess, Tuimpan, and
Chicken heads, and Holm point. In some few parts the
shore is flat, consisting of fine sands, especially atTong,
Melbost, Uii, Coll, and Grcss ; other parts are lined
with shelving rocks of rugged aspect and of difficult
access. Of the several romantic caves, the most curious
is that called the Seal Cave, from its having formerly
been the resort of great numbers of seals, of which mul-
titudes used to be destroyed by torchlight. The in-
terior of this cavern decreases gradually from a width of
ten feet at the entrance to a breadth of only four feet,
beyond which it expands into a wide semircnlar basin of
deep w-ater ; the roof is lofty, and, like the sides, thickly
incrusted with stalactites of brilliant lustre.
In some parts the soil is sandy, in others gravelly,
and occasionally a black loam of tolerable fertility ; but
the most prevalent description of soil is a peat-moss in-
cumbent on red clay of impervious quality. The crops
are barley, oats, bear, potatoes, and turnips. Husban-
dry, though improved within the last few years, is still
in a backward state ; the farm-buildings are of inferior
order, and but a very inconsiderable portion of the large
tracts of waste has been brought into cultivation. The
cattle, of which about SOOO are kept on the pastures,
are of the true Highland breed, with the exception of
some Ayrshire cows for the dairy ; and the few sheep
that are reared in the parish are all the black-faced. Of
the woods that formerly existed here, there are no re-
mains beyond the trunks of trees, which are occasionally
dug out of the moss ; and the plantations are only about
two acres in extent, near Seaforth Lodge, and in a shel-
tered situation. The principal substratum is whinstone,
of which a large dyke on the farm of Gress is supposed
to extend across the whole island. There is a quarry
near Garabost, but the greater portion of the stone used
in the parish is imported from the main land, or brought
from the adjoining parish of Lochs. The annual value of
real property in Stornoway is £3I1'2. Seaforth Lodge,
the seat of the late Mr. Stewart Mc Kenzie, is a hand-
some modern mansion, situated at the head of Loch
Stornoway, on the western shore, opposite to the town,
and in a highly cultivated demesne forming an interest-
ing feature in the scenery. James Matheson, Esq., M.P.^
now owns the parish and district.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Lewis and synod of Glcneig.
The minister's stipend is £158. 6. 7-, of which one-third
is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £10 per annum : patron, the Crown. Storno-
way church, erected in 1794, and repaired in 1831, is a
handsome structure containing .568 sittings. A chapel
in connexion with the Established Church was built at
Back, in the district of Grcss, by the late Lord Seaforth,
and repaired by the late Mr. Stewart Mc Kenzie ; it is
now used as a school-room. The former quoad sacra
parish of Knock is sei)aratcly described. A small epis-
copal chapel has been built, and the members of the
Free Church have places of worship in the parish. The
parochial school is well attended ; the master receives a
salary of £32, with an allowance of £5 in lieu of house
500
and garden, and the fees. There are still some remains
of the ancient churches of Uii and Gress ; and within
the last fifty or sixty years only, the former church of
Stornoway, which was dedicated to St. Lennan, has been
levelled to prepare a site for the erection of the present
parish church. Of the church of Uii, dedicated to St.
Collum, the walls, of great thickness, are yet standing ;
and in a part of it which is still roofed, the minister of
Stornoway used to officiate once in six weeks till the
church of Knock was built. The church at Gress was
dedicated to St. Aula ; part only of the walls are remain-
ing. There was also a chapel at Garabost, all traces of
which have been removed. On the point of land stretch-
ing into the bay of Stornoway are some slight remains of
an ancient castle of the Mc Leods, the lords of the island ;
and near the spot is the site of a fort built by Oliver
Cromwell, of which scarcely a vestige is left.
STOTFIELD, a village, in the parish of Drainie,
county of Elgin, 6 miles (N.) from Elgin; containing
159 inhabitants. This is a small village, situated on the
coast of the Moray Firth, a little to the west of Lossie-
mouth, and is chiefly inhabited by fishermen and sea-
faring persons. A commodious harbour has been lately
formed here, which is the principal port of the inland
town of Elgin, admitting vessels of larger size than can
enter the old harbour of Lossiemouth. In the Coulard
hill, which projects into the Firth, are appearances of
lead ; but no vein of ore sufficient to encourage the ex-
periment of working has yet been discovered. — See
Elgin, and Lossiemouth.
STOURHOLM, an isle, in the parish of Northma-
vine, county of Shetland. It is a small isle, lying on
the north side of the Mainland, in the sound of Yell ; and
is about a mile in length and half a mile in breadth, and
uninhabited.
STOW, a parish, partly in the county of Selkirk,
but chiefly in the county of Edinburgh ; containing,
with the hamlets of Fountainhall and Killochyett, 1*34
inhabitants, of whom 408 are in the village of Stow, 8
miles (N. N. W.) from Galashiels. This place derives
its name from a residence of the bishops of St. Andrew's,
who anciently had a regal jurisdiction over the whole of
the district of Wedale, in which Stow is situated, acd
which, from the numerous remains of camps aud for-
tresses, appears to have been early a seat of warfare. The
PARISH lies in the southern part of the county of Edin-
burgh, and northern part of that of Selkirk ; and is
bounded on the north-west by the parish of Heriot, and
on the south-east by Galashiels and Melrose parishes.
It is about sixteen miles in length and four in breadth,
comprising an area of about sixty-two miles, or 40,000
acres, of which 11,345 are arable, 960 woodland and
plantations, and 27,510 meadow and pasture. The sur-
face is hilly, and the scenery boldly varied. The pleasing
vale of the (iala Water extends for a considerable length
into the parisli.and the banks of the river from which
it takes its name are remarkable for their beautifully ro-
mantic character. The Heriot Water flows into the
Gala, which is subsequently augmented in its progress
by various other streams, the most considerable being
the Lugate Water; and after a devious course through
tracts abounding with picturesque scenery, the Gala falls
into the Twec<l alxiut a mile below Galashiels.
The soil is fertile, and the arable lands produce
favourable crops of grain of every kind, with some
STOW
S T R A
turnip and potatoes which are raised chiefly for con-
sumption on the several farms. Along the valley the
lands are well drained and inclosed : the farm buildings
and offices are substantial and commodiously arranged ;
the various improvements in the construction of imple-
ments have been generally adopted, and all the branches
of rural economy are now skilfully practised. On the
hills is good pasture for sheep, of which not less than
30,000 are kept ; they are of the Cheviot breed, with a
considerable number of the black-faced, and a smaller
number of the Leicester. The cattle, of which about
."iOO are annually reared and the same number annually
fattened, are chiefly of the Teeswater breed. That part
of the lands within the county of Selkirk was formerly
a portion of the Ettrick forest, and there are still some
fine specimens of forest-trees in the older woodlands.
The plantations, of modern growth, are pretty extensive,
and in a flourishing state ; the soil is well adapted for
every kind of timber, and the oats are particularly thriv-
ing. There is nothing peculiar in the substrata of the
parish : the rocks are chiefly greywacke ; slate and clay-
stone, red porphyry, calcareous spar, quartz, and steatite
have been found in some places, and in one instance a
specimen of pyrites of iron. Crookston, Torwoodlee,
Bowland, Burnhouse, Torquhan, and Pirn, are the prin-
cipal mansions.
The village is situated on the road from Edinburgh
to Carlisle, and on the Gala water, over which is a
commodious bridge, erected in 1654. The manufacture
of woollen cloth is carried on, for which there is a large
mill. A fair is annually held in the village, on the
second Tuesday in March, chiefly for the sale of seed-
corn, and for the hiring of servants. A post-office has
been established here ; and at Torsonce, about a quarter
of a mile distant, is a good inn. The parish comprises
the hamlets of Fountainhall, Killochyett, Caitha, Cross-
lee, and Whytbanklee. There are two or three stations
in the parish of the Edinburgh and Hawick railway.
Facility of communication is also aiforded by good roads,
of which one, connecting the Carlisle road with the road
to Selkirk, is of late construction ; and by several
bridges over the Gala water, some of which are of hand-
some appearance. The annual value of real property in
the Edinburgh part of the parish is £1 1,641, and in the
Selkirk part £2906. Ecclesiastically this place is within
the limits of the synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and pres-
bytery of Lauder : the minister's stipend is £256. 9. 1.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £27. 10. per an-
num ; patron, the Crown. Stow church is a very
ancient structure containing about 600 sittings ; it has
undergone various alterations, and is now in good repair.
There is a place of worship in the village for members
of the United Presbyterian Church. The parochial school
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £30 a year,
with a house and garden. There are also schools at
Caitha and Pirntaiton, the masters of which have rent-
free houses, that for the former erected by General
Walker, and that for the latter by Miss Innes in 1832.
A congregational hbrary of about 300 volumes is main-
tained, and also a library of 700 volumes in the hamlet
of Fountainhall. In the parish are numerous remains
of ancient castles ; the principal are. Bow Castle, Lugate
Castle, Torwoodlee Castle, and Howliston Tower, all in
ruins, and Torsonce Castle, which has been roofed in, and
is occupied by the proprietor as a summer residence.
501
STRACHAN, a parish, in the county of Kincar-
DiNK, 15 miles (N. W.) from Stonehaven ; containing
944 inhabitants. This parish derives its name, properly
Slrath-Aeii, from the river Aen, which flows along a
valley in its western portion into the river Feugh. It
is about twenty miles in length, e.xtending from the
confines of the parish of Durris, on the east, to Mount
Battock, on the west ; and is twelve miles in breadth,
from Cairn-o'-Mount, in the south, to the river Dee,
which constitutes its northern boundary, and separates
it from the parish of Banchory-Ternan. The surface
is mountainous, forming a portion of the Grampian
range, and containing numerous hills of various eleva-
tion : of the mountains within the parish the highest
are. Mount Battock or Battack, 3465 feet above the
level of the sea, Clochnabane 2370 feet, and Kerlock
1890 feet in height. From the summits of these moun-
tains are most extensive prospects of the coast from
Peterhead to Montrose, and the coasts of Haddington
and Fifeshire ; embracing also a fine view of Edinburgh
and the Pentland hills. On the top of Clochnabane is
a huge mass of granite rock called the Stone of Cloch-
nabane, about 100 feet in perpendicular height, and
which, on ascending the mountain, has an imposing
aspect, resembling a towering fortress ; it is seen from
a great distance, and serves as a land-mark to mariners
entering the port of Aberdeen. Scoltie, one of the smaller
hills, is about SOO feet in height, and commands a view
of the course of the Dee, with the beautiful scenery on
the banks of that river, terminating with the bay of
Aberdeen and part of the city. The river Dye, which
has its source on the south side of Mount Battock, after
traversing the lower grounds falls into the Feugh near
the manse ; and the Aen, which rises on the north side
of that mountain, after a course of nearly ten miles runs
into the same river near Whitestone. The valley of
Strachan appears to have been formerly a lake. Glen-
Dye, through which flows the river Dye, abounds in pic-
turesque scenery. The rivers Feugh and Dye, after heavy
rains, are subject to rapid rises, and used frequently to
inundate the lower lands, to prevent which they have been
embanked at a considerable expense; they abound with
excellent trout, and with sea- trout and grilse from July
till September.
In this parish the entire number of acres is 56,362, of
which 2236 are arable, 2200 woodland and plantations,
6000 undivided common, and the remainder moorland
pasture and waste. The soil is various ; in the vale of
Strachan, of richer quality on the upper lands than on the
lower ; in some parts of the parish a deep black loam,
and in others of very inferior quality, principally hill
pasture. The lands in cultivation are under good
management, and have been drained, and inclosed with
stone fences ; the crops are, grain of all kinds, potatoes,
and turnips. The sheep are of the common black-faced
kind ; the cattle chiefly of the small Aberdeenshire
breed. The farm -buildings in general are substantial
and commodious in proportion to the extent of the farms,
and all the more recent improvements in implements of
husbandry have been adopted. On the moorlands is
game of every variety : red, black, and white grouse are
found in abundance on Mount Battock ; partridges and
woodcocks are numerous in the woods of Blackball ;
and the dotterel, the gray and white plover, and other
species of birds also frequent the moors. The woods
ST R A
ST R A
and plantations are extensive about Blackball, Invery,
and Glen-Dye Lodge ; tbe former contain much valuable
timber of ancient growth, and the latter are principally
larch and Scotch fir. In other parts the parish is bare of
foliage, with only a few trees here and there. The rocks
are chiefly of granite. Stone for fencing and other in-
ferior purposes is quarried; but though limestone is
abundant in the contiguous parishes, no quarries have
yet been opened in this parish. Very fine specimens
of the Cairngorum are found in the beds of the moun-
tain streams. Blackball, the seat of Colonel Campbell,
is a spacious mansion beautifully situated ou the bank
of the Dee, and surrounded with a richly-wooded
demesne. Invery, the seat of Henry Lumsden, Esq.,
is a handsome building pleasantly seated on the river
Feugh. Sir James Carnegie, Bart., has a commodious
lodge at Glen-Dye, which he occupies during the
shooting-season. The population is chiefly agricultural
or pastoral : a few persons are employed in trades
requisite for the accommodation of the inhabitants ;
about forty females are engaged in the knitting of
stockings, and there is a small mill for spinning woollen
yarn. Facility of communication is afforded by roads
kept in repair by statute labour, and there are good
bridges over the rivers. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish, as returned under the income-tax,
is £2906.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within
the limits of the presbytery of Kincardine O'Neil and
synod of Aberdeen. The minister's stipend is £158. 6. 5.,
of which £64. 10. S. are received from the exchequer;
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £7. 10. per annum :
patron. Sir James Carnegie. Strachan church, erected
in the year 1791, and enlarged in 1837, is a neat struc-
ture containing 500 sittings. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship. The parochial school-
master has a salary of £.34. 4. 4., and the fees ; the
schoolroom was enlarged in 1841, at an expense of £80,
and the master's house is ample and commodious. At
Glen-Dye is also a school, for which the late Sir James
Carnegie erected an appropriate building, with a house
for the master, at the cost of £200. There is a good
parochial Mbrary consisting of more than 400 volumes,
with a juvenile library of 100 volumes for the use of
the weekday and Sunday schools. Of three circular
mounds in the parish, two are now covered with wood
of ancient growth, and, from the name of a farm-house
near them, called Bow-Butts, are supposed to have
been raised for the practice of archery ; tlie third is
named Castle Hill, but there are no records of the
existence of any castle or fort in the parish. On the
farms of Letterbeg and Ardlair are two circular cairns,
about 300 feet in diameter and thirty feet high ; they
are formed of round stones. In the various adjoining
parishes are others of a similar description, supposed
to have constituted, with these, a line of communication
by beacon fires.
STRACHUR and STRACHLACIILAN, a parish,
in the district of Cowal, county of Argyll, 8 miles
(S. S. E.) from Inverary; containing, in 1H41, 1550
inhabitants, of whom 464 were in Strachur. Tlic former
of these places was originally called Kilmaglasx, or " the
burial-ground of Maglass", a local saint. Strachlachlan
was anciently denominated Kilmorrie, or " St. Mary's" ;
its present appellation means " the strath of Lachlan",
50"2
in reference to a portion of land, or a strath, that
belonged to Lachlan, the principal heritor of the district.
Previously to the year 1650, Strachur was included in
the parish of Lochgoilhead, and Strachlachlan in that
of Inverchaolain. The parish stretches from north-
east to south-west for nineteen miles, varying in breadth
from three to six miles, and comprising between 35,000
and 40,000 acres. Of this area, from 1000 to 1500
acres are under cultivation, 1800 occupied by wood,
chiefly natural, and the remainder in pasture and waste.
The surface to a great extent consists of hills ; in many
places, especially in Strachur, affording a soft nutritious
pasture for sheep and black-cattle, but for the most part
exhibiting an irregular and uninteresting appearance.
The height of some of them is 2000, and of others 3000
feet ; and in some parts, where thickly wooded, they
form a retreat for various animals and birds of prey :
an eagle not long since carried off a child of three years
of age, which it killed and devoured. The cultivated
land lies chiefly in two straths, one in each of the two
districts composing the parish; the arable portion of
Strachur is the more extensive. The lands in tillage
give a pleasing variety to the scenery ; and wooded
tracts, consisting of oak, larch, beech, ash, birch, fir,
elm, and other kinds, ornament the slopes of the hills,
which are often green to the top. Loch Fine, which
bounds the parish on the north and west, also contributes
to improve the general scenery. The loch abounds with
herrings, and many kinds of white-fish ; it varies in
depth from thirty to eighty fathoms. At some distance
inland, and stretching in a south-eastern direction, is
Loch Eck, six miles long and half a mile broad, but
three miles only of which belong to this place. The
fresh-water herring, a fish but little esteemed, is found
on the western coast of Scotland only in this lake and
Loch Lomond ; and a few salmon and salmon-trout, of
good quality, are also taken : these have access to the
lake by the river Eachaig, which forms a communica-
tion between it and the Clyde at Kilmun. The river
Cur, rising in the mountains near Lochgoilhead, flows
in an irregular course, with great rapidity, for a few
miles; but on reaching the Strachur plains, it runs more
smoothly.
The SOIL is in most parts thin, and exhibits the seve-
ral varieties of loam, sand, and clay ; the crops are
valued, with the pasture, at nearly £8000 per annum,
and consist of different kinds of grain, with hay, pota-
toes, and turnips. The felling of the woods produces
£200 ; and the returns of about forty boats belonging
to the parish, employed in the Loch Fine fisheries, are
e.stiniated at upwards of £1000 ; making the total value
of produce more than £9000 per annum. The vale of
Strachur, containing several hundred acres of good land,
and nearly level, is under tolerable cultivation ; but the
farms throughout are unequal in extent, and the great
humidity of the climate is a bar to very successful hus-
bandry. Some of the tenants who pay from £100 to £300
a year rent have excellent farm-buildings, and tenants
of the middle class have mostly good accommodation ;
but the tenements of the crofters and cottars are very
indifferent. Strachur House is an elegant modern
structure, surrounded l)y a park : other houses are
those of Glenshellis, Ballimore, Glcnbrantir, and Stra-
churmorc, all of them neat aud convenient stone dwell-
ings. Limestone is found, and a quarry is in operation
STR A
STR A
in each of the two districts. The road from Kilmun
to Inverary passes through the parish, and communica-
tion is now opened with tlie towns on the Clyde hy
means of the government road to Ardentinny. There
is a small bay at Strachur, affording good anchorage,
and a secure retreat to vessels when the wind blows
from the north-east and south-east : vessels occasion-
ally enter to take in cargoes of wool and potatoes. A
fair is held at Strachur in May, and another in October,
for the sale of black-cattle. Coal imported from Glas-
gow and from Ayrshire is much in use, the peat here
being difficult of access ; and the saleable produce of
the parish is conveyed to the above city and to
Greenock. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £4356. It is ecclesiastically in the presby-
tery of Dunoon, synod of Argyll, and in the alternate
patronage of Callendar of Ardkinloss, and Mc Lachlan
of Mc Lachlan. The minister's stipend is about £150,
part of which is paid by the exchequer : there is also
a manse, with a glebe of very inferior land, about fifteen
acres in extent, and of the annual value of £7. The
church of Strachur was erected in 17^9, and accommo-
dates 400 persons with sittings ; that of Strachlachlan,
six miles distant from the former, was built in 1792,
and contains sittings for 200 persons : the services at
each are on alternate Sabbaths. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship. Besides the
parochial school at Strachur, there are two side or
branch schools iu the same district, endowed with part
of the salary of the parochial teacher; the salary is
£26. 10. per annum, with a house and garden, and fees.
There are three schools also in Strachlachlan, of the
same kind ; but the two side-schools here are supported
by subscription, and the parochial teacher receives only
£10 per annum, and the fees, and finds his own house
and croft. A circulating library at Strachur is super-
intended by the Kirk Session.
STRAITON, a parish, in the district of Carrick,
county of Ayr, J miles (S. E. by E.) from Maybole ;
containing, with the village of Patna, 1363 inhabitants.
This place derives its name, signifying in the Celtic
language " the town of the strath", from its situation
at the head of an extensive and fertile vale. Little is
known of its ancient state, and very few, if any, inci-
dents of importance connected with it are on record.
The parish, which is one of the largest in the county,
is about twenty miles in length, and of very irregular
breadth, scarcely averaging more than four miles, but
in some parts extending to eight miles. It is bounded
on the north by the parishes of Kirkmichael and Dal-
rymple ; on the east by the parish of Dalmellington ;
on the south by the parishes of Carsphairn, Kells,
MinigafF, and Barr ; and on the west by the parishes
of Dailly and Kirkmichael. The surface, with the
exception of the valleys of the Girvan and the Doon,
is generally uneven, abounding with hills, some few of
which are of considerable height. Of these, the Graigeu-
gower, behind the manse, has an elevation of 1300 feet ;
and Bennan Hill, about half a mile from the village,
rises to the height of 1150 feet above the level of the
sea ; both commanding fine views of the county of Ayr,
the Firth of Clyde, the Isle of Arran, and the coast of
Ireland. The other hills, though numerous, are not of
any great altitude. There are also many lakes on the
borders, and within the limits, of Straiten. The prin-
503
cipal is Loch Doon, which is about six miles in length
and one mile broad, and is much frequented by fishing
parties, for whose accommodation boats are kept in
readiness during the season. Its scenery is bleak, and
destitute of beauty, from the want of trees ; and its
most romantic feature, the outlet of its waters into the
river Doon, in one wide volume over a rocky barrier,
has been destroyed by the erection of sluices to regulate
the supply. Of the other lakes are Loch Hraden, Loch
Dercleiigh, and Loch Finlas, on all of which boats are
kept for angling ; the remaining lakes are nearly twenty
in number.
The river Doon, issuing from the lake of that name,
forces its way for almost a mile through the deep and
rocky glen of Berbeth, in which it is apparently lost. The
interior of this dark and narrow dell abounds with the
most sublime and romantic features. Along the margin
of the river a narrow footpath has been formed at an
elevation above the highest point to which its waters
ever rise in forcing their way ; and the narrow channel
of the stream is inclosed on both sides by lofty pre-
cipitous cliffs, rising almost perpendicularly to the
height of nearly 300 feet, in some parts clothed with
the rich foliage of trees whose boughs impend over the
water, and in others forming vast and rugged masses
of barren rock. From this pass the river winds
through the pleasure-grounds of Berbeth House, and
afterwards expands into a wide lake, whence it pursues
a gentle and noiseless course through meadow lands.
After forming for about ten miles the boundary of this
parish, it flows past the parishes of Dalrymple and
Maybole into the sea, near Ayr. The river Girvan,
which rises about twelve miles from Straiton, passes
along a rich and fertile vale to the village, and, after a
course of nearly three miles through the well-wooded
demesne of Blairquhan, enters Kirkmichael. The river
Stinchar, which has its source in the parish of Barr,
constitutes the southern boundary of this parish for
two miles. A beautiful waterfall occurs near Berbeth,
where a lake called Dalkairneij Linn, which is created
by a small bum, projects itself from a height of forty
feet in a perpendicular descent. Tarelaw Linn is formed
by the Girvan, and, after a succession of falls, together
more than sixty feet in height, expands into a fine sheet
of water in a deeply-wooded dell. The streams abound
with trout, and salmon also are found in the Doon and
the Girvan j the lakes contain pike, trout, and other
fish, and the moors afford plenty of grouse.
On the banks of the Girvan the soil is hght and
gravelly, and on those of the Doon a retentive clay.
The whole number of acres in the parish is estimated
at 51,800. About 4200 of these are arable ; 600 in woods
and plantations ; and the remainder, of which not more
than 500 or 600 could be reclaimed and rendered
capable of cultivation, are pasture and moorland in a
state of nature. Crops are raised of oats, wheat, barley,
beans, potatoes, and turnips. The system of agriculture
is improved ; the lands have been drained to a con-
siderable extent, and the greater number of the farm-
houses having been rebuilt in a better style, are now
substantial and commodious, and roofed with slate.
On most of the farms threshing-mills have been erected.
The introduction of bone-manure has been attended with
success, and all the more recent improvements in imple-
ments of husbandry have been adopted. Great atten-
ST R A
STR A
tion is paid to the rearing of live-stock, and to the
improvement of the breeds. Galloway cows, formerly
prevalent here, have given place to cows of the Ayrshire
breed; about 700 milch-cows of this description are
pastured, and 1400 head of cattle of the Galloway kind.
Of sheep, about '20,000 are fed on the several pastures ;
they are of the black-faced breed, with some of the
Cheviot. There are some good specimens of full-grown
timber ; near the village are some remarkably fine old
sycamore-trees, and at Blairquhan are some lime-trees
of great beauty, forming a noble avenue to the mansion.
The plantations are of larch, spruce, silver, and Scotch
firs, with oak, ash, elm, and beech ; they are well attended
to, and make a profitable return to the proprietors. In
this parish are strata of granite, of which the hills about
Loch Doon are formed, greywacke, and greywacke-slate ;
on the banks of the Girvan is found trap interspersed
with mountain limestone, and in the lower lands red
sandstone. Limestone is quarried in several places, and
coal has been found in different parts of the parish. The
limestone in some spots abounds with marine shells.
The coal is worked at Patna and Keir, but not to any
great extent ; it occurs in seams varying from three to
eight feet in thickness, and of various quality. The an-
nual value of real property in the parish is returned at
£9107.
Blairquhan Castle, the seat of Sir David Hunter Blair,
Bart., completed in IS'24, is a castellated mansion in the
later style of English architecture, beautifully situated
on the tjanks of the Girvan, about a mile from the village
of Straiton. The approach is by a handsome bridge, and
through a lodge in strict keeping with the style of the
castle ; it conducts the visiter through a succession of
interesting scenery, and leads to a fine view of the house,
with the hills of Craigengower and Bennan in the back
ground. In the castle are many fine apartments ; the
saloon, which communicates with the principal rooms,
measures sixty feet in height. The grounds are laid out
with great beauty, and adorned with full-grown timber
and thriving plantations. Berbelh, the residence of the
Honourable Colonel Cathcart, is situated on the banks
of the Doon, at one extremity of the parish ; it is a sub-
stantial mansion, in a highly embellished demesne com-
prising much interesting scenery. On the river Stinchar,
at about eight miles' distance from the village of Straiton,
there is a shooting-lodge belonging to the Marquess of
Ailsa.
The village is pleasantly situated on the Girvan, and
consists of neat and well-built houses. Its inhabitants
are partly engaged in weaving for the Glasgow and Paisley
manufacturers, the principal articles being tartans and
plaids. A great part of the females, also, are employed
in working muslins in flowers and various patterns for
the markets of Paisley and Glasgow. A post office, a
branch of the post-othce of Maybole, is established here ;
and also a parochial library, forming a collection of about
500 volumes. The nearest market-town is Ayr, with
which communication is afforded by good roads, that
from Ayr to Newton-.Stewart ))assing through the village ;
and over the rivers are bridges kept in excellent repair.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the limits of the pres-
bytery of Ayr, synod of Glasgow and Ayr ; and the
patronage is in the Crown. The stipend of tlie iiicunihcnt
is about. £'2;i.5 ; the manse is a small but comfortable
residence, beautifully situated, and the glebe comprises
.504
about eight acres of profitable land, valued at £16 per
annun. Straiton church is a plain edifice, and has
undergone repeated alterations and repairs ; the most
ancient portion of it, which formed part probably of the
original structure, is an aisle, having a fine Gothic
window, and now belonging to Sir Hunter Blair. It is
nearly in the centre of the parish, and is adapted for a
congregation of 444 persons. A chapel of ease has been
erected by subscription in the village of Patna, on a site
given for that purpose, in 1836, by Mr. Leslie Cumming;
it is adapted for a congregation of about 340 persons, and
has a gallery in front. In this village also, is a place of
worship for members of the United Presbyterian Church.
There are two parochial schools ; one in the village of
Straiton, of which the master has a salary of £31. 10.,
with a house and garden, and fees averaging £32 per
annum ; and the other in the village of Patna, of which
the master has a salary of £11, with a house and garden
given by the proprietor, and the fees, amounting to £95.
The former is attended by about eighty, and the latter
by about sixty scholars. There is also a female school
built and endowed by Lady Hunter Blair, and partly
supported by the fees ; and at both villages are paro-
chial libraries, besides small collections of religious works.
Coal is distributed annually among the poor by Lady
Hunter Blair; and two friendly societies, long established,
have contributed to keep down the number of applications
for parochial relief.
On an island near the head of Loch Doon are the
remains of the ancient castle of Doon, of irregular form,
consisting of eleven different facia, and of a lofty square
tower in the Norman and early English styles of architec-
ture. This was once a royal castle, of which the Earl of
Cassilis was governor. Doon was one of the five strong-
holds held by the royalists during the minority of the
son of Bruce, when the rest of Scotland yielded to the
English power : its gallant defender was John Thomson,
believed to be the same that led back the remains of the
Scottish array from Ireland, after the death of Edward
Bruce. In the loch, near the ruins, were found in 1893,
and also in 1831, some canoes formed of trunks of oak-
trees : one is preserved in the museum of the university
of Glasgow, and others in some water near Berbeth.
There are some slight remains of the ancient castle of
Blairquhan, incorporated in the modern mansion of that
name. This castle early belonged to the family of
Mc Whirter, from whom it passed to the Kennedys, a
branch of the Cassilis family. In the reign of Charles II.
it came into the possession of the family of Whitcford ;
and at the end of the last century it was purchased by
the family of Hunter Blair, the present owners of the
estate of Blairquhan, who arc maternally descended
from the Kennedys, Earls of Cassilis.
STRANATHRO, a village, in the parish of Fettter-
Esso, county of Kincardine, 3 miles (S. W. byS.) from
Stonehaven ; containing 1'26 inhabitants. This village
is situated on the coast, and is inhal)itcd partly by per-
sons employed in the fisheries of this part, in which four
boats, each having a crew of five men, are generally en-
gaged. During the season the men are also occupied in
the herring-fishery, which is carried on with success. A
coast-guard station has been established here. The har-
bour, though small, is commodious, and aH'ords safe
shelter for craft. The coast- road from Aberdeen to
Stonehaven passes by the village.
STR A
ST R A
Burgh Seal.
STRANRAER, a town
^V'i and parish, in the county of
^^^^rP^ Wigtown, 6^ miles (N. E.
if^ by N.) from Portpatrick, and
'^ 50 (S. S. W.) from Ayr; the
parish containing 3440 in-
Jl^i/C)] habitants. The name of this
''^'^Jy^Si pl'T'e is supposed to be de-
SaJ^^ClS^ rived from its i-ituation on
a shore that is dry at low
water. Stranraer is of con-
siderable antiquity, and was
formerly the residence of the
Earls of Stair, whose ancient castle of Stranraer still
remains. The town is the cajiital of the district of the
Rhyns. It is beautifully situated at the head of Loch
Ryan, a branch of the Firth of Clyde ; and consists
mainly of several parallel streets, of which the principal
extends nearly halt a mile along the loch, and which are
intersected at right angles by smaller streets leading to
the shore. The houses are well built, and many of them
of handsome appearance ; the streets are paved, and
lighted with gas, and the inhabitants amply supplied with
excellent water. From its advantageous situation, and
the healthiness of its climate, Stranraer has become the
residence of many respectable families. Two public
libraries, one containing a good collection of works on
general literature, and the other chiefly a theological
library, are supported by subscription ; there are also a
public reading and news room well furnished with
journals and periodical publications, and a mechanics'
institution. Two newspapers are published. Several good
houses have been recently built in the immediate vicinity ;
and considerable improvements have been made in the
town itself, which extends into the parishes of Inch and
Leswalt. There is a regatta club under the patronage of
His Royal Highness Prince Albert.
The scarcity of fuel has hitherto prevented the exten-
sive introduction of manufactures. A few of the inhabi-
tants are employed in weaving linen and cotton for the
Glasgow houses ; there are some tanneries and a sail-
cloth manufactory, and also some nurseries in which
large quantities of plants, fruits, and vegetables are
raised. An important fishery is carried on in Loch
Ryan, for skate, flounders, turbot, halibut, cod, had-
docks, whiting, lobsters, and crabs ; oysters of good
quality are also found in great abundance. The herring-
fishery, too, was formerly extensive, and employed 300
boats ; but for many years it has not been so productive.
The trade of the port consists chiefly in the export of
grain, cattle, and other agricultural produce, leather,
shoes, and a few other articles, which are sent to Glas-
gow, Belfast, and Liverpool ; and in the importation of
timber from the Baltic, of iron, coal, &c. The number
of vessels registered as belonging to the port, in 1843,
was thirty- four, of an aggregate burthen of 1895 tons ;
and the amount of duties paid at the custom-house was
considerable. Two powerful and fast steamers, which
sail daily, carry on a flourishing traffic between Stran-
raer and Ayr, Greenock, Glasgow, and Belfast. Stran-
raer harbour is easy of access to vessels of tolerably
large burthen, but only those not exceeding one hundred
tons can approach the quay, and unload and take in their
cargoes ; the loch affords safe anchorage for vessels of
300 tons within half a mile of the pier. The depth of
Vol. II.— 505
the harbour is ton feet at spring tides. A considerable
sum was expended by the corporation, in 1820, for its
improvement ; but, not having the authority of an act
of parliament, the proposed increase of harbour dues has
been resisted, and the corporation have not been in-
demnified for the outlay, which exceeded £4680. Loch
Ryan is about ten miles in length, and two miles wide at
the entrance : about half way up, a sand-bank called the
Scar, stretches across it obliquely for a considerable dis-
tance, forming a fine natural breakwater, beyond which
it expands into a breadth of four miles. A market,
which is amply supplied with provisions of all kinds, is
held weekly, on Friday. Fairs are held annually, on the
Tuesday before the first Wednesday in January, and the
Tuesday before Kilton Hill fair in June, for horses ; on
the third Friday in April, the first and third Fridays in
May, and the third Friday in July, August, September,
and November, for cattle ; and the third Friday in Oc-
tober, for fruit. There are three branch banks in the
town. The post-office has a good delivery ; and facility
of communication is afforded by the great military road
from Carlisle to Edinburgh, and by vessels that frequent
the harbour.
Stranraer was erected into a royal burgh, in 1617, by
charter of James VI. ; and the government is vested in
a provost, two bailies, a dean of guild, a treasurer, and
thirteen common-councillors, elected agreeably with the
provisions of the Municipal Reform act. There are no
incorporated trades having exclusive privileges ; but the
magistrates may compel any one carrying on business
within the burgh to enter as a burgess, for which the
fee of admission varies from one to three guineas. The
magistrates exercise both civil and criminal jurisdiction,
and hold bailie and dean-of-guild courts for the trial
of cases within the burgh. The town-hall, situated in
George- street, is a neat structure containing the requisite
accommodation ; and the prison is under good regula-
tions. This burgh is associated with New Galloway,
Whithorn, and Wigtown, in returning a member to the
imperial parliament ; the number of qualified voters is
I9'2. The annual value of real property in Stranraer
parish is £3905. This parish, consisting of about forty
acres, originally formed part of the parishes of Leswalt
and Inch ; it is within the bounds of the presbytery of
Stranraer, synod of Galloway. The minister's stipend
is £158, including an allowance for communion elements,
and of which £120 are paid from the exchequer; an
allowance of £30 per annum is received in lien of a
manse, and the glebe is valued at £70 per annum :
patron, the Crown. The old church, which contained
700 sittings, being condemned in 1833 as unsafe and in-
capable of repair, a temporary building of wood was
erected by the minister for the use of the congregation ;
and the present church, which is a neat structure, was
built by public subscription in 1841. There are places
of worship for members of the Free Church, the United
Presbyterian Church, Reformed Presbyterians, and a
Roman Catholic chapel. An academy of very handsome
design vi'as lately built by public subscription, at an ex-
pense of about £2000, and was opened in February 1S45 :
it has a rector, and first and second masters, and the
course embraces all the branches of a thorough English,
commercial, and mathematical education, adding tc
these the ancient and modern languages, oriental and
European. The parochial or burgh schoolmaster has a
3 T
STR A
ST R A
salary of £20, besides school-fees. This place gives the
title of Baron to the Earl of Stair.
STRATH, or STRATH-SWORDALE, a parish, in
the Isle of Skye, county of Inverness, 25 miles (S. S.
E.) from Portree ; containing, with the village of Kyle-
akin, and the Isles of Scalpa and Pabay, 3150 inhabit-
ants, of whom 231 are in the village. This place derives
its name of Swordale, probably of Scandinavian origin,
from a farm nearly in the centre of the parish. The
lands in the district appear to have been the property
of the family of Mackinuon in the fourteenth century,
and to have continued in their possession till about the
middle of the eighteenth century, when they were pur-
chased by the ancestor of the present Lord Macdonald,
who, with the exception of the lands of Strathaird, since
bought by Mr. Macalister, is the sole proprietor of
Strath. In 1/46, Prince Charles Stuart, the Young Pre-
tender, remained for some time in concealment in one
of the caves of Strathaird, after his retreat from the
battle of Culloden, and was eventually conveyed to Ari-
saig, on the main land of Inverness-shire, accompanied
by the chief of Mackinnon, who saw him safely em-
barked for France. The parish is bounded on the east
by an arm of the sea, which separates it from the main
land. It is nearly twenty-six miles in extreme length
and about six miles in breadth, comprising 70,700 acres,
of which 2100 are arable, 400 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder meadow, pasture, and waste. To-
wards the centre of the parish the surface is tolerably
level, but in all other parts hilly and mountainous. In
the western portion the hills are of almost every variety
of form and elevation, some clothed with rich verdure
and others covered with heath, thus presenting a sin-
gular combination of picturesque beauty and rugged
grandeur. In the northern district the hills rise to a
mountainous height, and are chiefly of conical form,
terminating in lofty peaks, and constituting a succession
of naked and barren rocks of dreary aspect. There are
numerous inland lakes, but none of very great extent;
most of them abound with trout of good quality, and in
some of the lakes salmon are occasionally obtained.
Here are no large rivers ; but many copious springs are
to be found, affording an ample supply of excellent water,
and also some sprmgs the water of which is strongly
impregnated with iron.
The COAST is bold and rocky, in some parts precipi-
tous, and is indented with several bays having safe an-
chorage for vessels of any burthen. Of these bays the
principal are Broadford bay and the sound of Scalpa, on
the north ; Lock Eynart, on the north-west; and Loch
Slapan, on the south ; in all of which arc good har-
bours. The fish taken otf the coast are cod, haddock,
whiting, ling, lythe, skate, coal-fish, sand-eels, conger-
eels, thornback, flounders, soles, grey and red gournard,
mullet, and cuttle-fish. In the sound of Scalpa is an
extensive bed of oysters of small size, but of very supe-
rior flavour. Shell-fish of various other kinds, consist-
ing of lobsters, crabs, cockles, mussels, limpets, razor-
fi>h, and whelks, are also found on the shores ; all of
which are taken in abundance, forming a good supply
of food for the poor during the summer months. Tiie
herring-fishery, once very extensive, gave employment
to sixty or seventy vessels, chiefly from Greenock and
Rothesay ; and though it has much diminished, it is
always carried on during the season, and the number of
506
vessels engaged in it is still very considerable. Scalpa
and Pabay, islands in the parish, are described under
their respective heads : the small island of Longa, which
is also within its limits, and situated east of Scalpa, is
about a mile and a half in circumference, uninhabited,
and affording only pasturage for a few sheep.
In this parish the soil is various ; in some parts clay,
in others a rich black loam, but much the greater por-
tion of the laud is mossy. The chief crops are oats and
potatoes : wheat has been tried on some farms, but with-
out success ; turnips have been also introduced, and
found to answer well, especially since the use of bone-dust
and guano for manure. Husbandry has been rapidly
improving, and is now in a satisfactory state. Consi-
derable tracts of waste land have been reclaimed, and
brought into profitable cultivation ; and the facility of
obtaining lime, marl, shell-sand, and sea-weed, for ma-
nure, affords great encouragement for further advance.
Various improvements have been recently effected under
the judicious management of Mr. Mackinnon of Corry,
factor for Lord Macdonald. The hills and moorlands
are appropriated as pasturage for sheep and cattle, num-
bers of which are reared. The sheep are principally of
the Cheviot breed, with a few of the black-faced ; and
to the improvement of both kinds the greatest attention
is paid. The cattle are of the Highland breed, and of
extraordinary symmetry and beauty on the principal
farms, the late Mr. Mackinnon of Corry, and the late
Mr. Macdonald of Scalpa, having bestowed much care
and expense in selecting their breeding-stock : even the
cattle of the smaller tenants are superior to those bred
in many other parts of the country. Deer, black-game,
and grouse abound in the parish. The plantations,
which consist of the usual varieties of firs, interspersed
with other trees, are generally in a thriving state ; and
there are some remains of ancient wood, the trunks of
fir-trees of considerable size being found embedded in
the moss in different parts of the parish : ash, birch,
and hazel appear to be indigenous to the soil. Apples,
pears, cherries, gooseberries, and currants thrive well.
The rocks comprise trap, sienite, limestone, and sand-
stone : there are also indications of coal on some of the
lands, but no mines of any kind have been opened.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £3026.
There are no gentlemen's seats ; but many of the houses
of the principal tenants are substantial buildings, and
some of them elegant. The village of Kyleakin is sepa-
rately described. There is also a small village at Broad-
ford, on the bay of that name : it has an inn, two shops
for the sale of various wares, a smithy, and a corn-mill;
and a post-office is established, which has three deliveries
in the week. Fairs for black-cattle, sheep, and horses
are held annually, at Broadford, about the end of May
and July, and the middle of September. Facility of
communication is maintained by parliamentary roads,
thirty miles of which pass through the parish ; by sta-
tute roads which intersect it in various directions, and
are kept in good repair; and by steam-boats to Glasgow,
which ply weekly during the summer, and every alter-
nate week during the winter. There is a ferry to the
main hind.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Skye and synod of Glenelg.
The minister's stipend is £2/1. 2. 6., with an allow-
ance of £60 in lieu of a manse, and a glebe valued at
ST R A
ST R A
£'20 per annum ; patron, the Crown. The old church,
a very ancient structure, being greatly dilapidated, and
not safe, a church has been lately erected in the village
of Broadford ; it is a substantial and neat structure
containing 600 sittings. There is also a missionary sta-
tion for Scottish Baptists in the parish. The parochial
school affords instruction to about 130 children ; the
master has a salary of £30, with a house, an allowance
of £2. '2. in lieu of garden, and the fees, averaging £10.
Two schools are supported by the General Assembly's
education committee, and the Gaelic Society, respec-
tively ; the master of the former receives a salary of
£2.5, with fees averaging £5, and the master of the latter
a salary of £'20, without any fees. There are remains
of places of worship erected by the Culdees, who lived
in religious seclusion in many of the islands of the He-
brides ; of these, one, at Ashig, is supposed to have
been dedicated to St. Asaph, and near another, at Kil-
bride, is a rude obelisk of granite. On the western
border of the parish are the ruins of seven Danish forts,
forming a chain of stations for the communication of
intelligence by fires lighted on the approach of an enemys
and at the eastern border of the parish are numerous
tumuli, on opening which were found stone coffins rudely
formed, containing urns in which were ashes, and human
bones partly burnt, with some small copper coins. Near
the village of Broadford is a barrow, in which has been
discovered an arched vault, of stone without cement, and
about six or seven feet in height : in this vault were
found, a poli-shed stone of a dark green colour, four
inches in length and two inches and a half in breadth,
perforated with holes in the angles ; and a buckle of
rude workmanship. Great numbers of ancient coins
have been dug up at various times, but so defaced as to
be altogether illegible ; and on the glebe was lately found
a coin of Henry VHI., in a state of high preservation.
STRATHAVEN, a market-town and a burgh of ba-
rony, in the parish of Avondale, Middle ward of the
county of Lanark, 16 miles (S. S. E.) from Glasgow,
and 42 (W. S. W.) from Edinburgh ; containing 385'2
inhabitants. It appears to have derived its origin from
the erection of a castle here by Andrew Stuart, grand-
son of Murdoch, Duke of Albany, to whom James IH.
granted the barony of " Avendale," of which that noble-
man made this place the principal seat. The castle,
whose imposing and venerable ruins occupy the summit
of a rocky eminence rising from the small and beautiful
river Pomilion, appears to have been of great strength,
and accessible only by a drawbridge over that stream,
by which it was entirely encircled. During the usurpa-
tion of Cromwell, Anne, Duchess of Hamilton, to whose
ancestor this barony had been given in exchange, fled
for refuge into the castle, where she continued to reside
till after the Restoration ; but since her death, in 1716,
it has fallen into decay, and at present is only a moul-
dering ruin, adding much, however, by its picturesque
appearance, to the interest of the surrounding scenery.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated on the road from
Edinburgh to Ayr, at the termination of a ridge of rising
grounds, and on the banks of the Pomilion, by which
Strathaven is divided into two nearly equal parts. It
has an aspect of considerable antiquity, more especially
in the immediate vicinity of the castle, which was pro-
bably the earliest portion. The streets in this part of
the town are very narrow and irregularly formed, and
507
the houses mean ; but in that part which is of more
recent erection, the houses are generally neat and com-
modious, and the streets wide and reg\dar. In the en-
virons are some handsome villas, the residence of the
more opulent families. The thoroughfares are lighted
with gas by a company lately formed, consisting of the
principal inhabitants ; and the town is well supplied
with water. The chief manufacture carried on, both in
the town and parish, is weaving ; there are three brew-
eries, and many persons deal extensively in cheese and
cattle, in which more business is transacted here than,
with the exception of Glasgow, in the whole of the rest
of the county. Branches of the Bank of Scotland and
the Union Bank of Scotland are established ; the post
is frequent, and the general trade of the place is much
promoted by the facility of communication with Edin-
burgh, Glasgow, and the principal towns in the neigh-
bourhood. In 1S46, an act was passed authorizing the
construction of a railway of fifteen miles and a quarter
from the Glasgow and Neilston line near Pollockshaws
to Strathaven ; also an act for a branch to Strathaven
from the Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr railway near
Blair. In the following year, an act was obtained for a
branch from the Clydesdale Junction railway to Strat-
haven and Douglas. The market is well supplied with
butchers' meat and every article of dairy-produce ; and
great quantities of veal are sent from this place to Edin-
burgh and Glasgow, where it is in high repute, and ob-
tains a good price. Fairs are held on the first Thurs-
days in January, March, and November, and the last
Thursdays in June and July ; there are also markets
for hiring servants held twice a year, in April and Octo-
ber. The inhabitants had formerly an extensive com-
mon, but within the last few years it has all become
private property. Strathaven was erected into a burgh
of barony in 1-1.50, and is governed by a bailie appointed
by the Duke of Hamilton ; who, however, for some years
has not been resident. Upwards of forty houses, the
brewery of Mr. Vallance, and the large tan-works of
Mr. Semple, were burnt down on November 1st, 1844.
There is a place of worship for members of the Free
Church. — See Avondale.
STRATHBLANE, a parish, in the county of Stir-
ling, 10 miles (N. by W.) from Glasgow ; containing
894 inhabitants. This place derives its name, signifying
in the Gaelic language " the strath of the warm river,"
from the sheltered situation of the vale through which
the river Blane has its course. It formed part of the
possessions obtained from Maldwin, Earl of Lennox, by
David Graham, in exchange for lands that had been
granted by William the Lion to his father, ancestor of
the ducal family of Montrose. The castles of Mugdock
and Duntreath, of the foundation of which little is
known, belong respectively to the families of Montrose
and Edmonstone. Of Mugdock Castle, which appears
to have been strongly fortified, there are still consider-
able remains, consisting of a square tower nearly entire,
with a projecting gateway-turret at one of the angles.
It was defended on the east and north by a lake, which
supplied the fosse whereby the castle was surrounded
on the other sides. Part of the structure is in a state
of complete repair, and was till lately constantly occu-
pied by successive tenants of the Duke of Montrose.
At a distance of about 300 yards from this castle is a
remarkable echo, which distinctly reverberates a sen-
3T2
STR A
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tence of six monosyllables, if uttered in a loud tone ; and
this not till a few seconds after the sentence is com-
pleted. Of the castle of Duntreath, which seems to
have been of the same date, and nearly of equal strength,
the north and east sides of the quadrangle are a heap of
ruins, and the arched gateway that formed the entrance
is completely detached from the rest of the building.
This castle, with the lands attached to it, was early the
property of the Edmonstone family, of whom Sir Wil-
liam, of Culloden, married Lady Mary, daughter of
Robert III., and widow of Sir William Graham, of Kin-
cardine, ancestor of the Earls of Montrose : Sir Archi-
bald Edmonstone, Bart., is the present proprietor of it,
and chief landowner in Strathblane, possessing one-
third of the parish. The neighbourhood of Strathblane
appears to have been tributary to the notorious Rob Roy
AIcGregor, from whose depredations the inhabitants pur-
chased exemption by the payment of stipulated suras, in
proportion to the extent of their properties; and in 17-il
his nephew agreed with certain landowners here to re-
cover their stolen property, if speedily made aware of
their loss, in consideration of their paying him £,5 on
each £100 of valued rent.
The PARISH lies in the south-western part of the
county, and is about five miles in length and four in
breadth, comprising 14,0S0 acres, of which 3350 are
arable, 2000 woodland and plantations, and the remain-
der meadow, pasture, and waste. The surface is diver-
sified with hills. A portion of the Lennox range ex-
tends along the northern boundary, attaining at the
highest point, which is called the Earl's Seat, an eleva-
tion of 1400 feet above the level of the sea. On the
south-west of the vale of Strathblane is the hill of Dun-
goiach, of conical shape, rising to a height of 400 feet,
and clothed with wood to the summit, thus forming a
striking contrast to that of Dunglass, on the north-east,
which, though of nearly equal height, has a rugged and
desolate appearance. The vale intersects the parish
from north-west to south-east, reaching from the vale
of Endrick on the west to the vale of Campsie on the
east. Its surface rises, by gentle undulations, from a
height of about 100 feet at the entrance to an elevation
of 340 feet at the extremity ; and the vale is inclosed
on both sides by low hills covered with verdure, be-
tween which are narrow glens of picturesque aspect.
The whole of this beautiful vale, and the entrance to it
from the south-east, are marked with features of roman-
tic character ; the scenery is enriched with wood of
stately growth and thriving plantations, and studded
with handsome villas and gentlemen's seats. On the
south side of the vale is an expanse of table-land, about
two miles in width, and nearly 400 feet above the level
of the sea, extending across the whole breadth of the
parish, and which was formerly a wild and barren moor,
but is now in a state of profitable cidtivation, producing
favourable crops of grain. The river IJlane has its source
near the Earl's Seat, among the Lennox hills, and taking
a southern direction, falls from several precipitous hills,
and forms a magnificent cataract descending from a
height of seventy feet, called tlie Spout of Balhigan, after
which, diverting its course to the north-west, it flows
through the valley of Strathblane into the Endrick.
There are numerous springs of water, one of which, on
the farm of Ballewan, possesses mineral properties. Of
the several lakes the principal are, Loch Ardiuniug,
508
about sixty acres in extent, but undistinguished by any
peculiarity of features ; Loch Craigallion, containing forty
acres ; Loch Mugdock, twenty-five acres in extent, sur-
rounded with beautiful scenery, among which the ancient
castle forms an interesting object ; Loch Craigmaddie,
of ten acres ; Loch Dumbroch, of the same extent ; and
Loch Carbeth, containing only eight acres. The lakes
abound with pike and perch, and char are also found in
that of Dumbroch. Game of every kind is plentiful ;
black and red grouse frequent the moors, and wild-
ducks, woodcocks, partridges, and pheasants are in abun-
dance.
The SOIL, though various, is generally fertile, and well
adapted for the different crops, which comprise oats,
barley, wheat, beans, turnips, and potatoes, with the
usual grasses. Husbandry is greatly improved, and a
due rotation of crops is carefully observed. The lands
have been well drained, and inclosed with dykes of
stone, and, on some of the farms, with hedges of thorn :
the farm-houses and offices are substantial and commo-
diously arranged, and all the more recent improvements
in the construction of agricultural implements have been
adopted. Great attention is paid to the dairies, the
produce of which is sent to the Glasgow market. The
sheep and cattle are of the several breeds common to
this part of the country ; and a considerable stimulus to
improvement is afforded by an association called the
Farmers' Society, who hold their meetings annually,
and award prizes to the successful competitors. There
are some remains of natural wood, consisting of beech,
alder, hazel, and willow ; and the plantations, which are
very extensive, are of larch, Scotch fir, oak, ash, elm,
beech, Huntingdon willow, Lombardy poplar, and other
kinds of trees. The substrata are of the old red sand-
stone formation, which is chiefly visible in the lower
parts of the parish ; in the hilly parts the sandstone is
in most places covered with trap, in which are found
veins of jasper, and occasionally chalcedony and zeolite.
Limestone and marl occur in some places ; and there is
a quarry of sandstone in operation to a moderate extent.
The annual value of real property in the parish is re-
turned at £5300.
Craigend Castle, the seat of John Smith, Esq., is an
elegant mansion, erected in 181'2, and beautifully situ-
ated: Carbeth, erected in ISIO, is also a handsome
mansion ; and Leddiegreen and Ballagan are both good
houses on pleasant sites. In the garden of Ballagan is
a yew-tree in full vigour, and presenting a fine appear-
ance, supposed to be five centuries old. There is no
village in the parish, properly so called ; but three de-
tached hamlets have been formed, consisting of a few
houses. Some works for the printing of calico have
been established at Blancfield, which are thriving, and
occupy a considerable number of the ijopulation ; there
is likewise a blcachfield at Dumbroch, where upwards of
sixty people are employed. The nearest market-town
is Glasgow, with which there is facility of communica-
tion by two turnpike-roads from that city, one leading
to Drynien, and the other to Balfron, and both passing
through the parish : a post-ollice has been established
here under that of (ilasgow. The roads are excellent,
and well adapted for easy intercourse. A fair for cattle
is held annually, about the middle of November, but it
is not well attended. For ecclesiastical purposes this
parish is within the bouuda of the presbytery of Dum-
ST R A
STR A
barton, synod of Glasgow and Ayr. The minister's sti-
pend is £231. 16. 5., with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £16 per annum ; patron, the Duke of Montrose. The
present church, erected in 1803, is a handsome struc-
ture in the later English style of architecture, and con-
tains 450 sittings : the remains of Lady Mary, daughter
of Robert III., were interred in the family vault beneath
the old church. Strathblaue parochial school affords
instruction to about thirty children ; the master has a
salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and the
fees. A parochial library was established in 1817, and
now forms a collection of 700 volumes ; a Bible society
was established in 1813, and a missionary society in
IS^S. There is a fund for the poor, of £400, the amount
of various charitable bequests. To the south-east of the
hill of Dungoiach are six erect stones, varying in height;
the highest is about six feet from the surface : nothing
of their history has transpired. Under the surface of
the moss at Craigend a small inclosure formed with
stakes of wood was discovered, in ISOO ; but for what
purpose it was intended, is unknown. There seemed to
have been originally an entrance from the west ; and a
few pieces of wood indicated that the inclosure had been
roofed. It was probably a place of shelter. The Duke
of Montrose takes the inferior title of Baron Mugdock
from this parish: the family at one time resided at Mug-
dock Castle, and the great Marquess of Montrose was
born there, being the last of the family who was born
in the castle.
STRATH BUNCO, a village, in the parish of Govan,
Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 2 miles (S.)
from the city of Glasgow ; containing 491 inhabitants.
This village is situated in the south-east angle of that
portion of the parish which extends into Renfrewshire,
the greater part of the parish being in the county of
Lanark. It is built upon both sides of the high road
from Glasgow to Neilston, and may be considered as a
suburb of the city, in the manufactures of which a con-
siderable number of the population is employed. A neat
chapel has been erected in the village.
STRATHCONON, county Ross.— See Carnoch.
STRATH-DIGHTY, in the county of Forfar.— See
Mains.
STRATHDON, or Invernochty, a parish, in the
district of Alford, county of Aberdeen, 19 miles (W.
by S.) from Alford ; containing 1563 inhabitants. This
parish, originally called Invernochty, derived that name
from the position of its church near the influx of the
river Nochty into the Don ; and its present appellation,
from its extensive and beautiful strath, or valley, through
which the river Don takes a winding course, dividing the
parish into two nearly equal parts. The lands appear
to have been held by the Earls of Mar as superiors ; and
it is said that the castle of Curgarff, in the parish, was
erected by one of them as a hunting-seat. In the feuds
between the Gordons and the Forbeses, the castle was
burned down in 15*1 by Adam Gordon; and Margaret
Campbell (daughter of Campbell of Calder), then big
with child, with her children and servants, to the num-
ber of twenty-seven pursons, perished in the flames.
The castle was subsequently rebuilt. It was purchased
by government from Mr. Forbes of Skellater, in 1746,
and was for some years occupied as barracks, under the
garrison of Fort-George, by a detachment of twenty
men. From 1827 to 1831 a captain, with a subaltern
509
and sixty men, was stationed in it to support the civil
authorities in their determination to suppress the prac-
tice of snmggling, which at that period was carried on
to a great extent ; but it has not since been occupied by
any military.
The rAiiisH, which constitutes the western extremity
of the county, is about twenty-three miles in length, and
varies from three to eight miles in breadth ; compris-
ing, according to computation, an area of 70,000 acres,
of which nearly 5000 are arable, 4000 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder hill pasture and waste.
The form of the parish is extremely irregular, from the
portions of adjoining parishes with which it is in several
places indented. Its surface is strikingly diversified,
presenting in fine contrast a considerable extent of level
and fertile vale, and large tracts of mountainous eleva-
tion, combining all the varieties of wild and rugged
Highland scenery. The valley of the Don, along which
that river flows from west to east, is intersected nearly
at right angles with several sequestered glens, watered
by rivulets descending from the mountains between
which they are inclosed. Some of the glens are finely
wooded with natural birch, whilst the mountains are
covered with heath to their very summits. The highest
mountains are, Morven, contiguous to the southern
boundary of the parish, and which has an elevation of
2880 feet above the level of the sea 5 Scroulach, 2700
feet iu height, resting towards the west on the Gfaschill,
over which passes the military road by Curgarff Castle
to Fort- George ; Cairnmore and Ben-Newe, each 1800
feet high ; and Lonach, which has an elevation of 1200
feet. On the summit of Cairnmore, which rests on Lo-
nach, is a cairn, erected by the tenantry in 1823 to the
late Sir Charles Forbes, in commemoration of his being
raised to the rank of baronet. The river Don has its
source in this parish, on the confines of the county of
Banff, and taking an eastern direction, receives in its
course numerous streams from the mountains; it runs be-
tween banks exhibiting much romantic beauty, and falls
into the sea about two miles to the north of Aberdeen.
Among the tributaries of the Don are the Cunry, the
Ernan, the Carvy, the Nochty, the Deskry, and the
Kindy, all of which take their rise in the parish, and
flow through the several glens to which they respectively
give name. The Don and its tributaries abound with
trout, which, though small, are of fine flavour ; and
salmon are occasionally found in the Don, but not in
any considerable number. There are springs of water
in various parts of the parish, some of which are more
or less chalybeate ; but they have not been analysed,
and their properties are but little known.
On the arable lands the sou, is mostly a deep loam,
in some places alternated with gravel : the lower accli-
vities of the hills are especially fertile. There are
large peat-mosses on the summits of the hills, and some
of them are of great depth : portions of the trunks of
fir-trees are dug out, which, when dried and split into
strips, are still occasionally used instead of candles. The
corn crops are oats, a small quantity of barley, and con-
siderable quantities of bear ; turnips are cultivated to a
great extent, and potatoes are also grown, but owing to
the injury to which they are exposed from the early
frosts, the latter are raised for home consumption only.
Husbandry is improved: the lands have been well drained
and inclosed ; and where requisite, embankments have
ST R A
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been formed to protect them from the inundations of
the river Don, to which they were much exposed. The
farm-houses are generally of a superior description,
built of stone, and roofed with slate ; and the offices are
well arranged. On several of the farms are threshing-
mills driven by water, and on one a mill driven by
horses. There are also three mills for grinding meal.
The cattle, about 2200 of which are kept in the
parish, are of the Aberdeenshire breed, with a few of
a mixed breed between the Ross-shire and the West
Highland ; and the sheep, of which nearly 9000 are
pastured on the hills, are all of the black-faced breed.
No horses are reared, except for purposes of husbandry.
The agricultural produce beyond what is requisite for
the supply of the inhabitants, and also the fat-cattle,
are sent to Aberdeen ; from which port, since the faci-
lities of steam navigation have been rendered available,
much live-stock is forwarded to London. The planta-
tions have been greatly extended within the last thirty
or forty years ; they consist of Scotch fir and larch, for
which the soil seems peculiarly adapted, ash, elm, plane,
and other kinds of trees. Around the houses of the prin-
cipal proprietors are some good specimens of timber. The
prevailing rock is sienite, generally of a granitic appear-
ance. Limestone, which is abundant, is extensively
quarried, and is burnt into lime with peats and occasion-
ally a little coal ; all the limestone rocks lie on the north
side of the Don, with the exception of one near Boil-
handy, and the quality of the lime is excellent. A quarry
of coarse slate was formerly wrought. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £4228.
Newe, the seat of Sir Charles Forbes, erected in 1831,
is a spacious mansion of Kildrummy freestone, in the
old manorial style ; it is situated on the north bank of
the Don. and embellished with thriving plantations. The
present house, with which the old mansion was incor-
porated, contains splendid suites of apartments, and is
ornamented with a noble portico of elegant design.
Candacraig House, the residence of Robert Anderson,
Esq., is a handsome mansion in the Elizabethan style,
built in 1834, of granite discovered in the immediate
vicinity ; and is pleasantly situated in grounds richly
wooded. Inverernan, belonging to Mrs. Forbes, is a
villa partaking of the Italian style, near the confluence
of the Ernan and the Don. The house of Auchernach,
erected by General Forbes in 1809, is also a commodious
residence. Glen-Kindy, the property of Sir Alexander
Leith ; Bellabeg, situated near the influx of the Nochty
into the Don ; EdJTiglassie ; and Skellater, are all man-
sions of old date. There is no village in the parish,
unless a few cottages at Heugh-Head, not exceeding ten
in number, may be so called ; nor is there any manu-
factory, except at Glen-Kindy, where is a mill for spin-
ning woollen yarn. In the weaving of blankets and
plaidings, from six to eight persons are employed. A
post-oflice, under that of Aberdeen, has a daily delivery;
and fairs for cattle, one of which is also for the sale of
meal and fodder, are held five times a year, the principal
fair being on the third Friday in August. Facility of
communication is maintained by the turnpike-road from
Aberdeen, which passes for eighteen miles through the
parish, and terminates at Curgartf ; by cross roads that
intersect it in various directions ; and by three good
bridges over the Don, and bridges across the other
streams, one of which, over the Nochty, is of cast-iron.
510
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Alford and synod of Aber-
deen. The minister's stipend, including a commutation
of £17. 12. for peats, is about £210 ; with an excellent
manse, and a glebe valued at £2. 12. 6. per annum :
patron, the Crown. The church was rebuilt in 17.57,
and reseated and repaired in 1808; it is a substantial
structure containing 504 sittings. A missionary station
has been for more than a century supported at Curgarff
by the Royal Bounty, from which the minister receives
a stipend of £63 per annum : he has also a croft, a
right of pasture, and fuel. A church, with a manse and
offices, was erected for this district in 1834, by the late
Sir Charles Forbes, at a cost of £1100 ; the church is a
handsome structure, and affords ample accommodation
for the inhabitants. There is also a small Roman Ca-
tholic chapel at Curgarff. The parochial school gives
instruction to nearly 100 children ; the master has a
salary of £28, with a house, an allowance of £2 in lieu
of garden, and the fees. A new parochial school-house
on the approved modern plan, with a dwelling-house for
the master, was built in 1838 by the heritors. Three
schools are supported by the Society for the Propagation
of Christian Knowledge, who allow the masters salaries
of £15 each, with a dwelling-house, in addition to the
fees; and in 1832, the late Sir Charles Forbes built a
school-house and dwelling for the teacher at Curgarff.
The late John Forbes, Esq., of Newe, bequeathed £500,
and Miss Forbes, of Bellabeg, £100, for the benefit of
the poor.
The ruins of several ancient castles are to be seen
■within the parish. Near the confluence of the Nochty
within the Don, is an abruptly conical mound called the
Doune of Nochty, of elliptical form, 970 feet in circum-
ference at the base, and 560 at the summit, and about
sixty feet in height. This mound has been surrounded
with a ditch twenty-si.\ feet wide and sixteen deep ; and
around the summit are still to be traced the foundations
of buildings. According to tradition, it was the site of
the ancient church. Numerous subterraneous buildings
occur in this part of the county, five of which have been
discovered in this parish ; they are here called " Eirde
houses", are constructed of loose stones placed together
in irregularly circular form, and contract in diameter
towards the roof, which is of flat stones. In IS22, two
ancient rings and several hundred silver coins were
found in digging for a dyke. One of the rings was of
gold, with a sapphire stone of deep colour, and the
other of iron, gilt, and mounted with a pale sapphire.
Some of the coins were of the reign of Henry III. of
England, two of King John, and the others of William
the Lion of Scotland.
STRATHFILLAN, for a time a quoad sacra parish,
partly in the parish of Glknorciiy, district of Lorn,
county of Argyll, but chiefly in the parish of Killin,
county of Perth, 14 miles (W. by S.) from Killin ;
containing, with the village of Clifton, 735 inhabitants,
of whom 247 are in the county of Argyll, and 488 in
the county of Perth. This place, for ecclesiastical pur-
poses, was separated from the parishes of Killin and
(ilcnortliy under act of the General Assembly, in 1836.
It a])pears to have derived its name from a priory
founded here by King Robert Bruce, and dedicated
to St. I'illan, in gratitude for his victory in the battle
of Bannockburn. The establishment was for canons
STR A
S T R A
regular of the order of St. Augustine, and continued to
flourish under a regular succession of priors till the
Dissolution, when its revenues and site were granted to
the Campbells, ancestors of the Marquess of Breadal-
bane. Of the building, which seems to have been 120
feet in length and twenty-two feet in breadth, there are
still some portions of the walls remaining ; and near
the site is a deep pool called the Holy Pool, in which
it was the practice in ancient times to dip persons
afflicted with insanity. The patients on these occasions,
after immersion in the pool, were left bound during the
night in a part of the church designated St. Fillan's
chapel ; and if they were found loose on the following
morning, the cure was deemed to be complete. A stone
called St. Fillan's Chair, and several small round stones,
each of which was supposed to have been consecrated
by the saint, and endowed with the power of curing
some particular disease, were long preserved at the mill
of Killin ; and five of the stones are still kept there
for the inspection of the curious. The strath to which
the priory gave name forms an interesting portion of
the Highland district of Breadalbane, and is situated on
the north of Loch Dochart ; it is rather a pastoral than
an agricultural district, and in its various features par-
takes of the general character of the parish of Killin.
Glenure House, the summer residence of Thomas Her-
bert Place, Esq., is a handsome modern mansion, situated
in grounds tastefully laid out, embellished with thriving
plantations, and comprehending much picturesque and
romantic scenery. The Marquess of Breadalbane has
lately built a handsome cottage on the banks of Loch
Tulla, in the vicinity of his deer-forest ; the grounds
are laid out with much taste, and ornamented with
promising plantations. His lordship resides here gene-
rally for two months in the year, during the hunting
season. The village of Clifton, near which is a mine of
lead-ore in operation, stands not far from the western
extremity of the strath. A church was endowed by Lady
Glenorchy with funds now producing an income of £60:
the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge
were patrons. This church, with the manse and other
accommodations, was claimed on legal grounds by Lord
Breadalbane, and placed in connexion with the Free
Church of Scotland, in consequence of the adherence of
nearly all the people to that Church.
STRATHKINNESS, a village, in the parish and
district of St. Andrew's, county of Fife, 2| miles (VV.)
from the city of St. Andrew's ; containing 490 inhabit-
ants. This place is situated a little north of the high
road from St. Andrew's to Cupar ; and the vicinity is
remarkable as the scene of the murder of Archbishop
Sharp, who was assassinated by some Covenanters on
Magus moor, a short distance south of the village, on
the 3rd of May, 1679. There is a place of worship for
members of the Free Church.
STRATHMARTINE, county Forfar.— See Mains.
STRATHMIGLO, an ancient burgh of barony and
a parish, in the district of Cupar, county of Fife, 2
miles (W. by S.) from Auchtermuchty ; containing, with
the hamlets of Westercash, Edenshead, and Burnside,
2187 inhabitants, of whom 1304 are in the town or vil-
lage of Strathmiglo. This place derives its name from
the river Miglo, which, flowing through the parish, di-
vides it into two nearly equal portions, and afterwards
assumes the name of the Eden, The lands anciently
511
formed part of the demesnes of the crown, and were
granted by Malcolm IV., in marriage with his niece, to
Duncan, Earl of Fife, whose descendants, in 12.51, gave
them to the family of Scott of Balwearie, in whose pos-
session they remained for many years. The estate was
erected into a burgh of barony in 1600, and its privi-
leges as such were confirmed by charter of James VL,
in 160.5. The superiority of the burgh in 1730 became
the property of the Balfours of Burleigh, whose armorial
bearings are placed on the front of the town-house,
which was built with the materials of the old castle of
Cairneyflappet, or Strathmiglo, granted for that purpose
to the burgesses by Margaret Balfour, then superior of
the barony. After the rebellion in 1745, and the con-
sequent abolition of heritable jurisdictions, in 1748, the
burgh lost its privileges. The lands are divided among
various proprietors, of whom P. G. Skene, Esq., of Pitlour
House, is the principal.
The PARISH is bounded on the south by the Lomond
hill, and on the north by a branch of the Ochils. It is
about six miles in length, and varies from two to four
miles in breadth ; comprising an area of 5000 acres, of
which 350 are woodland and plantations, 600 meadow
and pasture, and the remainder arable. The surface is
partly level and partly hilly, rising on both sides of the
river by gentle acclivities ; on the south to the Lomond
range, which has an elevation of I7OO feet above the
sea ; and on the north to a ridge of inconsiderable emi-
nence, forming a continuation of the Ochil range. The
Miglo has its source in two small streams, one at the
north-west, and the other at the south-west, angle of the
parish : these, uniting in the valley of Strathmiglo, form
the river Eden. On the south side of the river the soil is
light and thin, but on the north side deeper, and of richer
quality, chiefly a fertile loam ; the crops are, grain of all
kinds, turnips, potatoes, and the various grasses. Agri-
culture is improved, and according to the nature of the
land, the four or the six rotation is adopted : the farm-
buildings are substantial and commodiously arranged,
and on most of the farms are threshing-mills, several of
which are driven by water. The substrata are mainly
sandstone and whinstone ; and on the side of Lomond
hill is found white freestone, of very durable texture,
and susceptible of a high polish. Pitlour House is a
handsome mansion, situated on an eminence overlooking
the town, in grounds tastefully laid out.
The town is pleasantly seated in a fine plain on the
north side of the Miglo, and consists chiefly of one
irregularly built street, from which several smaller
streets and lanes diverge at right angles : in the centre
of the principal street is the town-house, a good build-
ing, with a square tower surmounted by a spire. On
the opposite side of the river stands the small village of
Westercash, and between it and the town is a level
meadow called the Town green. The chief business car-
ried on by the inhabitants is the weaving of linen : there
is a bleachfield ; and the river in its course gives motion
to several corn and flour mills, a lint-mill, and a mill
for spinning flax. The articles woven are diaper,
damask, dowlas, checks, table-linens, &c., in the pro-
duction of which from 500 to 600 persons are employed
at hand-looms, almost exclusively for resident manu-
facturers. There is a post-office in the town, subordinate
to that of Kinross ; and facility of communication is
afforded by roads kept in excellent repair. Fairs, chiefly
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for pleasure and for general traffic, are held on the last
Friday in June and the first Friday in November. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £9330.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Cupar and synod of Fife.
The minister's stipend is about £"250, with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £12 per annum : patron, the Earl of
Mansfield. Strathmiglo church, which was collegiate,
belonged to the abbey of Dunlield. The present church
is a plain edifice erected about the year 1785, and con-
tains 7.50 sittings. There are also places of worship for
members of the Free Church, Reformed Presbyterians,
and the United Presbyterian Synod. The parochial
school affords instruction to about eighty children ; the
master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and
garden, and the fees. The schoolroom has been en-
larged by the heritors, and will now accommodate 150
children ; a play-ground also, has been purchased by
subscription. A female school has been built by Mr.
Skene, who pays the teacher a salary of £10 ; and three
other schools are supported by subscriptions and dona-
tions. The poor have the interest of a bequest of money,
yielding £10, and the rent of land, £19 per annum.
Tliere are some remains of what are supposed to have
been Druidical monuments ; also numerous barrows and
tumuli in the parish ; and human bones, ashes, and
various military weapons, have been found at different
times. The famous battle of Mons Grampius, between
the Romans under Agricola and the Caledonians under
Galgacus, is thought to have been fought here.
STRATHY, for a time a quoad sacra district or pa-
rish, in the parish of Farr, county of Sutherland, 9
miles (E. by N.) from the church of Farr; containing
880 inhabitants. This district was formed of the eastern
part of the parish, extending to the north coast of the
county, and is of considerable length. It is watered by
the river Strathy, a stream issuing from Loch Strathy,
and which, after a course of about fifteen miles, falls
into a bay of the same name, at the head of which is the
village : the promontory, of Strathy point forms the
western shore of the bay. The coast-road from Thurso
to the Kyle of Tongue runs through the village, the
population of which are chiefly 6shermen. Strathy is
within the presbytery of Tongue, synod of Sutherland
and Caithness, and the patronage is in the Crown : the
stipend of the minister is £120. The church, situated in
the village, and built in 1826, affords accommodation to
350 persons. There is a school, the master of which
has a salary of £25, with about £4 in lieu of fees.
STRATHYRE, a village, in the parish of Balquhid-
DER, county of Perth ; containing 135 inhabitants.
This is a small place, lying in Strathyre, the name of
which, in the Gaelic language, signifies the " warm
strath". It stands on the turnpike-road leading from
Stirling to Fort-William, and is one of two villages in
the parish, the other being Lochearnhead, on the same
line of road, and near the western entrance of Loch
Earn.
STRELITZ, a village, in the parish of Car(;ill,
county of Perth, 3 miles (S. W. by S.) from Cupar-
Angus. This village was built in 1763, as a place of
residence for discharged soldiers at the conclusion of
the German war ; and had its name in honour of Her
Majesty Queen Charlotte, consort of George III. Shortly
after its erection it consisted of upwards of eighty neat
512
houses, forming a street ninety feet broad, watered in
the m ddle by a stream. To every house was originally
annexed a good garden, with about three acres of land,
well inclosed ; and the whole village was sheltered by
stripes of plantation.
STRICKEN, a parish, in the district of Buchan,
county of Aberdeen ; containing, with the two villages
of New Leeds, and Strichen or Mormond, 2012 inha-
bitants, of whom 681 are in the village of Strichen, 15
miles (W. N. W.) from Peterhead. This place, the name
of which is supposed to be a corruption of .Struth Ion,
or " the strath of John ", consists of portions of land
severed from the adjacent parishes of Rathen and Fraser-
burgh, and erected into a separate parish, by act of the
General Assembly in the seventeenth century. Towards'
the close of the si.xteenth century, the lands of Strichen
became the property of a branch of the ancient family of
Eraser of the county of Inverness, Lords Lovat ; and
they have continued in the uninterrupted possession of
the family until the present time. Even the Lovat
estate, forfeited by rebellion, was restored to the family
in the person of General Eraser, Lord Lovat's son, on
account of his loyalty, and entailed by him. In 1815
the Strichen branch succeeded to the property in Inver-
ness, thus uniting the two houses of Lovat and Strichen ;
and the title of Baron Lovat, which still remained under
forfeiture, was restored by his late Majesty William IV.,
on petition of Thomas Alexander Eraser, who was created
Lord Lovat on the 28th of January, 1837, and who is
sole proprietor of the parish, with the exception of the
small estate of Mill of Adiel.
The PARISH is about seven miles in extreme length,
and varies from two to three miles in breadth, comprising
nearly 10,500 acres, of vihich 6300 are arable, 450 wood-
land and plantations, and the remainder moorland pas-
ture, moss, and waste. Its surface is pleasingly diver-
sified, in some parts ascending gradually from the banks
of the water of Strichen, and in others rising into hills
of various height, the most conspicuous being the hill of
Mormond, elevated more than 800 feet above the level
of the sea. This hill, which is on the north-eastern
boundary of the parish, is of conical form, constituting
a good landmark to vessels navigating the Moray Firth ;
and was selected as one of the stations for carrying on
the trigonometrical survey of Scotland. The only stream
of any importance is the water of Strichen, or the North
Ugie, which flows through the parish from west to east,
dividing it into two nearly equal parts. It forms a con-
fluence with the South Ugie about six miles below the
village, and falls into the sea at Inverugie, near Peter-
head. The river abounds with trout and eels, affording
excellent sport to the angler, and was formerly frequented
by otters, of which great numbers were taken ; but few
are now to be seen in its waters, and the breed appears
to be nearly extinct.
The soil is exceedingly various, in some few spots
luxuriantly fertile, but generally of very inferior quality :
in many places are large tracts of moss, supplying only
peat fur fuel. Among tlie crops are oats and potatoes ;
flax was formerly much cultivated for the neighbouring
works, and since the introduction of bone-dust for
manure, large crops of turnips have been raised. The
system of husbandry is improved, and a due rotation
of crops for the most part observed ; the farms are
generally of very moderate extent, and there are nuraer-
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ous small holdings. There is nothing peculiar in the
agricultural produce of the parish. The moorlands aflFord
tolerable pasture for cattle, and great attention is paid
to the improvement of the breed. The plantations con-
sist chiefly of firs, interspersed with other kinds of trees,
and are in a thriving state ; there are some remains of
natural wood, and, in the grounds of Strichen House,
some fine specimens of timber. Limestone used to be
largely quarried, for the burning of which for manure
the abundance of peat in the mosses afforded great
facility ; but from the indifference of its quality the
quarries have been discontinued. Granite, of an excel-
lent description for building, is found ; and from the
quarries were raised the materials for the erection of
Strichen House and most of the houses in the village.
Strichen House, one of the seats of Lord Lovat, is a
spacious and elegant mansion erected in 1821, and situ-
ated in an ample demesne tastefully laid out, and em-
bellished with some venerable yew-trees more than a
hundred years old, and with thriving plantations.
The village of Strichen is pleasantly situated nearly
in the centre of the parish ; it is well built, and con-
tains some good houses. A town-house, a substantial
structure with a spire, was erected at a cost of £2000,
in 1816, by Mrs. Fraser, of Strichen House, during the
minority of her son, the present Lord Lovat. The in-
habitants are chiefly employed in the linen-manufacture,
which is carried on to a considerable extent. A branch
of the North of Scotland Banking Company's establish-
ment has been opened in the village, and also a savings'
bank, in which are deposits amounting to more than
£1000. A library, a Masonic lodge, and a lodge of Odd
Fellows, are kept up ; there are some good inns, and a
friendly society for the benefit of aged men and widows.
Fairs, chiefly for cattle and horses, are held on the first
Tuesday in January ; the Tuesday after the 4th of
March; and the Wednesdays after the 19th of May
and August, and after the 12th of July and November.
The post-office has a daily delivery, imder Aberdeen.
Facility of communication is maintained by the turn-
pike-road from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh, which passes
through the east of the parish, within three miles of the
village ; by the turnpike-road from Peterhead to Banff,
which passes through the village ; and by statute roads
in various directions. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £4685. Ecclesiastically this place
is within the limits of the presbytery of Deer and synod
of Aberdeen. The minister's stipend is £158. 7- 8., of
which more than one-third part is paid from the ex-
chequer ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £6 per
annum ; patron. Lord Lovat. Strichen church being
in a state of decay, and also much too small for the
accommodation of the parishioners, was taken down,
and the present church erected in 1799 ; it is a neat sub-
stantial structure containing about 900 sittings. There
are places of worship for dissenters. The parochial
school affords a good course of instruction : the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and
the fees ; also a share of the Dick bequest. A Sabbath
school is held in the town-house, and attended by 120
children.
STRICKATHROW, a parish, in the county of For-
far, 5 miles (N. by E.) from Brechin ; containing 553
inhabitants. This place comprehends the two ancient
parishes of Strickathrow, which originally formed the
Vol. H.— 513
prebend of the chantorship in the cathedral church of
Brechin, and Dunlappie, which was united to the former
in 1612, by act of the General Assembly. Strickathrow
is siqjposed to have derived its name (anciently Strath-
Calh-Ra, and signifying in the Celtic language "the
valley in which the king fought") from a battle that
took place here in 1130, between the army of David I.,
King of Scotland, and the forces of Angus, Earl of
Moray. The name of the latter parish, a compound of
Dun, "a hill" and Luppie, " water", is minutely descrip-
tive of the appearance of its surface ; the north-western
portion is occupied by the hill of Lundic, near the base
of which flows the river Westwater, and the lower lands
are also traversed by numerous other streams. No
events of importance are authentically recorded : accord-
ing to tradition, the churchyard of Strickathrow was the
scene of the surrender of the crown and sovereignty of
Scotland, by John Baliol, to Edward L of England, in
1296.
The PARISH is bounded on tlie west, north, and north-
east by the river Westwater, which separates it from the
parishes of Lethnot and Edzell. It is nearly seven miles
in length and one mile and a half in breadth, comprising
5440 acres, of which 3100 are arable, 1540 meadow and
pasture, and 490 woodland and plantations. The sur-
face is greatly diversified. In the south-east is an ex-
tensive tract of table-land, having an elevation of 400
feet above the vale of Strathmore, and commanding a
fine view of the strath for thirty miles in length and
almost ten miles in breadth : in front is seen the
entrance of Glen-Esk, with Mount Battock in the back-
ground, 2000 feet above the level of the sea ; and in
the nearer view rise the Caterthuns and others of the
Grampian range. In the central portion of the parish
the ground is low and tolerably level ; but towards the
north-west boundary, it rises into considerable elevation
in the hill of Lundie, already referred to, and others of
inferior height. The scenery is varied, and at many
points, enriched with plantations, is pleasingly pictu-
resque. The Westwater, after flowing for some miles
along the boundary of the parish, falls into the North
Esk, which appears to have formerly bounded Stricka-
throw on the north, but which now intersects it for nearly
a mile. The Cruik, a small stream in summer, but in
winter, and after continued rains, an impetuous torrent,
winds through the parish in a north-eastern direction,
and flows into the North Esk near the church. There
are various smaller streams. The Cruik abounds with
trout ; and in the North Esk are found salmon, of
which a fishery used to produce to the proprietor a
rental of £25.
In this district the soil is various, but consists for the
most part of a black loam, of moderate fertility, on a
subsoil of cold retentive clay, or hard gravelly till. The
crops raised comprise grain of all kinds, with potatoes,
turnips, and the usual grasses. Husbandry is greatly im-
proved, and regard is paid to a due rotation of crops ; tile-
draining has been partially introduced, and much waste
land has been brought into profitable cultivation. Bone-
dust has been for some time used with success in the
growth of turnips, and guano and other sorts of manure
have been employed of late. In general the farms vary
from sixty to 400 acres in extent, but there are several
small crofts, none of which exceed eight acres ; the farm-
houses are substantial and commodious. The lands have
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been in some degree inclosed, and all the more recent im-
provements in the construction of agricultural imple-
ments have been adopted. The cattle reared are of the
native Angus breed ; horses are bred for purposes of
husbandry, and sheep and swine fed for the neighbouring
markets. In this parish the plantations, which have
been greatly increased, and are generally in a flourishing
state, consist of ash, hme, beech, and the various kinds
of firs : the beech, for which the soil appears well adapted,
is the most prevalent, and there are some fine specimens
of ash, lime, and American spruce-fir. There are strata
of limestone and red sandstone, which latter is of durable
texture when taken at a considerable depth.' The lime-
stone was formerly worked to a large extent, and the
quarries yielded to the proprietor a net profit of £500
per annum ; but they have lately become impracticable for
want of efficient means for draining off the water. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £3809.
The chief residences are, Stracathro House, an elegant
mansion in the Grecian style of architecture, beautifully
situated in grounds tastefully embellished, and command-
ing extensive and finely varied prospects ; Auchenreoch,
a substantial modern structure ; and Newton Mill, an
old mansion in a sweet situation, belonging to the heirs
of the last baronet of the ancient family of Ogilvy of
Barras. The only approximation to a village is a cluster
of about ten or twelve houses called Inchbare, irregularly
built, and mostly occupied by persons employed in the
necessary handicraft trades. Facility of communication
is afforded by the old and new turnpike roads from
Aberdeen to Perth, which pass for two miles through
the parish ; and by roads kept in repair by statute
labour. Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds
of the presbytery of Brechin and synod of Angus and
Mearns. The minister's stipend is about £1*5, with a
manse, and the glebes of Strickathrow and Dunlappie,
valued together at £16. 10. per annum; patrons, the
Crown and the Earl of Kintore. The church, erected in
1791, and lately repaired, is a handsome structure in the
later English style of architecture, containing 360 sittings.
The parochial school affords instruction to about si.vty
children ; the master has a salary of £30, with a house
and garden, and the school fees. A parochial library
containing about 300 volumes is supported by subscrip-
tion. On the farm of Ballownie was discovered, not
long since, in a circular mound forty yards in diameter
and about nine feet high, a square box formed of stones
placed edgewise, containing human bones in a very de-
composed state, among which were three arrow-heads of
flint. Numerous stone collins, none of which, however,
exceeded four feet in length, were dug up lately near the
church ; and near the mound just noticed, and on the
hill of Strickathrow, are conical mounds which, from
their commanding situation, appear to have been signal
posts. The Right Hon. George Rose, president of the
Board of Trade, and treasurer of the navy, during the
administrations of Mr. Pitt and Lord Greuville, was a
native of this parish, of which his father, an episcopal
clergyinan, was for many years a resident ; he was born
in 17-t4, and died in 181,S.
STROMA, an island, in the parish of Canisbay,
county of Caitiinkss ; containing 186 inhabitants.
This island lies in the Pentland Firth, about three miles
from the coast of Caithness, and is al)out a mile in
length and half a mile in breadth. The rocks on the
514
west side are of considerable elevation : the height of the
waves that beat against them during storms from the
westward, exceeds all ordinary description ; and though
the soil is fertile, the crops are frequently injured in
tempestuous weather by the spray from the sea, which
dashes over the rocks with inconceivable fury. In the
caverns of the island were formerly to be seen several
human bodies in a state of great preservation, though
they had lain there between sixty and eighty years.
There are ruins of an old castle, and also of an an-
cient chapel. The property of the isle was once disputed
by the Earls of Orkney and Caithness, who, instead of
having recourse to the sword or to the laws for the
determination of their quarrel, agreed to a simple and
curious mode of deciding it. Venomous animals, it
appears, do not exist in Orkney, and quickly die when
transported to the islands ; on this occasion some were
brought to Stroma, and as they continued to live, the
island was adjudged to belong to Caithness.
STROMAY, an isle, in the parish of Harris, county
of Inverness. It is one of the Hebrides, lying in the
sound of Harris, among a group of smaller isles, and a
short distance from the coast of North Uist. Stromay
is about a mile in length, of very irregular shape, and
much indented, particularly on the eastern side. The
inlet called Loch Mhiefail is formed by the projecting
shore of Uist on the west, and by Stromay on the east.
The isle is uninhabited.
STROMNESS, a sea-port town, a burgh of barony,
and parish, in the county of Orkney, 14 miles (\V. by
S.) from Kirkwall ; containing 27S5 inhabitants, of
whom 2057 are in the town. This parish derives its
name from a point of land at its southern extremity,
projecting into the sound of Hoy, and which, by afford-
ing shelter from the west winds, forms a safe and com-
modious harbour. The town, originally a small fishing-
hamlet consisting of a few scattered huts, was dependent
on the royal burgh of Kirkwall till the year 1754, when,
on an appeal to the court of session, and the judgment
of that court confirmed by the house of lords, it was
emancipated from all future contributions and depend-
ence. Though possessing a situation admirably adapted
for the erection of a handsome town, it consists mainly
of an irregularly formed street nearly a mile in length,
of a semicircular direction, and in some parts very nar-
row. The houses, many of which are built closely con-
tiguous to tlie sea, are not in general of a prepossessing
appearance, being seemingly erected more with regard to
facility of connexion with the harbour than to any uni-
formity of i)lan. However, there are several good houses
in the town, as well as excellent inns for the accommo-
dation of travellers. A public library was established in
1S20; it is well supported by subscriptions of seven
shillings per annum, and forms a valuable collection of
standard works. A society for promoting the study of
natural history was soon after established, and has been
liberally encouraged; the museum contains an extensive
collection of natural curiosities both foreign and paro-
chial, with numerous specimens of the various birds
frequenting the Orkney Isles, and the rarest and most
interesting fishes, shells, and fossils found in this part of
the sea and coast.
The manufacture of kelp, at one time carried on to a
great extent, has been very much reduced ; and that of
straw-plat, for which there were several large establish-
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ments, is also greatly limited : it is carried on by the
female part of the population at their own dwellings.
There are many well-stored shops for supplying the
town and neighbourhood with the various articles of
merchandise required ; but the principal support of the
town arises from its shipping, its fisheries, and the
numerous vessels which call for provisions, or are driven
in to take shelter in its harbour, accessible at all times
to ships of the largest burthen. The various piers on
the bay are commodious, and well adapted to their pur-
poses. The harbour is nearly a mile in length, of con-
siderable breadth, and has a depth of water at the piers,
during spring tides, of nearly twenty-four feet. A patent
slip has been constructed at the south extremity of the
town, for the repair of vessels that have sustained
damage at sea. Ship-building is carried on at Strom-
ness to some extent ; several fine schooners, sloops, and
brigs have been launched, and also numerous boats to
be employed in the fisheries. The number of vessels
belonging to the port is twenty-three, of the aggregate
burthen of 2132 tons. Some sloops are employed in the
cod and haddock fisheries ; and during the months of
May and June, great c|uantities of lobsters are taken, of
which not less than 12,000are annually sent to theLondon
market by Gravesend smacks, which call here twice a week
during the fishing season for that purpose. An attempt
has been made, and not without the encouraging pros-
pect of success, to establish a station at this place for
the herring-fishery, the accomplishment of which object
will materially add to the prosperity of the town. The
Greenland and Davis' Straits whale-fishing ships gene-
rally receive, as they pass, their complement of men from
the town and neighbouring parishes ; and the Hudson's
Bay Company also receive their annual supply of artisans
and labourers from the same quarter, an intelligent agent
of the company being resident in the town for the pur-
pose of engaging them. There are two trading packets
which sail regularly between this and Leith, and are of
great convenience to the inhabitants. A post runner daily
conveys letters between Stromness and Kirkwall. Fairs
are held in May, September, and November, chiefly for
cattle ; the September fair is the principal, and is well
attended. A considerable number of cattle is shipped
hence for Caithness, and the markets in the south.
The town was made a burgh of barony in the year 1817,
and the government is vested in two bailies and a
council of nine burgesses.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the parish of
Sandwick, on the south by the sound of Hoy, on the
east by the lake of Stenness, and on the west by the
Atlantic Ocean. It is about five miles in length, nearly
four in average breadth, and comprises 8160 acres, of
which I860 are arable, almost 1000 in pasture, and the
remainder undivided common. The surface is diversified
■with hills of various elevation, rising from 100 to 500
feet above the level of the sea ; they are destitute of
wood, and have a bleak and barren aspect, but the many
well-cultivated valleys, and tracts of verdant pasture,
that intervene, relieve the dreariness of the view, and
give the parish on the whole an agreeable and interesting
appearance. The view from the summit of several of
the hills is extensive, embracing the expanse of the At-
lantic, the lofty mountains of Sutherland in the distance,
the picturesque hill of Hoy in the island of the same
name, the beautiful island of Grsemsay and others of the
515
Orkneys, with the sound of Hoy, forming an approach to
the harbour of the town from the west, and on the shore
of which it is in contemplation to erect a lighthouse.
Little progress has as yet been made in agriculture.
The crops are generally oats and bear, with potatoes ;
but scarcely more of the last are raised than suffice for
the use of the inhabitants. The soil is in general good,
and very capable of cultivation, draining and an im-
proved system of husbandry being only required to pro-
duce excellent crops. At almost all seasons of the year,
there is an abundance of seaweed for manure. The chief
minerals are slate and granite. The slate was formerly
wrought more extensively than it is at present, and from
30,000 to 40,000 slates were annually raised : though
well adapted to the climate of Orkney, the slates form a
weighty roof, and have lately been greatly superseded
by those of Easdale and of Wales, which are lighter.
There are no regular quarries of stone ; what is required
for building is generally taken from the sea-shore, where
excellent stone for building purposes is abundant.
Granite was some years ago quarried by a company
formed with that object, and the rock was found to be
of a very superior quality ; the works were discontinued
from want of capital and proper management. Lead-ore
is also to be obtained, and was once wrought, but the
produce was insufficient to reward the adventurers.
Cairston, the property of James R. Pollexfen, Esq., in
the immediate neighbourhood of the town, and com-
manding some fine views, is tastefully laid out, and in a
high state of cultivation ; and the same may be said of
Garson, the property of William Heddle, Esq., also in
the neighbourhood of the town.
For ecclesiastical purposes this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Cairston and synod of
Orkney, the minister's stipend is £158. 6. S., of which
about one-tenth is paid from the exchequer ; with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £12 per annum : patron,
the Earl of Zetland. Stromness church, erected in 1816,
is a large structure with a small spire ; it is situated in
the burgh, and contains upwards of 1200 sittings. There
are places of worship for the United Presbyterian Synod
and the Free Church. The parochial school affords in-
struction in English reading, writing, arithmetic, mathe-
matics, Latin, French, &c. ; the master's salary is £25
per annum. There are other schools, where similar
branches of education are taught. Near the site of the
old church and burying-ground are the remains of some
religious house, of which little is known, but which, from
its name, is supposed to have been a monastery ; and
nearly a mile westward, are the ruins of a house erected
by Graham, one of the bishops of Orkney, above the
door of which are the initials G. G,, vtith the arms of the
see, and the date 1633. There are several ancient tumuli
in the parish ; and in the quarries on the shore have
been found some beautiful specimens of petrified fishes.
Gow, the hero of Tlie Pirate of Sir Walter Scott, and
Torquill, of The Island of Lord Byron, were both natives
of this parish.
STRONFERNAN, a village, in the parish of Ken-
more, county of Perth, 10 miles (S. W.) from Aber-
feldy ; containing 1/8 inhabitants. It is pleasantly
situated on the north bank of the Tay, about a mile
from the church of Fortingal ; and is the largest of the
only three places in the parish, entitled to the name of
village : the smaller villages are Kenmore and Acharn.
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STRONSAY and EDAY, two ancient parishes, in the
county of Orkney, one of them 14 miles (N. E. by E.)
and the other 15 miles (X. N. E.) from Kirkwall ; con-
taining 'Z'Z'g inhabitants, of whom 12fiS are in Stronsay,
and 1011 in Eday. These parishes, which have been
united from a remote period, are named after two of the
Orkney Islands, one of which is supposed to have de-
rived its appellation from the rapidity of the tides that
sweep along its coasts, and the other from the heathy
aspect of its surface. The island of Stronsay, which is
situated to the south-east of the Northern Orkneys, is
bounded on the east by the German Ocean ; on the
west by Stronsay Firth, which separates it from the is-
land of Shapinshay ; and on the north by the sound of
Sanda, which divides it from the island of that name.
It is about seven miles in length, five miles and a half in
extreme breadth, and of very irregular form, its coast
being indented with spacious and long bays, which al-
most subdivide it into three separate islands. These
three several portions were anciently distinct parishes.
The island of Edaij, nearly in the centre of the Northern
Isles, is bounded on the south-east by Eday sound, which
separates it from the island of Stronsay. It is about
seven miles and a half in lengthy and three miles in aver-
age breadth.
The co.vsT of Stronsay is marked by numerous head-
lands and promontories, of which Linksness and Huip-
ness to the north, Griceness, Odness, and Burrowhead,
to the east, and Lambhead, Torness, and Rousholmhead,
to the south, are the principal. Of these, Burrowhead
and Rousholmhead are lofty and precipitous, and the
others comparatively Ion'. The headlands of Eday are,
Veness to the south-east, Warmess to the south-west,
Fersness to the west, and Redhead to the north, the last
a boldly projecting rock of red granite. The chief bays
in Stronsay are. Mill bay on the east side, the bay of
Erigarth on the west, and Hollands bay on the south,
each of which has a sandy beach about a mile in length.
Here are also two excellent harbours, each of which has
two entrances, viz. Linga sound on the west, and Papa
sound on the north-east. There are likewise several bays
in Eday, affording occasional shelter for vessels; and
two fine harbours, Fersness on the west, and Calf sound
on the north, each of which has two entrances. Numer-
ous smaller islands are connected with the two principal
islands. Those belonging to Stronsay are Papa-Stronsay
and Lingholm, with the holm of Huip near the north-
ern shore, and the holm of Auskerry about three miles
to the south. Connected with I'.day are, Pharay and the
holm of Pharay, on the west ; the small holm between
the latter and Redhead ; and the Calf island on the
north-east, this last protecting the harbour of Calf
sound.
The SURFACE is of very moderate elevation both in
Stronsay and Eday, with the exception of an elevated
ridge which extends through the centre of each, in a
direction from north to south, and rising in the latter
to the greater height. There are several fresh-water
lakes ; one in Stronsay is nearly of circular form, and
about a mile in diameter. The whole number of acres
is estimated at 16,000, of which 8960 are in Stronsay
and 7040 in Eday. Of the former area about one-third
is arable, one-third pasture and meadow, and the re-
maining tliiril undivided cotnmon, generally heath ; of the
land in Eday, about 1000 acres are arable, JW pasture
510
and meadow, and the rest heath. The soil is various,
consisting of clay, sand, gravel, loam, and moss, which
last is very prevalent in Eday ; marl is occasionally
found in Stronsay, and has been used successfully as
manure. Oats and bear are grown, for which the great
quantity of sea-weed prepares the land ; potatoes, peas,
and turnips are also raised, as well as different artificial
grasses. On the lands belonging to Mr. Laiug of Pap-
dale, barley has been cultivated with success ; and under
the auspices of that gentleman, considerable progress
has been made in the reclamation of waste lands. The
greater number of the horses and cattle are of the small
Orkney breed, but several of a superior kind have been
introduced from Angus-shire and the southern counties j
and the sheep, of which the prevailing breed is naturally
small, have been considerably improved by a cross with
the Cheviot and the Merino, introduced by Mr. Laing,
and which thrive well. The farm buildings and offices
are progressively improving ; inclosures have taken place
on several of the farms, and the system of husbandry
generally is advancing. Improvements on an extensive
scale were commenced in 1845 on a farm of about 600
acres, belonging to Mr. Traill of Ratter, in such a style
of excellence, as to buildings, dykes, drains, manner of
tillage, and management in general, as would merit the
approbation of farmers in the best-cultivated parts of
Scotland. The lands of Eday, being chiefly moss, afford
great abundance of excellent fuel, of which considerable
quantities are sent to the adjacent islands.
The village of Papa-Sound was built by Mr. Laing,
for the accommodation of the numerous fishermen that
reside in this part. It contains about 200 inhabitants,
who, since the decrease of the kelp manufacture, have
paid more attention to the fisheries, for which the con-
venient harbours of these islands present the most ex-
tensive accommodation. The fish principally taken here
are cod, lobsters, and herrings, with the young of the
coal-fish. These last afford an abundant supply of
nutritious food for nearly three-quarters of the year.
The cod-fishery employs about fifty boats, part-decked,
belonging to Stronsay and Eday; and about 200 tons of
cod are annually cured for exportation. The lobster-
fishery commences in April, and continues till the end
of June ; it is conducted in boats having two men each,
and the fish when caught are preserved in floating chests,
and sent weekly during the season to the London
markets by smacks which call here for the purpose.
The herring-fishery commences in July, and is con-
tinued for six or eight weeks : the number of boats
assembled here from all parts of Orkney during that
time is seldom less than 400, managed by four or five
men each; and in general, duritig the season, about
twenty vessels (sloops and brigs) from the south-west
of Scotland, connected with the herring-fishing, lie at
anchor in the harbour of Papa sound. A convenient
pier has been erected for the loading of the fish, in curing
which several hundreds of females are employed. On the
average about 20,000 barrels of herrings are cured an-
nually. Shoals of small whales are occasionally seen off
the coast, and are driven on shore by the boats ; one of
these shoals, containing 300 whales, was driven ashore on
the western side of Eday, and the proceeds amounted to
nearly £400.
For Kcci.icsiASTicAi, puri)oses this parish is within
the limits of the presbytery of North Isles and synod
S T II O
ST II O
of Orkney ; patron, the Earl of Zetland. The minister's
stipend is about £210, including £10 for communion
elements ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £14. 10.
per annum. There are two churches ; the church at
Stronsay, erected in 1821, is a neat structure containing
."SOO sittings, and that of Eday, erected in 1816, contains
300. Divine service was formerly performed at each,
for three successive Sabbaths at Stronsay, and for the
fourth at Eday, by the minister of the parish, who
resides at Stronsay ; but in 1834 a missionary was
appointed by the General Assembly, with a stipend of
£50, to officiate at Eday, where he has a manse, erected
by subscription. There are places of worship for mem-
bers of the United Presbyterian Church at Stronsay
and Eday, and at the former a place of worship for
Wesleyan Methodists. The parochial school at Stron-
say, and a school supported by the Society for Propa-
gating Christian Knowledge, are both well attended :
the roaster of the former has a salary of £25. 13. 3.,
with a house and garden, and school fees averaging
£5 J and the master of the latter, a salary of £15, with
fees amounting to£l. 10. There is also a school at Eday
supported by the General Assembly, who pay a salary
of £25 to the master, whose fees average about £5 per
annum. Remains exist of several ancient chapels, and
likewise numerous graves, one of which, at Housebay,
in Stronsay, contains a number of bodies separated
from each other at the head and foot by thin stones, placed
edgewise, and at the head supporting a slab which
covers the face only. In the north of Eday is a large
upright stone, seventeen feet in height above the
ground ; and there are several Picts' houses scattered
through both districts, one of which, of greater dimen-
sions than the others, is situated at the peninsula of
Lambhead, on the south-east of Stronsay. It contains
several apartments ; and below it are the remains of an
ancient pier of loose stones, in a state of dilapidation,
about ninety feet broad and nearly 800 feet in length.
STRONTIAN, a quoad sacra parish, chiefly in the
parish of Ardnamurchan, district of Argyll, and
partly in the parish of Morvern, district of Mull,
county of Argyll, 235 miles (S. W. by W.) from Fort -
William ; the Ardnamurchan portion containing 982
inhabitants. This place, which is situated on the shores
of Loch Sunart, derived its earliest importance from
the opening of some valuable lead-mines, in 1722, by
Sir Andrew Murray, who let them on lease to the York
Buildings' Company. Though it is certain that these
mines had been wrought at a much earlier period, yet it
was not till after they had been leased to the company
that any effectual means were adopted for bringing
them into profitable operation. An English mining
establishment was soon afterwards formed here, in which
500 men were regularly employed : appropriate build-
ings, with the requisite machinery for working the mines
to advantage, were erected ; and a village, called New
York, was raised for the accommodation of the miners.
These mines continued in extensive operation, yielding
an ample revenue, both to the York Buildings' Company
and their lessors, till about the year 1818, when they
began to decline. They were also let in the year 1836,
but were shortly discontinued ; and though they are
still wrought to a limited extent, every vestige of the
village of New York has been obliterated by the plough.
Traces of lead-ore are found in many parts of Sunart,
517
yet no other mines than those of Strontian have been
opened. There are two veins of ore connected with these
works, one of which, although difficult to work, is said
to contain a large proportion of silver, and produces
lead of excellent quality ; the other is traversed with
dykes of whin, and the galena is plentifully embedded
in the blue stone or calc spar. A new mineral called
after this place, where it was first discovered, occurs
in abundance. It is a kind of earth, of a whitish or light
green colour, with a small degree of transparency, and
possessing properties between those of lime and barytes.
It was analysed by Dr. Kirwan, and Dr. Hope of Edin-
burgh, and found to contain 6r21 parts of pure earth,
3020 parts of carbonic acid gas, and 8'59 parts of
water.
The parish comprises the eastern, and larger, por-
tion of the district of Sunart, in Ardnamurchan parish ;
and also part of Morvern parish. From these two pa-
rishes Strontian was separated for ecclesiastical pur-
poses, by the presbytery, on the erection of a church in
1827: a quoad sacra parish was formed under act of
the General Assembly in 1833. It is nearly twenty-five
miles in extreme length, and varies greatly in breadth,
containing 49,148 acres, of which 1380 are arable, 5558
meadow and pasture, 1583 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder moorland, moss and waste. The
surface, like that of the parish of Ardnamurchan gene-
rally, is diversified ; in the district are some mountains
of considerable elevation (particularly noticed in the
article on Ardnamurchan), and the beautiful and fertile
valley of Strontian, where most of the inhabitants re-
side. Near the eastern extremity of Loch Sunart, which
is navigable to its head, is the harbour of Strontian,
possessing good anchorage for the vessels arriving with
supplies for the use of the district : till lately, a steamer
plied regularly, affording direct communication with
Glasgow. The soil of the arable lands is fertile, and
under good cultivation ; the hills furnish pasturage for
sheep, generally of the black-faced kind, and the moor-
lands for black-cattle, of the Argyllshire breed, of which
latter great numbers are reared, and sent to the Glas-
gow market. There are considerable remains of natural
wood, consisting of oak, birch, ash, alder, and hazel ;
and the plantations, which are extensive and regularly
thinned, are chiefly plane, ash, oak, and the various
kinds of fir.
Strontian House, the seat of Sir James Milles Riddell,
Bart., is a handsome modern mansion, pleasantly situ-
ated in grounds tastefully laid out, and embellished
with thriving plantations. The village consists of some
irregular clusters of neat houses, interspersed with
cottages occupied by persons employed in the lead-
mines; the post-office here has a daily delivery, and
there is a good inn. Fairs for sheep and black-cattle
are held on the Thursdays before the last Wednesdays
in May and October. Facility of communication is
afforded by the turnpike road leading from the village
to Corran Ferry, which is a continuation of the parlia-
mentary road from Kinloch-Moidart. Strontian is in
the presbytery of Mull, and synod of Argyll : the
minister's stipend is £120, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £5 per annum ; patron, the Crown. The
church, erected by government in 1827, is a substantial
structure, situated in the vale of Strontian, and contain-
ing 650 sittings. The school for the district was built
SUMM
S UTH
by Sir James Milles Riddell, and is supported by govern-
ment, who allow the master a salary of £30, besides the
fees : connected with the school is a small library.
STROWAN, in the county of Perth.— See Moni-
VAiRD and Strowan.
STUARTFIELD, otherwise Crichie, a village, in
the parish of Old Deer, district of Buchan, county of
Aberdeen, 3 miles (S. W.) from Mintlaw ; containing
614 inhabitants. This is a modern, and now populous,
village, situated on the high road from Ellon to Fetter-
Angus. It was built on the estate of Mr. Burnett, of
Denns, who, in 17S3, established a bleachfield here for
the encouragement of the yarn and linen manufactures
of the neighbourhood. Since that time, the village has
gradually increased in extent and population. A num-
ber of the inhabitants, both male and female, are em-
ployed in weaving linen-yarn of ditfereat degrees of
fineness, for the Aberdeen houses ; and various others
are engaged in other branches of manufacture connected
with the district. A place of worship for dissenters was
built in 1S2'2, at a cost, including a dwelling-house for
the minister, of about £636 ; it aflFords accommodation
to 440 persons. There is also a small school.
STUARTOWN, a village, in the parish of Pettie,
county of Inverness, 6 miles (\V.) from Nairn; con-
taining 204 inhabitants. This village forms part of the
village of Campbelton, of which the larger portion is in
the parish of Ardersier. It is situated near the eastern
shore of the Moray Firth, and is built on the lands in
this parish belonging to the Earl of Moray, from whom
it derives its name. The inhabitants are principally
engaged in the fishery, which is carried on with great
success off this part of the coast, producing an abundant
supply of whitings, haddocks, cod, skate, flounders, and
soles, for the market of Inverness. During the herring
season, which commences usually about the middle of
July, and continues till the early part of September,
many of the people embark in the herring-fisheries of
Helmsdale, Wick, and Burgh-Head. There are two
inns in the village ; and several of the inhabitants
exercise various handicraft trades connected with the
fisheries, and others requisite for the wants of the imme-
diate neighbourhood.
SUDDY, in the county of Ross and Cromarty. —
See Knockbain.
SUMMER ISLES, in the parish of LocnBuooM,
county of Cromarty. These are a group of small
islands lying off the coast of Cromarty, at the entrance
of Loch Broom, and about eleven miles north-westward
of Ullapool. It is not known from what circumstance
they have obtained their name, " for though called
Summer Isles, they have," Doctor Macculloch observes,
"a most wintry aspect, as much from their barrenness,
as from their rocky outlines and the disagreeable red
colour and forms of the cliffs." The principal isles are
Tanara-Bcg and Tanara-Morc, which see: they are
favourably situated as fishing-stations.
SUMMERLEE, a village, in the parish of Old
Monkland, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 2
miles (W. N. W.) from Airdrie ; containing 6'2.5 inhabit-
ants. This village is situated in tiie eastern part of the
parish, in a district abounding in coal and ironstone;
and is the seat of several blast-furnaces, in connexion
with which the population is almost exclusively em-
ployed. Messrs. Wilson and Company arc proprietors
518
of the great iron-works here ; and this village and
Gartsherrie are the only places of the many in the
parish where similar works are carried on, in which
the furnaces are not in operation on the Sabbath-day.
A great quantity of the Rochsilloch ironstone, so well
known for its excellence, is wrought by the Summerlee
Company; and a white freestone is quarried in the
neighbourhood, chiefly for their use.
SUNART, in the county of Argyll. — See Ardna-
MURCHAN.
SUTHERLANDSHIRE, a county, in the north of
Scotland, bounded on the north by the North Sea ; on
the east and north-east, by Caithness-shire ; on the
south, by Ross-shire and the Firth of Dornock ; on the
south-east, by the Moray and Dornoch Firths ; and on
the west by the Atlantic Ocean. It lies between 57°
53' and 58° 33' (N. Lat.) and 3° 40' and 5° 13' (W.
Long.), and is about sixty-two miles in length and forty-
nine miles in breadth ; comprising an area of 28/5 square
miles, or 1,840,000 acres, of which about 32,000 acres
are inlets of the sea, forming salt-water lochs. There
are 5157 houses, of which 4977 are inhabited ; and the
population amounts to 24,782, of whom 11,384 are
males and 13,398 females. This county is supposed
to have derived its name from its forming the southern
division of the diocese of Caithness, of which it at one
time was a part. It appears to have been early visited
by the Romans, over whom Corbred I. obtained a
signal victory, being assisted by a family of Germans
who had been expelled from their native country by
the Romans, and to whom, in consideration of their
services, Corbred granted all the lands northward of
the river Spey. In the reign of Corbred II., another
body of the same people, who were called the Cattii,
came over from Germany, and settling in these lands,
contributed to the victory which that monarch, called
by the Roman historian Galgacus, achieved over the
Roman invaders previously to their subjugation of the
kingdom. The ancestors of the present noble family
of Sutherland early became proprietors of the territory ;
and from the ancient chieftains, first distinguished by
the title of thanes, or earls, in the former part of the
13th century, the title has lineally descended to the
present Duke of Sutherland, proprietor of nearly the
whole shire.
Prior to the abolition of episcopacy, the county formed
a part of the see of Caithness, of which the cathedral
church was at Dornoch ; it has since that time been
included in the synod of Sutherland and Caithness, and
comprises two presbyteries, and thirteen parishes. For
civil purposes, the county, once a portion of the sheriff-
dom of Caithness, has been separated from that shire,
and erected into a distinct sherifl'dom, of which Dornoch,
as the county town, is the seat of court. Besides the
royal burgh of Dornoch, the co<mty contains the villages
of Golspie, Brora, and Helmsdale, on the eastern, and
some smaller villages on the northern and western
coasts. By the act of the 2nd of William IV., it returns
one member to the imperial parliament.
The SURFACE presents a general assemblage of moun-
tainous heights, valleys, and moors, in continuous suc-
cession ; the coasts are deeply indented with inlets of
the sea, running far into the land, and forming, as
already remarked, extensive lochs. Sutherland is natu-
rally divided into two districts, the characteristic features
S U TH
S U T H
of which are strongly marked. The land in the south-
eastern or level district, towards the sea, is flat and
fertile, and sheltered on the north-west by a ridge of
hills varying from 300 to 800 feet in height. The re-
mainder of the county, and which embraces nearly five-
sixths of its whole extent, is of a wild and mountainous
aspect, abounding in lakes and with Alpine scenery,
and intersected with some pleasant straths and rivers,
such as those of Helmsdale, Brora, Fleet, Oikel, Naver,
Halladale, and Tongue. It also contains some large
tracts of table-land. The principal mountains are, Ben-
More, in Assynt, which has an elevation of 343 1 feet
above the level of the sea ; Ben-Clibrig, which rises to
the height of 3164; Ben-Hope, near the lake called
Loch Hope, and Fionaven, which are respectively 3061
and 3015 feet high; Ben-Hee, Spionnadh, and Benar-
mine, which range from 2S00 to 2300 feet in height;
and numerous other mountains, varying in elevation
from about 1900 to about 1300 feet.
Among the chief rivers is the Oikel, which has its
source in Loch Aish, near the eastern base of Ben-
More, and flowing in an eastern direction along a plea-
sant and well-wooded vale, forms a boundary between
this county and Ross-shire. After a course of more
than forty miles, in which it receives the waters of Loch
Shin, and numerous streams, including the Carron from
Ross-shire, it constitutes the Kyle of Sutherland, and
falls into Dornoch Firth, from which it is navigable for
a small distance. The Cassley and the Shin are both
fine rivers, the former flowing along the strath of that
name, and the latter issuing from Loch Shin : after a
course of not more than six miles, they both fall into
the Oikel. The river F/eef, flowing through Strath-Fleet
with great rapidity, and across the estuary of w hich the
improvement called the Strath-Fleet mound has been
thrown, acquires a considerable breadth, and joins the
sea at the small port known as the Little Ferry. The
Brora, passing through Loch Brora, runs into the sea
at the village of Brora ; while the Helmsdale, rising in
Loch Baden, in the parish of Kildonan, falls into the
sea at the village of Helmsdale, about three miles to the
south of the Ord of Caithness. In the northern part
of the county are, the river Halladale, which rises also
in the heights of Kildonan, and after a course of about
twenty miles, flows into the Pentland Firth at the Tor
of Bighouse ; the Strathy, which has its source in the
parish of Farr, and watering the Highland vale of that
name, falls into the sea at the small village of Strathy ;
the river Naver, which issues from a loch, and passing
through Strathnaver, after a course of thirty miles falls
into the sea at the bay of Torrisdale ; and several
smaller streams, of which the Borgie, the Hope, and the
Dionard are the chief. On the western coast are the
rivers Inchard, Laxford, Inver, and Kirkaig, all of
which, after flowing a distance of from ten to fifteen
miles, through wild and romantic tracts of country,
fall into salt-water lochs, or inlets of the sea. The in-
lets in the county form excellent harbours of refuge for
ships and boats.
The principal lake is Loch Shin, the largest of a chain
of lakes which, having merely intervals of land varying
from two to three or four miles, like those in the line
of the Caledonian canal, might afford a communication
by water between the eastern and western seas. It is
about fifteen miles in length, and from one to two miles
519
in breadth, but is not distinguished by many interesting
features. The other lakes in this chain are. Loch Oeam,
at the western extremity of Loch Shin, and closely
adjoining it, about three miles in length ; Loch Merle-
land, two miles to the west of Loch Geam, and from
three to four miles in length ; Loch More, about a mile
and a half to the west of Merkland, and five miles in
length ; the Loch Stack, one mile to the north-west of
Loch More, of circular form, and about one mile in
diameter. Loch Assynt, the principal lake in the Assynt
district, in which are about 200 lakes of smaller dimen-
sions, is nearly seven miles in length, and from one to
two miles in breadth ; the surrounding scenery is beau-
tifully picturesque, and from the heights that crown its
banks are some extensive and deeply-interesting pros-
pects. The chief lakes in the immediate vicinity are
those of Urigill, Cama, Veyatie, Nagana, Beanoch, Gorm-
loch, and Culfreich ; these are all of considerable extent,
and some of them are marked with features of romantic
character. In Durness, Loch Hope is the most interest-
ing lake. It is situated at the base of the lofty moun-
tain Ben-Hope, and is about six miles in length, and
from one to two miles in breadth. From its northern
extremity issues a small river which, after a course of
little more than a mile, flows into the sea at Inverhope.
Loch Laoghal, on the eastern side of the mountain of
Laoghal, is, with Loch Craigie, a continuation of it, about
seven miles in length. To the south-west of this is
Loch Maedie, about three miles in Icnsth, and having
on its surface some picturesque wooded islands ; and
about five miles to the east of Maedie is Loch Naver,
extending for six miles along the base of Ben-Clibrig.
On the east side of this mountain are the secluded and
picturesque Lochs Corr and Vealloch, the former three,
and the latter two, miles in length ; to the east of which
are Loch Strathy, and various other lakes in the higher
parts of Kildonan, including Loch Baden, Loch-na-Clar,
Loch-na-Cuen, and Loch Truderscaig. In the south-
eastern district are also some lakes. The most inter-
esting is Loch Brora, three miles and a half in length,
in some parts contracting its width to half a mile, and
in others expanding to a mile and a half; its banks dis-
play many of the most attractive features of Highland
scenery.
Only a comparatively small proportion of the land is
in cultivation, the greater part by far being mountain
pasture, heath, and moor. Of the arable land the pre-
vailing soils are clay, sand, peat-moss, and a mixture
of sand, gravel, and black mould, forming a kind of
hazel loam. There are some very fine arable farms
along the eastern coast and Dornoch Firth, which are in
high cultivation, the system of husbandry being fully
equal to that pursued in the most fertile parts of the
country. The chief crops are barley and oats ; the bar-
ley is esteemed to be the best in the north of Scotland,
and some favourable crops of wheat are also raised.
Peas and beans were formerly much cultivated, but since
the introduction of potatoes, the growth of the latter
has been discontinued. The mountainous districts afford
good pasturage ; sheep are the principal stock reared
in the county, and more than 200,000 are fed on the
mountain pastures, usually of the Cheviot breed. Cattle
are reared and fattened on the arable farms along the
south-eastern coast. The horses were principally of the
Highland breed ; but since the extension of sheep-farm-
S WIN
S WIN
ing, the number has been greatly diminished. On those
portions of the arable land of the county occupied by
agriculturists, great improvements have been made by
drainage and inclosures. Some portions of waste land,
also, have been brought into profitable cultivation. The
farm-houses are in general substantially built and well
arranged ; and most modern improvements in the con-
struction of agricultural implements have been adopted
in the county.
There are a few remains of ancient woods, consisting
of coppices of oak, with some birch and alder : the
plantations, most of which are of recent growth, are of
Scotch fir, larch, ash, beech, and elm, with a few birch,
alder, and hazel. The principal substrata are coal, lime-
stone, marble, and freestone ; but no minerals of im-
portance have been discovered. In this county the seats
are Dunrobin Castle, Skibo Castle, Tongue House, Embo,
Uppat, Clyne, Kintradwell, Cyder Hall, Crackaig, and a
few others. The cotton-manufacture, formerly intro-
duced, has been discontinued since the destruction of
the works at Spinningdale, near Creich, by an accidental
fire in 1806. The herring-fishery off the coast affords
employment to a considerable number of persons ; the
chief trade of the several ports consists in the exporta-
tion of sheep, wool, salmon, and kelp : the cattle are
mostly driven to the southern markets. Chiefly under
the auspices of the Sutherland family, assisted by par-
liamentary grants, the interior of the county has been
opened by excellent roads, which afford great facility of
communication, and must tend much to the development
of its natural resources. The Duke of Sutherland has
also had excellent inns for the accommodation of tra-
vellers provided at all convenient stations throughout
the county. The annual value of real property in Suther-
landshire, according to returns made in connexion with
the income-tax, is £36,113, of which £33,689 are for
lands, £860 for houses, and the remainder for fisheries.
Among the monuments of antiquity are, the interesting
remains of Dornoch cathedral, and the ruins of Pictish
castles, of which Coles Castle and Dun-Dornigil are the
chief; with numerous cairns, encampments, and sub-
terraneous buildings. Dunrobin Castle, also, though
still occupied, is a most ancient baronial stronghold.
SUURSAY, an isle, in the parish of H.\rris, county
of Inverness. It is one of the small isles lying in the
.sound of Harris, and is distant from Bernera south-east-
ward about three miles. Suursay is between two and
three miles in circumference, and is uninhabited.
SWANSTON, a \illage, in the parish of Colinton,
county of EniNisuRGn, 5 miles (S. by W.) from Edin-
burgh ; containing 115 inhabitants. This village is situ-
ated in the south-eastern part of the parish, near the
base of the Pentland hills, and in the vicinity of several
rivulets and springs. The washing of clothes for fa-
milies residing in the city, is largely carried on here.
SWINEHOLM, an isle, in the parish of Evie,
county of Orkney. It is a small isle, lying between
the mainland of the parish and the island of Shapinshay,
a little east of Gairsay ; and is uninhabited.
SWINEY, a village, in the pari.sb of Latheron,
county of Caithness, 6^ miles (N. E. by E.) from Dun-
beath ; containing 71 inhabitants. The village is situ-
ated on the eastern coast of the county, and is a small
fishing-station, employing about ten boats. In the vici-
nity is Swiney Castle, on the shore, and now in ruins.
520
SW^NTON and SIMPRIM, a parish, in the county
of Be".wick, 5 miles (N.) from Coldstream; containing
1095 inhabitants. This parish comprehends the old
parishes of Swinton and Simprim, which were united in
1*61. The name of the latter is of very uncertain de-
rivation ; that of the former place, which is of great
antiquity, is said by some to have been derived from
the number of wild boars with which the lands were
anciently infested, whilst others suppose the word simply
to mean " Dane town ", the Danes having held pos-
sessions here, and many of the border surnames being
of Danish extraction. During the heptarchy, Swinton
constituted part of the kingdom of Northumbria ; and
on its separation it was granted, about the year 1060,
b)' INIalcolm Canmore to Edulph de Swinton, who had
materially assisted that monarch in his efforts to recover
the Scottish throne. From its exposed and defenceless
position, it became the frequent scene of devastation
and predatory incursion during the period of border
warfare ; and soon after its incorporation with Scotland,
it appears to have fallen from a state of tillage and fer-
tility into a dreary and unproductive desert. It was
probably with a view to its being restored that the
lands were granted by Edgar, son of Malcolm Canmore,
to the Abbey of Coldingham, together with cattle to be
employed in their cultivation. This gift was confirmed
by Alexander, the brother and successor of Edgar ; but
the lands were afterwards restored to the family of
Swinton by David, the youngest son of Malcolm, who
bestowed on them all the privileges of a free baronial
tenure.
The family of Swinton is one of the most ancient in
the country, and its members were distinguished by acts
of heroism during some of the most important events
recorded in Scottish history. Allan de Swinton, the
fifth baron, was especially eminent for his military prow-
ess ; and his name appears as a subscribing witness to
several deeds executed by William the Lion. To the
valour and conduct of his descendant, Sir John, is attri-
buted the victory obtained by the Scots at Otterburu ;
and his heroic death at the battle of Homelden, after
having vainly endeavoured to rally the Scottish forces,
is recorded by Sir Walter Scott in his poem of IlaUidon
Hill. He had married a daughter of Robert II., King
of Scotland, by whom he had a son, who distinguished
himself in the wars with France during the reign of
Henry V. of England. Sir John Swinton, another mem-
ber of the family, was a zealous adlierent to the party
of his lawful sovereign in the rebellion of Bothwell and
Home. In the time of Cromwell the jiroprietor of Swin-
ton, having embraced the cause of the parliament, was
made a nieniber of the privy council, and appointed one
of the commissioners for the administration of justice
in the arrangement of Scottish affairs. After the Re-
storation, he was arraigned for treason in having borne
arms against his sovereign at the battle of Worcester;
his estates were forfeited to the crown, and himself and
family driven into exile. His son, however, returned
to England after the Revolution, and succeeded in ob-
taining an act of parliament, by which the attainder was
taken oil', and the family estates restored. Since that
time the lands of Swinton have remained in the pos-
session of his descendants. The only memorable event
connected witii the parish since the earlier j)eriods of
border warfare, is the battle that occurred here between
S WI N
S Y M I
the Scottish troops and Sir Henry Percy, brother of the
Earl of Northumherlaiid, who, in 1558, accompanied by
the Marshal of Berwick, with 8000 foot and '200 horse,
made an irruption into the Merse, and burnt the towns
of Dunse and Langton. On their return from that dis-
trict, they were overtaken at this place by the Scottish
forces under Lord Keith, and the French troops sta-
tioned at Kelso and Eyemouth for the defence of the
Marches ; and after an obstinate and sanguinary conflict,
the Scottish and French forces were defeated with great
loss, and the English quietly retreated with all their
plunder.
The PARISH is about four miles in length, rather less
than three miles in average breadth, and of very irregular
form. Its surface is varied only by gentle undulations,
rising in no part into eminences of any great elevation ;
and in the intervals the grounds are flat, forming plains
of considerable extent. The scenery is generally pleas-
ing, and is embellished with wood, which, being planted
chiefly in hedge-rows and ditfused over the surface, has
a very good eifect. The only stream of any importance
is the small river Leet, which has its source in the pa-
rish of Whitsome, and flowing through this parish in a
western direction, falls into the Tweed at Coldstream.
Much benefit has arisen from the improvement of this
river by deepening its channel, and thus preventing the
inundations to which it was liable. There are but few
springs ; and unless sunk to a very considerable depth,
the wells are frequently dry in summer. Loch Swinton,
which was of great extent, has been drained, and is
under profitable culture. The soil of the parish is
deep, and generally rich. The number of acres is esti-
mated at about 5450, and, with the exception of thirty
acres in plantations, the whole is arable : the crops are
oats, wheat, barley, beans, turnips, &c. Agriculture is
in an improved state ; the lands are inclosed, and the
farm houses and offices substantially built and well ar-
ranged. The plantations consist of oak, ash, elm, and
firs, for all of which the soil is adapted ; they are com-
paratively of recent growth, but are well managed and
in a prosperous condition. The more ancient timber
appears to have been destroyed during the short time
the chief lands were in the possession of the Duke of
Lauderdale, on whom they were conferred by Charles IL
In this parish the substrata are a white sandstone and
a dark-coloured sandstone-slate, with beds of indurated
marl. A red micaceous sandstone also occurs in some
parts, and is quarried. Boulders of sandstone, grey-
wacke, transition granite, and greenstone are to be seen
in the fields. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £8494 : there are four landowners. Swinton
House, the seat of Mr. Swinton, is a handsome mansion
situated in a richly cultivated demesne. The village
stands pleasantly on the turnpike-road to Berwick, and
is neatly built, containing many good houses ; it is
mostly inhabited by persons carrying on the handicraft
trades requisite for the supply of the neighbourhood,
and contains one or two good shops and a comfortable
inn. Fairs are held here in June and October ; formerly
they were great markets for cattle and agricultural pro-
duce, but at present they retain little of that character,
and are chiefly for pleasure. Facility of communication
is maintained with the neighbouring towns by good
turnpike-roads, of which more than eight miles pass
through the parish. A sub-post is established.
Vol. II.— 521
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Chirnside and synod of
Merse and Teviotdale. The stipend of tiie incumbent
averages £270 : the manse, an old building repaired and
enlarged in 1815 and 183.'J, is a comfortable residence;
and tiie glebe, including the glebe land of tlie parish of
Simprim, comprises twenty-one acres, valued at £70
per annum. The church, erected in 1729, and enlarged
and repaired in 1782 and 1837, is a neat edifice adapted
for a congregation of 500 persons : in an arched niche
in the south wall, is a statue of Allan Swinton, fifth
baron of Swinton. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship. The parochial school affords
a useful course of instruction ; the master has a salary
of £34. 4., with a house built in 1816, a large and very
productive garden, and the fees. There is also a school
the master of which derives his income exclusively from
the fees. A friendly society has been many years esta-
blished. There are some slight remains of the ancient
church of Simprim, which has long been in ruins. It
appears to have been a very small building, surrounded
by a fosse, vestiges of which may still be traced ; and
in times of danger was resorted to as a place of safety,
where the inhabitants took shelter till the population of
the adjacent district, apprized by certain signals, came
to their assistance. John Swinton, Esq., who was sheriff
of Perthshire, and afterwards one of the senators of the
college of justice, a zealous advocate for the introduction
into Scotland of trial by jury in civil causes, and at
whose suggestion the court of session was divided into
two separate chambers, was a native of Swinton. He
was the author of An Abridgement of the British Statutes
since the Union, and of an elaborate treatise on weights
and measures, which formed the basis of the act of
parliament for reducing them to one general standard
throughout the United Kingdom. It is also a fact worth
recording, that Thomas Boston, author of the well-known
work Human Nature in its Fourfold State, was at one time
minister of the now suppressed parish of Simprim, being
ordained there in the year I699.
SWINTON, a village, in the parish of Old Monk-
land, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 3 miles
(W. by N.) from Old Monkland village; containing 184
inhabitants. It lies in the north-western part of the
parish, a little south of the Monkland canal, and about
half a mile to the north of Crossbill.
SWONA, or Swannay, an isle, in the parish of St.
Mary, South Ronaldshay, South Isles of the county
of Orkney; containing 54 inhabitants. This isle is
about a mile in length and half a mile in breadth, lying
on the west of the southern extremity of Ronaldshay,
from which island it is separated by a branch of the
Pentland Firth, through which vessels of any burthen
may pass in safety. The isle is exposed on every side
to the utmost rage of the Firth, and at the ends of it are
the dangerous whirlpools called the Wells of Swannay.
The inhabitants are mostly pilots.
SYMINGTON, a parish, in the district of Kyle,
county of Ayr, 5 miles (S. W.) from the town of Kilmar-
nock ; containing 918 inhabitants. This place, called
Simon's Town, or Symington, from a person named
Simon Lockhart, formerly residing here, is about four
miles and a quarter long and one and a quarter broad,
comprising 3660 acres, of which 1440 are in tillage,
1920 pasture, and 300 plantation and waste. Its sur-
3X
S YM I
S YM I
face is undulated ; and from the village, which is situ-
ated on a gentle eminence near the centre of the locality,
extensive and beautifully diversified prospects present
themselves. These embrace the Firth of Clyde, agree-
ably enlivened with numerous vessels; the Ailsa Rock;
and the plains of Cunninghame, interspersed with gentle-
men's seats, standing in the midst of verdant inclosures,
and skirted with belts and clumps of thriving planta-
tions. At the extreme boundary of sight, tlie line of
observation is closed on the north, west, and south,
respectively, with the forms of the lofty Ben-Lomond
and its subordinate mountains, the romantic island of
Arran, and the Galloway hills. The soil is in general
clayey, on a hard subsoil; near the village it is light and
dry, incumbent on a soft rotten rock ; and some tracts
consist of a loamy or mossy earth, resting on a bed of
fine clay. The grain raised is chiefly oats, and the usual
green crops are cultivated. About 400 dairy-cows of
the Ayrshire breed are kept, besides a number of young
cattle ; and the sheep, amounting to between ,500 and
600, are Cheviots, Leicesters, and the black-faced : the
breed of swine is various, and the draught-horses are of
the Clydesdale stock. Great improvements have been
made within these few years by furrow-draining ; and
the farm-steadings are in general in good condition,
being mostly built of stone and lime, with slated or
thatched roofs. The rent of land averages £1. 15. per
acre, except in the neighbourhood of the village, where
it is much higher ; and the leases run from sixteen to
nineteen years. Grey and blue vihinstone are abundant,
passing across the district in layers not far from the
surface, and in some places rising above it to the height
of twelve feet; they supply a good material for the repair
of roads, and are quarried to a great extent. Freestone
also abounds, and, though rather coarse, is used for the
building of houses here, and is also sent in considerable
quantities to Kilmarnock. Limestone and coal are both
found, but neither of them is of sufficient value to be
profitably wrought. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £56'21.
The plantations, cotisisting chiefly of clumps and belts,
are disposed about the mansions of Dankcith and Rose-
mount ; those near the former house are of the longest
growth, and the whole of the trees are in a thriving con-
dition. Wdliamfield House, erected about the year 1831,
at an expense of more than £20,000, including the cost
of the surrounding improvements, is ornamented in
front by a beautiful lake artificially formed, with a
small island spread over with trees and shrubs, about
which are to be seen numerous water-fowl of various
kinds. Attached to the mansion is a large conservatory,
containing many choice and valuable plants. Townend
House is situated on a fine eminence, and the mansion
has an interesting and picturesque appearance, being
constructed of whiustone rock, with dressings of free-
stone. The village contains about 280 inhabitants,
principally labourers, and has a jjost-oflice communi-
cating daily with Kilmarnock and Ayr. The road from
Glasgow to Ayr and I'ortpatrick runs through the whole
length of the parish, and the (ilasgow and Ayrshire rail-
road passes within three miles of the vili;ige. The ])ro-
duce of Symington is sent for sale chiefly to Kilmarnock;
and coal, the only fuel used here, is obtained from the
Fairlie, (Jatehcad, and Caprington pits, in the adjoining
parishes of Dundonald and Riccarton. Ecclesiastically
522
this place is within the presbytery of Ayr, synod of
Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of Lady Mont-
gomerie ; the minister's stipend is £247, with a manse,
and a glebe of five acres valued at £12 per annum.
Symington church is an ancient structure, enlarged and
thoroughly repaired in the year 1~97; it stands in a
central part, and contains 400 sittings. The parochial
school affords instruction in Latin, Greek, and French,
in addition to the usual branches; the master has a salary
of £34. 6., with a house, and £50 fees. There is also a
small female school. About ninety children receive in-
struction in the parish.
SYMINGTON, a parish, in the Upper ward of the
county of Lanark, 3^ miles (S. W.) from Biggar ; con-
taining 488 inhabitants, of whom 213 are in the village
of Symington. This place derived its name, originally
" Symon's Town", from its ancient proprietor, Symon
Loccard, who, having in the reign of Malcolm IV. ob-
tained a grant of the lands, fixed his residence here, and
also erected a chapel, which subsequently became the
church, on the erection of the lands into a distinct pa-
rish, about the year 1232. The parish is bounded on
the north and east by the river Clyde, and is about three
miles in length and a mile and a half in breadth, com-
prising an area of 3400 acres, of which 2400 are arable,
meadow, and pasture, 140 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder waste. Its surface is diversified with
several hills of considerable elevation, on one of which,
called Castle Hill, was anciently a fortification, whose
site is now covered with trees. Towards the west is the
mountain of Tinto, which rises to a height of about 2400
feet above the level of the sea, and has on its summit a pile
of stones. On its south-east side, at no great height above
its base, are the ruins of the castle of Fatlips, consisting
of part of one of the walls, of great thickness, and the
stones of which are so firmly compacted as to be inca-
pable of separation. From the top of this mountain is
obtained a view extending over sixteen counties.
The arable land is chiefly along the banks of the
river ; the pastures reach to the summit of the moun-
tain. In the lower lands the soil is fertile, and great
improvement has taken place in the system of agri-
culture. Favourable crops of grain of all kinds, with
potatoes, turnips, and hay, are produced ; and the high
lands afford excellent pasture. The cattle are chiefly
of the Ayrshire breed, and much attention is paid to
their improvement ; the horses, of which few more are
kept than what are required for agricultural purposes,
are of the Clydesdale breed. For the most part the
plantations are Scotch fir and larch, which latter seems
the more congenial to the soil ; and around the village
are some hardwood trees of several kinds. The village
is ])leasantly situated at the foot of Castle Hill ; a few
of the inhabitants are employed in weaving for the Glas-
gow manufacturers, but the population of the parish is
chiefly agricultural. Facility of intercourse is afforded
by the Caledonian railway and the Carlisle and Stirling
road, which pass tlirough the i)arish ; and the road from
Lanark to IJiggar runs along a bridge over the Clyde,
which connects the parish with that of Cultcr. The
annual value of real property in Symington is £2385.
It is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Biggar, synod
of Lothian and Twceddalo. The minister's stipend va-
ries, but is not less than £158. 6. 8., about half of which
is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe
TAIN
TAIN
valued at £15 per annum : patrons, the family of Lock-
hart, of Lee and Carnwath. Symington churcli is an
ancient structure, repaired in 1761, enlarged in 18'20,
and which again underwent repair in 1S45 ; it contains
about 300 sittings. The parochial scliool is well at-
tended ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, and the fees. There is also a paro-
chial library. Remains of several camps exist in the
parish, but they are in a very imperfect state. In a
tumulus near the base of the mountain of Tinto, were
found the bones of a human skeleton without the skull ;
and as the grave was shorter than the ordinary dimen-
sions, it was supposed that the body had been buried
after being decapitated. In a tumulus about a quarter
of a mile distant were found two urns, one of which was
broken by the labourers, and the other is in the posses-
sion of Mr. Carmichael, of Eastend. About fifty yards
to the north of the village, are traces of the foundations
of the ancient seat of the Symingtons j the moat is stiU
nearly entire.
TAIN, a royal burgh, the
county-town, and a parish, in
the county of Ross and Cro-
marty, 30| miles (N. by E.)
from Inverness, and 201 (N.
by W.) from Edinburgh; con-
taining, with the village of
Inver, Sl'iS inhabitants, of
whom 2*287 are in the burgh.
This place, the name of which
is of uncertain derivation,
_ , o 7 appears to have attained a
Burgh /Seat. ■ i ui i r ■
" considerable degree ot im-
portance at a very early period ; and the ancient town,
according to an old document preserved among the
records of the Northern Institution at Inverness, was
first erected into a burgh by charter of Malcolm Can-
more. The surrounding lands were annexed to the see
of Ross, of which St. Duthus was bishop about the year
1200 ; and to that saint was dedicated a chapel near the
town, which had the privilege of sanctuary. In 1306
King Robert Bruce, then in his greatest difficulties,
sent his queen and daughter for safety to the strong-
hold of Kildrummy, in Marr, from which, when
threatened with a siege, they escaped, and took refuge
in the sanctuary of St. Duthus, at this place ; but the
Earl of Ross, violating the sanctuary, seized their
persons, and delivered them to the English. About
the year 1427, Mc Niell, Lord of Criech, in Sutherland,
having a feud with Morvat, Lord of Freswick, in Caith-
ness, the latter was defeated, and fled with his attend-
ants to the chapel of St. Duthus, whither they were
pursued by Mc Niell, who set fire to the chapel, and put
the whole party to the sword. James V., in the year
1527, made a pilgrimage to the chapel, then in ruins,
to which he walked barefoot ; and the path that was
made for him upon that occasion still retains the appel-
lation of the King's Causeviay. The ruins of this an-
cient chapel yet remain, consisting chiefly of the roofless
523
walls, combining great strength and rude simplicity of
architecture ; they are situated on an eminence near
the sandy plain on which the ancient town stood. A
memorial of the saint is preserved in the device of the
town seal, and in the names of numerous localities in
the parish.
The TOWN stands near the head of the hay of Tain
in Dornoch Firth, and though irregularly built, contains
some substantial houses. Many improvements have
been effected : several of the streets have been straight-
ened by the removal of ancient houses, which have given
place to others of better appearance, particularly towards
the east, to which the town has been considerably ex-
tended. A handsome building has been erected, in which
public meetings are held. Though within a short dis-
tance of Dornoch Firth, the numerous shoals and sand-
banks on the coast preclude the possibility of forming a
harbour ; and the town consequently has but little trade,
except what it derives from its situation in the centre of
a wide agricultural district, of which it is the principal
mart. An iron-foundry for the manufacture of cast-iron
goods of every sort for domestic use, is carried on for
the supply of the surrounding country ; there are also
extensive ale breweries, and several mills for grinding
meal, sawing timber, carding wool, and for dyeing. The
markets, which are abundantly supplied with provisions
of all kinds, and with fish from the village of Inver, are
held on Tuesday and Friday. Fairs are held annually,
for ponies, cattle, and agricultural produce, on the first
Tuesday in January, the third Tuesday in March, the
second Wednesday in July, the third Wednesday in
August, the third Tuesday in October, and the Tuesday
before Christmas. Facility of communication in every
direction is afforded by good roads. After the destruc-
tion of its ancient charters, the burgh obtained from
James VI. a charter confirming all its former privileges
and immunities as a royal burgh, and which was ratified
and extended by Charles II. in 16/5. The government
is vested in a provost, three bailies, a dean of guild, a
treasurer, and nine councillors : the fees paid for admis-
sion as a burgess vary from £1. 10. to £5. 5., but the
only privilege is freedom to trade. Assisted by the
town-clerk, who acts as assessor, the magistrates exer-
cise civil and criminal jurisdiction within the royalty ;
but very few cases of the former kind, and none of the
latter, have been tried within the last few years. Tain
is associated with Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall, and
W^ick, in returning a member to the imperial parliament.
The town and county hall, a handsome building erected
in 1825, was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1833,
and has not been rebuilt; the gaol is used for the whole
of the surrounding district.
The PARISH, which is bounded on the north, and
partly on the east, by Dornoch Firth, is nearly ten miles
in length from north-east to south-west, and, including
the peninsular projection into the Firth at Meikle Ferrv,
is four miles and a half in breadth, though the average
breadth is less than three miles. Its surface is naturally
divided into three distinct portions. That on the shore
of the Firth is flat and sandy, and scarcely fifteen feet
above the level of the sea. About a quarter of a mile
towards the south-west, the land rises to a ridge nearly
fifty feet in elevation, forming a fine tract of table-land,
on which the town is built, and behind which is a highly-
cultivated and richly-wooded district. Beyond this is
3X2
TANA
T A N N
the upland portion, consisting of a chain of hills, of
which the highest, called the Hill of Tain, is 780 feet
above the sea. The Firth, in that part immediately
below the town, is at high water five miles broad, but
at ebb-tides is diminished to about three miles; towards
the north-west it is greatly contracted by the projection
of the headlands at the ferry, after which it assumes the
appellation of the Firth of Tain. There are no rivers of
any importance. In the uplands are numerous springs,
some of which are slightly chalybeate. The number of
acres in the parish has not been ascertained ; but it is
estimated that more than .5000, belonging originally to
the corporation, have been divided into lots, and brought
under tillage. Though various, the soil is generally fer-
tile, and well adapted for the growth of wheat, of which
considerable quantities are raised. Much waste land
has been reclaimed by draining, and now produces the
usual crops of grain ; and great improvement has taken
place within the last few years, in the system of agricul-
ture, and by the inclosing of lands. The plantations are,
Scotch fir, of which much is exported for props in coal-
mines, and larch, elm, ash, beech, and birch ; all the
species thrive well, and there are many trees of vene-
rable and stately growth. The substrata are chiefly
white and red sandstone, and large boulders of gneiss
and granite occur in some places, one of which, called
the Stone of Morangie, contains about 1500 cubic feet.
There are extensive quarries of white sandstone in the
Hill of Tain. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £.54/5.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Tain and synod of Ross.
The minister's stipend is £281. 5. 7-, with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £9 per annum; patron, the Marchioness
of Stafford. The old church of St. Duthus, founded by
Thomas, Bishop of Ross, and made collegiate for a pro-
vost and eleven prebendaries, at length became dilapi-
dated ; and in 1815, the present church was built, at
the eastern extremity of the town, and nearly in the
centre of the parish. It is a neat structure containing
1200 sittings. One-half of the congregation still speak
the Gaelic language only ; and for their use the ancient
church, though the interior has suffered some trifling
mutilation of its ornaments, might be fitted up at a tri-
fling expense. The members of the Free Church have
a place of worship. Tain parochial school is also the
burgh school. The Academy, for which a handsome
and spacious building was erected by subscription in
181 2, is under the management of a rector, and two
masters for the ancient and modern languages ; it has
au endowment of about £'iOO i)cr annum, in addition to
the fees, and is well attended. There are a Gaelic school
at Inver, and various other schools ; several friendly
societies, and a masonic lodge. The sum of £500 was
left to the parish by a Mr. Robertson, the interest to be
regularly distributed at Christmas for the relief of re-
duced householders ; and there is also a sum of £300,
left to tlie poor by the late George Murray, Escj., of
Westfield.
TANAIIA ISLES, in the former quoad sacra parish
of Ui.LAi'ooL, parish of Lociihroom, county of Ross
and Ckomakty ; containing [)[) inhabitants. These are
two islands situated at the entrance of Loch Hroom,
and distant from Ullapool, north-westward, about eleven
miles. They are the principal of a group known as the
5^4
Summer Isles, and are called respectively Tanara-Beg
and Tanara-More. The latter, which, as the suffix to
its name implies, in the larger island, is about two miles
in length, and one in breadth, and upwards of 400 feet
high. Like the rest of the group, it is bare and bleak,
and without any thing of pleasing aspect. Besides a
farm, and other buildings, it contains au extensive range
of smoking-houses in connexion with the herring-fishery;
but they have been latterly rendered of little value, owing
to the desertion from this quarter of the herring shoals.
A pier here is still an occasional rendezvous for fishing-
vessels visiting the coast.
TANGLEHA, a hamlet, in the parish of St. Cyrus,
county of Kincardine ; containing 19 inhabitants.
TANNACHY, NEW, a village, in the parish of
Rathven, county of Banff, 3 miles (E.) from Gar-
mouth ; containing 136 inhabitants. This is a fishing-
village, close to Port-Gordon, on the southern shore of
the Moray Firth, and about two miles west-south-west
of Buckie. Port-Tannachy and Port-Gordon are sepa-
rated from each other by a very narrow stream.
TANNADICE, a parish, in the county of Forfar ;
containing 1654 inhabitants, of whom 128 are in the
village of Tannadice, 7 miles (N. by E.) from Forfar.
The name of this place, of Gaelic origin, is descriptive
of the position of its church and village in a deeply-
sheltered plain on the banks of a river. It appears to
have formed part of the possessions of the Earls of
Buchan, whose residence, the castle of Quiech, of which
there are at present no remains, was situated on the
north side of the river South Esk, and was well adapted,
from its foundation on a precipitous rock, to be the
stronghold of a feudal chieftain. No events of historical
importance are recorded in connexion with the place,
and the lands are now divided among a great number of
proprietors. The parish is about twelve miles in length
from east to west, and of very irregular form, being from
eight to ten miles in extreme, and only about four in
average, breadth. It comprises 38,400 acres, of which
7000 are arable, 5000 woodland and plantations, and
the remainder, comprehending some of the lower of the
Grampian hills, sheep-pastures. The surface is exceed-
ingly various, rising gently from the south-east, in suc-
cessive undulations, towards the Grampian range, and
in some parts attaining a considerable degree of eleva-
tion. St. Arnold's Seat, the highest of the eminences,
is 800 feet above the level of the sea, and commands an
extensive prospect embracing the city of Edinburgh, the
Pentland and Lammermoor hills, and much picturesque
and richly-diversified scenery: on the summit is a cairn,
of considerable size, and conspicuous from almost the
whole of Strathtnore. The principal river is the South
Esk, which rises in the parish of Cortachy and Clova,
and after bounding and flowing through this parish,
receives near its south-eastern extremity, but in the
parish of Careston, the river Noran, which rises in the
parish of Tannadice, and separates it from that of Fearn.
Both these streams in their progress dis|)lay beautiful
and romantic scenery ; they abound with excellent
trout, and salmon are also sometimes found in the South
Esk, but in very inconsiderable <nunilities.
The SOIL is extremely various, but in general not
unfertile; the chief crops are grain of all kinds, |)otatoes,
and turnips. Agriculture is nuich improved, and the
rotation plan adopted : the lands arc inclosed with stone
T A N N
T A R B
dykes ; and subsoil-ploughing and thorough-draining
are very generally practised ; the farm-houses are sub-
stantially built of stone, and roofed with slate, and the
offices conveniently arranged. Bone-dust, rape-cake,
and guano have been for some time well known to the
farmers. The hills afford excellent pasture for sheep,
of which, on an average, about '2500 are kept ; and
numbers of black-cattle are bred, and, when fattened,
sent to the Glasgow and London markets. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £97 92.
In this district is Downie Park, the property of the
late Lieut.- Colonel Rattray, by whom it was erected, an
elegant mansion situated on the South Esk, and com-
manding some beautiful scenery. Inshewan, a handsome
modern mansion, is finely situated on the same river, in
a highly cultivated demesne with an extensive moor
which has been planted. Tannadice House, about four
miles lower down the stream, is also a mansion of mo-
dern erection, embracing some good views, and em-
bosomed in a demesne embellished with young and
flourishing plantations; and It'liitewells is a pleasant and
spacious residence on the opposite side of the river.
Easter and Wester Ogle, and Glenquiech, are also hand-
some residences ; and at Marcus is a picturesque cottage
in the English style, built by Lieut.-Col. Swinburne.
The village stands on the banks of the South Esk, and
contains several well-built houses. Many of the inha-
bitants are employed in spinning flax for the manufac-
turers of Dundee and Montrose, and much yarn is also
sent from those places to be cleaned here : for these
purposes there are two spinning, and four plash, mills,
affording employment to about 200 persons. Facility
of communication with the towns in the district is pro-
vided by several lines of good road, of which two join
with the turnpike-road to Dundee ; and by bridges of
stone over the rivers South Esk and Noran.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Forfar, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage
of the Rector and Scholars of St. Mary's College, St.
Andrew's; the minister's stipend is £160, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £16 per annum. Besides the
parish church, there is a place of worship for members
of the Free Church. The parochial school affords a
useful course of instruction ; the master has a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with the fees, and a house and garden.
There is another school, the master of which has a
house and garden rent-free, and about £10 per annum,
in addition to the usual fees ; also a school for females,
the mistress of which has a cottage and garden, with
an annual supply of meal, and a daily quantity of milk,
both the gift of Lady Airlie. A savings' bank has been
many years established, in which the amount of deposits
exceeds £300. Several tumuli have been removed in
the parish within the last few years, and the ground
brought into cultivation ; they contained some stone
coffins, in which were urns of rude pottery, and ashes.
The site of the ancient castle of Quiech is now occupied
by a small cottage. Near the village was the castle of
Barnyards, the erection of which was commenced by a
member of the Lindsay family, but never finished, the
founder being compelled to flee fur having killed the
proprietor of Finhaven in a quarrel. A hill in the
parish, called Castle Hill, perpetuates the memory of
a third fortalice, whereof nothing remains but the
vestiges of the fosse by which it was surrounded.
525
TARANSAY, in the county of Inverness. — See
Tarrinsay.
TARBAT, a parish, in the county of Ross and Cro-
marty, 10 miles (E. by N.) from Tain ; containing,
with the villages of Balnabruach, Portmahomack, and
Rockfield, 1826 inhabitants. This parish, which occu-
pies the eastern peninsula of the county, terminating
in the narrow point of Tarbat Ness, is bounded on the
east and south-east by the Moray Firth, and on the
north by the Firth of Dornoch. It is about seven miles
and a half in extreme length, varying from less than a
mile to four miles in breadth ; and comprises about
6400 acres, of which 3.500 are arable, 200 woodland and
plantations, 1000 meadow and pasture, and the re-
mainder moor and waste. The surface, though varied,
is tolerably even, in no part rising to an elevation of
more than '200 feet above the level of the sea ; it is,
however, diversified with some few undulations. There
are no rivers in the parish : among the springs of water
are some that have a petrifying quality. The coast,
which is upwards of fifteen miles in extent, is indented
with numerous bays and creeks, of which that of Portma-
homack forms an excellent and commodious harbour,
affording shelter for vessels in easterly gales ; the others
are adapted for boats employed in the fisheries. There
are several caves in the rocks that line part of the coast :
of one, containing a spacious chamber surrounded with
a naturally- formed bench of stone, the entrance is so
low as to afford admission only to a person kneeling ;
while to another the entrance is by a stately porch, pro-
jecting considerably from the rock.
The SOIL is generally light, and a great proportion of
it sandy, but there are also large portions of rich black
loam of great depth ; the crops are wheat, barley, oats,
rye, potatoes, turnips, peas, beans, &c. Husbandry has
been greatly improved under the encouragement given
by Mr. Me Leod of CadboU and other proprietors of
land. The larger farms vary from 150 to 350 acres;
the buildings are mostly substantial and well arranged,
and on all the principal farms are threshing-mills, one
at Mickle Tarrel driven by steam. Marl found under
several of the mosses, and some of which is of very fine
quality, and sea-weed, of which abundance is obtained
upon the coast, are the chief manures. The lands have
been partly inclosed, and are generally under profitable
cultivation. The best breed of cattle and sheep has
been introduced, and specimens of each have been sold
at the highest prices in the London and other markets.
The plantations consist of thci common Scotch fir, in-
terspersed with ash, beech, elm, oak, sycamore, horn-
beam, and hawthorn ; but from want of proper atten-
tion, the trees of the older plantations are mostly of
diminutive growth. There are several valuable quarries
of freestone of excellent quality, in active operation.
Geanies, the seat of W. H. Murray, Esq., the only
resident proprietor, is a handsome modern mansion,
beautifully situated on the shore of the Moray Firth, in
a well-planted demesne. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is returned at £41 68.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Tain and synod of Ross.
The minister's stipend is about £'250, with a manse,
and a glebe of six acres and a half ; patrons, the Crown,
and the Mc Kenzie family of Newhall. Tarbat church,
one of the oldest fabrics in the county, was repaired
TARE
TARE
about forty or fifty years ago. The members of the
Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial
schoolmaster has a salary of £30, with a house, au
allowance of £1 in lieu of a garden, and the fees. The
first Earl of Cromartie bequeathed twelve and a half
bolls of barley annually, and the late Miss Margaret
McLeod, of Geanies, £100 to the poor of the parish.
Near the village of Portmahomack, on an eminence
called Chapel Hill, a number of human bones have been
found in rude cofhns of flagstones, and, in the vicinity,
several stone chests, each containing an entire skeleton
of unusually large size. On a small creek on the north
side of Tarbat Ness, called Port-Chaistel or Castlehaven,
are some remains of an ancient castle, from which the
first Earl of Cromartie took one of his titles ; and there
are considerable remains on the shore of the Moray
Firth of the castle of Balloan, thought to have been
originally built by the Earls of Ross. Near the site of
the lighthouse on Tarbat Ness, is the foundation of a
monument said to have been built by the Romans for
a landmark.
TARBERT, a sea-port town, in the parish of Kil-
CALMONELL, district of Cantyre, county of Argyll,
31 miles (N.) from Campbelltown, and 140 (W.) from
Edinburgh ; containing 594 inhabitants. This place,
which is an ancient burgh of regality, and was the chief
town of the shire of Tarbert when the county of Argyll
formed two shires, is situated on the margin of East
Loch Tarbert, which is an arm of Loch Fine, approxi-
mating so closely to West Loch Tarbert as to make the
district of Cantyre a peninsula, and leaving an isthmus
but little more than a mile across. In 1S09 a memorial
was presented to the parliamentary commissioners, in
which it was stated that the village of Tarbert was one
of the most considerable places in the West Highlands,
on account of the excellence of its harbour, and the
peculiar advantages of its locality. It is the centre of
communication between the numerous sea lochs that
indent the coast of this part of the county, and offers
great facilities of transit between the districts on the
east and west. A quay and land-breast under the vil-
lage had been constructed by the proprietor previously
to the year just mentioned ; and the commissioners, in
answer to the memorial, agreed to the enlargement of
the quay, the renewing of the land-breast which had
become ruinous, and the improvement of the approaches
to the harbour by the removal of some rocks obstruct-
ing the entrance. Though small, the place wears the
appearance of a bustling port, and has attained, through
continued and thriving traffic, considerable prosperity ;
it has a good herring-fishery, and is much frequented by
steamers and other vessels. A small fair for horses is
held in the beginning of August. A general post-ofiice
has long been established, communicating daily with
Glasgow by steam-vessels ; and mails are also de-
spatched hence by land to Campbelltown, where is a
sub-office. In 1846 an act of parliament was passed
for making a canal from the harbour of East Tarbert
to West Loch Tarbert. There is a chapel supported by
the Royal Bo\mty ; and the members of the Free Church
have a place of worship. The castle of Tarbert, once of
great strength, is now in ruins.
T.\III5()LT()N, a village and parish, in the district
of Kylk, county of Ayr 5 containing '2612 inhabitants,
of whom 1083 are in the village, 8 miles (S.) from Kil-
526
marnock. The word Tarbolton or Torholton, written
also ip ancient records Thorbolton, is derived from a
round hill near the village, called in the Celtic lan-
guage Tar, and from Bol, the name of the god of the
Druids, whose worship was formerly celebrated here :
the three syllables together, Tar-bol-ton, consequently
signify " the town at Baal's or Bol's hill". In that part
of the parish of Bamweill, suppressed in 1673, which
was annexed to Tarbolton, was situated the monastery
of Fail, founded in the year 1252, and occupied by the
Red Friars, who were called Mathurines from the esta-
blishment of this order in Paris, dedicated to St. Mathu-
rine. They were also named Patres de Redemplinne
Captivorum, it being a part of their duty to redeem
captives from slavery. The chief of the convent was
styled " Minister", and was provincial of the Trinity
order in Scotland, in consequence of which he had a
seat in parliament ; and to the institution were annexed
the churches of Bamweill, Symington, Galston in
Kyle, Torthorwald in Dumfries-shire, and Inverchaolain
in Argyllshire. Of this monastery the only remains are
a gable, and part of the side wall of the manor-house of
the " Minister".
The PARISH measures in extreme length seven miles,
and four miles in breadth, comprising an area of 12,500
acres, of which 10,868 are under cultivation, 960 are in
natural wood and in plantation, and the remainder
meadow-land, morass, and waste. Its surface is undu-
lated throughout, rising in some parts into eminences
about 400 feet above the level of the sea, from which
prospects are obtained of a range of very interesting
and beautiful scenery. The great valley of the Ayr,
reaching from the Doon to Ardrossan, a distance of
nearly twenty miles, stretches itself below, ornamented
by the picturesque windings of the river pursuing its
course along the southern boundary of the parish, be-
tween banks richly clothed with a variety of trees;
while further off are seen the Cumnock hills and those
of Carrick, the expanse of the Firth of Clyde, Ailsa,
the hills of Argyllshire, and the heights of Kilbirnie,
with occasionally, in the distance, Cairnsmuir in Gallo-
way, Fair-head promontory, Ben-Lomond and Ben-
More, and the strikingly beautiful isle of Arran. The
Ayr is remarkable for the deep and dangerous places
here called " weels", which are hidden from view by the
sable hue of the stream. Besides the Ayr, there are
several small rivers, the chief of which is the Fail, a
stream that rises in Lochlee, a lake recently drained.
This water, after passing the monastery, flows through
the loch of its own name and the loch of Tarbolton,
and, enlivening by its passage the pleasure-grounds of
Montgomerie, falls at last into the Ayr at Failtord. The
two lochs just mentioned are merely plains flooded
during the winter months to turn two small mills. These
mills are still under the system of thirlage ; but as the
Duke of Portland exonerated his tenantry from their
obligation to use the Millburn mill, in consequence of
which Lochlee was converted into good arable ground,
it is ex|)ec ted that the other lochs will shortly, under
the extension of the same enlightened system of paro-
chial economy, yield to the operations of the plough,
and that their fine rich loamy soils will ere long exhibit
fruitful and al)un(lant crops.
The parisli partakes in the extreme humidity and
rainy character of the climate of the county in general,
TARE
T A R F
forbidding the extensive cultivation of wheat ; but other
kinds of grain are raised, to the annual average amount,
in value, of about £9000 ; and the green crops, includ-
ing £"200 for gardens and orchards, are returned at
£15,000, making a total of £'24,000. The farms that
are cultivated under the rotation system, averaging
about sixty acres in size, produce considerable crops
of turnips ; and rye-grass is sown on some of the lands,
for the sake of the seed. Tile-draining is general, and
subsoil-ploughing is coming into practice. Most of the
farms have threshing-mills, some of them driven' by
water-power ; there are four corn-mills, a flour-mill,
and three tile-works : these last are of great service in
the advance of husbandry. Great attention is paid to
the dairy. The average rent of land is £1 per acre,
and the leases usually run eighteen or nineteen years.
In Tarbolton the subterraneous contents are chiefly
red sandstone, trap, and coal ; and the mineral pro-
duce is valued at about £4000 per annum. The south-
western, and a small portion of the north-eastern, quar-
ter'of the parish belong to the Ayrshire coal-field : coal
was wrought here so early as the year 1497. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £12,125. The
principal mansion is Montgomerie, formerly Coilsfield, the
property of William Paterson, Esq., an elegant modern
residence situated on the southern bank of the Fail, and
shrouded in beautiful woods. There are four other re-
sidences, namely, Enterkine, Smithston House, Drumley,
and Afton Lodge.
The village is about six miles from the sea-coast. It
contains many persons engaged in various manufac-
tures, which have been rapidly increasing here during
the last half century. About the year 1794 the weaving
of muslin was commenced ; and the articles produced
in the parish consisted principally of jaconets and
lawns till the year 1825, when silks were introduced,
comprising persians, sarsenets, bandanas, satins, and
velvets ; and within the last few years, challes, made
of silk and wool, victorias, a fabric of silk and cotton,
and mousselins-de-laine, woven of cotton and wool,
with several other varieties, have been added. These
branches employ together about 140 looms, the work
being all supplied from Glasgow. Many females, also,
are engaged in Ayrshire needlework, who were once
occupied at the spinning-wheel ; and the fabrics here
wrought are in general beautifully executed. At the
hamlet of Failford, two miles and a half from Tarbolton,
is a manufactory for razor-strops ; and at Stair-Bridge,
about the same distance from Tarbolton, hones are pre-
pared, the famous hone-stone, called the Water-of-Ayr
stone, being plentiful here. There is a daily despatch of
letters from the village. The road from Ayr to Edin-
burgh, by Muirkirk and Douglas-Mill, runs through the
parish from west to east ; and that from Kilmarnock
to Dalmellington, from north to south. The farm-pro-
duce is sold at Ayr and Kilmarnock ; coal is procured
at the Weston or Crawfordston colliery, three miles and
a half from Tarbolton, and cannel-coal may be obtained
at Adamhill, two miles from the village. A fair is held
on the first Tuesday in June, and another on the second
Tuesday in October, both O. S., and chiefly for the sale
of dairy-stock. The lands of Tarbolton, by a charter of
Novodaynus from King Charles II. to John Cunning-
hame, Esq., of Enterkine, were constituted a free burgh
of barony, with the power of holding within the burgh
527
a weekly market on Thursdays, and two fairs annually.
Two bailies and twelve councillors are elected by tlie
householders on Christmas-eve, and there are a town-
house and lock-up house, erected by subscription in the
year 1836.
This parish is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of
Ayr, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage
of William Paterson, Esq. : the minister's stipend is
£244, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £6 per an-
num. Tarbolton church, completed in 1821 at a cost of
£2500, is a handsome edifice containing 950 sittings ;
it is ornamented with a spire ninety feet high, and a
clock having four dials. The parochial school affords
instruction in the usual branches : the master has a
salary of £30, with a dwelling, and about £16 fees. The
parish contains two subscription libraries : there is a
savings' bank; also two or three friendly societies.
A range of almshouses was erected and endowed by a
bequest from the late Alexander Cooper, Esq., of Smiths-
ton; it is situated at Failford, near the junction of the
Ayr and Fail rivers, and is for eight persons, who have
each a weekly allowance and an allotment of garden
ground. The hospital is designed for inhabitants of
Tarbolton and Mauchline, in indigent circumstances,
upwards of forty years of age, and who have never
solicited alms.
In this parish the chief relic of antiquity to be seen,
besides the ruin of the ancient monastery, is a circular
mound, inclosed by a hedge and planted, called King
Coil's Tomb. It is situated to the south of Montgomerie,
and is universally stated by tradition to be the depo-
sitory of the remains of Coilus, King of the Britons,
who was slain here in an engagement with the Picts
and Scots. The tomb was opened in 1837, and at the
depth of about four feet there were discovered several
urns, some ashes, and burnt bones, with many stones,
all disposed in order. On the hill from which the pa-
rish has its name, forming a beautiful green mount with
a moat at the summit, an annual festivity takes place on
the eve of the June fair, resembling, and supposed to be
derived from, the religious rites of the Druids formerly
celebrated here. A piece of fuel is demanded and given
from every house, and all that is collected is carried to
a spot on the hill where there is a turf altar three feet
high ; a large fire is kindled, and the more youthful
and robust leap upon the altar, after the manner of the
ancient worshippers of Baal, numerous spectators stand-
ing around. A stone instrument called a celt, used by
the Druids for cutting the mistletoe, and probably also
for the slaughter of victims, was discovered a few years
since in the process of forming a drain in a field ; it is
of hard clay-stone, and is ten inches and a half long,
with one end narrow and blunt, and the other broad and
sharp. This celebrated hill, about a mile from which
the celt was found, was subsequently the court-hill of
the barony of Tarbolton ; and a hall once situated on
the summit was the chief messuage of the barons. At
Park-Moor are vestiges of a Roman camp, with trenches.
Numerous urns have been found in the parish, as also
several warlike instruments.
TARFSIDE, a hamJet, in the parish of Lochlee,
county of Forfar ; containing 32 inhabitants. This is
a small hamlet in the eastern part of the parish, on the
north side of the river Tarf; and is distant eastward of
the church of Lochlee about five miles.
T A RL
T A R R
TARLAND and MIGVIE, a parish, in the district
of Kincardine O'Neil, county of Aberdeen, 31 miles
(W.) from Aberdeen; containing 1093 inhabitants.
The ancient parish of Tarland derives its name, signi-
fying in the Celtic language a "level tract", from a
tract of land near the village, extending more than two
miles in length, and almost level from one extremity to
the other. The etymology of the name of the ancient
parish of Migvie is altogether involved in obscurity. At
what time these parishes were united, cannot be ascer-
tained from any authentic records ; but the union is
supposed to have taken place soon after the Reformation,
or about the commencement of the seventeenth century.
The parish is so subdivided by intervening portions of
other parishes adjacent, as to render it almost imprac-
ticable to describe its form or state its superficial con-
tents with accuracy ; it is thought, however, to comprise
an area of about twenty-two square miles. The western
portion of Tarland is separated from the eastern portion
by Migvie and intervening parts of the parishes of
Strathdon and Logie-Coldstone. It is bounded for three
or four miles on the south by the river Don, and
divided into two nearly equal districts by the river
Ernan, which, flowing from west to east through the
glen to which it gives name, falls into the Don. The
eastern portion of Tarland is separated from the south-
eastern portion of Migvie by part of the parish of Logie-
Coldstone, and is bounded on the south by the burn of
Tarland, over which is a substantial bridge near the vil-
lage, whence the stream runs in a south-eastern course,
through the parishes of Coull and Aboyne, into the
river Dee. The north-western portion of Migvie is
divided from the western portion of Tarland by the
parish of Strathdon. It is washed for nearly two miles
on the north by the Don, and intersected nearly in the
centre by the river Deskry, which flows through it from
east to west, and falls into the Don. The south-eastern
portion of Migvie is separated from the north-western
portion by intervening parts of the parishes of Logie-
Coldstone and Towie, and is bounded on the east and
south sides by nameless rivulets which unite at the
south-eastern extremity, and flow into the burn of Tar-
land.
The SURFACE in some parts is diversified with hills
of moderate elevation, interspersed with various glens,
watered by the rivers from which they take their
names. In other parts are level straths of great beauty
and fertility, of which the principal is Strath-Don, in
Tarland. The scenery is in general of pleasing cha-
racter, and in some places highly picturesque. The soil
is greatly varied. On the low grounds near the village,
and along the burn of Tarland, it is a deep rich loam,
alternated with clay and gravel, and alluvial deposits ;
on the higher grounds, it is in some spots light and
moorish, but in others, especially towards the north, of
very fine quality, chiefly a clayey loam. Some portions
of the land are among the earliest and the most produc-
tive in the county. Husbandry has been much im-
proved within the last thirty or forty years ; and the
arable lands are now in a state of good cultivation, jiro-
ducing, since a more plentiful supply of lime has been
brought from Aberdeen, abundant crops of grain of
every kind, of which large quantities are sent to the
Aberdeen market. The farms are of moderate extent,
and the farm-buildings generally substantial and com-
528
modious ; the lands have been inclosed and drained, and
many r>f the recent improvements in the construction of
farming implements have been adopted. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £350,4. The
plantations are remarkably thriving : the moorlands on
the Earl of Aberdeen's property have been planted with
Scotch fir and larch, intermixed with ash and other sorts
of trees.
The village of Tarland is situated on the north bank
of the burn ; the houses are neatly built, and attached
to each is a small portion of land, in the cultivation of
which the inhabitants are partly employed. It is a
burgh of barony, and had formerly a weekly market,
which has been many years discontinued. On the burn
is a large mill for grinding meal, fitted up with machinery
of the most approved construction ; and in the village
are several shops for the sale of groceries and various
wares for the supply of the neighbourhood. A library,
containing a good selection of volumes, is supported by
subscription, and there is a savings' bank under the
patronage of the Earl of Aberdeen ; also an excellent
inn, a stamp-office, and a post-office which has a daily
delivery. More recently, two bank agencies have been
established in the village. Fairs are held at Tarland
annually for cattle, sheep, and horses, on the last
Wednesday in February, the Wednesday before the
26th of May, the Friday after St. Sair's fair in June, the
Friday in the week after the Old Rain fair in August,
and the Tuesday and Wednesday after the '2'2nd of
November, all O. S. A fair is held in Migvie on the
second Tuesday in March, O. S. Facility of communica-
tion is aiforded by the turnpike- road from Tarland to
Aberdeen, made within the last few years ; and by cross
roads, which intersect the parish in various directions, and
are kept in repair by statute labour.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the limits of the
presbytery of Kincardine O'Neil and synod of Aberdeen.
The minister's stipend is £177- 3. 9-, with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £1,5 per annum; patron, the Crown.
There are churches both at Tarland and Migvie, in the
latter of which the minister officiates every third Sunday.
The church at Tarland, rebuilt in HS'S, and in good re-
pair, is a neat plain structure, with a small turret of an-
cient date, which formed part of the original church,
and is of elegant design ; the interior is well arranged,
and contains 500 sittings. Migvie church was rebuilt in
the year 1775, and contains 300 sittings. The parochial
school affords instruction in all the usual branches of
education, and is attended by about seventy children :
the master has a salary of £'28, with a house, and an
allowance of £'2. 1. 9. a year in lieu of garden ; the fees
average £15 annually, and he has also a portion of the
Dick becjuest. About a quarter of a mile to the south
of Migvie church, are the ruins of an ancient castle,
the baronial seat of the Earls of Mar, situated on a
small eminence : at what time it became a ruin is not
known, and little of its history hiis been preserved ; the
site is now overgrown with turf, and but few vestiges
of the building can be traced. There are remains of
Druidical circles in various parts of the parish, and in
the immediate vicinity.
TARKINSAY, an island, in the parish of Hakuis,
islaiul of Lewis, county of Inverness ; containing 88
inhabitants. This is an isle of the Hebrides, lying on
the west coast of Harris, at the entrance to West Loch
T A R V
T A R V
Tarbert. It is a high, rocky, and conspicuous island,
about four miles in length and one in breadth, and
having little or no soil. The inhabitants employ them-
selves in fishing and kelp-burning.
TARVES, a parish, in the county of Aberdeen,
17 miles (N. N. W.) from Aberdeen ; containing '2397
inhabitants. The level appearance and the fertility of
this place are supposed to have led to the adoption of
its name, derived from two Gaelic words. At a remote
period the parish was made a regality, of which the
abbots of Arbroath were superiors ; and in the year
1299 one of the abbots, by virtue of his office, claimed
a culprit from the king's justiciary at Aberdeen. About
the time of the Reformation, the regality passed to
James Gordon of Haddo, ancestor of the Earl of Aber-
deen. One of the earl's titles is Baron Haddo, Methlic,
Tarves, and Kellie ; and he takes the title of Viscount
Formartine from the district of that name, in which this
parish is wholly situated, with the exception of a small
portion in the district of Buchan. Tarves is about
eleven miles and a half in extreme length, and six and a
half at its greatest breadth, comprising about 12,000
acres, of which nearly 11,000 are arable and good pas-
ture, 1000 woodland, and the remainder moss and moor.
Its surface, though distinguished chiefly by several ex-
tensive levels, is diversified and ornamented with some
pleasing undulations, slopes, and acclivities of moderate
elevation ; and the lower grounds are watered by numer-
ous rivulets, carrying off the drainage, and emptying
themselves into the river Ythan. This stream divides
the parish into two portions, about seven-eighths of the
whole being situated on the southern side.
The SOIL varies considerably. That which is most
general is a good fertile loam, of brown hue, resting on
a stony clay, and sometimes broken through by the
crags of the substratum. The neighbourhood of the
streams is covered with alluvial mould, and in other
parts a tenacious earth is found interspersed with
patches of peat moss. The crops usually raised are
barley, oats, bear, turnips, potatoes, and cultivated
grasses. Of these, the potatoes are grown only in small
quantities for home consumption. Turnip husbandry is
practised to a considerable extent, and with much suc-
cess, the drill system being universally employed, and
the first manure being farm-yard dung, followed by
bone-dust. The grain is of excellent quality, and the
crops heavy ; while the pastures, covered with white
clover spontaneously produced, are rich and prolific.
The shipping of cattle from Aberdeen for the Smithfield
market has of late years been practised to a consider-
able extent by the farmers of the parish. Mr. Hay, of
Shethin farm, one of the finest farms in the parish,
is the most extensive shipper of cattle in Britain.
The long-horned Aberdeenshire cattle, formerly kept
here, gave place to the polled Buchan, which were lat-
terly crossed by importations from Galloway : a great
proportion of the cattle are now crossed by the 'Tees-
water breed. Agriculture throughout the parish has
undergone a total change since the latter part of the last
century. The lower grounds, where the stagnant waters
rendered the operations of the plough impracticable,
have been drained, and the higher parts cleaned, well
prepared for the various sowings, and preserved by good
inclosures. The quantity of arable land has been more
than doubled : the produce has increased in a ten-fold
Vol. II.— 529
degree ; and the scythe, having been found far more
economical, is used instead of the sickle for cutting the
grain, which is usually threshed by the farmers at mills
erected on their own premises. On most of the lands the
farm houses and offices have lately been rebuilt with stone
and lime. Stone and lime have been also extensively
used in agricultural improvement; the stone, which is
abundant in the parish, in the construction of numerous
fences ; and the lime, which is imported in large quan-
tities, as a stimulant for the land. The rocks consist
chiefly of granite and gneiss in alternate beds, sometimes
found at a great depth, and at other places rising above
the surface ; besides which there is a range of mountain
limestone in the eastern quarter. Formerly the lands
were interspersed with massive blocks of blue sienite,
which for a long period harassed the husbandman ; but
by skill and much labour and perseverance, these have
been gradually, and nearly all, removed. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £7610. Schivas,
a mansion situated on the north side of the Ythan, was
built about two centuries since, and is ornamented with
several fine beech-trees, and a large and beautiful plane-
tree, planted, according to tradition, by a daughter of
the Gray family. The Grays were Roman Catholics,
and the present dining-room of the house was their pri-
vate chapel ; it still exhibits a cross, in a recess where
the altar once stood, with the inscription I. H. S. Jesus
hominum salvator, and there is also a niche in which the
eucharistal elements and the holy water were kept. The
estate of Schivas was purchased a few years ago by the
Earl of Aberdeen, who is now proprietor of the whole
parish. Good turnpike-roads run from Tarves to Aber-
deen, and the sea-port of Newburgh ten miles distant ;
at both which places a market is found for the farm
produce. From the latter, supplies of English lime are
brought up the river Ythan, in lighters, to a place called
Waterton, six miles from Tarves ; and, on account of
the good condition of the parish roads, the lime is easily
sent in every direction. There are six ancient markets,
or fairs, for horses, cattle, and grain.
Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery of Ellon,
synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of the Earl of
Aberdeen: the minister's stipend is £192, of which
about £30 are received from the heritors by a private
agreement ; with a manse, and a glebe of four acres
valued at about £10. 10. per annum. 'Tarves church was
built in 179B, and repaired and improved about 1823 ;
it is a spacious and comfortable edifice, capable of ac-
commodating 8*0 persons with sittings. There is a
place of worship for dissenters at Craigdam. The paro-
chial school affords instruction in the usual branches ;
the master has a salary of £28, with a house and gar-
den, £23 fees, and an allowance of about £35 from the
Dick bequest. A school is supported at Craigdam by
the bequest of a person named Barron, whose legacy of
£600 produces £18 per annum, as a salary to the mas-
ter ; and the Earl of Aberdeen allows a house and a
piece of land to the master of a school at Barthol
chapel. In this parish the chief antiquity is the castle
of Tolquhon, the seat of the ancient family of Forbes,
built about 1589, and now a ruin. It is a quadrangular
structure, inclosing a spacious area, and entered by an
arched gateway defended by two towers with loop-holes
for the discharge of arrows. The castle is nearly shroud-
ed in wood, among which are some very fine old yews.
3 Y
TEAL
TEMP
TEALING, a parish, in the county of Forfar, 5§
miles (N.) from Dundee ; containing, -with the hamlets
of Balgray, Balkillo, Kirkton, Newbigging, and Tod-
hills, 854 inhabitants, of whom 517 are in the rural dis-
tricts. This place derives its name, signifying in the
Gaehc language " a country of brooks or waters ", from
the small streams with which the district abounds. It
is chiefly the property of Mr. Scrymseour, and Lord
Douglas. The parish is situated on the southern brow
of the Sidlaw hills, and is bounded on the south by the
Fithie burn, which separates it from the parish of Mains
and Strathmartine. It is about four miles in length,
and rather more than two miles in average breadth,
comprising 5400 acres, whereof 4630 are arable, 450
woodland and plantations, and the remainder moorland
pasture and waste. The surface is hilly, forming part
of the Sidlaw range, whose highest point within the pa-
rish is the Craig-Owl, which has an elevation of 1600
feet above the level of the sea, and from which the lands
slope gradually towards the southern boundary. The
scenery is pleasingly varied, and enriched with thriving
plantations. From the higher grounds are obtained
extensive and interesting prospects over the adjacent
country. The burn of Fithie is the principal stream
connected with the parish ; it abounds with trout of
large size, and is much frequented by anglers.
In the higher lands the soil is light and gravelly, and
rather adapted for pasture than for tillage ; on the ara-
ble lands, a rich black loam of great depth, in some
parts alternated with clay ; and in the southern districts,
of a marshy quality, and chiefly in meadow and natural
pasture. The principal crops are oats and barley, po-
tatoes, turnips, and the usual grasses. Wheat was
formerly raised to a great e.xtent, and towards the close
of the last century the cultivation of it was revived ; but
after a fair trial, its growth was abandoned as unprofit-
able. Husbandry has been much improved : the lands
have been rendered more productive by judicious drain-
ing, and the use of manure, of which a plentiful supply
is obtained from Dundee ; and a due regard is paid to
the rotation of crops. The farms are of moderate size,
and the farm-buildings substantial and well arranged ;
the lands have been inclosed, and the fences are kept in
good order. Threshing-mills, driven by water, of which
there is an abundant supply from the numerous brooks
that intersect the parish, are in almost common use.
Considerable attention is paid to the management of
the dairy, the produce of which is sent to Dundee ; and
the hills afford good pasturage for black-cattle, usually
of the Angus or native breed. No more horses are
reared than are required for purposes of husbandry,
and there are but very few sheep. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £5263. The plantations
consist of larch and Scotch fir, interspersed with ash,
elm, beech, and other trees, for which the soil appears
adapted ; they are regularly thinned, and mostly in a
thriving state. In this parish are strata of freestone, of
good quality for building, and of whinstone, for the re-
pair of the roads : there are several freestone-quarries
in operation, from which, also, considerable quantities
arc raised for pavements, and sent to Dundee. Tcaling
House, the property and residence of the Scrymseour
family, situated in the eastern part of the parish, is the
only house deserving of mention. There are several
small villages, or rather hamlets, which are noticed un-
630
der their own heads. Facility of communication is main-
tained by the turnpike-road from Dundee to Aberdeen,
which passes through the eastern extremity of the pa-
rish ; by the Dundee and Newtyle railroad, which in-
tersects its south-western boundary ; and by cross roads,
kept in repair by statute labour, and which have been
much improved.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dundee, synod of Angus
and Mearns : the minister's stipend is £162. 8., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £14 per annum ; patron,
the Crown. Tealing church, erected in 1806, is a neat
substantial structure, situated nearly in the centre of
the parish, and contains 700 sittings. The members of
the Free Church have a place of worship. The paro-
chial school affords instruction to about thirty children ;
the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and
garden, and the fees. A parochial library, supported
by subscription, is in a very flourishing state. The late
Mrs. Scrymseour, of Tealing House, bequeathed £100 to
the poor. On the farm of Priestown has been disco-
vered a subterraneous structure of large flat stones
without any cement, and containing several apartments,
in which were wood ashes, fragments of earthen vessels,
and a quern. Near Tealing House is a passage under
ground, formed of loose stones, and extending for a con-
siderable length. In it were found an instrument re-
sembling an adze, and a broad earthen vessel. It is
still in its original state, but the entrance has been
closed up. On the farm of Balekembeck are some re-
mains of Druidical circles ; and on two sandy hillocks
have been discovered stone coffins containing a skull
and several human bones, with urns of earthenware
filled with ashes.
TEITH, BRIDGE OF, a village, in the former quoad
sacra parish of Deanston, parish of Kilmadock,
county of Perth, a short distance from Doune ; con-
taining 163 inhabitants. This place takes its name from
a bridge over the river Teith, erected here in 1535, by
Robert Spittel, a descendant of Sir Maurice Buchanan,
and who, having become a member of the order of
Knights Hospitallers, obtained that name by way of
distinction. Robert, who was tailor to James IV., hav-
ing one day left home without providing himself with
money, was refused a passage over the river by the
ferryman ; and is said to have erected this bridge, which
is a substantial structure of two arches, in a spirit of
retaliation, for the accommodation of the public. He
was also the founder of the hospital at Stirling, for
the relief of decayed tradesmen. The village is neatly
built, and chiefly inhabited by persons engaged in agri-
culture, or employed in the extensive works in the vici-
nity, for which the Teith, with its copious sujiply of
water and its powerful falls, affords every advantage. A
place of worship for dissenters has been erected here ;
and near tlie bridge are some vestiges of one of the six
chapels dependent on the church of Kilmadock.
TEMPLANU, a village, in the parish of Lochma-
hen, county of Diimtries, '?. miles (N.) from the town
of Lochmaben ; containing 1 1 1 inhabitants. It is situ-
ated in the northern part of the parish, on the east side
of the Kinnel water. Tlie population is wholly agricul-
tural.
TEMPLE, a parish, in the county of EniNiiuRGH,
10 miles (S. S. E.) from Edinburgh ; containing, with
i
TEMP
TEMP
the villages of Gorebridge and Temple, and part of
Stobbsmills, 1159 inhabitants. The name of this place
was derived from an establishment of the Templars,
founded by King David I. The parish comprehends the
ancient parish of Clerkington, and the chapelries of
Morthwait and Balantrodach. The manor of Clerking-
ton was given to Walter Bisset by David II., who also
transferred the church, with its tithes and pertinents,
to the monks of Newbottle, granting them, in addi-
tion, five merks yearly from the manor. In the reign
of Robert III., Archibald, Earl of Angus, sold the ba-
rony to Adam Forrester, of Corstorphine, to whom it
was confirmed by a charter from Robert, who likewise
granted him a release of the Castle Wards, issuing from
this barony to the king. Mark Ker, the commendator
of Newbottle, at the time of the Reformation, enjoyed
the patronage of the church, with the rent of five merks
from the mill of Clerkington ; and he transmitted the
whole unimpaired to his descendants. In 1695, how-
ever, it appears that Sir John Nicolson possessed that
part of the parish called Clerkington, which then formed
the barony of Nicolson. In this year it was sold to
Archibald Primrose, of Dalmeny, in Linlithgowshire,
who obtained a charter under the great seal, by which
the property, with some adjacent lands, was erected
into the barony of Rosebcry, from which he assumed his
peerage title when created a viscount in 1/00. The
first Earl of Rosebcry, in 171'2, disposed of the estate to
the Marquess of Lothian, who changed its name to
New Ancruin ; but being sold by the family in 1*49 to
Mr. Hepburne, he restored the old name of Clerkington.
In 1821, Archibald John, fourth Earl of Rosebery, pur-
chased it from one of Mr. Hepburne's descendants ; he
gave the barony the name it had possessed when in his
family, and was created a peer of the United Kingdom
under the title of Baron Rosebery in 1828.
The lands of Morthwait, the hamlet of which stands
three miles from Clerkington, were granted by David I.
to the monks of Newbottle, who also obtained from
Alexander II. the forest of Gladewys. Upon this, they
established a chapel at Morthwait, the patronage of
which was vested in the abbot until the Reformation ;
after which the commendator, coming in his place, en-
joyed his privileges, and the estates of the abbey were
converted into a temporal lordship, that descended to
the heirs of the commendator. Earls of Ancrum and
Marquesses of Lothian. The chapelry or manor of
Balantrodach was granted by David I. to the Templars,
who formed here their principal seat in Scotland, and
built a chapel. On the suppression of the order in 1312,
all their privileges passed to the Knights of St. John of
Jerusalem. After the Reformation, the parish of Clerk-
ington and the chapelries of Morthwait and Balantro-
dach were united into one incumbency ; the conventual
chapel was used as the church, and the patronage of the
new parish was distributed into three shares, correspond-
ing with the three ancient establishments. One of these
passed to Lord Torphichen ; and the other two, at first
belonging to the Earls of Ancrum, were acquired in the
eighteenth century, with the manor of Clerkington, by
the Hepburnes.
The extreme length of the parish is about nine miles;
its greatest breadth is five miles, and it contains about
20,000 acres, to which must be added 300 acres locally
situated in Borthwick parish, but belonging to the pa-
531
rish of Temple. It is bounded on the north and north-
west by Carrington parish, on the south and south-west
by the parishes of Eddleston and Innerleithen, on the
east and north-east by Borthwick and Newbattlc, on the
south-east by Heriot, and on the west by Penicuick.
The most elevated ground is the mountain range of
Moorfoot, a continuation of Lammermoor, stretching
nearly from north-east to south-west, and which is
from 1500 to 2100 feet above the level of the sea. The
South Esk, the principal river, rising in the Moorfoot
hills, runs in a north-east direction for about twelve
miles through the parish, when it is joined by the North
Water, which, issuing from West Loch, in Eddlestone
parish, constitutes the north-west boundary of this pa-
rish. The united river afterwards joins the North Esk,
thus forming the Esk.
The SOIL on the arable land is mostly dry and sharp,
resting on a gravelly bottom ; in the eastern quarter it
is chiefly clay, and on the higher lands a large propor-
tion of it is mossy, from three to four inches in depth.
About one hundred acres are occupied by wood, consist-
ing principally of oak, ash, elm, beech, and pine. The
most improved methods of husbandry have been intro-
duced ; and the land, which is tolerably fertile, produces
good crops. In general, the farm-buildings and in-
closures are in fair condition ; the latter are usually
formed of stones. Some waste land has recently been
reclaimed, but the low price of agricultural produce has
at times operated to repress efforts of this description.
The average rent of arable land is about £1 per acre,
and the leases usually run nineteen years : there are
four proprietors, the chief being R. Dundas, Esq., of
Arniston, and the Earl of Rosebery ; and the annual
value of real property in the parish is returned at £6*92.
The rock of the Moorfoot hills is greywacke, and in most
parts of the parish there is an abundance of limestone
and freestone, both which are quarried : in the eastern
part, the district detached from Temple contains a large
supply of coal. The villages are Temple and Gorebridge,
with a part of Stobbsmills, the larger portion of which is
in the parish of Borthwick. The population of the
village of Temple amounts to about 200 ; the population
of Gorebridge to 240, and that of the Temple part of
Stobbsmills to about 100: the rest of the inhabitants
are scattered over the parish. Part of the population
are employed in the quarries and coal-pits, and in the
gunpowder manufacture, which is carried on at Stobbs-
mills on a very considerable scale. It was commenced
in 1*94, and has been since largely extended, the com-
pany exporting gunpowder to almost every part of the
globe ; the works occupy nearly three-quarters of a mile,
and the houses for those departments exposed to the
greatest risk are detached, and placed either between
the natural barriers of the glen, or artificial mounds
planted with trees. The Hawick railway, and a line of
turnpike-road from Peebles to Dalkeith, afford faciMties
of communication.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Dalkeith and synod of
Lothian and Tweeddale ; patron, Dundas of Arniston.
The stipend of the minister is £158, of which £92 are
received from the exchequer; with a manse, an old
building repaired about half a century ago ; and a glebe
of fourteen acres valued at £30 per annum. Temple
church was erected in 1832, and is neat, commodious,
3 Y2
TERR
THAN
and well situated, capable of accommodating 500 per-
sons with sittings. The members of the Free Church
have a place of worship, and at Gorebridge is a chapel
belonging to the United Presbyterian Church. There is
a parochial school, in which the classics, mathematics,
and all the usual branches of education are taught ;
the master has the maximum salary, with a house, and
the school fees. A Free Church school is also held.
Two schools are held in Gorebridge, and there is a good
subscription library at the same place, consisting of about
800 volumes ; also a friendly society at Stobbsmills, and
a savings' bank jointly for the parishes of Temple and
Borthwick. A few years ago, a medal of Oliver Crom-
well was found on the farm of Rosebery : it is in the
possession of the landowner.
TEMPLE, a village, in the parish of Largo, district
of St. Andrew's, county of Fife ; containing 109 inha-
bitants. This is a small place at the mouth of the Kiel,
and is included, with Drumochy, in the village of Lower
Largo ; and inhabited, like Drumochy, by fishermen and
artisans. It is distant east-north-east from Leven about
two miles.
TENANDRY, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in the
parishes of Blair-Atholl, Dull, and Moulin, county
of Perth ; containing "69 inhabitants, of whom 199
are in the parish of Blair-Atholl, 306 in that of Dull, and
264 in Moulin. This district consisted of certain por-
tions of the parishes above enumerated, which were
separated for ecclesiastical purposes, under act of the
General Assembly, in 1836, and formed into a quoad
sacra parish. Tenandry church was erected in that year,
by Mr. and Mrs. Hay, of Seggieden, and Miss Stewart,
of St. Fort, by whom it was endowed ; and is a neat
structure containing 500 sittings. The minister had a
stipend of £85, arising from the endowment, and an allow-
ance of £8. 6. 8. for communion elements, from the
Sunday collections. The appointment of the incumbent
was in the founders of the church for their lives, and
after their decease was to be vested in the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge.
TERREGLES, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirk-
cudbright, 2 miles (W.) from Dumfries ; containing,
with the village of Newbridge, 564 inhabitants. It de-
rives its name, which is a corruption of French words
signifying "the lands of the church", from its having
anciently belonged to the abbey of Lincluden, founded
about the year 1150, by Uthred, father of Roland, Lord
of Galloway, and who endowed it for nuns of the Bene-
dictine order. This establishment, which was subse-
quently changed by the Earl of Douglas, Lord of Galloway,
and made collegiate for a provost and brethren, subsisted
till the Reformation, when its lands were erected into a
temporal barony in favour of the Earls of Nithsdale,
whose descendant, Marmaduke Constable Ma.\well, Esq.,
i.s the ])rescnt proprietor. Some vestiges of the ancient
castle of the earls are still remaining ; and the founda-
tions of an extensive village, which is said to have con-
tained .'500 inhabitants, may be traced upon tlie farm of
Terrcgles-town. There is also an eminence called the
Gallows Mill. The parish, which is bounded on the
north by the river Cairn, and on the cast by the Nith,
is about five miles in length and nearly tliree miles in
average breadth, comprising an area of almost 5000
acres, of which 200 are woodland and plantations, about
300 hill pasture, and the remainder arable. Its surface
532
is diversified with hill and dale, and the scenery is gene-
rally of pleasing character, at manjr points beautifully
picturesque. Towards the west is a- fine range of hills
of moderate height, partly covered with wood, and partly
affording pasture for sheep and cattle. From the summit
of these hills is an extensive view, embracing the town
of Dumfries, the valley of Nithsdale with the windings
of the river, a portion of the Solway Firth, and the
Cumberland hills in the distance. The lower grounds
are watered by the small river Cargen, which affords ex-
cellent fishing for salmon and trout, and which, flowing
through the parish in a south-eastern course, falls into
the Nith below the town of Dumfries.
The SOIL is mostly a light loam alternated with sand;
but it is fertile and produces abundant crops of all kinds
of grain, with turnips and potatoes. Agriculture is in a
highly-improved state; and the rotation of crops, ac-
cording to the quality of the land, is carefully observed
on all the farms. The plantations are well kept, and
thriving. Terregles House, the seat of Mr. Maxwell,
and Lincluden, that of the Honourable Mrs. Young, are
both handsome modern mansions finely situated in
grounds tastefully laid out, and embellished with planta-
tions. There is no village of any importance. Facility
of communication is afforded by the turnpike-road from
Dumfries to Portpatrick, which passes through the pa-
rish, and by statute roads in good repair. The annual
value of real property in Terregles is £4303. Ecclesi-
astically this place is within the bounds of the presby-
tery and synod of Dumfries : the minister's stipend is
£158. 6. 8., of which one-fourth is paid from the ex-
chequer ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per
annum : patron, the Duke of Buccleuch. Terregles
church, situated nearly in the centre of the parish, was
built in 1S06 : the churchyard, which contains nume-
rous handsome monuments, is inclosed by a stone wall.
The parochial school, for which an appropriate building
was lately erected, is well attended j the master has a
salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, also the
interest of £22. 4. 6., and the fees average about £16
per annum. The poor receive the interest of £410
vested in the Kirk Session. The remains of the abbey
of Lincluden stand on the bank of the river Cairn, a
little above its influx into the Nith, and consist of the
chancel, in which is a monument of Margaret, daughter
of Robert III., and wife of Archibald, Earl of Douglas,
and Lord of Galloway ; with some other portions of the
buildings, in a very dilapidated state.
TEXA, an isle, in the parish of Kildalton, dis-
trict of IsLAY, county of Argyll. It lies on the south-
eastern side of the island of Islay, near the main land of
the ])arish, and is about two miles in length and upwards
of half a mile in breadth, having on the northern shore
excellent anchorage for vessels of large size. There is
some good pasturage. On the isle are the ruins of a
chapel, the burial-ground of which is still in use.
TllANKESTON.a village, in the i)arish of Coving-
ton and Thankeston, Upper ward of the county of
Lanark, 1 mile (S. by W.) from Covington ; containing
113 inhabitants. This vilhige is jjleasantly situated in
the eastern part of the parish, and on the west side of
the Clyde, which separates the jiarish from that of Lib-
berton. Over the river i.s a l)riiige, erected by subscrip-
tion in 1*78. The high road from Biggar to Douglas
passes through the village.
T II O R
T n R E
THORN, a village, ia the Abbey parish of the town
of Paisley, Upper ward of the county of Renfrew ;
containing, with the population of the contiguous village
of Overton, 504 inhabitants. It is situated in the western
part of the parish, in a flourishing mining and manu-
facturing district, and, like other considerable villages
in this quarter, is inhabited by colliers, weavers, and
handicraftsmen. In the vicinity are freestone and other
quarries.
TIIORNHILL, a post-village, in the parish of Mor-
ton, county of Dumfries, 14 miles (N. N. W.) from
Dumfries, and 61 (S. W. by S.) from Edinburgh ; con-
taining 1416 inhabitants. This is a considerable place,
finely situated on an eminence in the south-western
part of the parish, and on the east side of the river
Nith, from which it is distant about half a mile. It is
regularly built, consisting chiefly of two wide streets
crossing each other at right angles ; and in the centre
is a neat stone pillar, or cross, erected by the last Duke
of Queensberry, and surmounted by a pegasus and his
grace's arms. The village is now the sole property of
the Duke of Buccleuch, by whom it has been very
greatly improved since the year 18'27 ; and its present
appearance is peculiarly clean and pleasing. It con-
tains numerous excellent shops, two good inns, a tan-
nery where about thirty hands are employed, a brewery,
and other works, chiefly of a domestic kind ; and has
a post-office, a branch bank, a subscription library, a
literary society, a freemasons' hall built in 1834, and
a spacious bowling-green and quoiting-ground. The
agreeable aspect of the village is much heightened by
the erection in its vicinity of the new parish church, a
handsome edifice in the Norman style, standing on an
elevated spot. There are also places of worship for
members of the Free Church and for another dissenting
congregation. Two high roads afford means of commu-
nication here ; one leading from Dumfries through the
village to Sanquhar and to Leadhills ; the other going
■westward from the village into Galloway, by Minnyhive.
Great facility of intercourse is also afforded by the
Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle railway. Several fairs
are annually held, in which woollen and linen cloth and
yarn are sold.
THORNHILL, a village, in the parish of Kincar-
dine, county of Perth, 10 miles (W. N. \V.) from Stir-
ling; containing 531 inhabitants. This is a considerable
village, immediately adjoining that of Norriestown. It
is pleasantly situated in an isolated portion of the pa-
rish, and on the high road from Stirling to Monteith,
upon both sides of which the houses, mostly detached,
are built, occupying somewhat elevated ground. It con-
tains a tannery employing several hands, and some of
the inhabitants are weavers and handicraftsmen ; but
the greater number are agricultural labourers. — See
Norriestown.
THORNLIEBANK, a village, in the parish of East-
wood, or Pollock, Upper ward of the county of Ren-
frew, 1 mile (S. W.) from Pollockshaws, on the road
to Glasgow ; containing 1620 inhabitants. Thisvdlage,
which is of modern date, owes its establishment to the
introduction of the cotton-manufacture and works con-
nected with it, in which, with the exception of about
thirty families, the whole of the inhabitants are em-
ployed. It is almost exclusively the property of Messrs.
Crura, whose very extensive works have been long car-
533
ried on here; its proximity to the coal-works of the
parish, and its plentiful supply of water, rendering the
place peculiarly favourable. The houses, inhabited cliiefly
by persons emjjloyed in these works, are comfortable, and
neatly built, and the whole village has an aspect of cheer-
fulness and prosperity. The spinning of cotton affords
occupation to more than 150 persons. About 1'20 are
engaged in power-loom, and nearly fifty in hand-loom,
weaving. The printing of calico is carried on exten-
sively, employing nearly 400 persons ; and '200 more are
occupied in bleaching and finishing. An act was passed
in 1846, authorizing the Glasgow and Neilston railway
company to make a branch of upwards of five furlongs
to Thornliebank. A school has been opened in the vil-
lage, for the children of the persons employed in these
several works ; the master has a good house and gar-
den provided for him by Messrs. Crum, who have also
erected a commodious schoolroom. The school is well
attended ; and the fees, though moderate, produce a
competent income.
THORNTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Carring-
TON ; county of Edinburgh, 2^ miles (W. N. W.) from
the village of Carrington; containing 70 inhabitants. It
is a small place, situated in the north-western part of
the parish, near the borders of the parishes of Lasswade
and Cockpen.
THORNTON, a quoad sacra parish, partly in the
parishes of Dysart and Kinglassie, but mostly in the
parish of Markinch, district of Kirkcaldy, county of
Fife, 4 miles (S. by E.) from the village of Markinch ;
containing 844 inhabitants, of whom 6*4 are in the pa-
rish of Markinch. The village of Thornton, which is in
Markinch parish, contains 545 persons, and is chiefly
inhabited by those engaged in the neighbouring collieries
or employed in the spinning-mills, bleachfields, and other
works in the vicinity. It presents but little claim to
description. There are vitriol works established here,
in connexion with some works at Glasgow. The Edin-
burgh, Perth, and Dundee railway has a station at
Thornton, where the Dunfermline branch leaves the
main line. The church was erected in 1836, at an ex-
pense of £450 ; it is a neat plain structure containing
450 sittings. The minister's stipend is £60 per annum,
derived chiefly from seat-rents and collections ; and the
patronage of the incumbency is exercised by the male
communicants.
THORNTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Glammis,
county of Forfar ; containing 53 inhabitants.
THORNTONLOCH, a village, in the parish of In-
nerwick, county of Haddington, 2^ miles (E. by N.)
from the village of Innerwick ; containing 119 inhabit-
ants. This village is situated on the coast of the Ger-
man Ocean, near the mouth of the Firth of Forth, and
close to the line of road from Berwick to Dunbar. It
consists of a number of irregularly built and straggling
cottages of mean appearance, inhabited, for the most
part, by labourers employed on the several farms of the
parish, and by a few persons connected with the conti-
guous harbour of Skateraw.
THREE-MILE-TOWN, a hamlet, in the parish of
Ecclesmachan, county of Linlithgow, \^ mile (N.)
from the village of Ecclesmachan ; containing 26 inha-
bitants. This small place lies in the north-west part of
the parish, on the high road leading from Kirkliston to
Linlithgow.
THUR
THUR
THURSO, a burgh of barony, a sea-port, and parish,
in the county of Caithness ; containing 4881 inhabit-
ants, of whom 2510 are in the burgh, 20 miles (N. W.
by W.) from Wick, and 55 (N. N. E.) from Dornoch.
This place derives its name from its situation at the
mouth of the river Thurso, or the river of "Thor". From
the circumstance of the weights used here being adopted
in the reign of David I. as the standard of assize for
the kingdom, it would appear to have attained a high
degree of prosperity at a very early period. No events,
however, of striking importance are recorded in its his-
tory; and it was not till the year 1633 that it obtained a
charter erecting it into a free burgh of barony, granted
by Charles I. to the master of Berrydale, at that time
its superior. In the reign of this monarch, during the
wars of the Covenanters, the Earl of Montrose, having
landed on one of the islands of Orkney, visited Thurso,
and resided for some time in a house whose ruins are
still remaining. In 1746 a party of Highlanders under
the command of their chieftain, McLeod, encamped near
Thurso, previously to the battle of Culloden, in order to
recruit their numbers ; but the inhabitants, stedfast in
their loyalty to the reigning sovereign, pursued them on
their departure ; and at a ferry near Dnnrobin Castle,
attacking the party, took several of their officers pri-
soners. The barony passed from the lords of Berrji'dale,
in 171s, to the ancestor of the late Sir John Sinclair,
author of the well-known Statistical Account of Scotland,
whose representative. Sir George Sinclair, of Ulbster,
Bart., is the present proprietor.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated, and extends along
the shore of the spacious bay of the same name ; it is
irregularly built, consisting of an ancient and a modern
portion, in which latter are many substantial and hand-
some houses. Two public libraries are supported by
subscription, and there is a reading and news room,
■well supplied with journals and periodical publications ;
a Masonic lodge, also, has been established. The en-
virons of the town, which commands an extensive sea-
view embracing the fine bay of Thurso, the Pentland
Firth, and the Isles of Orkney, abound with interesting
features, enlivened with numerous seats and much
pleasing scenery. At this place the principal manufac-
tures are those of linen and woollen cloths, and nets for
the fisheries, in which 200 persons are employed. Here
are also a large tannery and a rope-walk. Such handi-
craft trades as are requisite for the supply of the neigh-
bourhood are carried on in the town ; there are shops
well stored with various kinds of merchandise, and some
good inns. The fisheries in the bay are extensive, and
consist chiefly of haddock, cod, and lobsters. In the
river, and around the bay, the salmon-fisheries produce
a rental of £1000 per annum; and the herring-fishery
affords employment to considerable numbers during the
months of June, July, and August.
The chief trade of the port is the exportation of
grain, cattle, sheep, and other agricultural produce ; of
paving stones, in the dressing of which many of the
inhabitants are employed ; and of the produce of the
fisheries, in which fourteen vessels belonging to the
port are constantly engaged. There is a considerable
coasting-trade, and about forty vessels annually enter
and clear out from the harbour. Thurso harbour, which
is sheltered from the waves of the Pentland Firth by
Dannet Head on the north-east, and Holburn Head on
534
the west, is easily accessible at spring-tides to vessels
not dr:.wing more than twelve feet water, and which,
after passing the bar, may anchor in perfect safety-;
but for want of a pier, they can only load or unload
their cargoes at low water. Within the Umits of the
bay are the Scrabster roads, about a mile westward of
the town, where vessels of any burthen may at all times
find safe anchorage, and where it is in contemplation to
erect a commodious pier. The post-office has a tolerable
delivery, and a branch of the Commercial Bank of Scot-
land has been established in the town. The market,
which is abundantly supplied with provisions of all
kinds, is on Friday ; and fairs, chiefly for the sale of
sheep and cattle, are held annually in June, July, and
September. Facility of communication is maintained
by the turnpike-road along the coast, which passes for
eight miles through the parish ; by other good roads
towards the south and west, along which the mail tra-
vels daily ; and by bridges across the various rivers, one
of which is a handsome bridge over the Thurso, erected
near the town. Two sailing-packets ply from Thurso
to Leith, and, during the summer months, a steamer
weekly from the port of Wick to Leith.
The government of the burgh is vested in two bailies
and twelve councillors, elected annually by the superior,
and of whom the elder bailie is ex officio a justice of the
peace for the county : the jurisdiction, originally limited
to the old town, has been extended to the new town.
There are no incorporations possessing exclusive pri-
vileges, and any one is at liberty to carry on trade
without becoming a burgess. For nearly two centuries
the sheriff of Caithness was in the habit of holding his
courts here, till 1828, when they were transferred to
Wick, the county-town, at the suit of Earl Gower and
the magistrates of that royal burgh ; the only court at
present held at Thurso is that of the justices of the
peace for the recovery of small debts. The town-hall
has been removed, and the only prison is a small lock-
up house for the confinement of offenders till their re-
moval to the county gaol at W^iek.
The PARISH, which is bounded on the north by the
North Sea, is about eight miles in length and nearly
five in breadth, and comprises 22,040 acres. Of this
area, 12,000 acres are arable and pasture in almost
equal portions, forty acres woodland and plantations,
and the remainder moor and waste. The surface of the
district rises from the sea-shore in gentle undulations
towards the south, though without attaining any consi-
derable degree of elevation. Its scenery is strikingly
diversified, combining prominent features of romantic
grandeur with the more picturesque appearances of richly-
cultivated vales and pleasing villas. The principal rivers
are, the Thurso, which rises in some s[)rings near the
borders of Sutherlandshire, and after receiving numerous
tributaries in its course, runs northward through the
parish, and falls into the l)ay of Thurso near the town ;
and the Forss, which has its source in the parish of Reay,
and after forming the western boundary of this parish,
flows into the sea at Crosskirk bay. Both these rivers
abomid with salmon. The coast is about eight miles in
extent, and, with the exception of that of the Scrabster
roads, which is a level sand, is bold and rugged. At
the extremity of Holburn Head, which projects boldly
into the sea, is an isolated rock about I60 yards in
length, and eighty in breadth, separated from the main
THUR
TIBB
land by a deep narrow channel, and rising perpendi-
cularly to a height of 400 feet above the sea. It is the
resort of numerous aquatic birds during the summer
months.
The SOIL, though various, consists chiefly of clay
and loam resting on a substratum of sandstone or
clay-slate ; and the chief crops are grain of all kinds,
potatoes, turnips, and the usual grasses. Husbandry
has been for some time gradually improving ; the lands
have been partly drained and inclosed, and considerable
portions of waste been brought into cultivation : the
farm-buildings, also, have been greatly bettered, and
are now generally commodious. The sheep are com-
monly of the Cheviot and the Leicester breeds ; and
the cattle, to the improvement of which much attention
is paid, are chiefly the Highland and the Teeswater.
Though not extensive, the plantations are mostly in a
thriving state ; they consist of oak, elm, plane, common
and mountain ash, and firs of various kinds. There
are several quarries of whinstone, freestone, and slate,
wrought with success; and large quantities of Caithness
flags, in the dressing of which "250 men are employed,
are sent to London, Newcastle, Glasgow, and other
towns. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £8052. Thurso Castle, the seat of Sir George Sinclair,
originally the baronial residence of the Earls of Caith-
ness, is an ancient mansion, situated on the shore of the
North Sea, and commanding a good view over the bay
of Thurso and the Orkney Islands ; it has been greatly
enlarged and improved by the present proprietor. Furss
House, the seat of James Sinclair, Esq., is a handsome
modern mansion, beautifully situated on the bank of
the river Forss, in a richly-planted demesne embracing
a fine prospect of that stream, which forms a cascade
nearly in front of the house. Murkle House, the property
of Sir John Gordon Sinclair, of Stevenston, Bart., is also
a handsome mansion, at the north-eastern extremity of
the parish, overlooking the bay of Murkle.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposBs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Caithness, synod of Suther-
land and Caithness. The minister's stipend is £203.7-,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £17. 10. per an-
num : patron. Sir George Sinclair. Thurso church,
erected in 1832, by the late Sir John Sinclair, at an
expense of £6000, is an elegant structure in the later
English style of arcliiteeture, with a tower and spire
140 feet high ; and contains 1540 sittings. There are
also places of worship for members of the Free Church,
Original Seceders, and Indepefidents. The parochial
school is attended by about seventy children; the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and
the fees. Half a mile westward of the town are the ruins
of an ancient castle, formerly the palace of the bishops
of Caithness, originally built by Bishop Gilbert Murray,
about the year 1230 ; it is beautifully situated on the
shore of the bay, and though little of it is now left, it
appears to have been a place of great strength. In the
town are the remains of the old church, dedicated to
St. Peter, built by Bishop Murray in 1240, and enlarged
in the seventeenth century ; it continued to be the pa-
rish church till the erection of the present structure in
1832, and the walls are still entire. On the extreme
point of Holburn Head are the remains of a camp sup-
posed to have been formed on the invasion of Caithness
by the Norwegians. About two miles eastward of the
" ' 535
town is the tomb of Earl Harold, who was killed in
battle while attempting to recover his possessions from
the usurpation of Earl Harold the Elder : a castellated
building of considerable sixe was erected over it by the
late Sir John Sinclair, which is called Harold's Tower,
and forms a conspicuous feature in the landscape.
Richard Oswald, Esq., one of the plenipotentiaries of the
British court for settling the peace of 1783 ; and Sir
John Sinclair, Bart., already mentioned, were natives of
this place.
TIBBERMORE, or Tibdermuiu, a parish, in the
county of Perth, 4^ miles (W.) from Perth; contain-
ing, with the villages of Hillyland and Ruthvenfield,
1651 inhabitants. This place was anciently the resi-
dence of several of the bishops of Dunkeld, of whom
Bishop Geoffrey died here in 1249, and Bishop Sinclair
in 1337. A convent for Carmelite friars was founded
by Bishop Richard in 1262 ; and the prelates continued
to hold their synods at Tibbermore till the year 1460,
when they were removed by Bishop Lauder to his
cathedral. The barony was once the property of the
Earls of Gowrie, whose seat of Ruthven Castle is dis-
tinguished as the scene of the Raid of Ruthven, an at-
tempt made by the earl and his confederate lords to
force James VI., whom Gowrie had invited to the castle
on a hunting excursion, to dismiss his ministers, the
Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Arran, for which pur-
pose that monarch was for some time detained in con-
finement. After the attainder of the earl for this con-
spiracy, Ruthven Castle, the name of which was changed
to Huntingtower, and the barony, were conferred by
James VI. on the Tullibardine family, from whom they
passed by marriage to the Duke of Atholl, whose de-
scendant divided the barony into small portions, and sold
it to various persons. An engagement between the
Covenanters, under Lord Elcho, and the forces of the
Marquess of Montrose, took place in this parish, when
the former, amounting to 6000 men, were totally routed
with the loss of 2000 slain on the field, and 2000 pri-
soners.
The PARISH is bounded on the east by the Tay, and
on the north by the river Almond and the rivulet called
the Pow. It is about six miles and a half in length,
varies from one mile to three miles in breadth, and
comprises an area of about 5900 acres, of which 250 are
woodland and plantations, 180 heath and peat-moss,
and the remainder arable land in high cultivation. The
surface is in some places boldly undulated, and the
scenery agreeably diversified. A narrow level tract
nearly three miles in length, and inclosed on the north,
south, and west by steep banks rising from fifty to 100
feet in height, opens gradually towards the Tay into an
extensive plain, through which flows a branch from
that river, called the Mill-Lead, originally formed to
drive some mills at Perth, and which has contributed
greatly to the prosperity of this parish. On the banks
of the Almond the soil is a sandy loam ; towards the
south-east, a tenacious clay ; on the higher lands, a
light gravel; and in the western portion, cold and wet;
but, by draining and good management, generally fertile.
Agriculture is in a highly advanced state, and every im-
provement has been adopted. The crops are wheat,
oats, barley, peas, potatoes, and turnips; the farm houses
and offices are substantial and well arranged, and the
inclosures in excellent order. The plantations, which
TIGE
TILL
have been much extended, are mostly Scotch fir ; and
on those of older date is some valuable timber. In this
district the substratum is chiefly of old red sandstone,
in some places intersected with trap-dykes affording good
materials for the roads. The sandstone is of superior
quality, and has been extensively quarried : three quarries
are now in operation, from which much of the stone
used in the buildings of Perth and the vicinity was raised.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £9996.
Huntingtower Castle, the property of General Cunning-
ham, is in tolerable repair, but occupied by a tenant ; it
does not appear to have been a place of much strength :
the two towers that defended the entrance are still entire.
Newton, the residence of General Cunningham, is a hand-
some modern mansion, pleasantly situated in grounds
embellished with plantations.
There were formerly several villages ; but they have
mostly disappeared, and the only villages worthy of
notice at present are the buildings in connexion with
the bleaching and the calico-printing works at Hunting-
towerfield and Ruthvenfield, respectively. The bleach-
grounds at Huntingtowerfield, belonging to Messrs.
Turnbull and Son, are very extensive ; the quantity of
cloth bleached ann\ially is about 1 ,500,000 yards, and
from eighty to 100 tons of linen yarn are bleached for a
power-loom factory in the neighbourhood. The works
afford constant employment to 150 persons, of whom
nearly one-third are women and children. A little below
these works, and on the same stream, are large flour
and barley mills belonging to the company. Ruthven
printfield, on the same water, and belonging to Messrs.
Duncan, of Glasgow, is also on a very extensive scale;
and in addition to the calicoes, the printing of mousselins-
de-laine is conducted here with great success. The
quantity of calico and muslin produced annually ave-
rages 2,000,000 yards, of which about two-thirds are
printed by blocks, and the remainder by machinery.
These works give employment to nearly 400 persons, of
whom about one-half are women and children. Facility
of communication is afforded by good roads, of which
the turnpike-road to Crieff passes through Tibbermore
for nearly three miles ; the parish roads are kept in
excellent order, and the Perth and Forfar railway inter-
sects the parish.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the limits of the
presbytery of Perth, synod of Perth and Stirling ; and
the patronage is in the Crown : the minister's stipend is
£255. 12. 10., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20
per annum. Tibbermore church, rebuilt in 1632, and
enlarged in 1810 by the erection of an aisle for their
work-people by the Ruthvenfield company, is in good
repair, and contains COO sittings. Tlic parochial school,
sittiated near the church, is attended by about forty
cliildren ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, in addition to the fees. A school has
been estalilishcd at Ruthvenfield, to the master of which
the proprietors of the works allow a house rent-free, and
guarantee a salary of £50, in the event of the fees not
amounting to so much. There is also a parochial library,
supported by svibscription.
TKiKRTON, a village, in the parish of Menmuir,
county of FoRFAn, 5 miles (N. \V. by W.) from Brechin ;
containing 91 inhabitants. This village, which is of re-
cent origin, is situated nearly in the centre of the parish,
and on the road to Brechin. The inhabitants are chiefly
536
employed in the linen manufacture, which is carried on
to some extent in the parish.
TILLICOULTRY, a parish, in the county of Clack-
mannan ; containing, with the villages of Coalsnaughtoa
and Devonsidc, about 3560 inhabitants, of whom about
2300 are in the town or village of Tillicoultry, 4 miles
(N. E. by N.) from Alloa. The name is by some writers
supposed to be of Gaelic etymology, and descriptive of
the situation of Tillicoultry on a rising ground in the
rear of the county. Others deem it a corruption from
the Latin, denoting that the place was a settlement of the
ancient Culdees. Tillicoultry was the property of the
family of Mar, to whom the lands' were granted in the
twelfth century by Alexander III. ; and the estate con-
tinued in the possession of that family till about the
commencement of the seventeenth century. The parish
is watered by the river Devon. It is about six miles ia
length, and from one mile to two miles and a half in
breadth, comprising an area of more than 7500 acres, of
which 5000 are chiefly hills, including some of the highest
of the Ochil range. The remainder of the area forms a
plain, sloping gradually from the foot of the hills towards
the south, and intersected by the Devon, beyond which
the surface rises gently into a ridge nearly parallel to
the Ochils. The most lofty of the Ochils within the
parish is Bencleuch, which has an elevation of 2400 feet
above the level of the Forth, and commands from its
summit an unbounded view of the surrounding country,
embracing the Grampian mountains, and the Dundaff,
the Lomond, and the Pentland hills. Among the hills,
which are interspersed with romantic glens, rise several
springs, which, issuing down the declivities, swell into
burns. Of these, one, partly bounding the parish on
the west, and passing between richly-wooded banks,
makes some picturesque cascades ; but the largest of
the burns is that of Tillicoultry, formed by the union of
two streams which rise about the middle of the Ochil
range, and, flowing through the plain, turn the ma-
chinery of some mills. The Devon has its source in the
hills behind Alva, in Perthshire, and falls into the Forth
at the village of Cambus.
The SOIL is various, in some parts a rich fertile loam,
in others sandy and gravelly ; and on the hills are large
tracts of deep moss. The crops are oats, barley, and
wheat, with the usual green crops. Agriculture is in a
highly improved state : the lands are well drained, and
inclosed partly with stone dykes, and partly with hedges
of thorn kept in good order ; the farm-houses are sub-
stantial, and all the more recent improvements in imple-
ments of husbandry have been adopted. Upon the hills
is good pasturage for sheep, of which considerable num-
bers are reared, chiefly of the black-faced breed, and
remarkable for the fineness of their wool. The planta-
tions, which arc situate both north and south of the
Devon, consist of oak, ash, elm, beech, plane, birch, larch,
and pine ; they are well managed, and in a thriving
state. In the parish are strata of sandstone of every
variety, whinstone, and coal. Iron-ore has been wrought
to a considerable extent ; it was partially worked about
fifty years ago by the Carron Company, and more ex-
tensively sin<e by the Devon Company. Copper-ore
was wrought about a century ago for several years by a
company from London, and four different veins were
found, one of wliich was eighteen inches in thickness ;
but though of good quality, the proceeds did not repay
TILL
TING
the expense of procuring it, and the works were conse-
quently abandoned. Coal of various quality is abundant.
Tliere are several seams of it, of which the uppermost is
of rough cherry coal, three feet thick, and found at a
depth of seventeen fathoms. The second, of finer quality,
and five feet in thickness, is at a depth of twenty-six
fathoms ; and a seam of splint coal is found below this,
at a depth of thirty-two fathoms, and three feet in thick-
ness. The lowest is a seam of main coal, six feet thick,
which lies at forty-two fathoms from the surface. The
produce of the collieries is distributed throughout the
surrounding districts, and not exported. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £.5 109. Tillicoultry
House and Harviestoun, both modern mansions plea-
santly situated in grounds embellished with plantations,
are the principal seats.
The village or town of Tillicoultry, which is rapidly
increasing in population and extent, is neatly built, and
contains several handsome houses, inhabited by persons
engaged in the manufactures carried on in the vicinity.
There are shops well stocked with wares and merchan-
dise for the supply of the neighbourhood. The chief
articles manufactured are woollen tartans of clan and
fancy patterns, consisting chiefly of shawls, cloakings,
and tweeds ; the taste displayed in the manufacture of
fine tartans is unrivalled, and the quantity of these
goods made here is greater than in any other district of
Scotland. The patronage of Her Majesty some years
ago, when she first visited Scotland, gave a great stimu-
lus to the manufacture of fine tartans here. Blankets
and serges are made by one firm. There are various
well-built mills and factories in full operation, affording
employment to 1200 persons, of whom more than 600
are women and children ; and many other people are
engaged in hand-loom weaving at their own homes.
The quantity of wool annually consumed in these manu-
factures is 40,000 stones. In the village is also an
extensive manufactory for all kinds of machinery con-
nected with the mills ; and various handicraft trades
are carried on. A branch of the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow Bank has been established here, and there is a
post-office subordinate to that of Alloa. Facility of
communication is provided by the roads to Alloa, Stir-
ling, and Kinross, which pass through the parish ; the
bridge over the river Devon has been widened, and
there is also a bridge of wood below the village, for
foot passengers. In 1846 an act was passed authorizing
the construction of a branch railway to Tillicoultry.
There are two other villages in the parish ; namely, Coals-
naughton, which is chiefly inhabited by persons engaged
in the collieries, and is rapidly increasing ; and Devon-
side, where there are four or five woollen-mills.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Dunblane, synod of Perth
and Stirling. The minister's stipend is £240. 12. 7.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £44 per annum ;
patrons, the heirs of R. W. Ramsay, Esq. Tillicoultry
church, a handsome structure erected in 1829, and
situated in the centre of the parish, contains 650 sit-
tings. There are also places of worship for members
of the Free Church, the United Presbyterian Church,
and Unitarians. The parochial schoolmaster has a
salary of £25. 13., with a house and garden, and the
school fees. There are two subscription schools in con-
nexion with the Established Church, one of them at
Vol. II.— 537
Tillicoultry, the master of which has a salary of £8,
paid by the Ramsay family, and Mr. Johnstone of Alva ;
and the other at Coalsnaughton, built by the Ramsay
family, who pay the master a salary of £5, in addition
to the fees. In both villages are also evening schools
for the children employed in the factories. On Castle-
Craig, above the village of Tillicoultry, are some remains
of an ancient fort ; and at Cunninghar, remains of a
Druidical circle of granite stones. Near Harviestoun
House was found a sword in 1796, and in 1802 an urn,
both supposed to be Roman : the latter, inclosed within
a rude stone coffin, contained some ashes, and a spear-
head of flint.
TINGWALL, WHITENESS, and WEESDALE, a
parish, in the county of Shetland, 5 miles (N. W. by
W.) from Lerwick ; containing, with the village of Scal-
loway, and the islands of Hildasay, Langa, Linga, Oxna,
and Trondray, 2957 inhabitants. This district consists
of the ancient but now united parishes of Tingwall,
Whiteness, and Weesdale. The first of these at one
time comprehended the lands of Lerwick, which were
disjoined from it, and erected into a separate parish,
in 1701 ; and also those of Sound and Gulberwick,
which were severed in 1722, and united to Lerwick.
Tingwall appears as a place of some consideration in
the ancient history of the Shetland Isles. It was
created an archdeaconry, after bishops had been ap-
pointed for these islands by permission of Adlebert,
Archbishop of Bremen ; and most of the church lands
were conveyed by Sir Jerome Cheyne, one of the arch-
deacons, to his nephew, in whose family they were
allowed to remain without litigation. On the establish-
ment of Presbyterianism in Scotland, in 1592, this place
became the seat of the presbytery of Shetland ; the
business of which was, however, afterwards removed
to the village of Scalloway. It is also celebrated in
the ecclesiastical history of Scotland for its process of
augmentation, a former incumbent, the Rev. William
Mitchell, having obtained from the house of lords a
decision in favour of an increase in the stipends of the
clergy, by an appeal from the court of session, where,
after a sharp discussion, the case had been rejected.
During the time that Shetland belonged to the Danish
crown, the chief magistrate, who was called the Foud,
resided here ; and when, in 1271, the isles were sepa-
rated from those of Orkney, and Faroe was united to
them, one " Fond" and " Lagamand" was appointed for
Shetland and Faroe conjointly, who resided at Scallo-
way. The assize was held at a small holm in the loch
of Tingwall, where an appeal was admitted from the
other courts, which were all regulated by the law called
Gula Thing ; and the final sentence was executed on
criminals upon a hill in the vicinity. This superior
court was removed to Scalloway when the islands were
ceded to Scotland.
The PARISH is situated in the Mainland, and washed
on the north, south, and west by the sea. Tingwall is
from twelve to fourteen miles in length, from north to
south ; Whiteness, on the west of Tingwall, between five
and six miles in length; and Weesdale, to the north-
west of Whiteness, from six to seven miles in length;
the three comprising together upwards of 20,000 acres,
about 2500 of which are under tillage. In general the
shore is similar to that of other parts of the islands ;
but this district is superior on account of its excellent
3 Z
TING
T I N W
harbours, formed by arms of the sea. The principal
of these are. Deals voe, Laxfirth voe, Wadbister voe,
and Catfrith voe, on the north ; Weesdale voe, Bin-
naness voe, and Whiteness voe, on the west ; and Cli£F
sound and Scalloway voe on the south. To the west
of the last mentioned inlet, is a cluster of islands,
contributing to afford fine anchorage in the waters
towards the interior. The surface comprehends much
variety. A number of valleys parallel with each other
run through the district from north-east to south-west;
and on the sides of these, rise hills, for the most part
barren, and unfit for tillage, but serviceable for the
pasturage of cattle and sheep, and lor the supply of
peat, which constitutes the chief fuel. Among the
numerous lakes, most of which are well stocked with
fish, the principal are, the lakes of Tingwall, Asta, and
Girlsta, in Tingwall ; and that of Strom, in Whiteness.
At Strom are the remains of a small fort which, accord-
ing to tradition, was inhabited by a son of one of the
ancient Earls of Orkney, who was slain at the Standing-
stone of Tingwall by order of his father.
In some places the soil is a light brown earth, in
others a dark loam, and frequently moorish. The pro-
duce consists of almost every variety. Wheat and rye
seldom arrive at maturity for want of sun ; but barley,
oats, and turnips thrive well, and Lerwick and Scallo-
way are usually supplied with potatoes from this parish.
Grass- seeds, hay, peas, and pasture-grass are cultivated ;
and an improved system being practised here, founded
on a regular rotation of crops, the district has advanced
in husbandry far beyond most others in the Shetland
Isles. The land in many parts is prepared by the
spade ; but ploughs are also much used, generally
drawn by horses, but often by horses and o.ven toge-
ther. Shell-marl, of which there is a good supply, is
found highly beneficial as manure. Draining has re-
cently been carried on to a considerable extent. Much
waste land, also, has been reclaimed ; but a large pro-
portion of open common of the best quality is destroyed
by the practice of cutting up the turf for various pur-
poses, and carrying it to the respective farms. On many
of the high grounds, too, especially those on the east
side of Tingwall, which appear capable of cultivation,
the moss has been so deeply cut out in places as to
leave nothing but the rugged substratum of clay-slate
and micaceous schistus, with stones of coarse granite
and gneiss. The progress of agricultural improvement
is much obstructed by the nature of the subsoil in some
lands, and of the substratum in others. A bed of fine
blue slate was lately discovered on the north-east of
Tingwall, which is very superior to the grey slate com-
monly quarried, and was for a time wrought. Sienite is
found on the shores, and hornblende on some of the hills,
where there is also a considerable quantity of quartz.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £957.
The only village is Scalloway {which see). Traffic is
carried on by carts in the Tingwall district, where there
are roads, which are now in very superior order com-
pared with their former condition : there are no roads
in the two other districts.
Here, as in the Shetland Isles generally, the principal
article of trade is fish, the taking of which constitutes
the main occupation of the inhabitants. The first fish-
ing in the year, which is that of cod and ling, begins
early in the spring, and is carried on in open boats ;
538
the produce is very considerable, and is exported partly
to Leith and Liverpool, and partly to Spain. The
" summer" fishery begins about the end of April, and is
carried on in sloops of twenty tons' burthen, which bring
home large freights of ling, saith, tusk, and other fish.
That of herrings commences about the beginning of
August, and there is now an early herring-fishery in
June : the herring-fishery is often a source of great
profit to the inhabitants, who, however, by its failure
at times, as well as by failure of the agricultural crops,
are occasionally reduced to great distress. Cattle and
ponies, with several articles common to the islands, are
exported to England ; and oatmeal, tobacco, coffee, tea,
and spirits are imported for the use of the inhabitants.
Ecclesiastically this parish is in the presbytery of
Lerwick, synod of Shetland, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Zetland : the minister's stipend is £263, exclu-
sive of a manse, and a glebe of the annual value of £20.
The church at Tingwall was built in 1*88, and contains
570 sittings, but when full can accommodate 7OO per-
sons. A church has been built in Whiteness (in place
of an old church dedicated to St. Ola) for the u.se of
the districts of Whiteness and Weesdale ; and a mission-
ary officiates, who is supported by the Royal Bounty.
A church has also been erected at Scalloway, for the
benefit of the village and its neighbourhood. There
is a small place of worship for Independents. The paro-
chial school is situated at Tingwall ; the master has
a salary of £35 a year, a dwelling-house built in 1799,
and £8 fees. In addition are a school in Weesdale,
another in Whiteness, and a third at Scalloway, all
supported by the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge. In the island of Trondray, also, and at
Laxfirth, schools are maintained by the General Assem-
bly. The principal antiquities are, the remains of
numerous chapels, and the fine ruin of a castle near
Scalloway. There are several tumuli, originally used as
places of sepulture by the Scandinavians, in which urns
containing calcined bones have been discovered ; and
arrow-heads, and steinbartes, or stone axes, here called
thunderbolts, have been frequently found. A church
formerly existed at Weesdale, dedicated to Our Lady,
whose shrine is still visited by persons from various
parts of Shetland, in the expectation of obtaining relief
from trouble.
TINWALD, a parish, in the county of Dumfries,
5 miles (N. E. by N.) from Dumfries ; containing, with
the villages of Amisfield, Kirkland of Tinwald, and
Trailflat, 1085 inhabitants. The name is by some con-
sidered to be of Gaelic origin, and to signify " the har-
bour", in reference to the Tinwald isles, which are said
in a Spanish history to have had the best harbour in
Scotland. It is by others derived, and perhaps more
correctly, from the Saxon word Tin or Ting, the appel-
lation of the ancient courts of the Saxons or Scandina-
vians, which were held on high mounds in the open air :
one of these mounds, of artificial construction, rises
adjacent to the church. Trailflat, once a distinct parish,
was united to Tinwald in 1650; the name is of Gaelic
origin, and signifies "a sloping wet side". The illus-
trious family of Charteris, of Amisfield, has been from
a very early date conspicuous in this locality. The
name is of great anti(iuity in Scotland, and is sup-
posed to be of French extraction, having been brought
into Britain by William, a son of the Earl of Charteris
T I N W
TIRE
in France, who came to England with William the Con-
queror, and whose son or grandson removed to Scotland
in the time of David I., and became the founder of the
family here. Sir Thomas Charteris of Amisfield was
made lord high chancellor of Scotland by David II.
in 1342, but was killed at the battle of Durham, where
the king was taken prisoner. His great grandsire, of
the same name and title, had been appointed to the same
dignity by Alexander III. in 1280 : and in the reign of
James VI., the important office of warden of the west
marches was held by Sir John Charteris, also of Amis-
field. The family greatly declined, however, in conse-
quence of the rigorous treatment of Cromwell for the
aid afforded by Sir John Charteris to Montrose, to faci-
litate the restoration of Charles II.
The extreme length of this parish, which is divided
by a ridge running from north to south, is about six
miles, and its greatest breadth about four miles. It
contains 9405 acres, and is bounded on the north by
the parish of Kirkmichael, on the south and south-west
by the parishes of Torthorwald and Dumfries, on the
east by Lochraaben, and on the west and north-west by
Kirkmahoe. The surface is pretty equable throughout,
with the exception of the range already mentioned, and
even the acclivity of this is gentle ; the sides are culti-
vated in general nearly to the summit, and the elevation
of the highest part does not exceed 682 feet above the
level of the sea. There is a loch called Murdoch Loch,
of small dimensions, and not above eighteen feet at its
greatest depth ; it has been considerably diminished by
draining. The streams worthy of notice are the Ae and
the Lochar, the former of which, rising in Queensberry
hill, waters the northern boundary of the parish, and,
uniting with the Kinnel, falls into the Annan above Loch-
raaben. It flows rapidly over a gravelly bed, and occa-
sionally does serious damage by its floods.
In this parish the soil runs through the several
varieties of alluvial mould, sand, gravel, dry clay loam,
stiff spongy clay, cold moorish clay, and sea sand mixed
in different proportions with the native earth. The
larger portion is arable, and on the dry loamy soil in
the southern district early green-crops of the finest qua-
lity are raised ; the crops in the north-eastern quarter
are later, and of inferior quality, the ground being
mostly wet, and resting upon a tilly subsoil. On the
south-west, a tract of moss about a mile in length, and
a quarter of a mile in breadth, has been converted into
very superior meadow-land. A large part of the parish
was formerly under wood, the whole of which, excepting
that on the estate of Amisfield, was cut down by the last
Duke of Queensberry : the soil is most suited to oak
and ash. About 164" acres have never been cultivated ;
350 are meadow, and 119 still occupied with wood : the
rest are in tillage. All kinds of produce are raised, and
the husbandry of this district is, perhaps, equal to that
of any in Scotland : the parish is for the most part por-
tioned out into fields, and well inclosed ; but the state of
the farm-buildings, with some exceptions, is indifferent.
The common breed of cattle is the Galloway, to the im-
provement of which great attention is paid ; the Ayrshire
breed has for some years been introduced, and is gra-
dually gaining ground. Among the recent improve-
ments the chief is the cultivation of the higher lands
by the use of bone-dust, guano, and sometimes rape-dust,
as manure ; fine crops of turnips and other produce are
539
raised upon the sides, and even tops, of hills, which
before were waste. The range of hills commencing in
this parish, and extending to the south, consists entirely
of greywacke and greywacke-slate. Peat-moss exists in
considerable quantities, but it is of trifling depth, except
on the eastern boundary of the parish. The annual value
of real property in Tinwald and Trailflat is £5671.
There are three mansion-houses, viz. : Glenae ; Tinwald,
belonging to the Marquess of Queensberry ; and Amis-
field, of modern architecture, till 1832 the seat of the
Charteris family, who then sold it. The original seat
of the Charteris family was a quadrangular building
with a high tower, standing a little westward of the new
mansion ; the tower is in good preservation, and is said
to be the most perfect of the kind now existing in the
kingdom. Here are three villages, but they are all unim-
portant, consisting only of a few thatched houses falling
into decay : Amisfield was erected into a burgh of barony
by Charles I., with the privilege of weekly markets and
annual fairs. In the district of Trailflat, one of the most
extensive bleachfields in Scotland is carried on. Peat,
obtained from Lochar Moss, which is mostly in the pa-
rish of Dumfries, is the ordinary fuel ; but English coal
is coming gradually into use. About four miles of the
turnpike-road between Dumfries and Edinburgh lie with-
in the parish ; and both the roads and the bridges are in
excellent repair.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery and synod of Dumfries ; patrons,
the Marcjuess of Queensberry and the Crown alternately.
The stipend of the minister is £158, of which £8. 12.
are received from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a
glebe of the annual value of £26. 10. The church is in-
conveniently situated nearly at the western extremity of
the parish, and is a long, narrow, rectangular building
without aisle or gallery, containing 400 sittings : it was
built in 1/63. The churchyard is surrounded by some
fine old sycamore-trees, which give it a very picturesque
appearance, and are visible at a great distance. There
are two parochial schools, at each of which the ordinary
branches of education are taught ; the salaries of the
masters together are £51. 6. 7-, and the fees £30 : the
principal master has a commodious dwelling, and sepa-
rate schoolroom ; the other a smaU tenement of one
room, built by the farmers. The poor have the interest
of several small sums, among which is a bequest of
£100 left by Robert Mundell, Esq., of London, a native
of the parish. A branch of the Roman road from Burns-
wark runs through the parishes of Dryfesdale and Loch-
maben, enters the old parish of Trailflat, and passes by
Amisfield House, where there are distinct traces of a
castellum. Vestiges of a British fort are to be seen on
the top of Barshell hill, about a mile distant from the
church ; and various antiquities, consisting of anchors,
oars, &c., have been dug up from Lochar Moss, a circum-
stance which is considered a demonstration of its having
formerly been a navigable estuary. The celebrated Pa-
terson, author of the Darien scheme, and founder of the
Bank of England, was born in 1660, in the district of
Trailflat ; and in the same house was born Dr. James
Mounsey, his grand-nephew, and first physician for many
years to the Empress of Russia.
TIREE and COLL, a parish, in the division of
Mull, county of Argyll, the former district about
30 miles (W.) and the latter 20 (W. by N.) from Tober-
3 Z2
TIRE
TIRE
tnory ; containing 5833 inhabitants, of whom 4391 are
in the island of Tiree. Of these two districts, Tiree is
supposed by some to have derived its name, which they
interpret as " the country of I or lona", from its having
formed part, as it is said, of the possessions of that
celebrated church. It was granted by the Macdonalds,
lords of the Isles, to the clan Mc Lean, who retained
possession of it till the year 1674, when it became the
property of the Argyll family, whose descendant, the
Duke of Argyll, is now the sole owner. The island of
Coll, the name of which is of unknown derivation, was
given in the reign of James II. to John Garve, first laird
of Coll, and ancestor of the present family, who still re-
tain the principal portion of the isle : the extremities,
having been acquired in 1674 by the Argyll family, were
lately sold by them to two different families, and the
island consequently now belongs to three several pro-
prietors. During the minority of a young laird of Coll,
long ago, the chief of the clan Mc Lean sent an armed
force to take possession of the island, which he designed
to annex to his own territory ; but in these views he
was opposed by Neil Mor, uncle and guardian to the
laird ; and a sanguinary battle took place near a small
rivulet called Sruthan-nan-Ceann, in which the forces
of Mc Lean were routed with great slaughter. In
resentment of his defeat and disappointment, Mc Lean
some time afterwards despatched a party of his retainers
to Mull, the residence of Neil Mor ; and that disin-
terested chieftain, who had merely defended the pro-
perty of his nephew from attempts to wrest it from the
rightful owner, was treacherously surprised and slain.
The islands of Tiree and Coll are situated to the
west of the Isle of Mull, from which they are separated
by the channel of the Little Minch ; and are divided
from each other by a narrow sound, in which lies the
small island of Gunna, forming also part of the parish.
Tiree is about thirteen miles in extreme length, varies
froui three to six miles in breadth, and comprises nearly
1S,000 acres; Coll is about fourteen miles in length,
and three in extreme breadth, making the whole parish,
including the sound, about twenty-nine miles long.
Gunna is of very inconsiderable extent, uninhabited,
and affording only pasture for a few cattle. The sur-
face of Tiree is generally low and even, scarcely rising
more than fifty or sixty feet above high-water mark ;
but towards the west and south-west are some hills of
considerable altitude, of which Bein-Heinish, the highest,
has an elevation of 500 feet above the level of the sea ;
and Ceann-a-Mliara, about half that height, and forming
the western headland, is perforated with numerous
fissures, the resort of multitudes of aquatic fowl. The
surface of Coll is rugged and uneven, and diversified
with numerous hills. Few of these attain more than
300 feet above the sea ; but though so low, the views
obtained from the island, as from Tiree, are extensive
and interesting, comprising, to the north and north-west,
the isles of Skye, Uist, and Barra; to the south, the
isles of Jura and Islay ; and to the east, the mountains
of Ardnamurchan, Sunart, Appiu, and Lorn. In both
the islands are many small fresh-water lakes, none of
which, however, either for their extent or tlie peculiarity
of tlicir features, are entitled to particidar description ;
they aljound with eels of small size, and in some few
are found trout of inferior quality, which are taken with
the rod, more for amusement than for profit. There
540
are several perennial springs, some of which are chaly-
beate , and also some small streams, but none deserving
the appellation of rivers.
The coasts of Tiree are chiefly flat and sandy ; those
of Coll, more rocky and precipitous _: and both are
indented with bays. Kirkapol bay, near the eastern
extremity of Tiree, is about two miles in width, and
penetrates for nearly the same distance into the land ;
it is of considerable depth, and the bottom affords safe
anchorage-ground for vessels of the largest burthen.
The bay of Heirmh, partly inclosed by the headland of
that name, to the west of Kirkapol, is spacious and
easily accessible, but from its exposure to the south-
east winds, is insecure as a shelter for vessels in stormy
weather. A pier was constructed here by the Commis-
sioners of Northern Lights, to facilitate the landing of
materials for the erection of the lighthouse on Sceir-
Mhor. The bay of Loch Breacacha, on the south shore
of Coll, extends nearly a mile into the land, and has
good anchorage for vessels during the summer months.
To the west of it is the bay of Crosspol, which is about
two miles in width, and bounded on the north by a
sandy beach more than a mile in length ; but from the
number of sunken rocks, with which it abounds, it affords
but very insecure accommodation, and is scarcely ever
frequented as a harbour. Near the bay of Kirkapol, and
forming part of its eastern shore, is the small island of
Soay, separated from the main land by a narrow channel
which is passable at half-tide ; it was formerly valuable
for its quantity of kelp, and is covered with verdure
affording good pasturage. Not far from the north-east-
ern extremity of Coll is Eilean-Mhor, uninhabited, like
the islands of Gunna and Soay, but affording pasturage
for a few sheep. The fish taken off the coasts are cod,
ling, skate, lythe, gurnet, saith, and occasionally turbot :
of these, the cod and ling are cured, and sent to the
different markets ; the others are merely for home con-
sumption. There are ninety-four skiffs in the parish ;
but seldom more than ten are regularly engaged in the
fisheries. Herrings are frequently seen in shoals, but
no vessels are employed in herring-fishing. Various
kinds of shell-fish are found on the shores, the prin-
cipal of which are lobsters, crabs, cockles, laropets,
mussels, and razor-fish ; large quantities are taken by
the inhabitants, and, especially during seasons of scarcity,
they contribute greatly to the sustenance of the poorer
classes.
The SOIL in both islands is various ; for the greater
part, light and sandy ; in some places, a tenacious clay
resting on a substratum of whinstone ; in others, a
deep rich loam alternated with moss and gravel. In
the island of Coll, the larger portion is moorland and
moss. Nearly in the centre of that of Tiree is a plain
more than 1500 acres in extent, affording rich and luxu-
riant summer pasture. About 6000 acres of the whole
parish are arable, 1 1,000 moorland pasture and waste,
and more than 750 under water; the crops are oats,
barley, and potatoes, of which great quantities are
raised, and flax, with the usual grasses. The system
of husbandry is adapted to the nature of the lands, and
in the island of Coll was formerly much confined to the
spade : the farm-biiildings are in general of a very in-
different order; and though the lands have been partially
drained and inclosed, the state of agriculture is far from
being perfect. The cattle are of the native breed : from
TIRE
TOB E
the want of winter pasture, those in Tiree are greatly
inferior, both in size and quality, to those of Coll, and
are subject to certain diseases that render them less
hardy, and less capable of being driven to distant mar-
kets, than the latter, which fetch a much higher price.
The sheep in both islands are of the black-faced and
Cheviot breeds ; they are only of recent introduction,
and it has not been yet ascertained whether the rearing
of them is attended with profit. Great numbers of pigs,
which have been found a remunerating stock, are sent
to Glasgow and to Greenock, where they obtain a ready
sale.
There are no plantations, but from the discovery of
trunks and roots of trees in the mosses, the islands ap-
pear to have been anciently well wooded. The rocks
are generally composed of whinstone, granite, and pri-
mitive limestone. Marble, both white and of a varie-
gated colour, is found, and was quarried for a few years ;
some large blocks are still lying near the quarry, but
the works have been altogether discontinued. In the
west of the island of Coll, a vein of lead-ore has been
discovered, but it has not been brought into operation ;
and near the manse of Tiree, and in various other places,
are indications of iron-ore. The annual value of real
property in Tiree and Coll is £4473. Coll House, the
residence of Hugh Mc Lean, Esq., was erected towards
the middle of the last century. The parish contains no
villages of any importance. There are, however, one
good inn at Tiree, and one in Coll ; and fairs, chiefly
for black-cattle, are annually held in the parish on the
Tuesday before the Mull fair in May, the Monday before
Mull fair in August, and the Wednesday preceding the
Mull fair in October. Post-ofHces, under the office of
Tobermory, have been established at Tiree and Coll ;
but for some years no regular packet has been stationed
here, and during the interval from the end of November till
the beginning of April, nearly all intercourse with other
places is suspended, unless when a day of favourable
weather may warrant the launching of a skilF. The in-
ternal communication is also as yet rather defective,
from the want of good roads, with the exception of some
of the sandy beaches, along which pedestrians, as well
as horses and carts, may pass with ease. The ferry
between the two islands, which is about two miles in
width, and dangerous at times from the rapidity of the
tides, is frequently impassable ; the shore on each side
is seldom without a violent surf, and near Gunna are
some sand- banks under water, which shift their position
in tempestuous weather, and add greatly to the difficulty
of the passage.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Mull, synod of Argyll ;
and the Duke of Argyll is patron. The minister's sti-
pend is about £347, subject to an annual teiud tack
duty of £22. 4. 5. payable to the synod, and also to a
stipend of from £60 to £65 per annum to an assistant
residing in Coll. He has a manse, and a glebe valued
at £4. 10. a year. Two new and very comfortable
churches have been built in Tiree within a few years,
one of them intended to accommodate 650, and the
other 450 or 500 persons with sittings. The church of
Coll was erected in 1802, chiefly by the proprietor of
Coll, who keeps it in repair ; it contains about 300
sittings. The assistant minister officiates in this church.
A catechist in connexion with the Established Church
541
has a small salary from the funds of the synod ; and
there are places of worship in Tiree for members of the
Free Church, Baptists, Independents, and members of the
United Presbyterian Church. There are also two paro-
chial schools in Tiree, affording instruction to nearly
200 children ; the masters have each a salary of £22. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees. In Coll is a
school supported by the Society for Propagating Chris-
tian Knowledge, who pay the master a salary of £10, to
which £5 are added by the proprietor, with a dwelling-
house, and grass for a cow. Two schools, one in Tiree
and one in Coll, are maintained by the education com-
mittee of the General Assembly, who pay the masters
each a salary of £25. There are likewise a school sup-
ported by the Gaelic Society, who allow the master £20;
one by the Glasgow Auxiliary Society, with a salary of
£12 ; and various others, conducted tiy teachers on their
own adventure. Among the relics of antiquity are nu-
merous remains of Danish forts, near the coast ; and in
a lake about the centre of Tiree, are the remains of
an ancient castle, supposed to have been the residence
of the original proprietor of Tiree. There are also per-
ceptible the foundations of some religious houses : two
crosses near their site are still almost entire. Several
rudely-formed coffins of stone have been discovered at
various times, containing human bones in a greatly de-
cayed state ; and coins, chiefly of copper, and a small
silver coin of the reign of Malcolm Canmore, were found
some years since. About the commencement of the
present century, an armlet of gold, about five inches in
diameter and one inch in breadth, was found in a stony
knoll, and near it were human bones scattered among
the earth and stones ; the bracelet was sent to Glasgow,
and sold for a small sum. On a farm in the west of
Coll are two obelisks of stone, about six feet high, and
fifteen yards asunder, which, according to tradition,
point out the grave of some Fingalian hero ; and the
ancient castle of Breacacha, the baronial residence of
the lords of the Isles, is still tolerably entire. The Duke
of Argyll takes his inferior title of Baron of Tiree from
this parish.
TOBERMORY, a sea-port town, and a quoad sacra
parish, in the parish of Kilninian and Kilmore, dis-
trict of Mull, county of Argyll, 30 miles (N. W. by W.)
from Oban, and 171 (W. N. W.) from Edinburgh; con-
taining 1390 inhabitants. This place derives its name,
signifying in the Gaelic language the " well of Mary ",
from a well near the town, which in ancient times was
dedicated to the Virgin Mary ; to whom, also, was dedi-
cated an old chapel, of which there are still some re-
mains on the west side of the town. In 1588, the Flo-
rida, one of the ships belonging to the'^Spanish Armada,
retreating towards the north, was blown up in the har-
bour of this town, and entirely destroyed. An attempt
to raise the hull of the vessel was made in 17-10, by Sir
Archibald Grant and Captain Roe, but without any
other success than the recovery of several of her guns ;
part of her timbers, however, were subsequently found,
and some of the wood was presented by Sir Walter
Scott to George IV., on His Majesty's visit to Edin-
burgh in 1822. In the reign of James VII., Archibald,
ninth Earl of Argyll, having joined in the rebellion of
the Duke of Monmouth, landed with his followers in
the bay, or, according to some authorities, in Cantyre,
to assist in what proved an unsuccessful project for the
TOBE
TOMI
invasion of Scotland : being afterwards made prisoner,
he was sent to Edinburgh, where he was executed.
The TOWN, which is finely situated on the north-
western shore of the bay, was commenced in 1788, by
the British Society for Promoting the Fisheries and Im-
proving the Coasts of the Kingdom, who, as an induce-
ment to settlers, granted parcels of land for building on
very favourable leases. The houses along the shore are
well built and of neat appearance ; and on a rising
ground immediately behind, are numerous cottages of an
inferior description. A public news-room, supplied with
journals and periodical publications, was formerly sup-
ported. The original purpose for which the town was
designed, seems not to have been carried into full effect ;
no fisheries of any importance appear to have been esta-
blished. The site of the town, and the adjacent lands,
have been recently purchased from the society, and are
now the property of Mr. Nairne, of Aros, formerly of
Forfarshire.
From its advantageous situation, and its excellent
harbour, which is one of the best in the Western Isles,
Tobermory has become a thriving sea-port, and is fre-
quented by numerous steamers, and by most of the
vessels trading from the western ports of Britain to the
north of Europe. Its inhabitants are chiefly engaged
in the coasting-trade, and in the handicrafts connected
with the shipping, and requisite for the wants of the
surrounding district. The town has a few resident mer-
chants, a distillery, and many shops stored with various
kinds of goods. There are several boat-builders, coop-
ers, and other artificers connected with ship-building.
The harbour is capacious, easy of access, and protected
from the sound of Mull by the Calve Island, which ex-
tends nearly across its mouth, leaving at the north-
western extremity ample facility of entrance for vessels
of the largest size, but at the south-eastern only space
for small craft. Two commodious quays have been con-
structed, one of which, erected by the late Colonel Camp-
bell in 1835, is accessible at low water to vessels not
drawing more than four feet ; the other is of older date,
and accessible only to vessels requiring no more than
half that depth. A custom-house for the district has
been established here, also a branch of the Western
Bank of Scotland, and some insurance agencies ; the
post-office has three deliveries weekly, and there are se-
veral good inns for the accommodation of those whom
the facility of conveyance by steamers may induce to
visit the place. The .sheriEF-substitute holds a court
weekly in the town, which is also the polling-place for
the electors of Tiree and Coll, the Isle of Ulva, and
others of the Western Isles. There is a lock-up house,
but so little needed, that the upper story of it was some
time ago used as a schoolroom.
The district is bounded on the north by Loch Sunart,
and on the east by the sound of Mull. It is about six
miles in length, and nearly two miles in breadth, com-
prising more than 7000 acres, of which a very consider-
able portion is arable, producing good crops of oats and
potatoes. The surface is varied with hills, some of them
finely wooded ; the general scenery is pleasingly diver-
sified, and enriched with plantations. Near the town
is St. Mary's lake, a beautiful sheet of water, on the
shore of which an elegant mansion called Drumfin, now
the property of Mr. Nairne, of Aros, was erected by
Hugh Mc Lean, Esq., of Coll : the hills between which
542
this lake is situated are precipitous. There are some
thriving plantations on the lands of Mishnish, in the
neighbourhood of the town. Tobermory is in the pres-
bytery of Mull and synod of Argyll. The church,
erected by parliament in 18'28, stands on the hill behind
the town, overlooking the bay : the minister has a sti-
pend of £120, paid from the exchequer ; with a manse
and a small glebe : patron, the Crown. The members
of the Free Church have a place of worship. A school,
attended during the winter by about 100 children, is
supported by government ; and there is also in the town
a school of industry, in which are ninety girls.
TODHILLS, a hamlet, in the parish of Tealing,
county of Forfar ; containing .50 inhabitants.
TOLLCROSS, a village, in the former quoad sacra
parish of Shettleston, parish of Barony, suburbs of
the city of Glasgow, and county of Lanark, 2 miles
(E. by S.) from Glasgow; containing I767 inhabitants.
This populous and prosperous village owes its origin to
the establishment of the Clyde iron-works, in the imme-
diate vicinity ; at which, and also in the neighbouring
collieries, its population for the most part is employed.
Some of the inhabitants are engaged in other manufac-
tures of the district, principally hand-loom weaving.
The road from Holytown to Glasgow passes through.
Tollcross House, the property of the Misses Dunlop, is
a handsome mansion, built about the middle of the
seventeenth century, and subsequently enlarged and im-
proved.
TOMACHAR, a small hamlet, in the parish of Port
of MoNTEiTH, county of Perth ; containing not more
than 20 inhabitants.
TOMBRECK, a small hamlet, in the parish of
Weem, county of Perth ; containing 21 inhabitants.
TOMINTOUL, a village, and for a time a quoad
sacra parish, in the parish of Kibkmichael, county of
Banff; containing 919 inhabitants, of whom 530 are
in the village. This place is supposed to have derived
its name, signifying the " barn hillock ", from the situa-
tion of the barn belonging to a farm that originally
occupied the site of the village. Tomintoul was com-
menced in 1750 ; it stands on a tract of table-land over-
looking the river Aven, and consists chiefly of one long
street. In the centre is a spacious square. The houses
of the village, with few exceptions, are one story high,
neatly built, and roofed with slate ; and attached to
each are about two acres of land, in the cultivation of
which the inhabitants are partly employed. No manu-
factures are carried on here, nor any trade, except the
handicrafts requisite for the wants of the neighbour-
hood ; there are a few shops for the sale of various
articles of merchandise for the supply of the inhabitants,
and a circulating library containing nearly 200 volumes
of religious and historical works. A post-office has
been established, which has a daily delivery ; and there
arc four good inns. A small lock-up house has been
erected for the temporary confinement of offenders
against the peace ; but there is no resident magistrate.
Fairs, chiefly for cattle and sheep, and for the hiring of
servants, are held on the last Friday in May, the last
Friday in July, O. .S., the third Wednesday in August,
O. S., the Friday after the second Tuesday in Septem-
ber, (). S., and the second Friday in November, O. S.
The great mditary road from Perth to Inverness passes
through the village ; and the district affords ample means.
TO NG
TONG
which might easily be made available to greater facilities
of communication.
The district was separated for ecclesiastical purposes
from the parish of Kirkmichael, and erected into a quoad
sacra parish, under act of the General Assembly. It
comprises by computation 30,000 acres, of which by far
the greater portion is moorland pasture. The surface is
hilly and mountainous, and the scenery, from the want
of plantations, bleak and comparatively uninteresting;
the river Aven flows through the district in its course to
the Spey, and there are numerous springs. Some of
these possess mineral properties, but they are not used
medicinally. The soil in some parts is a rich marl,
and the arable lands are under good cultivation, pro-
ducing favourable crops of grain ; the hills, also, afford
pasturage for sheep and black-cattle, of which consider-
able numbers are reared, and sent to the southern
markets. Toraintoul is in the presbytery of Abernethy
and synod of Moray. The church was erected in 1827,
at a cost of £750, by the commissioners under the act
for building additional places of worship in the High-
lands and Islands of Scotland. It is situated about five
miles from the parish church, and is a neat substantial
structure containing 336 sittings, to which ^OO may be
added by the erection of a gallery, for which the plan of
the building is well adapted. The minister has a stipend
of £120, paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, built
by government at an expense of £738, and a glebe
valued at £2 per annum : patron, the Crown. A Roman
Catholic chapel was built in 1838 ; and there is a school
in connexion with the Established Church, the master of
which receives £17-3. 3. as a gratuity from the Duke of
Richmond, in addition to the fees. There is also a school
the master of which has a salary of £26, arising from an
endowment by the late Mr. Donaldson, of Aberdeen.
TONGLAND, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirk-
cudbright, 2 miles (N. N. E.) from Kirkcudbright;
containing 826 inhabitants, of whom 31 are in the vil-
lage or hamlet of Tongland. This parish, the name of
which is of very doubtful origin, is bounded on the east
by the river Dee, separating it from the parish of Kelton ;
and on the west by the river Tarff, dividing it from the
parish of Twynholm. From the confluence of these
rivers, at its southern extremity, the parish extends
nearly eight miles towards the north, gradually in-
creasing from less than half a mile to about three miles
in breadth, and comprising an area of about 6138 acres.
Of this extent, 1346 acres are arable, 2792 meadow and
pasture, a few acres woodland and plantations, and the
remainder moor and waste. The surface is divided in
the southern and central portions by a narrow and un-
even ridge, which increases by degrees in height from
the junction of the two rivers ; in the northern portion
it expands into broken moorlands, interspersed with
irregular tracts of partially cultivated land, and with
rugged valleys whose acclivities are partly clothed with
wood. The Tarff has its source in Loch Whinyion, in
the adjoining parish of Twynholm, and, after winding
through the western district of this parish in a beauti-
fully limpid stream, runs into the Dee at Compston
Castle. It abounds with yellow trout, and herling, and
occasionally with salmon. In its course it forms several
romantic cascades, the principal of which is the Linn of
Lairdmannoch, where its water falls from a height of
nearly sixty feet into a dark and deep pool. The scenery
543
of the Dee is remarkably picturesque, along the whole
of the four miles for which it forms the boundary of the
parish ; its banks are planted with oak, birch, ash, elm,
alder, and hazel, and in many places it forces its way
wilh great impetuosity between rugged and precipitous
rocks rising to the height of seventy or eighty feet.
The SOIL varies greatly in different parts, but is
mostly fertile, and in some places exuberantly rich ; the
crops are oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips, which last
are cultivated to a great extent, and in every variety.
Agriculture is improved : the farms are usually of mode-
rate extent, averaging from 300 to 500 acres ; the princi-
pal manure is lime, and the rotation system of husbandry
is generally practised. The farm-buildings are commo-
diously arranged. The cattle are of the Galloway breed,
except on some of the dairy-lands for which the Ayrshire
breed is preferred ; the sheep on the arable farms are
the Leicestershire, and on the moorlands mostly the
Cheviot and the black-faced. In this parish the sub-
strata are chiefly porphyry and clay-slate ; the bed of the
Dee is entirely slate. An attempt was made some time
since in search of coal, but without the least success.
Lime, coal, and bone-dust for manure, are supplied from
the landing-place at Tongland bridge. The plantations
consist of oak, ash, lime, larch, and Scotch, spruce, and
silver firs ; and around the church are some fine plane
and beech trees, of more than 100 years' growth. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £6283.
The principal mansions are, Argrennan, the seat of
Robert Ker, Esq., a handsome modern house, beautifully
situated ; and Barcaple, Valleyfield, and Dunjop, which
are also modern residences. There is no village of any
importance ; neither is any trade or manufacture carried
on, the population being wholly agricultural. Commu-
nication is afforded by the turnpike-road from Carlisle
to Portpatrick, which passes through the centre of the
parish, and by other roads in excellent repair. There are*
three bridges across the Tarff, and two across the Dee.
The latter river, which is navigable for vessels of forty
tons to Tongland bridge, affords means of conveyance
for supplies of coal and lime from Cumberland, and of
bone-dust from Ireland and from Liverpool, and also
facility for the export of grain, potatoes, and other agri-
cultural produce ; for which there is a commodious wharf.
Tongland bridge is a handsome structure of one arch,
110 feet in span, erected under the superintendence of
Mr. Telford, engineer, at a cost of £7700.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Kirkcudbright and synod of
Galloway. The minister's stipend is £158. 17. 7-, of
which about one-tenth is paid from the exchequer ; with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £40 per annum : patron,
the Crown. The church, situated on the Dee, at the
southern extremity of the parish, was erected in 1813 ;
it is in the early English style of architecture, with a
square embattled tower, and contains 420 sittings.
Tongland parochial school is attended by about ninety
children ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, in addition to the fees. There is a
school for females, the mistress of which receives a
salary of £10, raised by subscription; and a Sunday
school is taught by the same person. Of the abbey of
Tongland, founded in the twelfth century by Fergus,
Lord of Galloway, for Praemonstratensian canons, the
only remains are a small low arch forming part of the
TONG
TO N G
northern wall of the old church : in digging in the
vicinity for a garden, on the farm of Kirkconnel, part of
an ancient cemetery was explored, in which was found a
gold ring, without either name or date. There are some
remains of a Druidical circle, of eleven upright stones,
with one in the centre ; the tops are very little above the
surface of the moor on which they are situated. At a
short distance to the west is a large cairn.
TONGUE, a parish, in the county of Sutherland,
250 miles (N. by W.) from Edinburgh ; containing, with
the villages of Tongue, Skianid, and Torrisdale, 2041 in-
habitants, of whom 1.5,58 are in the rural districts.
This place anciently formed part of the parishes of Dur-
ness and Eddrachillis, from which it was severed in IT'Si,
by act o the General Assembly. It derived its original
name, Kintail, signifying in the Gaelic language the
"head of the sea", from its situation at the head of an
inlet from the North Sea, by which latter it is bounded
on the north. The parish, on its separation, took its
present name from a narrow neck of land projecting far
into the Kyle of Tongue, the inlet above noticed : there
is a ferry from this neck to the opposite shore. This
part of Sutherlandshire vias for many generations the
residence of the Mackays, from whom the surrounding
district, to a large extent, obtained the appellation of Lord
Reay's Country ; it now belongs to the Duke of Suther-
land, who is sole proprietor of the parish. No transac-
tions of historical importance are recorded in connexion
with the place. Some tumuli, at a place called Druim-
na-Coup, point out the spot where a battle was fought
between the Mackays and the Sutherlands, and where,
also, in more recent times, in 1746, a party landing from
a vessel bringing a supply of gold from France for the
Young Pretender, were seized and stripped of their trea-
sure, by the inhabitants.
The PARISH is about twenty miles in extreme length,
and nearly eight miles in average breadth, comprising an
area of 140 square miles, of which not more than 1000
acres are arable ; 500 acres are in natural woods, about
250 in plantations, and the remainder, of which some
few tracts might be reclaimed, mountain pasture, water,
and waste. The surface is boldly diversified. Two con-
tinuous ridges of mountainous elevation, rising abruptly
from the sea, and .stretching towards the south, intersect
the parish in nearly parallel directions, and, terminating
in a similar range of heights which extends from cast to
west, form a semicircular chain of hills inclosing a spa-
cious vale. In the western range, the highest hill is
Ben-Hutig, on the north, elevated 1345 feet above the
level of the sea, which for several miles is the average
height of the ridge, till it terminates on the south in the
lofty mountain of llt-n-Hope, rising to a height of 3061
feet. The eastern range, which is greatly inferior in ele-
vation, consists of a series of hills of conical form, in
some places ascending preci])itously from the shores of
the Kyle of Tongue, but mostly of gradual ascent, and
of which the lower acclivities, to a considerable distance
from their base, are under profitable cultivation. The
iidand or southern ridge abounds with features of pictu-
rcs(|ue and romantic character. The principal moun-
tain in this range is licn-I,(wg}ial ; it rises from a base
two miles in breadth to a height of 2508 feet, and the
summit is divided into four massive and lofty peaks, of
which the highest is by far the most prominent. When
partially covered with mist, the hill presents a raost
544
fantastic appearance. In the valley inclosed by these
mount-in ranges, the Kyle of Tongue forms a chief fea-
ture. This inlet, from the number of islands at its
mouth, which in some points of view hide its communi-
cation with the sea, resembles a spacious inland lake,
apparently divided into two lakes by the tongue of land :
from the south-eastern shore rises the bold promontory
of I'arrich, crowned with the ruins of a castle.
The lands are interspersed with numerous lakes, of
which more than a hundred may be seen at one time
from some of the eminences, and of which those most
deserving of notice are the following. Loch Maedie, in
the southern extremity of the parish, is about six miles
in circumference ; it is indented with many points of
land projecting from its shores, and forming small bays,
and is studded with islands, on which are trees of ancient
growth. Loch Dim is situated at the base of a rock of
the same name, branching off from the west side of the
mountain of Ben-Laoghal. It is two miles in length,
and is accessible to persons travelling on foot. The
shore on one side is the rock, which towers precipitously
to the height of 200 feet, but whose rugged aspect is at
intervals softened by a few trees of birch and mountain-
ash. Loch Laoghal, the largest of a series of four lochs
on the east and south sides of the mountain, is five miles
in length and more than a mile in breadth. Its margin
on the west is ornamented with a few trees, and that on
the east with a wood of thriving birch, at the base of a
considerable hill clothed with verdure to its summit.
There are two islands in this lake, the resort of nume-
rous wild-fowl. The other lakes in the chain are Lochs
Cidlisa'id, Craggy, and Slam, which communicate with
each other, and with Loch Laoghal, by small rivulets,
and of which Loch Craggy, commanding a fine view of
Ben-Laoghal, is the most interesting. The principal
rivers are the Borgie, the Rhians, and the Kinloch. Of
these the Borgie, which is the largest, and is sometimes
called the Torrisdale, has its source in Loch Slam, and,
flowing in a north-eastern direction, and forming a
boundary between this parish and that of Farr, falls into
the bay of Torrisdale. The Rhians and the Kinloch, after
very short courses, flow into the Kyle of Tongue near
Castle-Varrich ; and the smaller streams of Tongue and
Skerray both run through straths to which they respec-
tively give name, the former into the Kyle, and the latter
into the sea. There are many perennial springs in the
parish, and several sulphureous and chalybeate springs
around the mountain of Ben-Laoghal, which are strongly
impregnated, but have not hitherto been accurately ana-
lyzed.
The COAST is more than ten miles in extent, gene-
rally elevated and rocky, and, around the promontory
of Whiten Head, extremely bold and romantic. It is
indented with some fine bays and numerous creeks,
affording shelter to vessels of consideral)le burthen, and
to various small craft. The Kyle of Tongue, nearly in
the centre of the coast, is about nine miles in length,
and more than a mile and a half in breadth; of no great
depth ; i'rom the numerous islands at the entrance, dif-
ficult of access ; and from the shifting nature of the
sand-banks, of daiigcroiis navigation. At the mouth of
the Kyle is good ancliorage for ships of the largest size,
which may ridi' there in safety, protected from the adverse
winds of almost every (juarter ; and on the western
shore are two fine roadsteads for vessels, one near Port-
TO N G
TO N G
vasgo, and the other in the small bay of Talmine, which
has a good bottom and a smooth sandy beach, and is
one of the principal fishing-station on the coast. On
the eastern side of the Kyle, and nearly opposite to the
bay of Talmine, is the small creek of Sculomij, affording
shelter only for a few fishing-boats, but which, at no
very great expense, might be rendered a safe station for
vessels of larger burthen. The bay of Torrisdale, east-
ward of the entrance of the Kyle, is wide and spacious,
but gives little shelter to vessels, being open and exposed
to the winds, which are here frequently violent and tem-
pestuous. The only headland of any importance on the
coast is Whiten Head, which is partly in Durness parish ;
it is abruptly bold and precipitous, and the rocks are
perforated by the action of the waves into various
caverns of romantic appearance. Of these, Fraisgill
cavern has a naturally-formed arch at the entrance, fifty
feet high and twenty feet wide, and penetrates for nearly
half a mile into the rock, gradually contracting its di-
mensions both in breadth and height. This cavern is in
the parish of Durness.
The principal islands are, Eilean-nan-Naomh, or "the
saints' island"; Eilean-nan-Ron, or "the island of seals";
and the Rabbit islands. Eilean-nan-Naomh, situated near
the eastern extremity of the coast, had anciently a chapel
with a burying-ground, of which traces may still be dis-
covered. On the south side of this island is a circular
fissure in the rock, through which the sea, after forcing
its way along a narrow channel, ascends in a perpendi-
cular column to the height of thirty feet, accompanied,
within a few seconds, by a violent rushing of water from
the eastern side of the island, with a noise resembling
the discharge of a cannon. Eilean-nan-Ron, to the west
of the former, has at high water the appearance of two
islands, and is partly under cultivation by a few tenants
who, from a hollow in the form of a basin, containing
land of much fertility, raise some fine crops of grain.
The rocks rise precipitously, and on the north side are
divided by numerous fissures, through which the wind
rushes with great force, carrying with it quantities of
saline spray, and thus atFording the means of curing fish
without the use of salt. On the same side of the island
is a naturally-formed arch, of lofty dimensions, and of
such symmetry and elegance as to rival the work of art.
Nearly in the centre of the isle, the surface has subsided
into a spacious chasm of circular form and great depth,
which is supposed to communicate by a cavern with the
sea. Eilean-nan-Ron contains forty-two inhabitants.
The Rabbit islands, which are more within the mouth of
the Kyle of Tongue than Eilean-nan-Ron, are three in
number, of no great elevation, and only covered with
verdure affording pasture to rabbits. The ancient name
of these islands, " Eilean-na-Gaeil," or "the island of
strangers," is supposed to have been derived from their
occupation by the Danes, who are said to have landed
on them, and retained possession for a time. The fish
taken off the coast of the parish are chiefly cod, ling,
haddock, whiting, skate, and flounders. Coal-fish are
found in great quantities, in September, near the rocks ;
and turbot and tusk are occasionally taken. The shores
in the upper part of the Kyle abound with shell-fish,
including mussels and spout-fish of excellent quality,
and cockles, of which vast numbers are used for food
during the summer months. Salmon, grilse, trout, and
char are found in some of the lakes and rivers ; and at
Vol. II.— 545
the salmon-fishery on the Borgie, about 2000 salmon
are annually taken, on an average. The herring-fishery,
which was formerly carried on to a great extent, and
was very lucrative, has of late years decreased.
From the small proportion of land under cultivation,
the agricultural economy of the parish is scarcely an
object deserving notice; the soil of the arable portions
is a rich black loam, producing grain of all kinds, but
the only remunerating crop is potatoes, which are raised
in large quantities. The lands are chiefly in pasture ;
but from being overstocked, both the sheep and cattle
are often stinted in their growth. The sheep on the
larger farms are generally of the Cheviot breed, and are
sent to the southern markets, where they are in much
estimation and obtain high prices ; the sheep reared by
the smaller tenants are either of the black-faced breed,
or a cross between that and the Cheviot. Great quanti-
ties of wool are forwarded to Inverness, and also to the
Liverpool market. The cattle are of the Highland
breed, and are usually sent for sale to the Aultnaharrow
market in the adjoining parish of Farr, or to the Kyle
market near Bonar Bridge, but frequently are purchased
by drovers who travel through the country to collect
them. The natural wood, which for some time had
been neglected, and for want of regular thinning was
beginning to decay, has within the last few years been
carefully managed, and is now in a thriving state. Of
the plantations the most extensive are those around the
House of Tongue ; they display some fine specimens of
beech, ash, elm, and lime, with firs of various kinds, of
which the spruce thrives better than the Scotch fir. The
rocks in the parish are principally gneiss, in some places
intersected by veins of quartz and granite; the mountain
of Ben-Hope is composed chiefly of mica-slate, and that of
Ben-Laoghalof sienite. In the lower lands the substratum
is chiefly sandstone. Black manganese ore has been found
in Ben-Laoghal, and bog iron ore occurs in many places.
Slate and flag quarries are wrought at Talmine and
Portvasgo, on the lands of Melness, on the western shore
of the Kyle of Tongue. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £341/. The House of Tongue is
the property and occasional residence of the Duke of
Sutherland. This mansion, which is of ancient date,
and irregular in its style of architecture, is situated in
grounds tastefully laid out, and comprehending much
beautiful scenery; the surrounding demesne is richly
planted, and embellished with timber of stately growth.
The villages of Skianid and Torrisdale are described
under their respective heads. In Tongue is a post-office,
which has a delivery three times a week from Thurso,
and twice from Golspie and Durness ; a subscription
library and a public reading-room, lately established,
are supported by subscription, and there is a good inn.
Facility of communication is maintained by excellent
roads, of which nearly forty miles pass through the pa-
rish, chiefly parliamentary and county roads ; and by
the ferry across the Kyle of Tongue.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Tongue, synod of Sutherland
and Caithness. The minister's stipend, including an
allowance for communion elements, is £158. 6. 8., of
which more than two-thirds are paid from the exchequer;
with a handsome and commodious manse, and a glebe
valued at £35 per annum, patron, the Crown. The
church, erected in 1680, was nearly rebuilt in 1*31, at
4 A
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the expense of Lord Reay, and substantially repaired in
1779 ; it is a neat substantial structure, conveniently
situated, and containing bW sittings. A missionary
station is established at Melness, in the western district
of the parish ; and a church containing 500 sittings, and
a manse, were erected there by the late Duchess-Countess
of Sutherland : the missionary has a stipend of £50,
paid by the Society for Propagating Christian Know-
ledge. The members of the Free Church have a place
of worship. Tongue parochial school affords instruction
to about sixty children ; the master receives a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees. There
are two schools supported by the education committee
of the General Assembly ; one is at Melness, the other
at Slverray. Among the interesting monuments of
antiquity, the remains of the castle of Varrich are the
most conspicuous. These ruins, which occupy the sum-
mit of the promontory of the same name, consist chiefly
of the massive walls of a square tower two stories in
height ; the lower story had a roof of vaulted stone, and
the upper a ceiling of timber frame-work. Nothing of
the founder of the castle, or of its early history, is known.
Extending from the coast into the interior, are remains
of several circular towers which, from their being within
sight of each other, are supposed to have formed a chain
of signal stations, for the communication of intelligence
in times of danger. Subterraneous caverns, some of
them evidently of artificial construction, are to be found
in various places, and appear to have been retreats of the
inhabitants from the pursuit of enemies.
TORBOLTON, county of Ayr.— See Tarbolton.
TORBREX, a village, in the parish of St. Ninian's,
county of Stirling, 1 mile (S.) from Stirling; containing
141 inhabitants. This is a small place in the suburbs of
Stirling, and a short distance west of the high road thence
to the village of St. Ninian's. It is one of the smallest
of several villages in the parish.
TOROGAY, an isle, in the parish of Harris, county
of Inverness. It is a small uninhabited isle, lying in
the sound of Harris, a short distance from the most
northern point of the main land of North Uist, and equi-
distant, southward, from the island of Bernera.
TOROSAY, a parish, in the district of Mxjll, county
of Argyli-, is miles (W. byN.) from Oban ; containing,
with the former quoad sacra parish of Kinlochspelve,
and part of that of Salen, I6l6 inhabitants, of whom
6/9 are in Torosay Proper. This place derives its
name, signifying in the Gaehc language " the country
of hills and water," from tlie mountainous character of
its surface, and the numerous indentations of its shores
by arms of the sea. Originally it formed part of the
territories of the Macdonalds, lords of the Isles, whose
principal residence was at Aros, in the neighbouring
parish of Kilninian. In the earlier part of the four-
teenth century, the lands were granted by the Macdo-
nalds to two brothers of the family of McLean, who,
during a visit to the chieftain Macdonald, had become
his sons-in-law. One of them fixed his residence at
Duiirt, in the north-eastern, and the other at the head
of Loch lluij, in the south-western, extremity of the
pari!-li. In a succeeding age, after the death of a
Maclaine of Lochbuy, whose son was then an infant,
McLean of Duart took forcible possession of his estates,
which he annexed to his own ; failing, however, to
obtain the person of the infant, who was conveyed in
546
safety to Ireland, and placed with his maternal uncle,
ancestor of the present Earl of Antrim. The heir of
Lochbuy, on attaining the age of manhood, embarked
with a few resolute attendants to recover his paternal
estates, and, landing near Lochbuy, was recognized by
the tenantry, who reinstated him in his inheritance,
which is now mostly the property of his descendant,
Murdoch Maclaine, Esq., the principal landowner in the
parish. The lands of the Duart family afterwards be-
came forfeited to the crown, and were granted, in reward
of their eminent services, to the Argyli family, of whom
the late Duke sold the lands of Torosay Proper to the
late Colonel Macquarrie, of Ulva, from whom they were
purchased by Colonel Campbell, of Possil. The other
landholders in the parish are, the Macquarrie family (of
Glenforsa, lately part of the lands belonging to the
Lochbuy property); the Duke of Argyll; and Duncan
Me Intyre, Esq. The are still considerable remains of
the ancient castles of Duart and Lochbuy. The former,
situated on the promontory of Duart, consists of a
quadrangular range of buildings, with a strong tower of
two stories on the north. The walls of the tower are
from ten to fourteen feet in thickness, and of more
ancient date than the other buildings, on one of the
doors of which is the crest of the Mc Leans, with the
date 1663. Lochbuy Castle, situated on a low rock
near the head of a loch, consists of a square tower of
three stories, of which the two lower have roofs of stone,
richly groined. It is in much better preservation than
Duart Castle. On the east it was defended by a semi-
circular fosse, which may still be traced ; and the en-
trance was by an embattled gateway, with a portcullis
and drawbridge. From charters in the possession of
the family of Lochbuy, the castle is known to have ex-
isted as early as 1450.
The PARISH is about twenty miles in extreme length,
and nearly twelve in extreme breadth, comprising an
area of 160 square miles. Not more than 7500 acres
are arable and in cultivation, to which, however, 8000
might be added; the large remainder is moorland-pasture
and waste incapable of tillage. The surface is hilly and
mountainous, and in some parts diversified with glens
of considerable extent. The principal mountains are
Ben-More and Bentealluidh, rising, the former to an
elevation of 3000, and the latter to the height of 2800,
feet above the level of the sea, commanding extensive
prospects, and forming magnificent features in the land-
scape as seen from Loch-na-Gaul and the sound of
Mull ; especially Bentealluidh, which, being of conical
form, and clothed with verdure to its summit, combines
beauty with grandeur. In addition to these, a chain of
mountains of iui'crior elevation, having one common
base, extends through the whole length of the parish ;
and in a transverse direction, and nearly parallel with
each other, are several ranges, the summits of which
are peaked. At the head of Loch Buy is the mountain
of licn-Mdi^ili, ascending from an extensive plain to a
height nearly equal to that of Bentealluidh. The chief
valleys are (ilenmorc, Glenforsa, and Glencainail. Of
these, (ileiiiiinre is about ten miles in length, constituting
a narrow defile between mountains, and extending from
the eastern to the W'cstern extremity of the parish. (Uen-
fursa is about five miles in length and three-quarters of
a mile in width, reaching from the coast, near Salen, to
the base of Bentealluidh, in Glenmore. Glencainail, to
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the west of Glenforsa, with which it is nearly parallel, is
about three miles in length and three-quarters of a mile
in breadth ; it is bounded by a mountain range that
separates it from Glenforsa, and by the base of Benmore,
near which it terminates : the principal feature of this
glen is a fresh-water lake of considerable size, at the
lower extremity.
Of the rivers, the Lussa has its source in some lakes
near Glenmore, from which it flows in a north-eastern
direction for nearly two miles, when it deviates towards
the south-east : after a rapid course of six miles, it runs
into the sea at Loch Spelve. The Fursa takes its rise
near the base of the mountain Bentealluidh, and, flow-
ing northward, falls after a course of about four miles,
in which it has received the waters from the heights of
Glenforsa, into the sound of Mull near Pennygowan.
The Ba issues from the lake of that name, in the western
part of the parish, and, passing in a north-western
direction, after a course of two miles joins Loch-na-
Gaul. There are many lakes ; the most conspicuous are
Loch Ba and Loch Uisge. Loch Ba, which is near the
western extremity of the parish, is about seven miles in
circumference. Loch Uisge, situated between the arms
of the sea called Loch Spelve and Loch Buy, is five
miles in circumference; its appearance is most romantic,
and owing to the precipitous elevation of its banks, every
feature in the surrounding scenery is distinctly reflected
on its surface. None of the smaller lakes are remark-
able for their extent or any peculiarity of character.
The rivers abound with salmon, grilse, and sea-trout :
trout of small size are found in all the fresh- water lochs ;
and in such of them as have communication by rivers
with the sea, the fish that ascend the streams frequently
remain till the end of spring.
The COAST is indented with numerous bays, of which
the principal are, Loch Buy, on the south ; Loch Spelve
and Loch Don, on the east ; and the bays of Duart,
Craignuire, Mac Alister, and Corinachencher, on the
north. Loch Buy is about three miles in length and two
in width. Loch Spelve is six miles long and about a mile
and a half in breadth, communicating with the sea by a
lateral opening nearly in the centre of the eastern side,
which is supposed to have been produced by some violent
convulsion, changing the loch from a fresh-water lake
into an arm of the sea. Loch Don is four miles in length,
and half a mile in breadth at its entrance, beyond which
it contracts itself to a few yards, but again expands into
an irregular surface of considerable width. The bay of
Mac Alister, one of the best harbours on the west coast,
is two miles wide ; and each of the others about a mile.
These several bays abound with cod, ling, whiting,
plaice, flounders, skate, and lythe. Herrings, mackerel,
and gurnet are also taken during the seasons. Oysters
and mussels are abundant on the shores of Loch Spelve,
especially the former fish ; and in the bays of Duart and
Craignuire, shell-fish of circular form, of the size of an
oyster, and of little less depth than the cockle, are
found in great quantities at low water.
In this district the soil is various ; on some of the
arable lands, tolerably fertile ; near the shores, a deep
loam alternated with sand and gravel ; and in other
parts, clayey : on the higher lands are extensive tracts
of peat. The chief crops are oats and bear, potatoes,
turnips, and the usual grasses. Husbandry is improved,
and considerable breadths of waste land have been re-
547
claimed and brought under cultivation; but the principal
reliance of the farmers is upon the rearing of sheep and
cattle, for which the hills afford good pasture. The farms
are of various extent, and there are many small crofters.
On the larger farms the buildings are generally substan-
tial, and many of the houses are of recent erection ; but
the cottages of the crofters are of a very inferior order,
and few inclosures have been made expect on the imme-
diate lands of proprietors. The laird of Loihbuy is
making extensive improvements. In this parish the
sheep are mostly the black-faced, and much attention is
paid to the breed by the importation of "tups" from
the southern districts, and of ewe lambs from the main-
land of Argyll ; the cattle are all of the West Highland
breed, and under the patronage of an association of
gentlemen for their improvement, much benefit is anti-
cipated. The Mull ponies, of small stature, but strong
and hardy, and equal to arduous labour, have here, of
late, been improved in size ; but what they have gained
in that respect, is more than counterbalanced by what
they have lost in spirit, and in their capability of en-
during fatigue. There are some remains of the ancient
woods, with which, from the discovery of large trunks
of trees in all the peat bogs, it is evident the parish must
have abounded ; they consist of copses of oak, ash,
mountain-ash, hazel, birch, and holly. The few acres
of plantations are recent, and consist of larch, spruce,
Scotch, and silver firs, with elm, alder, beech, and plane,
of which the last is found to flourish in some of the most
unfavourable situations both with respect to soil and
climate. At Fishinish, on the Lochbuy estate, are some
large planes in a very thriving condition, while there is
scarcely a tree of any kind, or even a shrub, in the
neighbourhood. One of the largest sweet- chesnut trees
in Scotland is also to be seen in the parish. The prin-
cipal rocks are trap, sandstone, and coarse limestone:
granite, in large boulders, occurs near the shore ; and
rock-crystals, and calc and fluor spars, are found in the
rocks. In the limestone are various fossil remains,
chiefly of the testaceous kind. The annual value of real
property in the parish in £.5008.
The principal seats are, Lochbuy House, a handsome
mansion, erected by the grandfather of the present pro-
prietor, at the head of Loch Buy, and at a small dis-
tance from the ancient tower, commanding a fine view of
the loch, and of the island of Colonsay in the Atlantic ;
Achnacroish House, the seat of Colonel Campbell, of
Fossil, to which considerable additions have been made;
and Glenforsa, the seat of the late Captain Macquarrie.
The only village of importance is Salen. Fairs for black-
cattle and sheep are held annually, on the lands of Fish-
inish, on the Tuesday before the last Wednesday in May
and October ; and a fair for horses on the first Friday
after the 20th of August. The post-office, at Auchna-
craig, has three deliveries a week. Facihty of commu-
nication is afforded by the district-road from the ferry
at Auchnacraig to Tobermory, which passes for seven-
teen miles through the parish ; and by the road to
Kilfinichen, which intersects the southern portion of the
parish for eighteen miles. Steamers ply almost daily in
the sound of Mull ; the bays are all frequented by tra-
ding-vessels, and there are ferries to Morvern, Nether
Lorn, and Kerrara.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Mull and synod of Argyll.
4 A2
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The minister's stipend is f 17'2. 18. 4., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £11 per annum ; patron, the Duke of
Argyll. The church, erected in 1*83, and repaired in
1832, is conveniently situated, and contains '280 sittings.
There are parliamentary churches at Kinlochspelve and
Salen. Three parochial schools are held ; the masters
have salaries of £15 each, with a house and garden, and
the fees. There are also schools supported from the
funds of the General Assembly and the Gaelic Auxiliary
Society, the masters of which receive salaries of £^0
each. At the extremity of Laggan Point, on the south
side of Loch Buy, is an excavation in the rock, 300 feet
in length, about twenty feet in width at the mouth, and
forty feet high. These dimensions of width and height
it retains for about one-third of its extent, when it ex-
pands into a breadth of forty- five feet, and reaches 120
feet in height, which elevation it preserves to its ex-
tremity. From the point where it begins to expand,
there branches off, at an angle of thirty degrees, another
cave, 150 feet long, twelve feet broad, and twenty-four
feet in height, which appears to have had an entrance
from the sea that is now closed. The whole bears the
appellation of Odin's Cave, which it probably received
from the Danes when they had possession of the Hebrides.
There is a rocking-stone of large size in the parish. At
Killean and Laggan are the ruins of ancient chapels
whose history is wholly unknown ; and in the burying-
grounds adjacent to them are some richly-sculptured
tombstones, supposed to have been removed from the
island of lona. There is a Druidical circle behind the
garden at Lochbuy, and another at Rossal. Stone
coffins, containing human bones and ashes, have been
found in various places, while excavating the ground for
the formation of roads ; and also some silver coins,
among which were a Spanish dollar, a shilling of Queen
Elizabeth, and a small coin of Charles IL
TORPHICHEN, a parish, in the county of Lin-
lithgow; containing 141/ inhabitants, of whom 397 are
in the village of Torphichen, 2f miles (N. by \V.) from
Bathgate. This place, which is supposed to have derived
its name from its hills, was anciently the seat of a com-
mandery of the Knights of Malta and St. John of Jeru-
salem, founded in the year 1153 by King Malcolm IV.,
and more largely endowed by his successors, Alexander
IL and III. The establishment received additional grants
of land, and various immunities, from succeeding sove-
reigns till the time of King James IV., by whom the
privileges were confirmed ; and the possessions of the
commandery were ultiniatoly erected into a lordship,
designated the Lordship of St. John and Commandery
of Torphichen. In 1298, Sir William Wallace made the
place his head-quarters for some time previously to the
battle of Falkirk, in which Alexander dc Wells, then
commander of Torphichen, was killed. Many of the
commanders or preceptors were distinguished for the
important offices they filled in the state, and as members
of the council and of parliament : the last, Sir James
Sandilands, took an active part in promoting the Refor-
mation. When the establishment was dissolved, Sir
James was invested with a new lordship of Torphichen ;
and at his death he was succeeded by his nephew San-
dilands of Calder, who made Calder House, which had
long been the patrimonial residence of the family, the
seat of the lordship. The commandery was now aban-
doned, and soon fell into decay. Its only remains are the
548
choir, which, however, is almost perfect, and is about
sixty-si.j feet in length and twenty feet in breadth within
the walls, which are of great thickness. The interior
contains many interesting architectural details in the
richer Norman style ; and at each end is a beautiful
window enriched with tracery. Beneath one of these
windows is an arched and canopied recess, where the
remains of the commanders were placed, during the
performance of the funeral rites previously to interment.
In the cemetery is a low square pillar of stone, with a
Maltese cross rudely sculptured : from this were mea-
sured the limits of the sanctuary of Torphichen, marked
by stones similarly sculptured, and within which all
persons charged with offences not capital were safe.
The p.\RisH is about ten miles in extreme length
from east to west, and varies from a mile and a half to
about two miles and a half in breadth, comprising an
area of 10,430 acres, of which the greater portion is
arable, and the rest composed of extensive tracts of
hilly moorland, pasture, and plantations. Its surface is
diversified with ranges of hills, the highest, called Cairn-
Naple, having an elevation of 1498 feet. Towards the
north are Cockleroi (Cockle-de-roy) and Bowden hills,
from the summits of which are interesting views extending
from North-Berwick Law to Ben-Lomond, and embra-
cing the city and castle of Edinburgh with Salisbury
Craigs and Arthur's Seat, the Firth of Forth, the Fifeshire
coast, the Ochils, the ancient town of Stirling, and the
Grampians. The ridge of hills immediately above the
village forms a continuation of bold circular eminences,
and on the western side gradually diminishes into gentle
undulations, among which are seen, with beautifully pic-
turesque effect, the village, the church, and the venerable
remains of the commandery. A small river called the
Avon flows along the northern boundary of the parish,
dividing it from that of Muiravonside ; and the Loggie
burn, a still smaller stream, for several miles separates
the parish from that of Bathgate, and flows into the
Avon near Craw Hill. About a mile north-eastward of
the village is Loch Cote, a sheet of water about twenty-
two acres in extent, surrounded by the hills of Bowden,
Cockleroi, and Kipps, and which, after having been
drained, has been restored by the present proprietor.
Around the village the soil is extremely fertile ; and
in other parts, though wet, the soil is well adapted to the
growth of timber of every kind. The lands have been
mostly inclosed, and improved by draining, and produce
favourable crops of grain ; the farms are generally
small, but the farm-buildings are nevertheless substan-
tial and commodious. Those parts not in cultivation
afford good pasturage for the sheep and cattle, which
are usually of the common breeds : of the latter, several
of the Ayrshire kind have been introduced within the
last few years. There are quarries of limestone in the
Hilderston and Bowden hills, the latter of which is
worked by an adit from the side of the hill ; and on
Hilderston, and in the hollow between the Kipps hills
and the Torphichen range, arc coal-mines. At the former
of these the coal .crops out at the surface, which has an
elevation of 800 feet above the level of the sea. There
is also a mine on the lands of Hridgccastle ; but the
seam is thin, and not now in o|)eration. In the parish
are two ([uarries of granite, and one of sandstone; and
on the banks of the Avon is a mine of ironstone : this,
however, has not been wrought for many years. In the
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limestone-quarry on Ililderston hill, silver-ore was
formerly found, but not of any purity, or in quantity
adequate to the expense of extracting it. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £6644. The seats
are WaWwuse, Cathlaw, and Lochcote ; the last is a
modern mansion, and, when completed, will be an
elegant structure. Bridi^ecastle, formerly the seat of the
Earls of Linlithgow, still retains vestiges of its ancient
character, and some of the venerable trees by which it
was surrounded are preserved. Behind the old man-
sion-house of Craw Hill, on the banks of the Avon, is a
chasm called Wallace's Cave ; and in some clefts in the
rock are fine specimens of mosses, of several rare
varieties. About two miles to the south-west of Bridge-
castle are the foundations of the castle of Ogilface, the
ancient seat of the family of De Boscos, barons of Ogil-
face. There are some vestiges of the castle of Bedlormie,
comprising a square tower with a vaulted roof; also re-
mains of the castle of Kipps, of similar character, but
smaller size.
The village of Torphichen, consisting of scattered
clusters of houses, is pleasantly situated. Its inhabit-
ants are chiefly employed in agricultural pursuits and
in the quarries ; there are two corn-mills, two flax-mills,
and two mills for the spinning of wool, part of which is
manufactured into shawls. Blackridge is in the western
part of the parish, near the river Avon ; it is noticed
under its own head. Facility of communication with
Linlithgow and other towns in the neighbourhood is
maintained by good roads ; the Linlithgow and Glasgow,
and the Edinburgh and Glasgow, turnpike-roads passing
through the parish. Ecclesiastically the parish is with-
in the bounds of the presbytery of Linlithgow, synod of
Lothian and Tweeddale. The minister's stipend is
£163. 13. 7., of which £'2.5. 7. are paid from the ex-
chequer; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £1'2 per
annum : patron, Lord Torphichen. The church, which
is adjacent to the ancient commandery, near the eastern
extremity of the parish, is a neat building erected in
1*56, and containing about 560 sittings. A church in
connexion with the establishment has been erected in
the village of Blackridge, and the members of the Free
Church have a small place of worship in the parish.
There are parochial schools at Torphichen and Black-
ridge ; the master of the former has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and his fees. There are also
parochial libraries in both villages. Several stone coffins
of rude construction have been found on the high grounds
above the Logic burn.
TORRANCE, a village, in the parish of Campsie,
county of Stirling, 2 miles (W.) from Kirkintilloch;
containing 473 inhabitants. This village is situated in
the southern extremity of the parish, and on the northern
boundary of the parish of Cadder, or Calder, in Lanark-
shire. The estate of Torrance once belonged to the
Harailtons, cadets of the illustrious family of that name ;
it was afterwards sold to the Stuarts, of Castlemilk.
The village stands on the high road from Lennoxtown to
Calder, and a large portion of the population is engaged
in the various branches of manufacture connected with
the district. One of the parochial schools is situated
here ; and divine service is performed in the schoolroom
on Sunday evenings, the church of Campsie being about
five miles distant. The present population in the village,
and around it, is stated to be about eight hundred.
549
TORRISDALE, a village, in the parish of Tongue,
county of Sutheuland, 6 miles (N. E. by E.) from the
church of Tongue ; containing 106 inhabitants. This
village is situated on the north coast of the county, at
the head of a small bay of its own name, and is tlie seat
of a valuable salmon-fishery. The water of Borgie, also
called Torrisdale, issues from Loch Laoghal, and pur-
suing a northern course, and separating the parish from
that of Farr, falls into the sea at the village. At the
east side of the bay is a small indentation called the bay
of Farr.
TORRY, or Newmills, a village, in the parish of
ToRRYBURN, district of Dunfermline, county of Fife,
I5 mile (E.) of Culross, and i a mile (W.) from Torry-
burn village; containing 411 inhabitants. This village,
which was formerly in a flourishing state, has greatly
declined in importance since the discontinuance of the
extensive salt-works, and of several collieries, in the
vicinity. The inhabitants are partly engaged in agricul-
tural pursuits, and partly at the remaining colliery;
and from its situation on the Firth of Forth, it parti-
cipates in the exportation of coal, which is the only trade
carried on here.
TORRY, a village, in the parish of Nigg, county of
Kincardine, 1 mile (S. by E.) from Aberdeen ; con-
taining 295 inhabitants. This place is situated on the
south shore of the river Dee and harbour of Aberdeen.
It is inhabited by persons employed in the fisheries, and
by a few others engaged in various handicraft trades.
The fish taken here are, salmon, with which the river
abounds, and cod, haddocks, ling, turbot, and different
kinds of shell-fish, all which are found off the coast.
The salmon are packed in ice, and sent to the London
market, and the white-fish chiefly to the market of Aber-
deen. Three boats, of fourteen tons' burthen, with crews
of six men, belonging to this place, go during the season
to the herring-fishery on the north coast. There is a
pier, at which vessels occasionally land supplies of
various articles ; but since the breaking up of a Green-
land company, which had a boiling-establishment here,
it has not been much frequented. A school in the vil-
lage is supported by the fees.
TORRYBURN, a parish, in the district of Dun-
fermline, county of Fife ; containing, with the vil-
lages of Torryburn, Torry or Torrie, and Crorabie-Point,
1435 inhabitants, of whom 602 are in the village of
Torryburn, 4 miles (W. by S.) from Dunfermline. This
place takes its name from the situation of the church and
principal village on the burn of Torry, and comprises the
ancient parish of Crombie, which, after its church had
fallen into decay, was annexed to Torryburn about the
year 1620. The parish is bounded on the south by the
Firth of Forth ; it is situated at the south-western ex-
tremity of the county, and is about five miles in length
and from one to two miles in breadth, comprising an
area of 3520 acres. In this district the surface is beauti-
fully varied; and the higher grounds command fine
views of the Firth and the opposite coasts, with the
castle and part of the city of Edinburgh. The lower
grounds are watered by the Torry, which flows into the
Firth ; and two small streams form part of the boun-
daries of the parish on the east and west. Off the shore
are tracts that are dry at low water, and a considerable
portion of rich soil might be recovered from the sea, by
embankment, at a very moderate expense.
TO R R
TORT
The SOIL is various, but generally fertile, producing
crops of wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips.
Agriculture is in an improved state : the farm-buildings
are substantial and well arranged ; the land has been
well drained and inclosed, and all the more recent im-
provements in implements of husbandry have been
adopted. The substratum is chiefly coal, of which
mines were formerly in operation. At present, one
mine only is wrought, affording employment to sixty
men ; about 2500 tons of fine parrot-coal are annually
raised, and of rough or splint coal about 6000 tons.
The annual value of real property in the parish amounts
to £5978. Torry House, the seat of Capt. James Ers-
kine Wemyss, is a handsome mansion finely situated :
it once contained a valuable collection of paintings,
which were bequeathed by the late Sir John Erskine to
the university of Edinburgh. There are also the houses
of Craigflower, Inzievar, and Oakley, all of them plea-
sant residences.
The village of Torryburn stands on the road from
Dunfermline to Alloa, and was formerly a place of con-
siderable trade ; but since the discontinuance of the salt-
works in the parish, which were extensive, and the
abandonment of most of the collieries, it has greatly de-
clined. About 6000 tons of coal, however, are still
shipped annually from Torry pier (which is in a very in-
different condition) ; and there are seven vessels, of 320
tons' aggregate burthen, engaged in what remains of the
extensive trade in coal. Some of the inhabitants of the
parish are employed in the weaving of damask, and of
cotton goods for the houses of Glasgow : in these
branches of manufacture about sixty persons are en-
gaged ; and many of the females are occupied in tambour-
work and the flowering of muslin. A fair, chiefly for
pleasure, and which generally terminates in a horse-race,
is held annually on the village green, on the second
Wednesday in July. Facilities of communication are
afforded by the turnpike-road from Dunfermline, which
passes for four miles through the parish ; and the north-
ern boundary of the parish is skirted by the Dunferm-
line and Stirling line of railway. By means of a boat
from Crombie-Point, access is obtained to the steamers
in the Firth of Forth, that ply between Stirling and
Edinburgh. The hamlet of Crombie-Point contains 54
inhabitants, partly employed in agriculture, and partly
in the collieries.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the limits of the
presbytery of Dunfermline and synod of Fife. The
minister's stipend is £179. 4. 4., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £10. 13. per annum; patrons, the re-
presentatives of the late Rev. Dr. Erskine, of Carnock.
Torryburn church, which is situated at the east end of
the village, was rebuilt in 1800, and is a neat plain
structure in good repair, containing 502 sittings. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
The parochial school is attended by a considerable
number of children ; the master has a salary of £34.
4. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees. There arc
other schools, two of which are chiefly for teaching girls
to read and sew. Some remains exist of the ancient
church of Crombic, situated on an eminence overlooking
the Firth of Forth ; and there are some ujiright stones
in the parish, suppi)se<i to have been erected in comme-
moration of a battle which took place near the spot, but
of which there is no distinct record,
550
TORSAY, an island, in the parish of Kilbrandon
and KiLCHATTAN, district of Lorn, county of Argyll.
This small isle lies in a sound encompassed by the
islands of Seil, Luing, and Shuna, and on the west by
the main land of Nether Lorn. It has a quarry of ex-
cellent slate, and is inhabited. There is an ancient
tower here, which at one period belonged to the great
Macdouald, who made it his half-way hunting-seat in
his progress from Cantyre to his northern isles. Hence
it was called Dog Castle. Macdonald invariably resided
in the tower until he had expended the whole of the re-
venue collected by him in the neighbourhood.
TORTHORWALD, a parish, in the county of Dum-
fries ; containing, with the villages of Collin or CoUyn,
and Roucan, 1346 inhabitants, of whom 178 are in the
village of Torthorwald, 4\ miles (E. N. E.) from Dum-
fries. The name of this place is supposed to be Saxon,
and to signify " the tower or castle of Thor in the
wood "; the ruins of an ancient castle are yet remaining,
and the parish is said to have been originally sur-
rounded by an extensive forest. The castle appears to
have been erected during the Saxon heptarchy, probably
in honour of Thor, the chief of the Saxon deities. It
was subsequently the residence of the Torthorwald fa-
mily, of whom David de Torthorwald swore fealty to
Edward I. of England, at Berwick, in 1291. The castle
and the lands were afterwards the property of Sir William
Carlyle, Knt., who married the sister of Robert Bruce,
and whose son obtained from that monarch a grant of
the whole barony of Torthorwald, which in the reign of
James HL was confirmed to his descendant. Sir John
Carlyle, who was elevated to the peerage by the title of
Lord Carlyle. After the decease of Michael, Lord
Carlyle, without issue male, the estate passed to his
grand-daughter Elizabeth, who conveyed it, with the
title, to Sir James Douglas ; on the death of whose son,
in 1638, the title became extinct, and the estate went
into the possession of William, first Earl of Queens-
berry, whose descendant, the Marquess of Queensberry,
is now principal proprietor in Torthorwald.
The PARISH is bounded by the river Lochar, separat-
ing it from the parish of Dumfries. It is about six
miles and a half in extreme length, varying greatly in
breadth, and comprising an area of 5500 acres ; about
2600 acres are arable, 1050 meadow and pasture, and
the remainder moss and waste, of which part has been
reclaimed. The surface in the west, along the river, is
low, forming a portion of the tract called Lochar Moss.
Towards the east it rises into a ridge of hills of consider-
able elevation, of which one, the Beacon, commands an
extensive view over the surrounding country, embracing
the southern portion of Dumfriesshire, the eastern parts
of Galloway, the coast of Cumberland, Solway Firth,
and the Irish Channel. The river Lochar, which for
more than seven miles forms the western boundary of
the parish, flows in a gently winding course southward,
through the centre of Lochar Moss, and, deviating
towards the cast, falls into the Solway Firth. This
river, from the level nature of the ground, has scarcely
any perceptible current. It abounds with pike, perch,
trout, and eels.
In this ])arish the soil is various ; for some breadth to
the cast of the moss, light and sandy, and well adapted
for turnips, potatoes, and barley ; for some distance up
the sides of the ridge, of stronger quality, and equally
TORT
TO UG
fertile, producing excellent crops of wheat ; and thence
to the summit of the ridge, of an inferior description,
cold, and resting on a substratum of retentive till. The
crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips,
with the usual grasses. Husbandry has been gradually
improving ; and the lands have mostly been inclosed,
partly with stone dykes, which, however, soon fall into
decay from the perishable nature of the stone ; and
partly with hedges of thorn, which, with moderate
attention, are kept in good order. The lands in general
are better adapted for tillage than for pasture ; but
owing to the introduction of turnip-husbandry, 2000
sheep are fed on turnips in winter, for distant markets.
Considerable attention is also paid to the dairy : about
360 cows are pastured ; and large quantities of milk,
butter, eggs, and poultry are forwarded to Dumfries.
Of young black-cattle the number in the parish is
about 500 ; and about 400 swine are annually fattened.
There are scarcely any plantations, and no remains of
ancient wood, but the numbers of trunks of trees dug
up in the mosses afford sufficient evidence that the
parish was originally thickly wooded; oak, fir, birch,
and hazel trees are met with in a sound state, and
used by carpenters for various purposes. The substrata
are chiefly greywacke and transition rock, of which the
ridge is chiefly composed. Stones found on the surface
of the lands are employed for forming dykes on some of
the farms, but there are neither quarries nor mines. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £4960.
The village of Torthorwald is situated on the acclivity
of the ridge, about half way from its base, and on the
road from Lockerbie to Dumfries. It consists chiefly of
clusters of cottages, irregularly built, and inhabited by
persons employed in agriculture, and the various handi-
craft trades requisite for the accommodation of the
neighbourhood. Letters are delivered every day from
the post-office at Dumfries ; and facility of communica-
tion is afforded by turnpike-roads, which pass for more
than seven miles through the parish, and by roads kept
in repair by statute labour. The villages of Collin and
Roucan are described under their respective heads.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of the
presbytery and synod of Dumfries : the minister's sti-
pend averages about £200 or upwards, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £20 per annum ; patron, the Mar-
quess of Qucensbury. Torthorwald church, conveni-
ently situated nearly in the centre of the parish, is a
substantial structure, erected in 17S2, and containing 500
sittings. There are two parochial schools ; one of them
near the church, and the other in the village of Collin.
Of the former the master has a salary of £31. 6. 6.,
with a house and garden ; and the fees average about
£28, in addition to which he receives the interest of
a bequest of £160. The master of the school at Collin
has a salary of £20, with a house, and three-quarters
of an acre of land reclaimed from the moss ; the school
fees average £20. The remains of the ancient castle
are situated on rising ground near the church, and form
an interesting feature in the scenery : the building
appears to have been strongly fortified ; and the walls,
of extraordinary thickness, seem likely, from their
solidity, to bid defiance to the ravages of time. On the
west, and also on the cast, of the castle, are the remains
of a British camp, thirty yards in diameter, and sur-
rounded in some parts with two, and in others with
551
three, strong intrenchments. In Torthorwald church-
yard is the burying-place of the family of the first Lord
Douglas of Dornoch, who was proprietor of the ancient
castle.
TORWOOD, a village, in the parish of Dunipace,
county of Stirling, 4 miles (N. W.) from Falkirk ; con-
taining 151 inhabitants. This village, which is chiefly
inhabited by persons engaged in agriculture, is beautifully
situated near some remains of the Caledonian forest,
and distinguished for the venerable ruins of Torwood
Castle, the ancient residence of the Lords Forrester.
By marriage with the daughter of the second lord, it
became the property of the Baillie family, from whom
it was purchased by the grandfather of Colonel Dundas,
the present proprietor. The high road from Falkirk to
Stirling passes through the village. The remains of the
castle are surrounded by a richly-wooded demesne, in
which was once an oak twelve feet in diameter, wherein
it is said the celebrated Sir William Wallace concealed
himself after the battle of Falkirk. Near the site of
this oak, Donald Cargill pronounced sentence of excom-
munication against Charles II., the Duke of York, and
others, in Sept., I68O; but this act was never publicly
ratified by the Presbyterians.
TOUGH, a parish, in the district of Alfoud, county
of Aberdeen, 5 miles (S. E. by E.) from Afford ; con-
taining 762 inhabitants. This place is comprised partly
in the northern and western portions of the Corrennie
range, or " Red hill," and partly in the vale of the river
Don, occupying that extension of it called the Vale of
Alford. In no part, however, does the parish reach to
the bank of the river. Its figure is altogether irregular ;
its length from north-east to south-west is between five
and six miles, its breadth varies from half a mile to
upwards of three miles, and, exclusively of a large tract
of hills bounding the parish on the south, the whole
contains 5650 acres, of which 2300 are in tillage, 1100
in plantations, and 2250 uncultivated. The rugged and
unequal nature of the surface, which consists of moun-
tains and valleys, and its general elevation of 420 feet
above the level of the sea, produce much diversity in
the scenery, the climate, and the soil. The district is
exposed to many vicissitudes of weather, and in the early
part of the winter the low grounds, which are damp and
marshy, often suffer from sharp frosts. The Corrennie
hill, rising to a height of 15*8 feet, forms a protection
to the subjacent vales, and affords commanding views
from its summit of all the local scenery. Though well
watered with rivulets and good springs, the parish is
destitute of any considerable stream.
The prevailing soil is a light reddish mould, shallow,
and rather sharp, but of good quality ; the best lands
are those along the bases, or on the lower acclivities, of
the hills. Oats and bear are the kinds of grain raised
here ; and the green crops consist principally of turnips
and potatoes, of which the former are extensively culti-
vated, and the latter grown only for domestic con-
sumption. The grounds receive large supplies of bone-
manure, which is often mixed with dung ; and guano
has also been applied of late. The cattle are a very
excellent stock, in general the old Aberdeenshire, crossed
with the West Highland and other sorts, and not un-
frequently with the Teeswater. About 1000 head are
usually kept on the pastures, and the farmers make the
fattening of cattle a leading object; they are fed during
TOUG
TO W I
winter on oat-straw and turnips, and sent to market
when about three years old. The sheep are mostly the
black-faced ; they are comparatively few iu number,
and kept by the farmers who dwell near the hill. The
annual average value of the agricultural produce is
£"400, of which £4000 are returned for grain alone.
The rotation system is followed, and various other
improvements have been introduced, among which the
most important are the adoption of the new plough,
the cultivation of turnips, the growth of various grasses,
the free use of lime, and the cleaning and draining of
the land. These have placed the husbandry of the
parish upon a superior footing ; and in addition to the
improved cultivation of the soil, the subsidiary aids to
good farming have received much attention ; especially
the erection of threshing-mills, the construction of stone
dykes for fences, and the improvement of the farm
houses and offices.
The predominant rock is red granite, and mica-slate
interlaid with granitic veins. Magnesian limestone is
found, and there are boulders of blue granite in various
places ; also red slate, clay-stone, and very beautiful
felspar-porphyry supplying excellent stone for building.
The red granite is frequently quarried, and used for
repairing roads. A clay-stone and porphyry dyke of
a reddish hue, and of compact texture, traverses the
eastern side of the parish, and continues for several
miles. The plantations cover most of the higher grounds,
and, with other varieties, consist of Scotch fir, larch,
and spruce, all of them of large bulk and height, and
3nelding excellent timber. Tonley, the seat of the late
eminent antiquary, James Byres, Esq., is a handsome
modern mansion erected on the site of a former house,
part of which is included in the present : its garden is
inclosed in the midst of luxuriant wood, and forms an
exquisite spot in a picturesque dell. The mansion of
Whitehouse, also surrounded by flourishing plantations,
occupies the south-west portion of a hill, and commands
fine prospects of the fertile vale of Alford, and the
adjacent mountains. The turnpike road from Aberdeen
to Strathdon passes through the northern quarter of
the parish, and that from the same place to Tarland
touches on the south. There is also a good road to
Kintore, about thirteen miles distant. Thither the pro-
duce of Tough is occasionally sent, being conveyed
thence by canal to Aberdeen ; but the direct route to
Aberdeen by the road is generally preferred. Many
black-cattle from this place are shipped for the London
market ; and butter, cheese, and large quantities of
eggs, are also taken for sale to Aberdeen, the eggs
amounting to about 6000 dozen yearly. About ;5000
pairs of good worsted stockings are annually knitted by
females here, for a manufacturing establishment at the
same place. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £24.50.
This place is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of
Alford, synod of Aberdeen, and in the jjatronage of Sir
John Forbes, Hart. The minister's stipend is £159, of
whiih above a fifth is paid l)y the exchequer ; with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £7. 10. per annum. Tough
church, containing .^oO sittings, is a handsome edifice,
built in 18.38, and conveniently situated for the greater
part (if tlie pii)|)lc. ]5y a decree of tlie Court of Tcinds
within tlic present century, this parish was annexed to
that (if Keig ; and on account of the saving thus made
.552
of £57. 17- paid to the two ministers previously, from
the exchequer, under the Small-stipend act, the govern-
ment agreed to advance £1'200 towards the erection of
a bridge at Keig, over the river Don. The annexation,
however, after having been effected upon the death of
one of the incumbents, in 183'2, according to the decree,
was found so inconvenient and unsatisfactory that it was
dissolved, and the parishes now remain in their former
state. The parochial school affords instruction in the
usual branches ; the master has a salary of £'25. 13. 4.,
a house, an allowance from the Dick bequest, and £5 fees.
A school, also, for girls, under the direction of the Kirk
Session, receives an auxiliary sum annually from the
Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. The
interest of £'200, left by the late Peter Mc Combie, is
distributed among the poor. There is a subscription
library containing between 400 and 500 volumes. Many
Druidicalcirelesare tobe seen; the largest of them is called
the Auld Kirk of Tough, and is surrounded by tumuli.
On the hill above Whitehouse is a monumental stone
more than twelve feet high, called Luath's Stone, from a
son of Macbeth, who, according to tradition, fell here in
his flight from Lumphanan, where his father had been
slain. Two stone collars, of the shape of those used for
horses, but only of a size to fit a pony, are preserved as
curiosities, among other things, at the mansion-house of
Tonley, the late proprietor of which, Mr. Byres, who
died here at an advanced age, was celebrated for his pro-
found acquaintance with architectural antiquities and the
fine arts, and delivered public lectures on these subjects
at Rome, where he long resided.
TOWIE, a parish, in the district of Alford, county
of Aberdeen, 4^ miles (S. W.) from Kildrummy church;
containing 74S inhabitants. This parish was formerly
named Kinbethok, or Culbethok, from a cell or church
endowed with a heatha or benefice in land by Gilchrist,
Earl of Mar, in the twelth century, in favour of the Cul-
dees, the primitive ecclesiastics of Scotland. In the
succeeding century, when the Culdees were constituted
canons regular of Monymusk, under the bishopric of St.
Andrew's, the bishop of that see appropriated the lands
of Culbethok, on the retrospective plea of the gift having
been made without episcopal sanction. Kinbethok con-
tinued to be the name of the parish until after the Refor-
mation. About that period, a cadet of the Forbes family
obtained possession of a portion of the lands, which was
named Towie from a rivulet (" north flowing stream") that
characterises the situation of the manor. Towie seems
to have been the name employed by the Presbyterian
party in compliment to the then Presbyterian house of
Forbes, to designate the parish, of which one of the
manors, of this name, was held by them. A castle, or
manorial residence, begun by the first or second Forbes,
had been so far built as to be partially inhabited, when a
party of unreformed Gordons destroyed it and its un-
fortunate inmates by fire. The names, however, of the
parties engaged or suffering in this catastrophe, cannot
be satisfactorily ascertained, as the metrical legend that
records it confounds the circumstances with others of a
like nature which are not connected with it.
The I'Aiusn is nearly four miles in length, and about
three miles and a half in breadth. It is of ])retty regular
form, but its superficial contents are not correctly known.
Nearly iiOOO acres of the land, however, are arable ; and
the remainder, with the exception of a moderate extent
TO W I
TRAD
of woodland and plantations, is hill pasture, moor, and
waste. The surface is abruptly diversified, and almost
surrounded with hills of considerable height, the Soecoch
hills, on the south-east, attaining an elevation of '2000
feet above the level of the sea ; the hills in the interior
are mostly of undulating form, and covered with heath.
In general the aspect is cheerful and well cultivated,
but the higher parts of the hills are the abode of grouse
and other game. The river Don traverses the parish
from west to east, dividing it into two nearly equal por-
tions, and making in its course several graceful windings.
From the rapidity of its current along a narrow gravelly
channel, it frequently overflows its banks, and lays
waste the low lands on either side. The water of Deskry
bounds the parish for almost a mile on the west, and
taking a north-western course flows into the Don ; the
burn of Kindie runs along the north-western boundary
of the parish into the same river, which also receives
several smaller streams that have their rise in the south
and southeast of Towie. The Don abounds with trout
of large size and of very superior quality, and formerly
salmon were taken in great numbers ; but since the use
of stake-nets at the mouth, and cruives in the lower parts
of the stream, few salmon have ascended so high up the
river. The moors are the resort of grouse, partridges,
snipes, woodcocks, wild-ducks, &c., affording ample
recreation for sportsmen ; many hares are to be found,
and there are considerable numbers of roe-deer in several
parts, with occasionally red deer.
For the most part the soil is a light friable loam, of
no great depth, resting on a gravelly bottom ; but in
some few places clay, with a hard retentive subsoil.
The chief crops are oats and barley, potatoes, some flax,
and the various grasses ; and within the last few years,
the cultivation of vegetables of most kinds has gradu-
ally increased. Husbandry has been greatly improved.
Much waste land has been reclaimed ; and the steep
acclivities of the hills, previously considered as inac-
cessible to the plough, are now under good cultivation to
a considerable height above their base. The lands have
been drained and partly inclosed ; and the farm houses
and offices, with few exceptions, are substantial and com-
modious. A due regard is paid to a regular rotation of
crops, and most of the more recent improvements in the
construction of agricultural implements have been
adopted. The hills afford good pasture for sheep and
black-cattle, of which numbers are reared, and much
attention is paid to the improvement of the breeds ; the
sheep, when fattened, are sent chiefly to the Aberdeen
market, and the black- cattle sold when young to
dealers for the supply of the English markets. There
are still some considerable remains of ancient wood in
the north-western part of the parish, and the plantations
have lately been extended. The rocks are mainly of the
trap, magnesian, and primitive limestone formations.
Limestone was formerly wrought for agricultural pur-
poses ; but owing to its inferior quality, and the difficulty
of obtaining fuel for burning it into lime, the working of
it has been discontinued ; and though there are pretty
certain indications of freestone, yet from the wet and low
situation in which the material occurs, it has not been
thought advisable to open any quarries. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £2383.
There are no villages. The St. Andrew Masonic lodge,
here, was instituted in 1814, and a spacious hall erected
Vol. II.— 553
in 1821 ; the buildings comprise also an excellent and
well-frequented inn. A public library, which contains
more than 500 volumes on theology, history, and general
literature, was established in 1827, and is supported by
subscription. Fairs, chiefly for cattle, are held near
the Masonic lodge, at Glenkindie, on the first Monday
after Trinity Muir fair in April, and the first Saturday
after Keith fair in September ; there are fairs for hiring
servants on the day after Whitsuntide and after Mar-
tinmas. Facility of communication is afforded by the
Aberdeen turnpike-road, which passes through the north
of the parish ; by the old road from that city, which
intersects it on the south ; by roads kept in repair by
statute labour ; and bridges over the river Don. Eccle-
sia.stically this place is within the limits of the presby-
tery of Alford and synod of Aberdeen. The minister's
stipend is £159. 6. 1., of which about one-sixth part is
paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £10 per annum : patron. Sir Alexander Leith,
K.C.B. Towie church, situated nearly in the centre of
the parish, is a plain substantial structure with a small
campanile- turret. The parochial school affords instruc-
tion to about ninety children : the master has a salary
of £28, with a house and garden, and the fees average
£20 ; he has also a portion of the Dick bequest. Of
the ancient castle of Towie, one square tower is remain-
ing, but in a very ruinous state. There are ruins of
chapels at Nether Towie, Kinbattoch, Belnaboth, Ley,
and Sinnahard ; and on the farm of Kinbattoch are
several tumuli in which, on being opened in 1750, were
found kistvaens containing urns, human bones, trinkets,
and some Roman medals. On the Glaschul, or " grey
moor ", are also tumuli, which appear to have been
raised after some conflict in the neighbourhood. At
Fechley is a mound sixty feet in height, 200 feet in
length, and 127 feet in breadth, surrounded at the base
by a broad fosse, and on the summit of which are the
remains of a vitrified fort.
TRADESTON, a suburb of the city of Glasgow, in
the parish of Go reals, county of Lanark. This flourish-
ing place, which is situated on the south bank of the
river Clyde, and forms one of the most interesting of the
Glasgow suburbs, was founded in the year 1790, for
which purpose lands were purchased from the Trades'
House and corporation of the city. It consists of several
spacious and well-formed streets, intersecting each other
at right angles, and the principal of which are in a direc-
tion nearly parallel with the river. The houses are gene-
rally three and four stories in height, handsomely built
of stone, and roofed with slate ; and attached to each is
a court-yard or garden : the streets are lighted with gas,
and the inhabitants amply supplied with water. Facility
of communication with the city is afforded by the Ja-
maica-street bridge, from which, on this side of the river,
a spacious quay extends towards the west in front of the
Clyde-buildings, an elegant range of houses, beautifully
situated in Clyde-street. This street, with Carlton-place,
forms an extensive and delightful promenade on the
margin of the river. At Tradeston is the Glasgow sta-
tion of the Greenock and Ayr railway. The inhabitants
include many of the most opulent merchants and manu-
facturers of the city, and others connected with the
trade of the port. Some of the population are employed
in the various branches of manufacture carried on in the
vicinity. A factory for the weaving of silk veils, satin,
4B
TR A N
TR AN
velvet, and other articles, affords employment to fifty
persons ; the bleaching and printing of cotton and calico
are also on a considerable scale.
TRAILFLAT, a hamlet, in the parish of Tinwald,
county of Dumfries, 3 miles (N. W. by W.) from Loch-
maben ; containing 44 inhabitants. This is a very small
place, lying in the eastern part of the parish, and watered
by the river Ae. The lands around the hamlet of Trail-
flat formed an ancient parish, now united to Tinwald,
which see.
TRANENT, a parish, in the county of Haddington ;
containing, with the villages of Cockenzie, Elphinstone,
Meadowmill, and Portseaton, 3887 inhabitants, of whom
about 2000 are in the town of Tranent, 7 miles (W.) from
Haddington, and 10 (E.) from Edinburgh. The name
of this place is of uncertain derivation ; it is generally
supposed to be of Gaelic origin, and descriptive of the
position of the ancient village at the head of a deep ravine
vsratered by a small rivulet. Property has been ;held
here by distinguished families, and the parish has at
different times been the scene of events of historical
importance. On the invasion of Scotland by the Earl
of Hertford, in 1544, the parish church was plun-
dered, and almost destroyed, by the English soldiers
under his command ; they defaced and burnt the timber-
work of the interior, and carried away the bells and
every thing of value. During the invasion of the country
by the English under the same nobleman, then Duke
of Somerset, in 1547, an engagement took place here
between the English and Scottish cavalry, in which the
latter were defeated with the loss of 1300 men. After
this defeat, many of the Scots, having taken refuge in
the coal-pits in the parish, were pursued by the English,
who, unable to dislodge them from their retreat, stopped
up all the avenues that admitted air to the mine, and
kindled large fires at the entrances, with a view either of
forcing them to surrender or of suffocating them. The
battle of Pinkie occurred in an adjoining parish and
county on the following day, September 10th; when,
according to some historians, 14,000 of the Scots were
slain by the English. In 1745, the battle of Prestonpans
was fought within less than a mile from the parish
church, on the 21st of September, and the royal forces,
consisting of nearly 3000 men, were defeated by the
Scottish adherents to the fortunes of the Young Pre-
tender. After the engagement, the military chest belong-
ing to the royal army was found at Cockenzie. In this
battle. Colonel Gardiner was killed while endeavouring
to rally a body of infantry near the present village of
Meadowmill ; he was buried in the parish church.
Others who were slain were interred on the farm of
Thorntree-Mains, where, towards the close of the cen-
tury, some of the bodies were discovered by workmen
employed in making a drain, the clothes being in such
preservation as to distinguish the royalists from their
opponents.
The PARISH is about five miles in length from north-
east to south-west, and three miles in breadth. It is
bounded on the north by the Firth of Forth, and com-
prises 5464 acres, of which, with the exception of 100
acres in woodland and plantation, and about 50 along
the sea-shore, the whole are aral)lc. The surface rises
in gentle undulations from the Firth towards the south,
attaining at its greatest height an elevation of 300 feet
above the level of the sea; the sea-shore is flat and
554
sandy, and the coast, which extends about two miles, is
a regular range of greenstone rock. In this district the
scenery is not strikingly varied, but it is generally pleas-
ing, in some parts enriched with wood ; and the views
from the higher grounds embrace many interesting and
romantic features. The lands are watered by a few
small rivulets, which are concentrated in the coal-field,
and thence conveyed to the sea in one united stream :
this stream is powerful enough to give motion to several
mills in its progress. Towards the coast the soil is
light and sandy, but of late considerably improved ; in
some parts of the parish, an unproduetive moor, of
which a portion has been reclaimed by draining; in
others, a deep, rich, and fertile loam, occasionally in-
termixed with clay. Crops are raised of wheat, barley,
oats, potatoes, and turnips. The system of agriculture
is in a highly improved state : the lands are inclosed
with hedges of thorn, kept in good order ; tile-draining
has been carried on to a great extent, and rape and bone-
dust manures have been introduced.
The substratum is of the coal formation, intersected
with dykes of trap or whinstone, and other " troubles ".
Coal has been wrought from a remote period : the upper
seam is from six to nine inches in thickness, of very
good quality, and found at about 220 feet below the
surface. The second seam, at a depth varying from
fifty to eighty feet below the first, is about five feet
thick ; and at a further depth of from thirty to fifty
feet is a third seam, three feet in thickness. About 100
feet lower is a seam of four feet, and there is another of
five feet, which has not been wrought. In addition to
these, a thin seam of cannel-coal has been found on the
lands of Falside. The mines were extensively wrought
by the Seaton family (created Earls of Wintoun), who
obtained a grant of the lands from Robert Bruce ; and
were formerly cleared from water by levels cut through
the rocks, but now chiefly by steam-engines : the pro-
duce was generally conveyed to the port on the backs
of horses. After the forfeiture of the estates by the
Earl of Wintoun, the works were sold to the York
Buildings' Company, of London, who in 1722 laid down
a tramroad of wood, which continued till 1815, when an
iron railroad was constructed by Messrs. Cadell, who
had obtained possession of the mines in this parish, and
who still work them. About 400 persons are employed
in the collieries ; and the produce, averaging 60,000
tons annually, is shipped from Cockenzie. Freestone is
extensively quarried for building, and whinstone for
mending the roads. Some faint indications of iron-
stone have been observed ; and in the sandstone quar-
ries, various fossils of trees, and specimens of fern, are
found. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £15,081. St. Germain's, the residence of David An-
derson, Esq., an ancient structure, was originally a pre-
ceptory of the Knights Templars, and was conferred,
on the suppression of the order, on the principal and
fellows of King's College, Aberdeen ; it is pleasantly
situated in grounds containing many stately trees. The
village, or town, is mostly inhabited by persons con-
nected with, and working in, the coal-mines; and se-
veral of the people arc employed in the salt-works car-
ried on here, which were introduced by the Earl of
Wintoun in the year 1630. Facility of intercourse is
afforded by good roads, and by the line of the North-
British railway.
T R A Q
TR AQ
The parish was anciently of much greater extent than
it is at present ; including the whole of the parish of
Prestonpans, which was severed from it in 1606, and
also parts of the parishes of Gladsmuir and Peneaitland.
It is in the presbytery of Haddington, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale, and in the patronage of the Crown ;
the minister's stipend is £295. 13. 5., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £20 per annum. The church, erected
in 1801, is a substantial structure adapted for a congre-
gation of 912 persons. A church was erected in the
village of Cockenzie in 1838, by subscription, aided by
grants from the General Assembly and the East- Lothian
Church-Extension Society, and £150 raised by the Rev.
A. Forman, of Innerwick ; it is a neat edifice containing
452 sittings, from the rents of which is derived the mi-
nister's income. There are places of worship in the vil-
lage of Tranent for members of the Free Church and
the United Presbyterian Church. The parochial school
affords a useful course of instruction ; the master has a
salary of £34. 4. 4., with the fees, and a house and gar-
den. In the village are three schools supported by sub-
scription ; and a subscription library is also maintained,
which forms a useful collection of volumes. An hos-
pital was founded by the late Mr. George Stiell, of Edin-
burgh, who endowed it with property producing an in-
come of £900 per annum, for the education of boys and
girls, a few of them to be also maintained as inmates.
For this institution a handsome building was erected
near the village of Meadowmill, at an expense of £3000.
The boys' school is under the care of two masters, of
whom the first has a salary of £40, and the second of
£30 per annum, with board and lodging ; and the girls'
under a mistress who has a salary of £18. There are
no longer any remains of the old palace of Seaton, which
was the possession of the Seaton family; the few remains
that formerly existed were removed to make room, and
afford materials, for a modern house, by the late pro-
prietor of the estate. When James VI. was on his way
to England to take possession of the throne, the funeral
of the fir.st Earl of Wintoun was proceeding from the
palace ; and the king, out of respect to this friend of his
family, ordered his retinue to halt, and remained till the
procession had passed. The king visited the palace
in 1617, as did Charles I. subsequently. The ancient
church of Seaton, on which considerable sums were
spent by the Seaton family, was a beautiful structure in
the decorated English style of architecture ; and the re-
mains are carefully preserved by the Earl of Wemyss,
the present proprietor of the estate. Falside Castle,
which offered resistance to the progress of the Duke of
Somerset, was burnt on the morning of the battle of
Pinkie ; but from the great strength of its walls, a con-
siderable portion is still remaining, to which some addi-
tions have been made.
TRAQUAIR, a parish, in the county of Peebles,
8 miles (S. E.) from Peebles; containing 682 inhabitants.
This place, the name of which is supposed to be a modi-
fication of Strath-Quair, " the valley of the river Quair",
is not distinguished by any incidents of historical im-
portance. The Marquess of Montrose is said to have
rested here, at the house of the Earl of Traquair, on the
night after the battle of Philiphaugh. In I674, the
greater portion of the ancient parish of Kailzie, which
was at that time suppressed, was united to this parish,
and the remainder to the parish of Innerleithen. Tra-
555
quair is situated in the eastern part of the county, and
bounded on the north by the river Tweed. It is about
eight miles in length from east to west, and five miles
in breadth, comprising 17,600 acres, of which 3000 are
arable, 600 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
hilly moorland and sheep pastures. The surface is very
hilly, with tracts of valley on the banks of the Tweed
and the Quair. In some parts the hills attain a moun-
tainous elevation. The highest are, Minchmoor, nearly
2300 feet above the level of the sea, situated in the
eastern part of the parish, and Gumscleugh, in the west,
which is about 2500 feet high, and was selected as one
of the stations for carrying on the trigonometrical sur-
vey of Great Britain. Tlie other hills, though rather
steep, are not of very great height, and afford good pas-
turage for sheep. Among the hills near Gumscleugh
are the banks of Glendean, forming a strikingly romantic
chasm between rocks of nearly perpendicular elevation,
which extend for more than half a mile on both sides.
The lands are intersected by numerous streams, of which
the Quair is the principal. It has its source within the
parish, through which it flows for five or six miles, re-
ceiving in its devious course many streamlets and burns,
whereof the Glenlude and the Glengaber arc the most
considerable. Other burns fall into the Tweed near the
eastern extremity of the parish. This river contains
abundance of salmon at certain seasons, particularly
after floods ; but, from so long a run, they are seldom
of good quality : trout of excellent quality abound both
in the Tweed and in the Quair, and also in the several
burns that flow into them.
The SOIL is generally light and thin, and on some
grounds, probably from over-cropping, appears to be
very much exhausted for barley and turnips ; the crops
are oats, barley, wheat, turnips, and potatoes. Agricul-
ture is improved, and the lands are in general very well
drained and inclosed ; but the distance from limevvorks
and collieries, which is not less than twenty miles, and
the acclivity of the farm roads for conveying heavy
manures to the fields, greatly retard advancement. The
farm-houses are substantial and commodious, and the
various improvements in the construction of agricultural
implements have been adopted. Much attention is paid
to the breed of live-stock. The cattle are the Teeswater
or short-horned, with an occasional cross of the Ayr-
shire ; the number reared is not very great, but consi-
derable numbers are bought, and pastured and fed for
the market. The sheep are almost entirely of the Che-
viot breed, and about 1200 are annually fed off (or fat-
tened for the butcher) chiefly on turnips ; about 2300
lambs are disposed of in the autumn. There is but
little ancient timber remaining. The plantations are
mostly Scotch fir, spruce, and larch, of which fine spe-
cimens are found in the demesnes of the resident he-
ritors. For the most part the rocks are whinstone
of various qualities ; with some slate, of inferior quality,
and not much used, one small quarry of it only having
been wrought. A vein of porphyry is found in the hills.
Traquair House, the seat of the Earl of Traquair, is an
extensive mansion, of which part is of very great anti-
quity, though the precise time of erection is not known.
The mansions also of Cardrona, Kailzie, and the Glen,
are elegant residences, situated in well-planted demesnes
commanding much interesting scenery. Facility of com-
munication with the neighbouring places is afforded by
4 B 2
T ROO
TROO
good roads, of which the turnpike-road to Edinburgh
passes near. The annual value of real property in Tra-
quair is £.5565.
It is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Peebles,
synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage
of the Crown : the minister's stipend is £216. 3., with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £'20 per annum. The
church, built in 1*88, altered in 1S21, and much im-
proved in 1840, is situated nearly in the centre of the
parish, but at a distance from those portions which are
most thickly inhabited ; it is adapted for a congregation
of 350 persons. On the outside wall is a tablet to Mr.
Brodie, a native of this place, who, as an iron-master in
the county of Salop, in England, accumulated property
to the amount of nearly half a million sterling. At
Traquair House is a private Roman Catholic chapel for
the family. The parochial school affords a useful course
of instruction ; the master has a salary of £34. 4., with
£25 fees, and a good house and garden. A handsome
and commodious parochial school-house was lately
erected by the heritors. A friendly society has been
established some time in the neighbourhood. Near the
house of Cardrona are remains of a large British camp.
An urn of Roman bronze, and a small battle-axe, were
found in making a drain on the lands of Kailzie ; and
sepulchral urns containing ashes have been found in the
parish at various times. The Earl of Traquair takes his
title from this parish.
TREISHNISH, isles, in the parish of Kilninian,
county of Inverness. These are a cluster of small
islands, lying about four leagues westward of the Isle of
Mull, and in the vicinity of Staffa. One of them, desig-
nated Cairn-burgh-more, was formerly considered by
the natives as a place of great strength, and its castle
was generally occupied by a small party ; it is a high
rock, of considerable extent, and inaccessible on all
sides except by one narrow pass. Another, Cairn-burgh-
beg, is a smaller rock near it, separated by a narrow
sound, and to which the same description in every re-
spect applies. These rocks are said to have been the
boundary of the two governments into which the He-
brides were divided when subject to the crown of Den-
mark. In 1249, Cairn-burgh-more was summoned to
surrender to Alexander III., who meditated the conquest
of the Hebridean islands. The Macleans possessed it in
1715, and during the rebellion of that year it was taken
and retaken by each of the contending parties.
TRINITY-GASK.— See Gask, Trinity.
TRINITY-MUIR, a hamlet, in the parish of Bre-
chin, county of Forfar ; containing 34 inhabitants.
TRODA, in the parish of Kilmuir, county of In-
verness. It is a small isle of the Hebrides, appro-
priated to the pasturage of sheep.
TRONDRAY, an isle, in the parish of Tingwall,
Whiteness, and Weesdale, county of Shetland ;
containing 8 inhabitants. This island lies in the sound
of Cliff, south of Scalloway, and opposite to that village.
It is about four miles in length and two in breadth, with
a very indented coast ; and is distant west-south-west
from the town of Lerwick about four miles.
TROON, a flourishing town, and for a time a quoad
sacra parish, in the parish of Dundonai.d, district of
Kyle, county of Ayr ; containing, with the village of
Loans, '2306 inhabitants, of whom 1409 are in the town,
9 miles (S. W. by W.) from Kilmarnock. This place
556
is situated on the shore, about five miles south of the
port of Irvine, of which it is considered a creek. It has
within the present century risen into great importance
under the auspices of the Duke of Portland. A charter
for the construction of a harbour was obtained in the
reign of Queen Anne, by William FuUarton, Esq., pro-
prietor of the lands of FuUarton, in the parish ; but no
measures were taken for carrying that design into effect.
The advantages of its situation for the purposes of a
harbour, also, induced the merchants and citizens of
Glasgow to make advantageous proposals to the pro-
prietor for granting them a lease of the adjacent lands,
in order that they might accomplish this desirable ob-
ject ; but their offers were rejected. In this state things
remained till the year 1808, when the Duke of Portland,
who had purchased the estate of FuUarton, embarked
in the undertaking, which after great perseverance was
finally completed, at a cost of more than £100,000.
Since that period the town has progressively increased
in importance as a place of maritime trade; and the
facilities for sea-bathing which it affords, have materially
contributed to its prosperity, by rendering it the resort
of numerous visiters during the season.
The town is romantically situated on a promontory
projecting in a semicircular curve for about a mile and
a quarter into the Firth of Clyde. It is neatly built,
containing many substantial houses, several handsome
cottages for summer residences, and numerous respect-
able inns and lodging-houses for the accommodation of
visiters. A public library is supported by subscription.
The post-office has a regular delivery ; two branch banks
have been established, and there is great facility of com-
munication afforded by the lines of the Glasgow and
Ayrshire railway company, and by steamers. On a site
commanding a fine view of the Firth and the adjacent
country, was an octagonal building called the Temple,
erected by Mr. FuUarton for the entertainment of his
friends ; but it was demolished about fifteen years ago.
The principal trade of the port is, the exportation of
coal from the mines belonging to the Duke of Portland
and others in the parish and vicinity of Kilmarnock,
also of pig-iron from the iron-works at Glengarnock ;
and the importation of timber. The coal is conveyed
from the various works by the Kilmarnock and Troon
branch railway, and on an average about 180,000 tons
are annually shipped . the quantity of timber imported
exceeds 5000 tons. The number of vessels registered as
belonging to the port is fifteen, of the aggregate burthen
of 3800 tons ; and the vessels that enter and leave the
harbour, in the course of the year, are of 108,000 tons'
aggregate burthen. In 1843 the foreign trade was 7363
tons; in 1844, 16,779 tons ; and in 1845, '25,150 tons.
Troon harbour, which is easy of access, affords safe an-
chorage for vessels requiring sixteen feet depth at low
water; and at the pier, at right angles with the rock,
constructed by the duke, and measuring 800 feet in
length, is a depth of nineteen feet at low water. A spa-
cious wet-dock has been formed, in which vessels of the
greatest size may ride in safety from all storms ; there
are also two dry-docks, the larger of which is 300 feet in
length, and of proportionate width. A lighthouse has
been erected, which is maintained from the funds of the
harbour ; and on Lady Isle, south-west of the ])()rt, two
lofty pillars have been raised as a guide to the entrance.
These also point to good anchorage and shelter from
T ROQ
TRUM
north-west gales, for vessels that may be too far to
leeward to gain the harbour with these winds. There
are an extensive yard for building and repairing vessels,
a large sail and rope manufactory, and other works con-
nected with the trade of the port.
The district of Troon was separated from the parish
of Dundonald for ecclesiastical purposes, under an act of
the General Assembly, in 1S36. It was about four miles
in length, and nearly two miles in average breadth.
Two-thirds of the land are arable and under good culti-
vation, and the remainder is rough pasture and waste :
there are sixty acres of plantations. FuUarton House,
the property of the Duke of Portland, is a handsome
mansion, built by the late proprietor, William Fullarton,
Esq., and pleasantly situated, commanding a fine view
of the Ayrshire coast : in 1801 it was for some time the
residence of Louis-Philippe, late King of the French.
Ecclesiastically this town is in the presbytery of Ayr
and synod of Glasgow and Ayr. The church, a hand-
some and substantial structure, was erected in 1837, by
subscription, and contains 1000 sittings : the expense,
including a spire subsequently raised, amounted to £1750.
The minister, who is appointed by the male communi-
cants, has a stipend of £150, of which £20 are paid by
the Duke of Portland, and the remainder derived from
seat-rents and contributions. There are places of wor-
ship for members of the Free Church and the United
Presbyterian Church. A school for the accommodation
of 230 children has been erected at a cost of £335, of
which sum one-half was paid by government, and one-
half raised by subscription. The village of Loans is
described under its own head. There are some remains
of the ancient church of Crosbie, the burial-ground of
which is still used by the inhabitants : David, brother
of James Hamilton who shot the Regent Murray, was
buried there ; and the castle of Crosbie, now a shapeless
ruin, was for some time the residence of Sir William
Wallace.
TROQUEER, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirk-
cudbright, f of a mile (S.) from Dumfries ; including
the burgh of Maxwelltown, and containing 4351 inha-
bitants, of whom 3230 are in the burgh. It is supposed
to have derived its name from its forming one of the
three ancient seminaries in the district, the other two
being Lincluden and Newabbey. The parish is bounded
on the east by the river Nith, and is about seven miles
and a half in length, and four miles and a half in ex-
treme breadth, comprising an area of almost 6000 acres,
of which from 500 to 600 are woodland and planta-
tions, and the remainder arable, meadow, and pasture.
Its surface is intersected by three nearly equidistant
and parallel ranges of heights, the first of which, rising
gradually from the river, has been long in a high state
of cultivation, and contains several nursery-grounds and
gardens of great fertility. The valley between it and
the second ridge is also fruitful, and is watered by the
Cargen, which flows into the Nith. The second ridge,
of greater elevation, produces excellent crops of turnips
and potatoes, with wheat, barley, and oats ; and the
interval between it and the third ridge is partly good
meadow land, but chiefly moss, which might at a mode-
rate expense be brought into tillage. The third ridge,
and the highest, extends through the whole length of
the parish ; it is arable on the acclivities nearly to the
summit, and though less fertile than the others, yields
557
remunerating crops. The Nith, the water of which is
beautifully limpid, abounds with salmon, grilse, and her-
lings, beyond what is necessary for the supply of the
surrounding district. In this parish the plantations
consist of fir, larch, oak, ash, elm, and other trees ; they
arc carefully managed, and in a flourishing condition.
The substrata are principally mica-slate passing into
sienite, with occasional masses of granite ; there is nei-
ther limestone nor coal, nor any mineral of importance.
The annual value of real property is £11,906.
There are some handsome mansion-houses with grounds
tastefully laid out, and also various pleasing villas, scat-
tered through the parish, of which the north-eastern
portion forms a suburb of Maxwelltown. That village,
anciently called Bridge-End, from its situation at the
extremity of a bridge over the Nith, connecting it with
the town of Dumfries, has been erected into a laurgh of
barony in favour of the proprietors, the family of Max-
well ; and is described in a separate article. Ecclesias-
tically this parish is within the limits of the presbytery
and synod of Dumfries, and the patronage is in the
Crown ; the minister's stipend is £350. 7. 2., with a
manse, and a glebe of ten acres of good land. Troqueer
church is an ancient and handsome structure in good
repair, and contains 840 sittings. A chapel of ease was
erected some years since in the burgh of Maxwelltown,
containing 1600 sittings ; and the members of the Free
Church have a place of worship there. The parochial
school is well attended ; the master has a salary of
£30. 16., with a house and garden, and £2. 10., the
proceeds of a bequest for teaching gratuitously the poor
children on the estate of Dalscairth. A school is sup-
ported by the Society for Propagating Christian Know-
ledge, who pay the master a salary of £15 ; he has also
an allowance of £9. 12. from the heritors for the keep
of a cow, with a dwelling-house and garden rent-free.
There is a third school, on the estate of Cargen, sup-
ported by the tenants ; the master lives by turns with
the parents of his scholars. These schools together are
attended by about 180 children; and there are also
schools at Maxwelltown. In the parish are traces of a
circular mound of considerable elevation, the site of the
ancient castle of the Cummins.
TROWS, NEW, a village, in the parish of Lesma-
HAGow, Upper ward of the county of Lanark, 1 mile
(S. by W.) from the village of Lesmahagow ; containing
61 inhabitants. This small hamlet lies on the west side
of the Nethan water, on the banks of which river, in its
neighbourhood, are several handsome mansions.
TRUMISGARRY, a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish and island of North Uist, county of Inver-
ness, 30 miles (N. W. by W.) from Dunvegan ; contain-
ing 1495 inhabitants. This place, which occupies the
eastern portion of the island, was separated for ecclesi-
astical purposes from the parish of North Uist, and
erected into a quoad sacra parish, under act of the
General Assembly, in 1838. The district is bounded on
the north by the sound of Harris, and on the east by the
Little Minch ; and is nearly seventeen miles in extreme
length and about twelve in extreme breadth, comprising
an area of 140 square miles, of which one tenth part is
arable, and the remainder hill-pasture, moss, and waste.
Its surface is diversified with ranges of hills, varying in
elevation from 300 to 700 feet, and is relieved with lakes,
in some of which are found salmon and various kinds of
#
TULL
TUL L
trout of excellent flavour. The coast is bold and eleva-
ted, and deeply indented with bays. Loch Maddy, the
most important and extensive of the bays, forms a har-
bour for vessels of the largest burthen, to which it is
easily accessible, and is sufficiently capacious to afford
accommodation to any number of ships, which, protected
by the high grounds on either side from all adverse
winds, may ride at anchor in perfect safety. The fish
caught are cod, ling, sythe, eels, and other kinds, of
which the inhabitants near Loth Maddy take enough for
their own subsistence ; and several sorts of shell-fish are
found on the sands.
The principal crops are bear and potatoes ; the sys-
tem of agriculture is improved, and considerable tracts
of land have been reclaimed and brought into cultiva-
tion. The cattle are all of the Highland breed ; large
numbers are reared in the pastures, and sold at the fairs
held annually near Loch Maddy in July and September.
There are no villages ; and the only manufacture carried
on is that of kelp, in which some families are employed
during the months of June, July, and August, under the
proprietor, who sends the produce to the south, where it
is sold on his account. A post-office has been established
at Loch Maddy ; a gaol has been built at the same place,
and there is a good inn. A packet of si.xty tons' burthen
sails twice a week from this port to Dunvegan, when the
weather permits ; and facihty of internal communication
is maintained by good roads, which within the last few
years have been greatly improved. Ecclesiastically the
district is within the limits of the presbytery of Uist and
synod of Glenelg. The minister's stipend is £120, paid
from the exchequer, with a manse, and a glebe valued at
£4 per annum ; patron, the Crown. Truraisgarry church,
erected by government in 1829, at a cost of £750, is a
substantial structure containing 326 sittings, and con-
veniently situated for the accommodation of the district.
The members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship. A parochial school is established here, and a school
is supported by the General Assembly.
TULLIALLAN, a parish, in the county of Perth,
i a mile (N. by E.) from Kincardine ; containing, with
the sea-port town of Kincardine, 3196 inhabitants, of
whom 321 are in the rural districts. This place derives
its name, signifying in the Gaelic language the " beau-
tiful hill ", from its situation on a gently sloping emi-
nence at the south-western extremity of the county.
It was anciently the property of the Blackadder family,
of whose baronial residence of Tulliallan Castle there
are still some portions remaining. Previously to the
Reformation, and for some time after, the parish con-
sisted only of the barony of Tulliallan ; but in 1673, the
barony of Kincardine, with the lands of Lurg, Sands,
and Kellywood, was separated from the parish of Cul-
ross, and annexed to this parish, by the Earl of Kin-
cardine, at the recommendation of the presbytery. The
parish is bounded on the south by the river Forth, and
is about three miles and a half in extreme length and
nearly two miles and a half in breadth, comprising 3HhO
acres, of which about 3000 are arable, 500 woodland
and plantations, and the remainder rough pasture and
waste. Its surface Is varied, rising by a gradual ascent
from the shore of the Forth towards the nortli, and
commanding some fine views of the river and the country
adjacent ; the scenery is enriched with wood, and cm-
braces many interesting features.
558
In this parish the soil is various; in some parts
clayey, -n others a deep rich loam alternated with sand ;
and on the lands recently reclaimed from the Forth
estuary, an alluvial deposit of great fertilty. The crops
are wheat, barley, oats, beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips,
■with the usual grasses. Husbandry has been greatly
improved, and considerable quantities of land have been
reclaimed from the sea by embankments on the east and
west of the town of Kincardine, one of which was com-
menced by the late Viscount Keith in 1821, and com-
pleted in 1823, at an expense of £6000 ; the other was
commenced in 1829 by his trustees, and completed in
1838, at a cost of nearly £14,000. In general the farm-
buildings are substantial and well arranged. The lands
have been Inclosed partly with stone dykes, and partly
with hedges of thorn, which are kept in excellent order.
The facility of obtaining manure from Kincardine in
some degree counterbalances the expense of bringing
lime from distant quarries ; and the farms are all under
excellent cultivation, producing abundant crops. The
plantations, which are in a thriving state, consist of firs,
interspersed with other kinds of trees ; and in the
hedge-rows on the public roads are fine specimens of
oak, ash, beech, elm, plane, and hornbeam. There are
strata of freestone, coal, and ironstone. Of these the
freestone is excellent for building, of very compact tex-
ture, and of a beautiful white colour. The quarry at
Longannat, in the eastern part of the parish, has been
long in operation, and the produce in high repute. This
quarry was formerly wrought by a company from Hol-
land, who raised from it the materials for the erection
of the Stadt House ; and in addition to the Royal Ex-
change, the Infirmary, and the Register Office, of Edin-
burgh, and one of the churches in Aberdeen, it has siip-
phed materials for most of the principal mansion-houses
in the neighbourhood. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the parish is £4880. Tulliallan House, a seat
of Lady Keith's, is a handsome modern mansion, beauti-
fully situated on rising ground about half a mile from
the Forth, in a richly-planted and tastefully-embellished
demesne. The town of Kincardine is described under
its own bead. At Longannat is a small hamlet Inha-
bited by persons employed in the quarry, and where are
some slight remains of a pier which is said to have been
constructed by the Dutch company who rented the
quarry. The Stirling and Dunfermline railway skirts the
northern boundary of the parish.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Dumblane and synod of
Perth and Stirling. The minister's stipend is about
£256, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £44. 10. per
annum ; patron, Lady Keith. The church is a sub-
stantial structure, erected In 1833 by the heritors, at an
expense of £3500, and contains 1176 sittings. There
are also places of worship for members of the Free
Church and the United Presbyterian Church. The paro-
chial school affords instruction to 180 children ; the
master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and
garden, and the fees average about £60 per annum,
out of which he pays £40 to an assistant. A school-
room has been built by aid of government ; and the
school is attended by about 100 scholars, who pay the
usual fees. The remains of Tulliallan Castle, situated
on a rising ground to the west of the town, consist of a
portion of the walls, of great thickness, and three rooms
TU L L
TUL L
on the lower story, whose groined roofs are sustained
on a pillar in the centre ; the castle appears to have been
originally a place of much strength, and was surrounded
with a moat communicating with the Forth. There are
also vestiges of the ancient church at Overtown, for-
merly the burying-place of the Keith family, and in
which are several tombstones of great antiquity. Near
the site of this church have been found gold, silver, and
copper coins of Edward I. of England ; and on the farm
of Damend, in the north of the parish, Roman urns
partly filled with ashes were dug up in 1830.
TULLIBODY, a village, in the parish of Alloa,
county of Clackmannan, 2 miles (W.) from the town
of Alloa ; containing 600 inhabitants. The ancient pa-
rish of Tullibody was united to Alloa about the time of
the Reformation. The inhabitants of the village are
chiefly employed in the tanning of leather, for which
there is a large estabhshment ; and in the manufacture
of glass, for which there are extensive works belonging
to the same proprietors. The ancient church was re-
stored about fifteen years ago, for the accommodation of
this remote part of the parish ; and the members of the
Free Church have a place of worship. A school is sup-
ported by Lord Abercromby, who provides the master
with a dwelling-house and garden, and an acre of land,
and pays him a salary in addition to the fees.
TULLICH, a village, in the parish of Glenmuick,
TuLLiCH, and Glengairn, district of Kincardine
O'Neil, county of Aberdeen, 7 miles (S. W. by W.)
from Tarland ; containing 74 inhabitants. The lands,
of Tullich, situated on the north side of the river Dee,
and now annexed to Glenmuick and Glengairn, anciently
formed a distinct parish, and are more extensive than
either of the other portions of the present united parish,
being eighteen miles in length from east to west. Tullich
appears to have belonged in whole or in part to the
Knights Templars, who had a residence in the district ;
and on the largest of several islands in a beautiful lake
about three miles in circumference, called Loch Cannor,
formerly stood a small fortress, said to have been built,
and occasionally occupied as a hunting-seat, by Malcolm
Canmore. In this fortress, many of the Cummings, in
133.5, took shelter after their defeat in the famous battle
of Culblean, fought between them and the forces of King
David Bruce. Soon after the Revolution, an encounter
took place here between the soldiers of King William
under the command of General Mackay, and some gen-
tlemen of the country with their dependents ; when the
latter made so precipitous a retreat, that in derision it
was called " the race of Tullich". The village is situ-
ated on the high road from Tarland to Ballater, from
which latter place it is distant north-eastward about two
miles.
TULLIEBOLE, in the county of Kinross.— See
Fossoway and Tulliebole.
TULLOCH, a village, in the East parish of the city
of Perth, county of Perth; containing 216 inhabit-
ants.
TULLYNESSLE and FORBES, a parish, in the dis-
trict of Alford, county of Aberdeen, 2| miles (N. by
E.) from Alford ; containing 846 inhabitants. The for-
mer of these ancient parishes, which were united by act
of the General Assembly in 1808, derives its name, in
some records TuUynesset, from the Gaelic ; signifying
either a dwelling on a sloping bank, or a dwelling upon
559
the river Esset, from the situation of its church and
manse. The latter parish was named from its proprie-
tors, the ancient family of Forbes. There is but one
transaction of historical importance connected with the
district, namely, the encampment of General Baillie in
the immediate vicinity, near the river Don, on the night
previous to the battle of Alford, in which he was de-
feated by the forces under the Marquess of Montrose, in
1645. The parish is bounded on the south by the Don,
with the exception of a small part which stretches
across the river at the south-western point. It is nearly
seven miles in extreme length and four miles in breadth,
comprising about 10,000 acres, of whicii 3500 are ara-
ble, 1100 meadow and pasture, 1300 woodland and plan-
tations, and the remainder moorland pasture and waste.
The surface is intersected with hilly ridges, interspersed
with glens, and extending towards the south-east from a
chain of lofty hills which surround the parish on the
north and west, and of which the highest have an eleva-
tion of more than 1300 feet above the level of the sea.
The glens are watered by burns descending from the
northern and western hills, the most copious being the
Esset, which in its course of little more than two miles
gives motions to three meal-mills, a flax-mill, and six
threshing-machines, previously to its influx into the Don.
There are numerous springs of excellent water, and a
few springs more or less impregnated with iron. The
Don abounds with trout of superior quality, some of
which are of very large size ; but since the use of stake-
nets near the mouth, few salmon are met with in this
part of its stream. Par, and trout of smaller size, are
found in great numbers in the Esset bum.
The soil of the arable lands is mostly fertile, and
even on the acclivities of some of the heights, of very
considerable depth ; on other rising grounds, thin and
stony, but dry, producing favourable returns. Crops
are raised of oats, barley, and bear ; occasionally a little
wheat ; potatoes, turnips, flax, and the usual grasses.
The husbandry is good, and a regular rotation of crops
is duly observed ; bone-dust has been introduced as
manure. In general the farm-buildings are substantially
built, roofed with slate, and adapted to the extent of the
several farms ; the cottages of the smaller tenants, also,
are comfortable and commodious. Threshing-machines
have been erected on most of the farms, and all the more
recent improvements in the construction of implements
have been adopted. The cattle reared in the pastures
are usually of a cross between the Aberdeenshire and
Teeswater breeds ; considerable attention is paid to their
improvement, and from the facihty of conveyance by
steam navigation, great numbers are fattened and sent
to the London market. The plantations, which are very
extensive, consist chiefly of larch, Scotch, and spruce
firs ; on the lower parts of the hills, of oak, ash, elm,
Spanish chesnut, plane, and gean ; and along the banks
of the Don, of alder and birch : all are under good
management, and in a thriving state. The rocks are
generally composed of granite, gneiss, mica-slate, sand-
stone, and limestone. The limestone, neither in its
quality nor in quantity, has been thought sufficient to
warrant a continuance of the mines formerly in opera-
tion. There are two slate-quarries, producing slabs for
the pavement of halls and kitchens. From the quarry
at Coreen, slabs of very large size are raised, some of
which are used as sides for the porches of farm-houses ;
TU ND
T U ND
and a few years since, attempts were made to open a
quarry of roofing-slate, but they were discontinued on
account of the expense. Iron-ore is found in a vein of
siliceous sandstone, but it is not wrought. The annual
value of real property in the parish is returned at
£36'29.
Whitehaugh, the seat of James Forbes Leith, Esq., is a
spacious and elegant mansion, consisting of a centre of
ancient architecture, the original seat of his ancestors,
and two wings of corresponding character, added by the
late proprietor. It is pleasantly situated on the bank of
the Don, near the south-eastern extremity of the parish,
in a demesne tastefully laid out, and embellished with
thriving plantations. Little Wood Park, the property
of the second son of Lord Forbes, stands also on the
river, in grounds surrounded with plantations ; it is at
present rented by the tenant who farms the neighbour-
ing lands. There are no villages ; the whole of the
population is agricultural, with the exception of a few
who are engaged in handicraft trades. During the
winter and spring months there are monthly markets
for grain and fat-cattle at Alford, where also are two
annual fairs ; but the produce of the parish is chiefly
sent to Aberdeen. Facility of communication is afforded
by the roads from Huntly to Kincardine and from Aber-
deen to Strathdon : these intersect each other at a bridge
over the Don, which is substantially built of stone, and
near which is a well-conducted inn, as well as a post-
office where letters are received daily by a mail-coach
from Aberdeen. There are also good roads kept in re-
pair by statute labour. The inn has been enlarged for
the accommodation of numerous visiters who frequent
this part of the country on fishing excursions. Eccle-
siastically the parish is in the presbytery of Alford and
synod of Aberdeen : the minister's stipend is £222. 3. 6.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum ;
patron, the Earl of Fife. The church is a substantial
structure, affording ample accommodation. The paro-
chial school is attended by about one hundred children :
the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and
garden, and the fees average £25 per annum ; he receives
also a share of the Dick bequest. A juvenile library has
been established for the use of the scholars. There were
formerly numerous remains of Druidical circles, all of
which, except one, have been removed in the progress of
cultivation.
TUNDERGARTH, a parish, in the county of Dum-
fries, 3 miles (E. by S.) from Lockerbie ; containing
524 inhabitants. This appears to have been one of the
principal seats of the Johnstoncs, Marquesses of Annan-
dale, of whose ancient castle some very slight vestiges
are still remaining, and between whom and the John-
stones of Lockerbie there were frequent and inveterate
feuds for many years. The parish is bounded by the
river Milk, and is nearly thirteen miles in length and
from a mile and a half to two miles in breadth, com-
prising about 10,800 acres, of which 3000 are arable,
160 woodland and plantations, and the remainder hill-
pasture, moor, and waste. Its surface is generally
imdulatcd, and in some parts abruptly precipitous ; but
the only hills of any considerable elevation are those of
Grange Fell and Crievc, which rise about 900 feet above
the level of the sea. The river, which skirts the parish
on the north and west, is beautifully picturesque through-
out the whole of its winding course. It receives nume-
560
rous rivulets rising in the higher grounds, and flowing
through the deep valleys with which the parish is inter-
sected.
The SOIL is various, but mostly fertile in the valleys ;
towards the hills, thin and cold, resting on a subsoil of
till and gravel ; and in other parts, rocky, and alternated
with indurated clay. There are some extensive peat-
mosses in the upper districts, and the hills aflFord good
pasturage for sheep. Crops are raised of grain of all
kinds, potatoes, turnips, and the various grasses ; the
system of husbandry is improved, and the arable lands
are under good cultivation. The farms are from 100 to
200 acres in extent, with some of smaller size; they have
been well drained, and inclosed partly with stone dykes,
and partly with hedges of thorn. In general the sheep
are of the Cheviot breed, but on some farms is a cross
with the Leicestershire, which is found to be well
adapted for the English market ; much attention is
paid to their improvement, and large numbers are
reared in the sheep-walks, which occupy nearly half
the parish. The cattle, of which considerable numbers
are also reared, are of the Galloway breed ; and the
greatest care is shown in the selection of the finest
bulls in the county for the improvement of the stock.
The sheep and cattle are sent to Lockerbie and Dum-
fries, whence they are forwarded to England. There
are some remains of ancient woods, chiefly on the lands
of Whitstone Hill, consisting of ash of venerable growth;
but the parish generally is destitute of old timber. Plan-
tations, however, have been formed in various parts, all
of which are in a thriving state ; and on the estate of
Grange, especially, are some extensive plantations of
trees of every kind, which have attained a luxuriant
growth, and add much to the beauty of the scenery.
The substrata are transition slate and clay-slate, grey-
wacke, and occasionally greenstone. Repeated attempts
have been made to discover lead-ore, but without suc-
cess; some fine specimens of antimony have been found;
and coal is supposed to exist in some places, but none
has yet been actually discovered. Of the houses belong-
ing to landed proprietors, the principal are Whitstone
Hill, Pierceby Hall, Grange, and Gibsontown ; they are
beautifully situated, and surrounded with flourishing
plantations. There is no village ; the inhabitants are
all engaged either in agricultural or pastoral pursuits,
except a few who are employed in the handicraft trades
requisite for the accommodation of the immediate neigh-
bourhood. The nearest market-town is Lockerbie, with
which facility of communication is maintained by a road
extending more than eight miles through the parish,
and kept in good repair, but inconveniently hilly. Aa
excellent road might be constructed near the banks of
the Milk, which would be level, and pass through the
most interesting part of the district.
For KCCLESiASTicAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Lochmaben and synod of
Dumfries. The minister's stipend is £156. 15., with a
manse, and a globe valued at £10 per annum ; patron,
the Earl of Mansfield. The church, erected about the
year 177''>i is a neat plain structure conveniently situ-
ated. The parochial school affords instruction to about
seventy children : the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees average £20 per
annum; he has also the interest of a bequest of £100
for the gratuitous instruction of poor children. Some
T U 11 R
TURK
traces of a Roman road leading from the camp on
Burnswark Hill were lately discovered, formed of broad
flat stones, and about eight feet in width ; it had been
covered with earth about nine inches in depth. There
are also various British camps on eminences, each sur-
rounded by a strong vallum and fosse, and inclosing an
area of about an acre ; they are supposed to have been
places of safety during the border warfare, and in some
of them urns have been found containing human bones
and ashes. On the farm of Whifeholm are the remains
of a Druidical circle consisting of seven upright stones j
and about a mile distant were two large cairns, and also
one on the lands of Grange, on the removal of which for
constructing dykes, were found human skeletons in
rudely-formed coffins of square slabs of stone.
TURRIFF, a burgh of barony, a parish, and the seat
of a presbytery, in the district of Turriff, county of
Aberdeen; containing 3146 inhabitants, of whom 1309
are in the burgh, 1 1 miles (S. by E.) from Banff, and
34 (N. N. W.) from Aberdeen. This place derives its
name, signifying in the Gaelic language " heights " or
" towers", either from the hills surrounding the parish,
or from its ancient castles, of which, till towards the
close of the last century, the ruins of several were re-
maining. The gateway and vaults of Castle- Rainy have
but recently been removed. Of the original foundation
of the town, which is of remote antiquity, little is accu-
rately known ; it appears to have been a place of impor-
tance at a very early period, and is generally supposed
to have been the residence of one of the Pictish monarchs.
An hospital here seems to have belonged to the Knights
Templars. On the north side of the town are some lands
retaining the appellation of Temple-Brae ; and a house
called Temple-Feu is still in existence, the proprietors of
which held their lands under Lord Torphichen, to whom
many of the possessions of the order of St. John of Jeru-
salem, whose privileges were augmented with those of
the Templars, were at the Dissolution granted by the
crown. Another hospital was founded here in 127'2 by
Alexander Cumyn, Earl of Buchan, with the consent of
Hugo de Benham, Bishop of Aberdeen, for a warden,
six chaplains, and thirteen poor brethren of Buchan, and
was dedicated to St. Congan, the supposed tutelar saint
of the parish. It had also, to a limited extent, the
privileges of a sanctuary, the warden being bound to
deliver up only notorious malefactors for public trial.
This hospital was in 1329 endowed with lands in the pa-
rish of Fyvie, by King Robert Bruce, for the maintenance
of a chaplain to say mass for the soul of his brother
Nigel, who in 1306 had been taken prisoner, and put to
death, by the English who besieged and made themselves
masters of the castle of Kildrummy, in which Nigel at
that time resided. In 1412, Greenlaw, Bishop of Aber-
deen, raised the wardenship of the hospital into a prebend
of the cathedral church ; and William Hay, the warden,
who thus became prebendary of Turriff, built in the
Chanonry of Aberdeen a house for the residence of him-
self and his successors, which is now the property of
the corporation of Old Aberdeen. In 1.511 James IV.
granted to Thomas Dickson, then prebendary, a charter,
erecting the town into a free burgh of barony, of which
he was to be the superior, and granting to the burgesses
power annually to choose bailies and other officers for
the government of the burgh; with the privilege of hold-
ing weekly markets and annual fairs, and receiving all
Vol. II.— 561
the tolls, customs, and dues. In 1589, James VI., in
the course of his progress through the country, passed
one night in the town ; which does not appear to have
been subsequently distinguished by any event of his-
torical importance. There was a skirmish between cer-
tain royalists and Covenanters, called the " trot of Tur-
riff ", in 1639, when the first blood in the Covenanters'
cause was shed.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated on the bank of a
rivulet to which it gives name, about two furlongs from
its influx into the Doveron ; and comprises one prin-
cipal street of moderate extent, and several others of
inferior order, to which have been lately added two
that are spacious and regularly formed. The houses
are substantial and neatly built, and to most of them
are attached small gardens tastefully laid out, which
give to the town a cheerful and lively aspect ; the
streets are lighted with gas from works established by a
joint-stock company in 1839, and the inhabitants are
well supplied with water. A public library, consisting
of about 600 volumes of standard works, is supported
by subscription. There are several respectable inns,
and in the principal street is an ancient cross twenty
feet in height, raised on a building of circular form. The
environs abound with pleasing scenery. The spinning
of linen yarn, and bleaching, are carried on here, but
not to so great an extent as formerly ; and the weaving
of linen and woollen cloth by hand-loom, and the dyeing
of woollens and silks, are also pursued, upon a moderate
scale. In the town are numerous shops for the supply of
the district with groceries, haberdashery, and hardware;
and the inhabitants display a general spirit of enterprise
in various branches of mercantile speculation : the
handicraft trades are carried on with skill, and the
articles produced are equal to those of the principal
towns. Here are branches of the Commercial Bank of
Scotland, and the North of Scotland and Aberdeen
Banking Companies ; and agencies for different insurance
companies. The nearest ports with which the town has
intercourse are Banff and Macduff, to which the grain
and other agricultural produce of the parish are sent,
and from which supplies of coal, lime, bone-dust, and
other extraneous manures, and the various kinds of
merchandise, are brought for the consumption of the
neighbourhood. A customary market is well supplied
with butchers' meat, and other provisions. Fairs, chiefly
for cattle, horses, sheep, and merchandise, are held on
the Wednesdays after the 5th of February, April, and
August ; the Wednesdays after the Vlth of October and
December ; the Friday after the 7th of May ; the Satur-
day before Trinity Muir fair in June ; and the Thursday
after the 27 th of October ; all O. S. Fairs for hiring
servants are also held, at Whitsuntide and Martinmas,
O. S. A post-office under that of Aberdeen has two
deliveries daily from the north and south. Facility of
communication is afforded by the turnpike-road from
Aberdeen to Banff, which passes through the whole
length of the parish ; by good roads kept in repair by
statute labour, which intersect the parish in different
directions ; and by bridges over the Doveron and the
burn of Turriff. The sheriff-substitute holds a quarterly
court in the burgh for the recovery of debts not ex-
ceeding £8. 6. 8., and from the number of causes brought
before him for decision, it appears to be highly ser-
viceable. Justice-of-peace courts, and courts of lieu-
4C
TURK
TURK
tenancy for the district, are also held when requisite.
There is a beautiful town-hall, of recent erection, occu-
pying the site of the gateway and vaults of Castle- Rainy.
A lock-up house here contains two apartments, in which
offenders are lodged previously to their committal to the
county gaol.
The p.\RisH is bounded on the north-west by the
river Doveron, separating it from the parishes of Forglen
and Marnoch ; and is rather more than six miles in
length and five miles in breadth, comprising '21,300
acres, of which 13,555 are arable, 3000 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder moorland pasture and
waste. Its surface is beautifully varied, rising gradually
from the banks of the Doveron towards the south, and
terminating in gently-undulated hills. Of these, even
Darra, the highest, attains only a moderate degree of
elevation. The hills of Vrae on the north, Cotburn on
the east, and Ardmiddle on the west, may also be men-
tioned. All of them command from their summits ex-
tensive prospects over a diversified country, abounding
with interesting features, and with varied scenery, in
many parts beautifully picturesque. The Doveron has
its rise on the confines of the county of Banff, and flows
in graceful windings along the northern boundary of the
parish to the mill of Turriff, where it changes its course
abruptly to the north. It falls into the Moray Firth at
Banff. The only other stream of any importance is the
burn of Turriff, which has its source in the parish of
Aberdour, and, after a course of about two miles and a
half through this parish, in which it gives motion to
several mills and the machinery of a bleachfield, flows
into the Doveron below the mill of Turriff. In the pa-
rish are numerous smaller streams, and also several
springs of excellent water, with a few mineral wells, none
of which, however, have obtained much celebrity. The
Doveron abounds with trout and other varieties of fish,
and salmon are also found in moderate quantities ; the
salmon-fishery was formerly very valuable, but from the
use of stake-nets near the mouth of the river, it has
ceased to be advantageous. The burn of Turriff also
contains trout, and affords good sport to the angler.
Ou the banks of the river, and on most of the level
lands, the soil is an alluvial deposit, alternated with
clay ; on the higher grounds, and in other parts, sharp,
light, and gravelly, generally early, and of great fertility.
The crops are oats, barley, bear, potatoes, turnips, and
occasionally a few tares, with the various grasses. Hus-
bandry has been greatly improved ; and by a judicious
use of lime, and the introduction of bone-dust, guano,
and other manures for turnips, the soil has been ren-
dered more jiroductive : due regard is paid to a regular
rotation of crops ; and much of the waste land has been
reclaimed, and brought in cultivation by draining. In
general the farm-houses are substantially built of stone,
and roofed with slate, and are commodious and well
arranged; but the cottages are very inferior. On most
of the farms are threshing-mills, many of which are
driven by water-power. Much of the land is inclosed
with dry stone dykes, palings of wood, and hedges of
thorn ; and all the more recent improvements in the
construction of agricultural im])lcments have been
adopted. Under the auspices of the Turriff Agricultural
Association, of which the Earl of Fife is patron, and
which holds two annual meetings for awarding pre-
miums to successful competitors in husbandry, and also
562
a cattle-show annually, much emulation has been ex-
cited, both in the cultivation of the lands and the im-
provement of live-stock. The cattle are mostly the
Aberdeenshire ; but of late years, a cross between these
and the Teeswater has been introduced : great numbers
are conveyed by steam to the London market. The
breed of horses has been also improved, and many of
those reared in the parish are equal to the Clydesdale :
a considerable number, however, of the old small-sized
kind are still bred, which are remarkable for their
strength and agility. A few sheep are reared in the
parish, chiefly Cheviots ; and during winter, numbers
of the black-faced breed are brought by the Highland
shepherds to pasture on the hills. Many pigs, mostly
of the Chinese breed, are fed on the different farms, and
sold to the curers, one of whom sends the pork to the
London market, frequently to the value of £3000 in a
year. Little cheese is made ; but large quantities of
butter of excellent quality are produced, for the supply
of families in the neighbouring towns, and for dealers
who salt it for distant markets.
In this parish the old woodlands and the plantations
are very extensive ; of the latter more than 700 acres
are comparatively recent. The former consist chiefly
of beech, oak, ash, and elm ; and around the principal
houses are some plane and horse-chesnut trees of
stately and luxuriant growth. The plantations consist
of larch, spruce, and Scotch firs, and alder, interspersed
with other kinds of trees ; they are under excellent
management, regularly thinned, and in a very thriving
state. The rocks are mainly composed of greywaeke,
clay-slate, and red sandstone. Of these, the sandstone
is quarried for building purposes ; and considerable
quantities of coping-stone, and ashlar for mill-courses,
are raised for the supply of the adjacent parishes. Seve-
ral attempts have been made to work a quarry for
roofing-slate, which has been met with of good quality ;
but from the great labour and expense atteudmg the
undertaking, no quarries are wrought. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £10,4'2'2. Delgaty
Castle, once the residence of the Earls of Errol, is now
the seat of General Sir Alexander Duff; the ancient
structure, in the castellated style, and of great strength,
forms the central range of the present mansion, two
wings having been added of corresponding character,
connected by corridors. The house is situated in a
demesne embellished with stately timber and thriving
plantations. It C(mtains man)' spacious apartments, with
some paintings by the old masters, and portraits of the
late Earl of Fife and his second son, General Sir Alex-
ander Duff. In the grounds is a lake, with a small
island in the centre, to which access is afforded by a
rustic bridge of pleasing design, llatton Castle, the
seat of Garden Duff, Esq., is a handsome castellated
mansion with turrets at the angles, situated in an ample
and richly wooded demesne, to which are approaches
by two neat lodges. The lawn in front of the house is
interspersed with clumps of trees, and the gardens and
shrubberies are tastefully laid out. In the grounds are
some artificial lakes, on which swans are to be seen,
and tlie wliole of the scenery is picturesque. The other
mansions are, Muiresk House, a pleasant residence on
the south bank of the Doveron ; Scohbach House, a
building of recent erection, in the ancient style ; Gask,
a sporting-lodge belonging to the Earl of Fife, but let,
TWEE
TWEE
with tlie adjacent land, to a farmer ; and Towie- Barclay,
an ancient mansion in the Elizabethan style of archi-
tecture.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within
the limits of the presbytery of Turriff and synod of
Aberdeen. The minister's stipend is about £'232, with
a raanse, and a glebe valued at £15 per annum ; patron,
the Earl of Fife. Turrilf church, erected in 1794, and
enlarged in 1830 by the addition of an aisle, is a neat
plain structure, conveniently situated. There are an
Episcopal chapel, a Free church, and a place of worship
for Independents. Among various day schools is the
parochial school : the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees ; he has also a
share of Dick's bequest, but pays an assistant. Four
Sabbath schools are held in the town, and four in the
rural districts of the parish. The late Dr. Hall, in 1829,
bequeathed £200 towards a fund for the supply of coal
to the poor, to which £50 were added in 1834 by Mr.
Johnstone, of Aberdeen ; this fund is under the manage-
ment of the Kirk Session, and is assisted by an annual
collection made at the church, and other contributions.
There are some remains of the ancient church, supposed
to have been founded by Malcolm Canmore, consisting of
the choir and the belfry, in which latter is a bell with the
date 1557. In the churchyard are some very old monu-
ments with Latin inscriptions, to proprietors of the parish.
On the lands of Laithers were, till lately, some remains
of a chapel dedicated to St. Carnac ; and on the high
grounds are tumuli and cairns, supposed to have been
raised over the remains of men who fell in battle with
the Danes, by whom this part of the country was much
infested. At the burn side near Delgaty, urns have
been found, containing ashes and calcined bones ; and
arrow-heads of flint, fragments of ancient weapons, and
silver and copper coins of great antiquity, have been
dug up in the parish at various times.
TWEEDDALE.— See Peeblesshire.
TWEEDSMUIR, a parish, in the county of Peebles,
13 miles (S. E. by S.) from Biggar ; containing 276 inha-
bitants. This place derives its name from the moorish
aspect of the ground in that part of the parish through
which the river Tweed flows, immediately on issuing
from its source. It appears to have originally formed
part of the parish of Drummelzier, on its separation
from which, in 1643, it assumed its present appellation.
The parish is from eight to nine miles in length, and
nearly equal in breadth ; comprising an area of about
42,000 acres, of which 375 are arable, thirty woodland
and plantation, and the remainder meadow and hill
pasture. Its surface is strikingly diversified with hills
and numerous small valleys. I'he highest of the hills
are. Broad Law, in the north, which has an elevation,
according to a survey made by government, of 2741
feet above the level of the sea ; and part of the Hartfell
range of heights, on the south, of which the loftiest
point is 2635 feet. These hills are of gradual ascent,
and perfectly flat upon the summit. The former com-
mands an unbounded prospect, extending to the English
border, and comprising the mountains which invervene
in almost endless succession, with an interesting assem-
blage of highly picturesque and strikingly varied fea-
tures, and the German Ocean. The home scenery is
greatly enlivened by the winding course of the Tweed
and other streams, which flow along valleys of romantic
563
appearance, enriched with thriving plantations, and in
a state of luxuriant verdure. The Tweed has its source
in a spring in the upper part of the parish, which has
an elevation of 1500 feet above the sea. It flows for
ten miles through the parish, receiving in its progress
numerous tributaries : of these the Core, the Fruid, and
the Tala, which all have their sources within the parish,
are the principal. Leaving the district, it pursues a
winding course of more than ninety miles, and falls
into the sea at Berwick. At the base of the hill in
which the Tweed rises, and which is about half a mile
from Lanarkshire on the west, and from Dumfriesshire
on the south, are also the sources of the rivers Annan
and Clyde. All the streams abound with trout, par,
and eels ; and in the Tweed, salmon of considerable
size are frequently taken. Among the smaller burns
is the Gameshope, which is a tributary of the Tala, and
in its course spreads into a lake, about 600 yards in
circumference, said to be the highest water in this part
of the country ; it abounds with excellent trout of a
dark colour, and is much frequented by anglers. Near
the summit of Broad Law is a powerful perennial spring
called Giddes Well ; and at the southern extremity of
Hartfell is a strongly impregnated chalybeate spring, in
great repute.
In some parts the soil is a strong loam formed of
earth and moss, and in others a light loam intermixed
in a few instances with gravel. The mountains are
covered to their summits with luxuriant verdure, and
may be mowed to almost any extent ; they afford rich
pasturage for sheep and black-cattle. The chief crops
are oats, barley, turnips, peas, and potatoes, with arti-
ficial grasses of every kind, which thrive in great abund-
ance. Agriculture is improved ; the farmhouses are
substantially built of stone, and roofed with slate ; and
every improvement in implements of husbandry has
been introduced. The want of lime, however, which is
only to be procured from a distance, has greatly re-
tarded the cultivation of the lands. The sheep, of which
16,000 are kept in the parish, and pastured on the hills,
are of the Cheviot and black-faced breeds ; there are
9000 of the former, and 7000 of the latter. Consider-
able attention is paid to the improvement of the breeds ;
and at a late annual meeting of the Highland Society,
the tenants of the farms of Carterhope and Menzioa
gained the highest premiums for specimens, one of the
black-faced, and the other of the Cheviot. The woods
in the parish, formerly extensive, have almost entirely
disappeared, and only a few trees remain on the lands
of Fruid and Hawkshaw ; the plantations are chiefly
Scotch and silver fir, larch, birch, and poplar, which
seem best adapted to the soil. Among the ancient
residences were, Hawkshaw, which for some hundreds
of years was the seat of the family of Porteous, and near
which are remains of a chapel and burial-ground;
Oliver Castle, the seat of the ancient family of Fraser ;
Menzion House ; and Fruid. Facility of intercourse
with the market-town, and with places in the more
immediate vicinity, is afforded by good roads, of which
the turnpike-road from Edinburgh to Dumfries passes
for ten miles within the parish. The annual value of
real property in Tweedsmuir is £3992.
It is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Peebles, synod
of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage of the
Principal and Professors of St. Mary's College, St. An-
4 C 2
TWYN
TWY N
drew's ; the minister's stipend averages £237, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £12. 10. per annum. The
church, beautifully situated on a peninsula formed by
the junction of the rivers Tweed and Tala, was erected
in 1648, and is adapted for a congregation of 160 per-
sons. The parochial school affords a useful course of
instruction ; the master has a salary of £32 per annum,
w'ith £12 fees, and a house and garden, and the garden
being less than the usual size, he receives one boll of
meal also. There is a school for children living at an
inconvenient distance from the parochial school ; the
master has an endowment of £8 a year from the heri-
tors, in addition to the fees. Near the source of the
Tweed, in a spot called Tweed's Cross, was an upright
stone supposed to have been a Druidical relic, and sub-
sequently a guide for passengers. There are still some
remains of a Druidical circle elsewhere, of which, how-
ever, but one upright stone is left, the remainder having
been taken away to furnish materials for dykes. On
removing a cairn on the side of the Tweed, a kistvaen
was discovered, formed of smoothed stone, and covered
with a large flag ; containing fragments of an urn of
ancient character. A similar grave was discovered on
the lands of Menzion. Sir Simon Fraser, who, assisted
by Gumming, at the head of 10,000 Scottish forces,
attacked and defeated the army of Edward I., consisting
of 30,000 men, near Roslin, in 1303, was lord of Tweed-
dale, and resided at Oliver Castle, in this parish.
TWYNHOLM, a village and parish, in the stewartry
of Kirkcudbright, 3 miles (N. by W.) from Kirkcud-
bright; containing 777 inhabitants, of whom 216 are
in the village. This place, whose name, supposed to be
a corruption of Twynham, is descriptive of the situation
of the church and village on rising ground, appears to
have attained to some little importance at an early
period. During the contest between Bruce and Baliol,
Edward I. of England, after remaining with his court
for some time at the castle of Kirkcudbright, crossed
the Dee on the 9th of August, 1300, and took up his
abode here : he remained ten days, and made several
offerings at the altar of the ancient chapel. The parish
seems to have been enlarged by the annexation of that
of Kirk-Christ about the middle of the seventeenth cen-
tury. It is bounded by the river Dee, separating it
from the parish of Kirkcudbright ; and is about ten
miles in length, and nearly three miles in extreme
breadth, comprising an area of 10,700 acres, of which
6500 are arable, 3270 meadow and pasture, 320 planta-
tion, and the remainder waste. Nearly one half of the
parish is the ])roperty of the Earl of Selkirk ; and the
remainder is divided among several proprietors, of
whom Thomas Maitland, Esq., of Dundrenuan, and the
family of Mc Millan, of Barwhinnock, are the principal.
Its surface is diversified with hills, which in the northern
portion rise into considerable elevation, affording only
pasturage to cattle and sheep ; in the southern portion
the hills are of inferior height, and arable to their sum-
mits. The rivers are, the Dee, which bounds the parish
on the east ; and the Tarf, which, after winding through
the north, takes an eastern course, and falls into the
Dee. The lower grounds are also watered by other
streams ; and of the several lakes the most extensive
is Locli Wliinyeon, at the north-west boundary of the
parish, bordering on that of Girthon. The water of
this lake was formerly conveyed by the small burn of
564
Glengap into the Tarf ; but a tunnel has been cut through
the hill, by which it is diverted to the cotton-works at
Gatehouse, in the parish of Girthon.
The SOIL is generally fertile, and the pastures in se-
veral parts are luxuriantly rich ; the principal crops are
wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips. Agriculture
is much improved ; the lands have been well drained,
and are partly inclosed with fences of thorn, which have
been lately introduced, and are gradually superseding
the stone dykes formerly in use. The cattle are usually
of the Galloway breed, but on one or two farms are
some of the short-horned ; the sheep are principally a
cross between the Leicester and Cheviot breeds. Great
numbers of sheep are bought in during the autumn, in
addition to what are reared ; they are fed on turnips,
and, when fat, are sent by the steam-boats to Liverpool.
In this district the substratum is chiefly whinstone ;
there is no sandstone : granite occurs in large bould-
ers in several places. The plantations are oak, inter-
spersed with larch, spruce, and Scotch firs ; they are
under good management, and in a very flourishing con-
dition. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £62.59.
Corapston, a residence of Mr. Maitland's, is a hand-
some house, built by the late proprietor, Adam Mait-
land, Esq. ; and Barwhinnock, the residence of Mr. Mc
Millan, by whom it was erected, is also a handsome
building. The village, which is situated on the great
road from Carlisle to Portpatrick, is spacious and well
built : the inhabitants, with the excepti(m of a small
number employed in the various handicraft trades requi-
site for the supply of the neighbourhood, are engaged
in agricultural and pastoral pursuits. There are a mill
for carding and spinning wool, and, on the same pre-
mises, a mill for dressing flax, both for the farmers, who
work them up at their own houses for domestic use.
Facility of communication is maintained by the turn-
pike-road to Portpatrick, which passes through the
centre of the parish, and by statute roads kept in good
repair. Across the Dee is a ferry to Kirkcudbright ;
and that river, which is navigable to Tongland bridge,
affords ample means of procuring supplies of coal and
lime, and of conveying the agricultural produce to Liver-
pool and other markets.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the limits of the
presbytery of Kirkcudbright and synod of Galloway.
The minister's stipend is £225. 11. 1., with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £40 per annum ; patron, the Earl
of Selkirk. Twynholm church, erected in 1818, is a neat
structure in the early English style of architecture ; it
is situated nearly in the centre of the parish, and con-
tains 410 sittings. The parochial school is attended by
about 100 children ; the master has a salary of £34.
4. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees average £15
per annimi. At Doon, in the south of the parish, is a
female school, for which a house was built by the Earl
of Selkirk, wlio pays the teacher's salary. Remains exist
of several British forts, near one of wliieh, in a tumulus,
was found a stone colhn containing human l)oncs, some
coins, and an instrument rcscmhling a hammer. There
arc some slight remains of the ancient castle of Comp-
ston, consisting of three of the walls of the tower, in a
very ruinous condition. Of the nunnery that existed
in the southern part of the parish, the only memorial is
preserved in the names of the farms of High and Low
T Y N R
T Y N R
Nunton, with that of a mill adjoining them, still called
Nunmill. The poet Montgomery once resided at Comp-
ston.
TYNDRUM, a village, in the parish of Kilun,
county of Pkrth, 16 miles (N. E.) from Inverary. This
is a small Iligliland village, upon the great western mi-
litary road, about twelve miles from Dalmally, and the
same distance from Killin. It contains a post-office,
and here is one of six inns in the parish, said to be the
highest situated of any house in Scotland.
TYNNINGHAME, a village, in the parish of White-
kirk and Tynninghame, county of Haddington,
1 mile (N. E. by E.) from the village of Prestonkirk ; con-
taining '271 inhabitants. It is situated in the southern
part of the parish, on the road from Whitekirk to Sten-
tou, and about half a mile westward from the river Tyne,
which shortly merges its waters in the sea. The lands
of Tynninghame formed a separate parish, which was
united to Whitekirk in I767 : the church, now demo-
lished, stood about a quarter of a mile below the village,
on the north side of the Tyne, in a beautiful field having a
gentle slope to the water's edge ; and it possessed in early
times the privilege of sanctuary. Tynninghame belongs
to the Earl of Haddington, whose fine seat here, sur-
rounded with plantations commenced by his ancestor,
the fifth earl, is in the Elizabethan style. The popula-
tion of the village is almost exclusively agricultural.
One of the parochial schools is situated at this place.
TYNRON, a village and parish, in the county of
Dumfries, 4^ miles (W. S. W.) from Thornhill ; con-
taining 474 inhabitants, of whom nearly 80 are in the
village. The name, of Gaelic origin, is in different re-
cords written Tyndron, Tliitroyn, and Tindroyn ; and is
supposed to have been derived from the peculiar form
of a hill near the lower extremity of the parish, called
the Dun, or Doon, of Tynron. On the summit of the
hill, which is of pyramidal shape, with a singular pro-
jection from one of its sides, might, till lately, be traced
the foundations of an ancient fortress, said to have been
the retreat of King Robert Bruce after the death of
Comyn at Dumfries. During his concealment here, the
king frequently visited the cottage of a poor man named
Brownrig, situated in a neighbouring croft adjacent
with thick woods, and where in perfect security he par-
took of such fare as the humble dwelling afforded. In
acknowledgment of the hospitality he had experienced,
the monarch conferred upon his host a grant of the croft in
which the cottage stood, with a portion of the adjacent
lands for the pasture of a few cattle ; and the lands and
croft remained in the possession of the Brownrigs until
about a century ago. They were then sold to the session
of Tynron, and are still the property of the poor.
The PARISH is situated in the district of Nithsdale,
and bounded on the north-east by the river Sear, which
separates it from the parish of Penpont. It is about
fourteen miles in length and two and a half in breadth,
comprising nearly 15,000 acres, of which 3100 are ara-
ble, .500 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
hill pasture, moor, and waste. The surface is boldly
diversified. Two ranges of hills intersect the parish in
a direction from north-west to south-east ; one termi-
nates in the Dun of Tynron, and the other in that of Max-
welltown, in the adjoining parish of Glencairn. The
hills are uniformly covered with verdure, affording ex-
cellent pasture for sheep and cattle ; and those of Lara-
565
garroch and Cormilligan, the highest in the pari.sh, have
an elevation of ISOO feet above the level of the sea.
Between the ranges of hills, which command from their
summits extensive and richly-varied prospects over the
surrounding country, are some large tracts of fine even
land, forming portions of the strath of Nithsdale, and
chiefly arable and in good cultivation. The prevailing
scenery, being enriched with wood, is pleasing. The
river Shinnel flows in a south-eastern direction through
the parish, dividing it into two nearly equal parts, and
falls into the Scar at Capenoch, in the adjoining parish
of Keir. In its course it makes a romantic cascade
called Aird-Linn, near the manse, where its banks are
richly wooded. There are minor streams flowing through
the lands in various directions, all of which abound
with trout of small size, affording good sport to the an-
gler ; also several fine springs of excellent water.
In general the soil is light and sandy, but of tole-
rable fertility, producing more grain than is requisite
for the consumption of the inhabitants ; the parish is,
however, rather of a pastoral than of an agricultural
character. Crops are raised of grain of all kinds, with
potatoes, turnips, and the usual grasses. Due regard is
paid to a regular rotation ; and from the facility of ob-
taining lime from the neighbouring quarries of Close-
burn, and the introduction of bone-dust and guano for
manure on the turnip lands, much improvement has
taken place. The farm houses and offices, most of
which are of late erection, are substantial and commo-
diously arranged ; the fences are kept in good order,
and much waste and unprofitable land has been re-
claimed and brought into cultivation under the auspices
of both the resident and non-resident proprietors.
Great attention is paid to live-stock. The sheep are of
the Cheviot and black -faced breeds, with a few of a
cross between the Cheviot and the Leicester ; the cattle
are the Ayrshire and the Galloway, with a few Highland.
There are considerable remains of natural wood, consist-
ing of oak, common and mountain ash, birch, plane,
alder, and willow ; and the plantations are larch, Scotch,
spruce, and silver firs, and Balm of Gilead, interspersed
with other kinds of trees. The principal substrata are,
greywacke, of which the rocks are mainly composed ;
clay-slate ; and a flinty kind of slate called Lydian stone.
An attempt was made on the lands of Stenhouse to dis-
cover lead-ore, of which there were some slight indica-
tions ; but none was found, and the works were soon
abandoned. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £3816. The village, or Kirktown, of Tynron,
is pleasantly situated on the road from Thornhill, under
which it has a daily post : the nearest market-town is
Dumfries, to which both the agricultural and the pastoral
produce are chiefly sent. Facility of communication is
afforded by the turnpike-road from Portpatrick to Edin-
burgh, which passes through the eastern portion of the
parish ; and by good roads kept in repair by statute
labour, of which fifteen miles intersect it in various di-
rections. There are bridges over the river Shinnei and
the Scar.
Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery of Pen-
pont and synod of Dumfries. The minister's stipend is
about £235, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per
annum ; patron, the Duke of Buccleuch. Tynron church,
which is well situated, was erected in 1837, at a cost
of £ 1000 ; it is a handsome structure in the later English
T YRI
TY RI
style of architecture, after a design by Mr. Burn, of Edin-
burgh, and contains 314 sittings. The parochial school
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £25. 13. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees average about £5.
There is likewise a school the master of which has a
salary of £22 from the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge, under the w ill of Mr. John Gibson : a school-
room, and dwelling-house for the master, were built for
this school in 1*65 by the Duke of Queensberry. Mr.
Gibson also bequeathed £13 per annum to twelve indus-
trious poor persons of the parish. There are some ves-
tiges of a Roman road leading from the Dun of Tynron
to Drumloff, and crossing the Shinnel near Stenhouse :
along the line have been found Roman urns containing
calcined bones. Three cairns were formerly to be seen
in the parish, in one of which, at M' Question, and in
another, on the farm of Land, were found stone coffins,
with fragments of human bones and a hammer of stone :
in the third, at Pingarie, were nine stone coffins contain-
ing human bones, the whole of which, with the surround-
ing stones to some distance, had been fused into one
solid mass.
TYRIE, a parish, in the district of Deer, county of
Aberdeen, 5 miles (S. W. by W.) distant from Fraser-
burgh ; containing, with the village and former quoad sacra
parish of New Pitsligo, 2639 inhabitants. This place,
the name of which, in the Gaelic language, signifies "the
king's house", is of remote antiquity ; but very few par-
ticulars of its history have been recorded. A religious
establishment appears to have been founded here at an
early period ; it was munificently endowed by one of
the Scottish monarchs, and the buildings occupied the
site of the last manse of Tyrie. In connexion with this
monastery, from which the parish most probably derived
its name, a church is supposed to have been erected
about the year 1004, which obtained the appellation of
the "White Kirk of Buchan", and which, when it after-
wards became the parish church, had still an aisle con-
necting it with the conventual buildings. Towards the
close of the tenth century, a sanguinary battle took place
between a Danish army, encamped on the neighbouring
hills, and the forces of the Thane of Buchan, which ter-
minated in the defeat of the former with great slaughter.
The PARISH lies in the north-eastern portion of the
county, and is about ten miles in length and four and a
half in breadth ; it is of oblong shape, and the surface
is diversified with hills, some of which attain a consider-
able degree of elevation. There are no rivers of any
importance ; the principal streams are the Tyrie water,
which runs along the northern boundary, and the Goner,
a smoothly-flowing rivulet over which a handsome stone
bridge was built near the mill of Tillanamont, by the
late Sir William Forbes. Of the numerous copious
springs, some are strongly chalybeate. The rivulets
abound with small trout.
In the valleys, and in the lower lands, the soil is
generally a rich deep loam of a reddish colour; in the
higher grounds, shallower, and less fertile ; and there
are some large tracts of moss, and much waste land that
might be reclaimed and brought into jirofitable cultiva-
tion. Among the crops arc oats, for which the soil ap-
pears to be peculiarly a(la])ted, and which are almost the
only grain. I^arge quantities of potatoes are shipped
hence at Ilosehcarty, Sandhaven, and Fraserburgh ; and
since the establishment of a horticultural society at New
566
Pitsligo by Sir John Stuart Forbes, vegetables of every
kind, ai.d garden produce, have been grown in perfec-
tion. At the annual meetings of the Buchan Agricul-
tural Society, some of the fanners of this parish have
been successful competitors for prizes, for the best
samples of oats for seed. On the hills is good pasturage
for sheep and black-cattle, of which considerable num-
bers are sent to markets in the vicinity and to London ;
and much attention is paid to the management of the
dairy, the produce of which finds a ready sale. The
plantations extend over 100 or 120 acres in different
detached portions, and consist of ash, mountain-ash,
plane, alder, and various kinds of fir : even such trees
as are in the most unprotected situation are in a thriving
state. In general the substrata are limestone and granite,
of which latter the rocks are chiefly composed. The
limestone was formerly wrought in the eastern district,
but the quarries have been abandoned. Granite quarries
have been opened, from which blocks of ten tons' weight
are raised without difficulty ; the stone is of a very
durable quality, and much of it has been used in the
dressings of the pier of Fraserburgh, and for the orna-
mental parts of the public buildings in that town. Iron-
ore has been found, but not in sufficient quantity to en-
courage the working of it. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £4442. Here are, Boyndlie
House, the seat of Alexander Forbes, Esq.; and the an-
cient houses of Ladysford and Tillanamont. The village
of New Pitsligo is described under its own head. The
post-office at New Pitsligo has a tolerable delivery ; and
facility of communication is maintained by good roads,
of which the turnpike-roads from Banff to Peterhead and
to Fraserburgh pass through the parish. Fairs for sheep,
cattle, and horses, are held in the village.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Deer, and synod of Aber-
deen. The minister's stipend is £158. 7- 7-, of which
nearly one-fourth is paid from the exchequer ; with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £9. 10. per annum : patron.
Lord Saltoun. The ancient church has been some j'ears
in ruins, a new church having been erected in 1800, a
neat substantial structure containing 400 sittings. A
church, to which a district was for a time annexed, and
an episcopal chapel, have been erected in New Pitsligo.
The parochial school is well conducted : the master has
a salary of £25. 18., with £6. 2. in lieu of a house and
garden, and the fees ; also the produce of two bequests.
There is a bequest of the interest of £600 for the benefit
of the poor, and many families receive weekly distribu-
tions of meal from the granary of Sir John Stuart Forbes,
of Pitsligo. In the immediate vicinity of the ancient
church, till within the last few years, was a circular
mound called the Moat, of which notliing was distinctly
known ; and in various parts of the ))arish are barrows,
supposed to have been raised over the remains of men
who fell in the battle with the Danes. In some of these
barrows that have been opened, were discovered coffins
of grey flagstones, containing human hones ; and near
the Law (.'airn were found, within the last thirty years,
some fragments of ancient armour, thought to be Roman.
In digging up the foundations of the ancient church,
there was lately found a rude shapeless mass of clay-
stone of a blue colour, on which were some hieroglyphic
characters that could not be deciphered.
TYRIE, county of Argyll. — See Tiree.
UD N Y
UD N Y
u
UDDINGSTON,avillage,in the parish of Both-well,
Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 1 mile (N. W. by
N.) from the village of Bothwell ; containing '03 inha-
bitants. It is situated in the western part of the parish,
on the eastern bank of the Clyde, and on the high road
from Carlisle to Glasgow, from which latter place it is
distant east-south-eastward about seven miles. The
population consists of weavers and agriculturists, and a
few persons engaged in handicraft trades : several of
the villagers are employed on the estate and grounds of
Lord Douglas, in the vicinity. Uddingston has consider-
able repute for the manufacture of Wilkie's plough, now
used in the best-cultivated districts of Scotland, and in
many parts of England, on account of its lightness, acute
angle, and manageable form. It is wholly constructed
of iron ; and many thousands are exported, some, among
other parts, to the West Indies.
UDDINGTON, a village, in the parish of Douglas,
Upper ward of the county of Lanark, 2 miles (N. E.)
from the town of Douglas ; containing 97 inhabitants.
This village lies in the north-eastern part of the parish,
on the high road from Douglas to Carstairs, and a short
distance east of the Douglas water. Its population is
chiefly agricultural.
UDNY, a parish, in the district of Ellon, county of
Aberdeen, 4 miles (E. by S.) from Old Meldrum ; con-
taining 1450 inhabitants. This place derived its name
from the ancient family of Udny, who have held posses-
sion of the barony more than SOO years, and whose de-
scendant. Colonel Udny, is the present proprietor. The
barony, and several portions of land in the parishes of
Ellon, Tarves, Logie-Buchan, and Foveran, were erected
into the present parish of Udny, by authority of an act
of parliament passed for that purpose, in 1.597. The
parish is nearly circular in form, and comprises about
12,000 acres. Of this area, 8500 acres are arable, 400
woodland and plantations, and the remainder, of which
a large portion might be reclaimed, moorland pasture
and waste. The surface is gently undulated, and diver-
sified with hills of moderate elevation : the prevailing
scenery is of pleasing character. Three small streams,
one of which bounds Udny on the north, and another on
the south, flow in a direction from west to east, and after
leaving the parish, fall into the river Ythan, about six
miles distant.
The SOIL is principally a rich loam resting on a bed of
granite, alternated with portions of inferior quality on a
substratum of clay : the chief crops are oats, bear,
barley, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual grasses ;
and vegetables and fruit of every kind are also raised in
perfection. Husbandry has been greatly improved, and a
due rotation of crops is in general observed. The lands
have been drained, but from the insufficient depth of the
drains, the full benefit of the process has not been yet
produced. Much waste land has been brought into culti-
vation ; and from the liberal encouragement given by the
proprietors to their tenants, improvements are still be-
ing made. The farm houses and offices are substantial
and commodiously arranged. On the farms e.vceeding
fifty acres in extent threshing mills have been erected ;
567
the inclosures are kept in good order, and all the more
recent improvements in the construction of agricultural
implements have been adopted. Great care is bestowed
on the management of the dairy, and large quantities of
butter and cheese of excellent quality are sent to the
Aberdeen market. The cattle are in general the Aber-
deenshire, which thrive well ; but on some of the larger
farms, cattle have been imported from Durham with a
view of improving the breed. Few sheep are reared in
the parish.
The plantations, nearly 300 acres of which are firs of
various kinds, interspersed with other trees, are generally
in a thriving state ; and around the mansions of the
principal proprietors are many fine specimens of well-
grown timber. Towards the end of the last century, the
Mains of Udny was tastefully laid out in inclosures of
about sixteen acres each, separated from each other by
double rows of beech and elm : the inner rows were cut
down about twenty years afterwards ; but the outer rows,
which have attained a maturity of growth, still add
greatly to the beauty of the landscape. The principal
substrata are granite and limestone, with alternations of
grey slate ; the limestone has been wrought at ditferent
times, but never to any very considerable extent, the
works being discontinued from the irruption of water
into the quarries. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £7431. Udny Castle, the ancient baronial
residence of the Udny family, appears to have been
erected about the close of the fifteenth century. It is a
building of four stories, and the walls are of great thick-
ness. The two lower stories, of which the upper con-
tains a spacious hall comprising the whole length and
breadth of the building, have groined ceilings of elegant
design ; and the floors are neatly paved with hexagonal
slabs of granite. The proprietor began to modernise the
castle in ISOl ; but the design was not completed, and
the mansion is at present uninhabited. Pittrichie, the
property of Alexander Milne, Esq., is a handsome house
of granite, built by the late proprietor in IS 19; and
another seat in the parish is TiUygreig, the property of
Arthur Harvey, Esq., a small mansion lately enlarged.
At Pitmedden, the property of Sir W. C. Seton, Bart.,
are the ruins of two ancient mansions, and also an exten-
sive garden, planted about the middle of the seventeenth
century with the choicest fruit-trees of every kind, and
tastefully laid out at a great expense. The garden is
still in a flourishing condition, and the apples are said to
be superior to any in the north of Scotland.
There is no village. Various handicraft trades are
carried on in different parts, and the several shops for
the sale of groceries and other articles for the supply of
the inhabitants are distributed throughout the parish.
A post-office, which has a daily delivery, has been esta-
blished under that of Aberdeen ; and there are several
good inns. Fairs, chiefly for black-cattle, are held an-
nually at the Green of Udny on the Tuesdays after the
25th of March and May, and the Tuesday after the
21st of November. Facility of communication is main-
tained by turnpike-roads from Aberdeen and Newburgh,
which intersect each other nearly in the centre of the
parish ; and by the turnpike-road from Aberdeen to
Meldrum, which passes through the western portion.
There are parish roads kept in repair by statute labour;
and good bridges over the streams. Ecclesiastically this
place is within the limits of the presbytery of Ellon and
UI G
U I G
synod of Aberdeen. The minister's stipend is £217- 7- 2.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum ;
patron. Colonel Udny. The church, erected in IS21, is
a substantial structure with a low spire, and contains
750 sittings. Udny parochial school is attended by
about thirty children ; the master has a salary of £32,
with a house and garden, and the school-fees average
£20.
UIG, a parish, in the county of Ross and Cro-
marty ; containing, with the islands of Great and Little
Bernera, Pabbay, and Vuiavore, 3316 inhabitants. This
place seems to have derived its name, signifying in the
Gaelic language " a solitary spot ", from its situation on
the western coast of the island of Lewis, at a remote
distance from the parishes of Stornoway and Lochs,
from which it is separated by a tract of swampy moor-
land nearly twelve miles in length. With the exception
of occasional incursions of the Danes, and hostilities
between the rival clans of the Macaulays and the
Morrisons, who were continually at war, the place does
not appear to have been distinguished by any events of
importance. The parish is bounded on the north and
west by the Atlantic Ocean, and, including the firth of
Loch Roag, which penetrates several miles into the in-
terior, is about twenty-four miles in length and ten
miles in average breadth ; comprising not much less than
124,000 acres. Scarcely 300 acres are arable and in
cultivation ; about ISOO are meadow and pasture, and
the large remainder moorland, moss, and waste. Hills
of moderate elevation prevail throughout nearly the
whole of the interior ; but towards the shore the ground
is pretty level. The hills are marked by extensive
tracts of moorland, and numerous fresh-water lochs ;
and the lowlands are watered by several rivulets, of
which the Grimsta and Cean loch flow into Loch Roag,
the Resort falls into the bay of that name, and the Red
River joins the bay of Uig. Of the lakes, the only one
of any considerable size is Loch Langavat, on the south-
western boundary of the parish, which is more than
nine miles in length and nearly two miles in extreme
breadth : the largest of the others does not exceed two
miles in length and one mde in breadth. They all abound
with trout of small size, and salmon are found in mode-
rate quantity in the rivers. There are several perennial
springs of excellent water : but they are generally small,
and afford only a scanty supply.
The COAST, including its windings, is about forty
miles in extent, and is indented with many firths and
bays. Loch Roag, on the north-west, intersects the pa-
rish for twelve miles to the south-east ; its entrance is
about eight miles in breadth, and is divided by islands,
which also aboinui throughout its whole length, the
most considerable being the greater island of Bernera.
This firth, in which an extensive herring-fishery was
formerly carried on, contains several roadsteads of suffi-
cient capacity for the safe anchorage of the whole
British navy. Loch Resort, on the western coast, pene-
trates nearly eight miles into the land, between the
districts of Lewis and Harris ; it is a little more than
two miles in breadth at the entrance, from which it
gradually diminishes to a point. The bay of Ui'^, also
on the western coast, is likewise about two miles in
breadth at the entrance, which is exposed to all the fury
of the Atlantic Ocean. It is protected on the north by
the promontory of Gallan Head, and on the south by a
568
headland of inferior height, constituting the western ex-
tremity of the island of Lewis. It penetrates into the
land for three miles and a half, preserving a mean
breadth of about one mile, and branches out into several
well sheltered creeks. Since the failure of the herring-
fishery at Loch Roag, the inhabitants have been engaged
in fisheries of cod and ling, which are found in abundance
off the coast, and in taking which about eighty open
boats and one decked-vessel are employed ; the fish are
cured in drying-houses on the shore, and about thirty
tons are annually prepared for the London market.
Shell-fish of every kind are also abundant on the shores
of Loch Roag, and the oysters and lobsters taken here
are of very superior quality : vessels from England fre-
quently stay here for several months to fish for lobsters,
of which not less than 100,000 are on an average sent to
London annually. Of the numerous islands within the
parish, the Flannan islands, seven in number, are about
thirty miles distant from the main land ; they are sup-
posed to have been an abode of the Druids, and contain
many interesting relics. Of the others, four are inha-
bited, and the remainder afford good pasturage for cattle
and sheep. The larger islands, Bernera and others, are
described under their respective heads.
Along the coast the soil is generally light and sandy;
in the interior, partly clay, but chiefly mossy ; and,
with the advantage of sea-weed as manure, every where
capable of being rendered tolerably fertile. The crops
are oats and barley, with a few potatoes, which have
been gradually growing more into use as an article of
food ; but the quantity of land under cultivation is far
from being sufficient to supply the wants of the inha-
bitants, and the system of husbandry is still in a very
unimproved state. On the moorlands is tolerably good
pasture for black-cattle and sheep, upon the rearing of
which the people place their chief reliance, and to the
improvement of which, within the last few years, they
have paid a considerable degree of attention. The
cattle, sheep, and horses are mostly of the small High-
land breeds, which from time immemorial have been
reared in the parish ; and large numbers are sent to
Stornoway, for the supply of the .southern markets.
Recently, however, sheep of the Cheviot and black-
faced breeds have been introduced, and they appear to
thrive well. There are no villages of any importance ;
but in various parts are rural hamlets, or clusters of
houses, containing each from forty to fifty families, em-
ployed in agricultural and pastoral pursuits. Kelp is
manufactured to a considerable extent, and about 225
tons are annually sent to market ; the people also weave
woollen and other cloths for their own use. There is a
post-office at Stornoway, the only market-town in the
island of Lewis ; but little facility of communication is
enjoyed, from the want of roads, which tends greatly to
impede the improvement of the district. The annual
value of real i)roperty in the parish is £2542.
For ECCLKsiASTiCAL purposes this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Lewis and synod of Glenelg.
The minister's stipend is £158. 6. 7.> of which one-third
is paid from the exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £* per ainuim : the patronage is in the Crown.
Uig church, situated nearly in the centre of the ])arish,
is a neat plain structure, erected in the year 1829, and
containing 1000 sittings. A catechist is supported by
the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and
UI ST
UI ST
the members of the Free Church have a place of wor-
ship. The parochial school is attended by about fifty
children ; the master has a salary of £28, with a house,
half an acre of land, and the fees. Two schools are
maintained by the society just named, three by the
Edinburgh Gaelic School Society, and one by the educa-
tion committee of the General Assembly : commodious
schoolrooms, with dwelling-houses for the teachers, were
built at Valtos and Calanish by Mr. and Mrs. Stewart
Mc Kenzie. At Calanish, on the eastern shore of Loch
Roag, are the remains of a Druidical temple in nearly
entire preservation, consisting of a circle of thirteen up-
right stones, each six feet in height, and in an undressed
state as taken from the quarry. The stones are placed
at a distance of six yards from each other, and inclose
an area almost thirty yards in diameter, in the centre
of which is an upright stone of very large dimensions,
thirteen feet in height. Leading towards the entrance
of the circle is an avenue of two parallel ranges of six
upright stones, each six feet high ; and on the east and
west of the circle are single ranges of three similar
stones, and on the south a range of two. At Carlo-
way are the remains of a Danish fort, one of the most
entire in the country ; the circular inclosure is sur-
rounded by two concentric walls of stone, about thirty
feet in height, of great thickness at the base, but gra-
dually tapering towards the summit. At Melista are the
remains of a nunnery ; near which a peasant, while
digging in the sand, in 1840, found a great number of
pieces of bone or ivory, beautifully carved in various de-
vices, and evidently intended as figures for the game of
chess.
UIST, NORTH, an island and a parish, in the county
of Inverness ; containing, with the islands of Bali-
shear, Boreray, Grimsay, Heisker, Illary, Kirkibbost,
Orinsay, Ronay, Vallay, and Vorgay, 4428 inhabitants,
of whom 3788 are in the island of North Uist. This
place, which is included in the Hebrides, or Western
Islands, is supposed to have derived its name of Uist
from its situation westward of the Isle of Skye. Ori-
ginally it formed part of the territories of Somerled,
King of the Isles, whose representative, the present
Lord Macdonald, is now the sole proprietor. The island
is about thirty miles in length, and from eight to four-
teen miles in breadth. It is bounded on the north-east
by the sound of Harris ; on the south-east by the
Minch ; on the north-west by the Atlantic ; and on the
south-west by the sands which, at low water, connect it
with the island of Benbecula. From the extreme irre-
gularity of its surface, its numerous indentations by
arms of the sea, and the great number of its inland
lakes, it has not been accurately surveyed ; nor has
even the number of square miles it contains been com-
puted with any degree of exactness. The surface in the
eastern portion is diversified with ranges of hills, in-
creasing gradually in height from north to south, and
varying from 300 to "00 feet in elevation above the level
of the sea. Towards the west, the surface is chiefly a
tract of level sands, with a wide extent of moorland in-
tersected by fresh-water lakes of large size, and in some
parts marked by low ranges of hills, covered with heath,
and affording only coarse pasture for cattle. In this
part of the island lie most of the cultivated grounds,
rendered fertile by the drifting of shell-sand from the
shores of the Atlantic, and in favourable seasons pro-
VoL. II.— 569
ducing good crops of grain ; also some extensive tracts
of luxuriant meadow, yielding fine crops of red and white
clover. The numerous inland lakes are thickly studded
with small islands, the resort of various aquatic fowl, and
abound in trout of different kinds and of good quality :
in some of them, which in high tides communicate with
the sea, salmon are also occasionally found. There are
no streams that at all approach to the character of
rivers ; but many of the inlets from the sea penetrate
with rapid currents far into the land.
On the west, the coast, with the exception of a few
rocky headlands, is low and sandy, affording little secu-
rity for vessels of any kind ; but on the south-east it is
bold and elevated, bounded by ranges of high hills, and
indented with numerous bays forming excellent har-
bours. The principal harbour on the north is Cheese bay,
which is easy of access from the south-east, and has
safe anchorage for vessels of any burthen at all times.
Loch Maddy, on the south-east, and in front of whose
entrance are three bold rocks from which it takes its
name, is a capacious and secure harbour, readily en-
tered, and affording anchorage to vessels of any size,
which may ride in perfect safety, protected from all
winds by the high grounds that inclose it on either
side. To the south of Loch Maddy is Loch Efort, ex-
tending six miles inland, though narrow at the entrance ;
it possesses secure anchorage-ground, but, from its prox-
imity to Loch Maddy, is not much frequented. Still
farther to the south is the harbour of Rhucva, which,
though affording good anchorage, is difficult of access,
from the narrowness of its entrance. About three miles
to the south of Rhueva is the harbour of Kcalliii, be-
tween the islands of Grimsay and Ronay, having safe
accommodation for vessels of moderate size : near this
harbour is a fishing-station.
Connected with the parish are numerous islands,
some of them inhabited and under cultivation, and
others affording only scanty pasturage for a few sheep,
or frequented merely for the sea-weed found on them,
which is collected for the manufacture of kelp. Bore-
ray, about two miles to the north of North Uist, is a
very fertile island, about a mile and a half in length and
half a mile in breadth, and inhabited by about thirty fa-
milies engaged in agriculture. The island of Orinsay,
south of Boreray, and near the main land of North Uist,
is about half a mile in length, and insulated only at high
water. To the west is the island of Vallay, separated
from the main land by a strand dry at low water ; this
island is tvvo miles in length and a quarter of a mile in
breadth, affording good pasture, and in favourable sea-
sons fair crops of grain. The island of Heisker, about
six miles westward of the main land, is two miles in
length, but of very inconsiderable breadth ; the soil is
sandy, bearing a little grass and a small quantity of
grain, but the isle is chiefly valuable for its kelp-shores.
The islands of Kirkibbost and Illary, which are insulated
only at high water, are also situated on the western
coast. Kirkibbost is now barely a mile in length, and ^
very narrow : consisting of fine sand exposed to the sjlfm
violence of the western gales, it was, wuth the exception •
of what remains, blown away by the winds, before the
use of bent-grass, and other modes of fixing sandy
grounds, were discovered. The island of Illary is about
four miles in length, and nearly two miles in breadth ;
the soil is partly sandy and partly a rich black loam,
4 D
UIST
U I ST
yielding tolerable crops of barley, and affording good
pasturage for cattle. Grimsay, situated on the strand,
between the main land and Benbecula, and insulated only
at high water, is two miles in length and a mile in ex-
treme breadth ; it is fertile and in cultivation, and in-
habited by about forty families. The island of Ronay,
of much smaller extent, though formerly unprofitable,
has been much improved, and is now a valuable pasture.
The fish commonly obtained off the coasts of the parish
are cod, ling, sythe, and flounders of large size, little
inferior in quality to turbot ; and herrings sometimes
frequent the shores during the season, though no regular
fisheries have been established. Shell-fish of various
sorts are found upon the sands, including lobsters and
crabs ; but the most abundant kind are cockles, in the
collection of which, on the ebbing of the tide, hundreds
of people are employed, as they form nutritious food,
and also for the sake of the shells, -which, when burnt,
make lime of a superior quality to anj' produced from
limestone. The moorlands and hills abound with grouse,
snipes, and woodcocks, and are much frequented by
sportsmen. Plover and curlews are also to be found in
large numbers ; and on the shores, and in the several
islands of the inland lakes, are numerous herds of red
deer.
In this parish the quantity of land which is arable is
about 14,000 acres ; there are 53,000 acres of meadow
and good pasture, and a large extent is sand and waste.
The chief crops are oats, barley, and potatoes, of which
last great quantities are raised, forming the principal
food of the poorer inhabitants. Husbandry has been
improved of late years ; much waste land has been re-
claimed and brought into profitable cultivation, and
unusual attention is paid to the management of live
stock. The sheep are greatly improved in the breed.
Cheviots and the black-faced have been introduced, while
some of the native breed are still kept by the small
tenants. Of this last breed there are some thousands,
their flesh of exquisite flavour. The cattle are of the
Highland breed, and, from the care bestowed on their
improvement, the greater number are inferior to none
in weight and symmetry. Even those of the smaller
tenants are superior to most in the Hebrides in size and
quality, and are still improving under the encouragement
of the proprietor, who gives premiums for the finest
specimens. A number of horses are reared for purposes
of husbandry : they are hardy and strong, though in
general of but moderate stature ; and those bred by the
princijjal tenants are equal, both in size and value, to
those kept for agricultural use in the south of Scotland.
There are scarcely any plantations, but from the dis-
covery of trunks and roots of trees in the mosses, at a
great depth from the surface, it would appear that the
island of North Uist anciently abounded with timber.
Trees have been planted in some few sheltered spots,
and continue to thrive ; but from the general want of
shelter, little jjrogress has been made. The annual
value of real |)ri)perty in the parish is £40S0. There is
no village properly so called ; and the only manufacture
is that of kelp, in which the tenants are employed
by the proprietor of the island during intervals of
leisure from agricultural pursuits, in the months of
June, July, and August. About 900 tons of kelp are
annually made, and sent to the southern markets ; 400
persons are thus employed, and the average earnings of
570
each family are £4 for the season. The handicraft
trades requite for the wants of the parish are carried on
in different places, and there are also several shops. At
Loch Maddy, which is a packet-station, about eleven
vessels, varying from twenty to sixty tons' burthen each,
and several of which were built in the parish, are em-
ployed in the coasting trade. A post-office has been
established at the same place, which has three deliveries
weekly ; a gaol has been built, and there is a good inn.
Fairs for black-cattle, sheep, and horses, are held in the
neighbourhood of Loch Maddy, in July and September ;
and facility of communication is maintained by good
roads, which have been lately extended, and by a packet
that sails three times a week to the Isle of Skye.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Uist and synod of Glenelg.
The minister's stipend is £15S. 6. 8., of which more
than one-half is paid from the exchequer ; with an
allowance in lieu of manse, and a glebe valued at £40
per annum : patron, the Crown. The church, erected
in 1764, is a plain structure containing sittings for
400 persons. A church was erected by government, in
182S, at Trumisgarry (which see); and at Carinish is a
missionary station, the minister of which is supported
by the Royal Bounty, and officiates in a building con-
taining 396 sittings. The parochial school affords in-
struction to about sixty children ; the master has a
salary of £34. 4. 4., and the fees average £16. Two
schools are supported by the education committee of
the General Assembly, who pay the masters a salary of
£25 each ; and various other schools are supported by
the Glasgow Auxiliary Gaelic Society, and the Society
for Propagating Christian Knowledge.
Nearly in the centre of the parish are two hills, on
the summits of which immense cairns of loose stones
have been raised. As there are no stones within a
great distance of the site, it is difficult to imagine how
these stones, some of them of enormous weight, can
have been conveyed to their present situation. They
are supposed to have been raised over the remains of
some distinguished leaders who were slain in a battle
that took place near the spot; but no particulars of any
such event have been recorded. On the islands in some
of the inland lakes, and on the high grounds in different
parts of the parish, are vestiges of Danish forts, within
view of each other, and apparently intended as a chain
of signal stations, to give notice of the approach of an
enemy. At Carinish, in the south, are the remains of
an ancient church called Teampul na-Trianade, or " the
temple of the Trinity", which is supposed to have been
the first Christian church erected in the Highlands.
There arc some Druidical remanis, and the ruins of va-
rious cha])cls, in the burial-grounds of which are crosses
rudely sculptured, and in two of them obelisks of stone,
of considerable height.
UIST, SOUTH, an island and a parish, in the county
of Invernkss ; containing 7333 inhabitants, of whom
5093 are in the island of South Uist. This j)lace is
not distinguished by any events of historical import-
ance. The parish is bounded on the north by a sound
two miles in breadth, which separates it from the island
of North Uist ; on the east, by the channel of the
Minch, which divides it from the Isle of Skye ; and on
the west by the Atlantic Ocean. It is about thirty-eight
miles in length, varying from six to eight miles in breadth,
U I ST
UI ST
and comprising an area of 80,500 acres, of which 19,000
are arable and in cultivation, and the remainder moun-
tain, moorland, and waste. The island of South Uist
is twenty-seven miles in length and seven miles in ave-
rage breadth. Of the other islands, that of Benbecula
is about eight miles long and eight miles in breadth ;
and the island of Eriskay, which is separated from South
Uist by a channel two miles in width, is three miles and
a half in length and a mile and a half broad.
On the west side of the parish the surface is low
and flat, but on the east side hilly and mountainous.
The highest of the mountains is Heacle, or Hecla, in the
island of South Uist, which has an elevation of '2500
feet above the level of the sea ; it consists of three dis-
tinct summits, of which the central is the lowest, the
whole rising from a continued range several miles in
length, and affording good pasturage for sheep. The
ranges of hills to the north and south of Hecla vary
from 1200 to 1300 feet in height, and, during the sum-
mer, are clothed with tender grass, forming excellent
pasture for black-cattle, sheep, and horses. From the
bases of the mountains and hills extend large tracts of
peat-moss, affording abundance of fuel, which, when
dried and stacked, becomes impervious to the rain with-
out any covering. There are numerous lakes, from
several of which issue small rivulets that flow through
parts of the parish ; but there are no rivers properly so
called. The largest of the lakes is Loch Bee, about three
miles in length and one mile in breadth, into which the
sea flows at spring-tides, and which abounds with trout,
flounders, and mullet. Loch Druidibeg, to the north of
Hecla, is little inferior to Loch Bee in dimensions, and
contains many islets, frequented by gulls and other
aquatic fowl, and formerly well stocked with deer. Of
the smaller lakes, those on the moors abound with black
trout, of very inferior quality ; and in two of the streams
that issue from the lakes into the sea, salmon are found,
but not in any great quantity.
The COAST is indented on the east side with numerous
sea lochs, forming commodious bays. The principal
are. Loch Skiport on the north. Loch Eynort in the
centre, and Loch Boisdale in the south ; the two first
penetrate nearly to the western boundary of the parish,
and the last for more than four miles into the interior.
All these bays constitute excellent harbours ; and on
their rocky shores are accumulated vast quantities of
sea-weed, used for manure, and for the manufacture of
kelp, of which, previously to the reduction of the price,
about 1100 tons were annually produced. There are
many caves, excavated in the rocks by the action of the
waters. The most remarkable is that at Corodale, on
the eastern coast, between Loch Skiport and Loch Ey-
nort : it is called the Prince's Cave, having afforded
concealment to Prince Charles Edward from the pursuit
of his enemies, in 1*46. Among the headlands are,
Oronsay, opposite to the small island of that name ;
Ard-Vula ; Ard-Michael ; and Ard-Ivachar : the only
headland on the eastern coast is Ushinish, which pro-
jects nearly a mile and a half into the channel of the
Minch. The several harbours are within the jurisdic-
tion of the port of Stornoway. The larger of them are
frequented by vessels carrying cattle and agricultural
produce to the Isle of Skye and the main land ; and the
smaller, the principal of which are Lochs Charnan,
Shelliva, and Uisgava, by fishing-boats only. Vast shoals
5-1
of herrings are found off the western coast ; and on the
eastern, cod, ling, and other white-fish are plentiful ;
but except at Boisdale, few persons are engaged in the
fisheries, which, since the withdrawal of the government
bounty, have greatly decreased. Cockles are taken in
large quantities on the sands between the island of Ben-
becula and North and South Uist ; and limpets, mus-
sels, periwinkles, lobsters, and crabs are also abundant.
Oysters are taken only on the shores of Loch Skiport.
In general the soil is light and sandy, but in some
places a black loam, and in others moss : on the west-
ern coast the lands are subject to drifts of sand, which
have been remedied by sowing bent-grass. The crops
are barley, bear, oats, rye, potatoes, and turnips. Hus-
bandry has of late years gradually improved, and consi-
derable portions of moss have been brought into cultiva-
tion: very little progress has been made in inclosing the
lands. The cattle, of which about 5000 are kept in the
parish, are of the Highland breed ; and the sheep, of
which 7000 are fed, chiefly of the small native breed :
some few of the Cheviot and black-faced have been
introduced on the larger farms. About 2100 horses are
also kept ; they are of diminutive stature, but of great
strength and symmetry, and capable of enduring much
fatigue. Though the district formerly abounded with
wood, as appears from the number of trunks and branches
of trees discovered under the mosses while digging for
peat, there are at present no woodlands, and scarcely a
tree of any kind is to be seen. The rocks are of the
primitive formation, comprising gneiss, coarse granite,
and hornblende, with some mica-slate in a few places.
There are neither villages nor hamlets deserving of
notice. The annual value of real property in the parish
of South Uist is returned at £5863 ; and the principal
landed proprietor is Colonel Gordon, of Cluuy, who
possesses four-fifths of the parish, by purchase from Mac-
donald of Clanranald.
Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of the
presbytery of Uist and synod of Glenelg. The minister's
stipend is £281, with an allowance of £50 in lieu of
manse and glebe ; patron, the Crown. The old church
has been in ruins from the time of the Reformation ;
and a private house, fitted up with sittings for 200 per-
sons, was for many years appropriated to the perform-
ance of divine service, till the erection of the present
church, a neat structure capable of accommodating a
congregation of about 500. There are two missionary
stations in connexion with the Established Church ; one
at Benbecula, where is a chapel containing 270, and one
at Boisdale, where is a chapel containing 230, sittings.
The minister of Benbecula has a stipend of £80, and
the minister of Boisdale a stipend of £70 ; of each of
which sums, £60 are paid from the Royal Bounty, and
the remainder by the heritors. There are also three
chapels, with as many priests, under a Roman Catholic
bishop who resides in Glasgow. The parochial school
is well conducted ; the master receives a salary of £26.
8. 8., with an allowance of £8 in lieu of house and
garden, and the fees average £5 per annum. On the
island of Benbecula are some remains of Borve Castle,
the ancient residence of the lords of Benbecula. In the
same island was a nunnery, the remains of which were
removed, and the stones used in the erection of the
mansion of Clanranald ; and on a small islet in a lake
are still some remains of an old monastery. In Loch
4 D2
UL V A
U L V A
Druidibeg, already referred to, is a rocky islet, on which
are the ruins of an ancient fortress, apparently erected
as a place of refuge in times of danger ; and on an is-
land in a lake almost in the centre of the parish is, still
nearly entire, a square tower to which the lord of Clan-
ranald with his family used to retire when apprehensive
of invasion.
ULINISH, an isle, in the parish of Kilmuir, county
of Inverness. This is a small isle, in which are the
remains of a Danish fort ; and also those of a place of
refuge, built in the time of James VI. by Hugh Mac-
donald, ne.xt heir to the dignity and fortune of bis chief,
and who suffered for engaging in a plot against the laird's
life. There is an extensive cavern on the coast.
ULLAPOOL, a fishing- village, and for a time a quoad
sacra parish, in the parish of Lochbroom, county of
Ross and Cromarty, 45 miles (N. W. by W.) from
Dingwall ; containing, with the isles of Martin, Ristol,
and Tanara, ^"69 inhabitants, of whom 790 are in the
village of Ullapool. This place owes its origin to the
British Fisheries' Society, who in 1788 established one
of their stations here ; and since that time it has been
gradually increasing. The village is finely situated on
the north-eastern shore of Loch Broom, and at the
mouth of a small river which issues from Loch Achall,
and, flowing westward, falls into the bay of Ullapool, in
Loch Broom. Its inhabitants are chiefly employed in
the fisheries, and an agent of the company is stationed
here for the promotion of the trade. The herring-
fishery, since its first establishment, has experienced
considerable fluctuation ; it has of late improved, and
during the season vast numbers of boats from various
places are actively employed. The harbour is spacious,
and easily accessible to vessels of large burthen, which
can approach the quay. Many coasting-vessels touch
at the port ; and belonging to the place are three sloops
that sail to Greenock, Liverpool, and Ireland, with
which a moderate coasting-trade is carried on. A post-
office under that of Dingwall is established here, and
letters are conveyed by a messenger three times a week :
the road to Dingwall was in excellent condition, but has
been much neglected. The parish, which comprised a
district of about sixty square miles, was separated for
ecclesiastical purposes from Lochbroom under act of the
General Assembly in 1834. The church, which accom-
modates 600 persons, was erected by parliamentary
grant in IS'29; the minister has a stipend of £1'20, with
a manse, and grass for two cows : patron, the Crown.
It is intended to erect Ullapool into a parish quoad omnia,
under the act recently passed. A school formerly sup-
ported by the General Assembly has been converted into
a parochial school, and the master now has a salary of
£32 paid by government.
ULSTON, a village, in the parish and district of
Jedburgh, county of Ro.xnuRon, 1^ mile (N. E. by E.)
from the town of Jedburgh ; containing 97 inhabitants.
This village lies in the northern part of the parish, east-
ward of the river Jed, and a short distance from the old
Roman road, which here intersects the parish.
ULVA, an island and a quoad sacra parish, in the
parish of Kii.ninian and Kilmore, district of Mull,
and county of Argyll, 1'^ miles (W. 8. W.) from Aros ;
containing, with the islands of Little Colonsay, Goinc-
tray, and Staffa, and a portion of the main land of Mull,
.'589 inhabitants. This place is supposed to have derived
572
its name, of Scandinavian origin, from the number of
wolves by which the island vv'as infested. Till within a
recent period, it formed part of the possessions of the
descendants of its ancient chieftains, the Macquaries,
of whose baronial residence there are still some vestiges
remaining. The feudal custom of exacting from their
vassals a fine on the marriage of a virgin, and which
was called " Mercheta Mulierum", appears to have been
exercised by the Macquaries, in the island, until nearly
the close of the eighteenth century. This fine, originally
paid in the produce of the land, was for a long time
fixed at one sheep, but was ultimately commuted for
the payment of a crown in money. Including the is-
lands of Little Colonsay, Gometray, and Staffa, which
are all described under their respective heads, the parish
comprises an area of about sixty square miles. The
greater portion is either arable and in cultivation, or
grazing land affording good pasturage for sheep and
cattle.
The island of Ulva is separated from the main land
of Mull by a sound not more than 100 yards in width,
and from the island of Gometray, on the west, by a still
narrower strait. It is about four miles and a half in
length and nearly two in breadth, and presents a great
variety of surface. The coast is bold and rocky, in
some parts rising by successive ledges to an elevation
of nearly 1300 feet from the level of the sea, and in
many places exhibiting beautiful ranges of basaltic
columns, little inferior to those of Staffa. On a farm
on the south side of the island, and within a quarter of
a mile from the shore, is a natural arch of columnar
basalt, in front of a rock rising perpendicularly to the
height of 100 feet. It forms the entrance to a romantic
cave, sixty feet in length and almost of equal breadth,
whose arched roof, thirty feet high, has every appearance
of artificial groining. On the shore of Loch-na-Keal is
the promontory of Ardnacallich, near the bay of that
name, which latter affords shelter to vessels, and has
good anchorage ; while on the north of the island is the
bay of Soriby, which is easy of access, and where ships
of any burthen may ride in perfect safety. In the south
of the island is the bay of Crakaig, between which and
Little Colonsay are several small islets ; and in the
narrow strait that separates the island of Ulva from
that of Gometray, is the bay of Glackindaline, in which
is a commodious harbour. Large quantities of salmon
have been found in the bay of Soriby, and off other parts
of the northern coast ; and skate, flounders, lythe, plaice,
soles, turbot, seath, cod, ling, mackerel, and herrings
are taken in abundance off the isle. Shell-fish of every
kind are also plentiful ; and if due attention were paid
to the encouragement of the fisheries, this island would
become one of the most valuable stations in this part
of the kingdom. Ulva ia the resort of all the different
sea-fowl that visit the western coast ; and the hills and
moorlands abound with grouse, plover, snipes, wood-
cocks, hares, rabbits, and almost every other sort of
game.
The SOIL is various, but generally fertile ; in some
places a deep rich mould, in others alternated with sand
and gravel : the hills afford excellent pasturage for sheep
and cattle, and there are some tracts of peat-moss, sup-
plying fuel. The shores furnish large quantities of shell-
sand and sea-weed, which are used for manure, and tend
much to the enrichment of the lands. Among the crops
V
U N ST
UNST
are oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips; and in 1837 an
attempt to raise wheat and peas was made by Mr. Clarke,
the principal landed proprietor, by way of experiment,
and was attended with complete success. The system of
husbandry has been improved ; the lands are inclosed
•with dykes of stone, and the farm-buildings are mostly
substantial and commodious. The arable lands are
generally near the shore, the pastures more in the in-
terior ; and under the encouragement of liberal leases,
the tenants are doing much in the way of draining and
otherwise improving the land. Considerable attention
is paid to the live-stock, consisting principally of sheep
and black-cattle, of which large numbers are sent to the
Falkirk trysts, and to the markets of Doune and Dumbar-
ton; great numbers of pigs are also fed, and sent to Glas-
gow. The manufacture of kelp is carried on in various
parts by the inhabitants during their intervals of agricul-
tural pursuits, and about 100 tons of it are annually
produced : from its superior strength and quality, it ob-
tains a decided preference in the market. Plantations
have been made, and they already contribute to the
beauty of the scenery ; they are generally under good
management, and in a thriving condition. No mines of
any kind are wrought. The principal fuel is peat from
the mosses, with a little brushwood ; and a small quan-
tity of coal is occasionally brought from the Clyde for
the use of a few families.
The residence of the chief landed proprietor is a hand-
some modern mansion, at a small distance from the site
of the ancient seat of the Macquaries, and situated in
an extensive park embellished with plantations ; the
house commands a beautiful view of Ben-More and the
other mountains of Mull, and of the picturesque cataract
of the Esse-forse. There is no village properly so called.
The Ulva inn, which has been repaired and improved,
affords accommodation to parties visiting Staffa, for
which purpose boats are kept. Near the inn are a
smithy, one or two shops for the sale of merchandise, a
bouse for the ferryman, and a few straggling cottages,
the occupants of which are employed in handicraft trades.
There is a post-office, which has a delivery twice a week ;
and facility of communication is chiefly maintained by
sea : the roads are in a very imperfect state. Ulva was
separated for quoad sacra purposes from the parish of
Kilninian and Kilmore, and erected into a parish, under
act of the General Assembly in 1834 ; it is in the pres-
bytery of Mull and synod of Argyll. The church was
erected in 182S, under an act of parliament of the 5th
of George IV., and is a neat substantial structure con-
taining 320 sittings. The minister has a stipend of
£120, with a manse and a small glebe : patron, the
Crown. There are two branches here of the Kilninian
parochial school ; the masters have respectively salaries
of £15 and £9, with dwelling-houses, in addition to the
fees, which are inconsiderable. Two schools are sup-
ported by the Society for Propagating Christian Know-
ledge, the masters of which have respectively £15 and
£6, with a dwelling-house each.
UNARAY, in the parish of Mid and South Yell,
county of Shetland. It is a small uninhabited isle, in
the sound of Yell, close to the north point of Bigga.
UNST, a parish and island, in the county of Ork-
ney and Shetland, 43 miles (N. by E.) from Lerwick ;
containing, with the island of Uya, 2831 inhabitants.
The island of Unst, of which the parish mainly consists,
573
is the most northern part of the Shetland Isles, and of
the British dominions in Europe. It is bounded on
the east and north by the North Sea ; on the west by
the Atlantic ; on the south by a channel four miles
wide, separating it from the island of Fetlar ; and on
the south-west by Blumcl sound, a firth about a mile
across, through which the tides run with great rajjidity
and violence. It is nearly of an oblong form, measuring
about twelve miles in length from north to south, and
between three and four in average breadth from east to
west ; and is distributed into three portions called
respectively the north, midland, and southern districts.
These comprise together 24,000 acres ; about 2000 are
under tillage, nearly the same number uncultivated
meadow and pasture, and the remainder hilly and
mountainous land mostly covered with deep peat-moss.
The shore is encompassed by small islets, or holms, of
which Ska, the most northern, is broken in every direc-
tion by creeks, bays, caverns, and headlands.
The surface of Unst, though not marked by such
lofty elevations as the other Shetland islands, is diver-
sified with numerous ridges and hills. Between these
are level tracts of good fertile land, and some picturesque
valleys, investing the general scenery with a pleasing
character. One of the chief ranges of hills, named
Valleyfield, 700 feet in height, stretches along the western
coast ; it forms a defence against the impetuosity of the
sea in that quarter, and ends, in the northern extremity
of the island, in the prominent headland of Herman-
ness, so called from an ancient warrior who is supposed
to have landed at the point. Parallel, and nearly co-
extensive, with this elevation, on its eastern side, is a
valley ornamented with a succession of lochs, some of
them containing good-sized trout, and the largest mea-
suring about three miles in length ; they empty them-
selves into the sea at Uya sound, in the southern, and at
Burrafirth, in the northern portion of the isle. South-
eastward of this, in the direction of the loch of Cliff,
which is three miles long, much of the land is stripped
of its moss, and exhibits a rough, bare, and stony ap-
pearance ; affording, however, in many places nutritious
pasture for native horses and sheep. In the south-
eastern portion, also, are several lochs called " the Small
waters" on account of their diminutive extent ; and in
every place throughout the island perennial springs of
fresh water of excellent quality are abundant.
The headlands are in general lofty and precipitous,
especially on the northern, north-eastern, and western
shores ; and some of the channels are so difficult to
cross when the tide runs in, that boats are sometimes
lost in the perilous attempt. The bays comprehend
Burra-firth on the north ; Norwick, Haroldswick, and
Sandwick, on the east ; Watswick, Wick, and Wood-
wick, on the south-west and west ; Balta sound, on the
east coast, about the middle of the island ; and Uya
sound on the south. They afford no protection for
vessels, and are all rather dangerous landing-places, with
the exception of Balta sound and Uya sound ; these are
defended against the sea by the islands from which they
respectively take their names, and form safe harbours,
with both north and south entrances. The islands of
Huna and Haaf-Grunie, and the holms of Newgord,
Burra-firth, Woodwick, Weatherholm, Ska, and Heoga-
land, are all adjacent to Unst, and belong to it : they
are used only for the pasturage of black-cattle and sheep.
UNST
Among the numerous caves along this rocky, elevated,
and precipitous coast, the most striking is one under a
high steep rock at the north-eastern base of Saxa-Vord,
the resort of large numbers of aquatic birds. It con-
sists of a majestic natural arch 300 feet in length, of
considerable height, and of sufficient span, and having
sufficient depth of water, to allow a boat to be rowed
through it.
In general the soil is tolerably good, in some parts
excellent ; and the chief produce is oats, bear, and pota-
toes, the crops of all which are pretty heavy. Angus
oats have been raised by some of the proprietors, as well
as rye-grass, clover, and turnips, on grounds where more
than ordinary care has been bestowed on cultivation ;
and the crops are said to have equalled the best crops
of more southern latitudes. The trees, and evergreen
plants and shrubs, are stunted in the extreme, the hurri-
cane that frequently blows from the Atlantic throwing
the spray entirely across the island, and destroying every
kind of ornamental plantation. In this parish the farms,
exclusively of a contiguous portion of meadow and grass
to each, are barely six acres in extent, having within
these few years been reduced in size to accommodate
the tenants, who prefer fishing to agriculture, and who
have neither time nor inclination to pursue the latter,
except for the supply of their urgent necessities. The
land is consequently all prepared with the spade. That
portion -which is out-field is generally sown with the
black oats common to the district, and left, unmanured,
to its own resources ; the in-field portion, adjacent to
the dwellings, receives the principal attention, and in
spring employs males and females of every age in its
cultivation. The fences usually consist of turf, or turf
and stones ; many have been constructed with con-
siderable care during the last few years. The average
rent of arable land is eighteen shillings per merk. About
20,000 acres are computed to be still in common, 2000
of which are capable of being brought under tillage.
The sheep, black-cattle, and horses are all of the native
kind, mixtures of breed not having been attended with
much success : the horses are fast degenerating, no at-
tention being given to proper selections for breeding.
Limestone is wrought at CliflF, and near Balliasta ; and
a mine of chromate of iron is in operation. This ore,
once so largely wrought and so profitable, has latterly
become greatly deteriorated in value, and is now com-
paratively but little raised, on account of the discovery
of the same mineral in Norway and other parts, and its
free importation into this kingdom. There are rocks of
gneiss ; chlorite, talc, and mica slate ; quartz, horn-
blende, and a few other kinds. The mansion-house of
Belmont at Watswick bay, the mansion-house of Buncss
at Balta sound, and a lodge near Uya sound, are the
only residences of a superior class. The dwellings of the
inhabitants, who live chiefly in the northern and southern
districts, arc cither isolated or in small clusters, forming
no assemblage at all entitled to the name of a village :
the vicinity of the harl)our of Uya sound is, perhaps, the
most populous, having a neat range of tenements lately
built along the shore, with shops for merchandise, some
warehouses, and work-l)uildings for a blacksmith, a
cooper, and a few boat-carpenters. Each neighbour-
hood has a water-mill for grinding corn, which every
farmer uses for himself. The parish is entirely desti-
tute of roads, but open in every part to persons on horse-
574
UNST
back. The inhabitants send their cattle for sale to the
market-cown of Lerwick : after driving them with great
difficulty over mountains, and through swamps, they
are obliged to transport them in boats across two
dangerous sounds before they can reach the Mainland.
Other disposable commodities they carry to Lerwick in
their own boats, in which they bring back sundry arti-
cles for domestic use. The women are all employed in
the manufacture of worsted shawls and plaids, stockings,
and gloves of various quality, some of which obtain high
prices ; and coarse woollen cloth is also made, chiefly for
home use. Fishing forms the principal occupation of
the men, and within the last few years there has been
added to that of ling, cod, and tusk, which are salted
and dried for the markets of Leith, of Ireland, and
Spain, an important fishery of herrings. These they
take in large quantities ; and in a recent year 840
barrels, valued at £500, were cured : the other kinds of
fish exported amounted in value to £3230, and that kept
for home consumption was valued at £'2000; making an
aggregate obtained by fishing of £5*30. A government
post is established here, which communicates twice a
week with the general post-office at Lerwick.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Burravoe, synod of Shetland, and in the patronage of
the Earl of Zetland : the minister's stipend is about £250,
and he has a glebe valued at £9 per annum, but let for
six guineas. The church, which is situated nearly in
the centre of the island, was built in 182*, near the site
of the old church of Balliasta, at a cost of about £2000 ;
it is a handsome and substantial edifice containing 1224
sittings. There are two places of worship for members
of the Free Church, a small one for Independents, and
another for Wesleyans. The parochial school, situated
in the midland district, affords instruction in English
reading,*writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, and naviga-
tion ; the master has the maximum salary, with a house,
and about £6 per annum in fees. A school in the
northern part of the parish is supported by the General
Assembly ; the same branches are taught as in the pa-
rochial school, and the master receives a salary of £25,
and about £10 fees. A school-house, also, has been
built in the southern district, chiefly at the expense of
the late William Mouat, Esq., of Garth : a teacher has
been appointed, with a fixed salary, by the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge.
The principal antiquities consist of a chain of circular
towers, built of massive stones, and open at the top,
which are continued round the island ; they arc called
Pictish castles, or burghs, and are supposed to have
been originally erected for signal .stations, as information
might be rapidly communicated from them in every
direction, by means of fires. As Muness is a ruinous
castle, the property of the late Mr. Mouat, which is said
to have been built by Laurence Bruce, of the family of
Cultsmalindic, in Perthshire, who fled hither to avoid
the coiiscquences of a fatal quarrel with a neighbour.
This building, the main entrance of which bears the
date 159H, is of oblong form, twenty-four feet high,
measuring sixty feet by eighteen within the walls, and
having a tower at each angle. Two obelisks of ancient
construction, one near Greenwell, and the other in the
vicinity of LTya sound, arc thought to mark the scenes
of celebrated battles ; and on Crucifield hill are several
concentric circles of earth and stone, with the earth
i
U P H A
URQ U
raised in the middle, used probably as pagan sanctuaries.
There are six old buryiug-places around the ruins of
six ancient churches, and the remains of a large number
of chapels, to one of which, called the Cross Kirk, or
St. Cruz, situated near Haroldswick, pilgrimages are said
to have been formerly made ou account of its supposed
sanctity.
UPHALL, a parish, in the county of Linlithgow ;
including the villages of Broxburn and Uphall, and con-
taining in 1845 about 1270 inhabitants, of whom 500
■were in the village of Broxburn, and 220 in the village of
Uphall, the latter 12 miles (W. by S.) from Edinburgh.
This place, originally called Strathbrock, signifying " the
valley of brocks or badgers", appears to have derived its
modern name from the erection of the present parish
church at a spot designated Uphall. The manor of
Strathbrock was once the property of the Sutherland
family, from whom it went to the Douglases in the
earlier part of the fifteenth century. After passing to
various other families, it was purchased from the Oli-
phants by Sir Lewis Stewart, whose grand-daughter
conveyed it by marriage to Henry, Lord Cardross, whose
descendant, the Earl of Buchan, is the present proprie-
tor. The PARISH is bounded on the east and south-east
by the river Almond, and measures about four miles in
length and three in breadth, comprising an area of 3920
acres, of which 3500 are arable and in cultivation, with a
due proportion of meadow and pasture ; 178 in planta-
tions ; and the remainder, one-half moorland, and one-
half natural wood. Its surface is diversified with hill
and dale, but the hills attain no great elevation, the
highest part not being more than 380 feet above the
level of the sea. On the north-west, where the church
and manse are situated, the lands command a fine view
towards the east and south-east, embracing Edinburgh,
Arthur's Seat, and the Pentland hills, with North-Ber-
wick Law and the Lammermoor hills in the distance.
The only stream that intersects the parish is the Brox-
burn, on which stands the village of that name.
The SOIL consists generally of clay, alternated with
clayey loam, and has been greatly benefited by the ample
use of manure, of which large quantities are brought
from Edinburgh by the Union canal. Agriculture is
advanced, and most of the lands are in a high state of
cultivation : the rotation plan of husbandry is of course
adopted. Crops are raised of oats, wheat, barley, and
the usual green crops ; and the pasturage is good :
furrow-draining has made considerable progress, and
the lands are well inclosed with ditches, and fences of
thorn. Considerable attention is paid to the manage-
ment of the dairy, and to the improvement of live-stock.
There are not many sheep, but some of the Leicester
breed have been introduced, and thrive well ; the cattle
are chiefly the short-horned and the Ayrshire, and the
horses for agricultural uses are of the Clydesdale breed.
The produce of the dairies is excellent, and large quan-
tities of butter and milk are sent to the Edinburgh
market. Here are strata of coal, ironstone, and free-
stone. The coal has been wrought from a remote
period, and a mine is still in operation on the Houston
estate, in which about twenty persons are employed.
The freestone, which is of good quality, is extensively
wrought ; and since the formation of the Union canal
much of it has been forwarded to Edinburgh, and used
in the erection of some of the principal buildings there.
575
The ironstone has not yet been wrought. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £6328.
KirkhiU, the ancient seat of the Earls of Buchan ;
Amondell House, the seat of the present earl ; Houston
House, the residence of Norman Shairp, Esq., an ancient
mansion ; and Middleton Hall, a handsome modern man-
sion, the residence of Robert VV. Maxwell, Esq., are the
principal seats. The village of Broxburn is pleasantly
situated ; and both there, and in the village of Uphall, is
a post-office connected with that of Edinburgh : a fair
for cattle is held at the former village, on the Friday
after the second Tuesday in September. Facility of
communication is alfordeil by the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow road through Bathgate, by the Union canal, the
Bathgate railway, and the Edinburgh and Glasgow
railway, all of which cross the Almond valley, and inter-
sect the parish. Ecclesiastically this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Linlithgow, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale. The minister's stipend averages £265,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £20 per annum ;
patron, the Earl of Buchan. The church, part of which
has the appearance of great antiquity, is a plain struc-
ture containing nearly 300 sittings. There is a place of
worship in connexion with the Free Church in the vil-
lage of Broxburn. The parochial school is situated in
the same village ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees. There is also a
female school in the village of Uphall, supported almost
exclusively by the fees. The poor have £40 per annum,
arising from a small property vested in the Kirk Session.
The Hon. Henry Erskine, lord advocate of Scotland in
1782 and in 1806, and his brother, lord high chancellor
of Great Britain, were both natives of this parish ; and
their remains are deposited in the family vault of the
Earls of Buchan, adjoining the church.
UPLAMUIR, a village, in the parish of Neilston,
Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 3 miles (W. S.
W.) from the village of Neilston; containing 166 in-
habitants. This is a small village, situated on the high
road from Glasgow to Irvine, and chiefly inhabited by
persons employed in the coal-mines and the quarries iu
the vicinity, which are worked to a very considerable ex-
tent, and of which the produce is estimated at £25,000
per annum. The freestone at this place is of very excel-
lent quality, and is in great request for building. Whin-
stone is also extensively quarried, affording a good mate-
rial for the roads.
UPSETLINGTON, a village, in the parish of Lady-
KiKK, county of Berwick, 1 mile (S. W. by W.) from
Norham, in England ; containing 99 inhabitants. This
place, though at present only a small village, was the
head of the parish of the same name, now the parish of
Ladykirk, which appellation was acquired from the erec-
tion of a new church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, by
James IV., at the commencement of the fifteenth cen-
tury. It is pleasantly situated on the river Tweed, and
its inhabitants are partly employed in salmon-fishing.
There are some vestiges of an ancient monastery, consist-
ing, however, of little more than the site, still called
Chapel Park, in which are three springs, the Nuns', the
Monks', and St. Mary's wells.
URQUHART, a parish, in the county of Elgin, 4^
miles (E. by S.) from Elgin ; containing 1082 inhabit-
ants, of whom 185 are in the village of Urquhart. This
place derives its name, signifying in the Gaelic language
URQU
U RQU
" an extensive line of sea-coast", from its situation on the
shore of the Moray Firth, along which it stretches from
the mouth of the river Spey to that of the river Lossie.
It appears to have been of some importance at a very
early period: a priory was founded here in 1125, by
David I., who endowed it with lands in this parish and
in that of Fochabers, together with a portion of the
fisheries in the Spey. This priory, which was dedicated
to the Holy Trinity, was dependent on the abbey of Dun-
fermline until the year 1345, when it was separated from
that establishment, and united to the priory of Pluscar-
dine, with which it continued till the Reformation. In
the year 1 160, the inhabitants of Moray, who had taken
up arms against Malcolm IV., were encountered in the
moors of this place by a detachment of the king's army,
and, after an obstinate conflict, were defeated with great
slaughter. All the families in Moray who had participa-
ted in this insurrection were immediately dispersed into
ditferent parts of the kingdom ; such as were removed
into the northern counties took the name of Sutherland,
and those who were sent into the southern parts, the
name of Murray.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the Moray
Firth, and on the west by the river Lossie. It is very
nearly in the form of an equilateral triangle, each side
being about five miles; and comprises 7500 acres, of
which almost 4000 are arable and in cultivation, 3000
woodland and plantations, and the remainder waste.
On the north-west is a plain of considerable extent, but
in other parts the surface is undulated, and diversified
with hillocks, or small elevations : no portion, however,
of the parish is much raised above the level of the
sea. The prevailing scenery is beautifully picturesque,
and the district is embellished with flourishing planta-
tions. In this parish the waters are unimportant ; the
small lake of Cotts has been drained, and the only streams
that flow through the lands are three rivulets, on one of
which are mills for grinding corn and sawing timber :
the supply of water, even for domestic use, is insuffi-
cient. The coast is low and sandy throughout its whole
extent, with the exception of a small rock called the
Bear's Head, which is visible at low water ; and there is
neither bay nor creek capable of affording shelter even to
the smallest vessel.
In general the soil is light and sandy, but fertile, and
under good cultivation ; the crops are barley, oats,
wheat, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual grasses.
Husbandry is in an improved state, and a regular rota-
tion of crops is didy observed ; the farms mostly vary
in size from twenty to 100 acres, but there are some
small crofts rented by the villagers, containing only
from two and a half to seven acres. Very little of the
waste land appears to be capable of improvement with
any hope of remuneration ; and from the want of stone,
and the expense of raising fences, the lands are but
partially inclosed. The only agricultural produce ex-
ported is grain, of which a larger amount is grown than
is required for the supply of the inhabitants ; and wheat
especially, to the cultivation of which a much greater de-
gree of attention has been paid within the few last years,
is sent to Elgin in considerable quantities. The woods,
which are very extensive, and consist chiefly of Scotch
fir, were partly planted by the late I'^arl of Fife, and are
all in a thriving state : about 30,000 forest-trees have
on the average, of late, been planted annually. Innes
576
House, belonging to the Earl of Fife, who is proprietor
of four-lfths of the parish, is a stately mansion beauti-
fully seated in grounds tastefully laid out, and adorned
with plantations. Leuchars, the property of the same
nobleman, is a modern mansion pleasantly situated.
The village is neatly built, and consists of nearly forty
houses, to almost all of which are attached crofts of
land ; various handicraft trades are carried on, and there
are several shops for the supply of the neighbourhood.
At Finfan, near the eastern boundary of the parish, is a
mineral spring possessing properties resembling those of
the Strathpeffer water, and which is frequented by a few
invalids : a neat cottage was lately erected on the spot,
as a residence for a person appointed to take care of
the well. Facility of communication is afforded by the
turnpike-road to Elgin, which passes for nearly three
miles through the parish ; and by other roads that in-
tersect it in various directions, and which are kept in
repair by statute labour. The annual value of real pro-
perty in Urquhart is £377'2.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Elgin and synod of Moray.
The minister's stipend is £233. 3. 8., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £5 per annum ; patron, the Earl of Fife.
Urquhart church, situated nearly in the centre of the
parish, is a handsome modern structure containing suffi-
cient accommodation. The parochial school is attended
by about fifty children : the master has a salary of £34.
4. 4., with a house, an allowance of £<2. 2. in lieu of
garden, and the fees, averaging £8 ; also twelve bolls of
meal every year from a bequest by the Earl of Dumferm-
line. Of the ancient priory the only vestige is the
abbey well, which serves to indicate the site of that
amply endowed establishment. About half a mile from
the church, and near Innes House, are the remains of a
Druidical circle, consisting of nine lofty stones, with two
others of greater height near the entrance. In a barrow
or hillock near the farm of Meft, have been found two
rude urns containing ashes and half-burnt human bones ;
and in a hillock called the cross-hillock of Kempston,
there was found within the last few years a human
skeleton in a reclining position, which on exposure to
the air quickly crumbled into dust. In one of the moors
now covered with wood, at a distance of a mile and a
half from the church, are the remains of a Danish camp,
on a rising ground almost entirely surrounded with a
deep trench ; and in a hollow near the site, called the
Innocents' Howe, some women and children who had re-
tired into it for safety on an invasion of the enemy, w^ere
discovered and cruelly slaughtered.
URQUHART and GLENMORRISTON, a parish, in
the county of Inverness, the former place 18 miles
(N. E. by N.) and the latter 7 miles (N.) from Fort-
Augustus ; containing, with the villages of Invermor-
riston, and East and West Lewistown, 3104 inhabitants,
of whom 2827 are in the rural districts. This parish
comprises the ancient parish of Urquhart, of which name,
derived from the Gaelic, the etymology is given in the
preceding article ; and the ancient parish of Glenmor-
riston, the name of which, in the Gaelic language Glen-
VKir-(t.sscti(, is derived from the falls of the rivers that flow
through its picturesque valleys into Loch Ness. Urqu-
hart Castle, situated on a promontory overlooking the
bay of Urquhart in Loch Ness, was one of a chain of
fortresses extending from Inverness to Inverlochy, most
U RQ U
U R Q U
of which were erected by the earlier Scottish kings, for
the protection of the country from invasion, and for the
repression of the frequent internal commotions that dis-
turbed their reigns. Tliis castle was besieged in 1303
by a detachment of the English, sent by Edward I.
from Kildrummie for the reduction of the adjacent
country, and to whom it surrendered after a protracted
defence : the governor, Alexander de Bois, and the whole
of the garrison, were put to the sword. The fortress was
again assaulted in 1334, by the adherents of Baliol,
against whom it was resolutely defended by Sir Robert
Lauder, its governor; and subsequently it was granted
as a royal garrison, together with the barony, by David
II., to William, Earl of Sutherland. It afterwards passed
into other hands. Urquhart Castle was capable of ac-
commodating a garrison of more than 500 men. Its
remains stand on a rock separated from the main land
by a moat twenty-five feet broad and sixteen feet deep,
and consist chiefiy of the keep, a strong square tower
three stories in height, with projecting turrets at the
angles. The entrance was by an embattled gateway be-
tween two towers of massive strength, and was defended
by a drawbridge and portcullis ; the outer court was sur-
rounded with walls of great height, inclosing a spacious
area, and protected at the angles by platforms, on which
were mounted batteries of cannon. The whole formed
a structure of great strength, and in a style of architec-
ture superior to that of the generality of Scottish strong-
holds.
The PARISH is bounded on the east by Loch Ness, is
about thirty miles in length, and varies from eight to
twelve miles in breadth. Its superficial extent has not
been accurately ascertained, but the lands that are ara-
ble and in cultivation bear but a comparatively small
proportion to the whole. The surface is, perhaps, more
striliingly diversified with hills and mountains, and
presents more features of sublimity and grandeur con-
trasted with scenes of picturesque and romantic beauty,
than any other part of the Highlands. It is intersected
by two extensive vales, in nearly parallel directions, at
a distance of almost eight miles from each other. Of
these, the vale of G leii- Urquhart, tov/ards the north, is
about nine miles in length, and first expands from the
shore of Loch Ness into a beautiful semicircular plain
enriched with woods ; while the acclivities of the hills
that inclose it on both sides are cultivated to a consider-
able height from their bases. The river Coiltie flows
along the south side of this glen, between banks crowned
in some parts with plantations of birch, and in others
with heath ; and the river Enneric, on the west, passes
through a tract of level ground, laid out in some ex-
cellent farms, and studded with rural hamlets, to a
rocky pass leading into the inland portion of the glen.
Nearly in the centre of this inland division of the glen,
which is of circular form, is Loch Meikly, a fine sheet
of water about one mile in length and half a mile in
breadth. On the borders of the lake are gently-rising
lawns and richly-cultivated grounds terminating in a
high ridge of heath, beyond which is the table-land of
Corrymony, having an elevation of 900 feet above the
level of the sea, but nevertheless in a state of profitable
cultivation. Gleii-Morriston, in the southern part of
the parish, is about twelve miles in length, and at the
entrance level, and inclosed by steep hills clothed with
plantations of pine and birch. Beyond the entrance it
Vol. II.— 577
gradually expands into great width, and is partially
covered with a forest of birch, which extends far up the
precipitous acclivities of the mountains on both sides.
Towards the interior, the hills are crowned with pine
and Scotch fir. The river Morriston flows nearly
through the centre of this romantic glen, between rocky
banks, which frequently obstructing its winding course,
give to it the impetuosity of a torrent; and within a
short distance from its influx into Loch Ness it forms a
magnificent cascade.
The interval between the two glens is occupied by a
continued chain of high mountains, of which Mmlfuar-
vonie, the loftiest, has an elevation of 3200 feet above the
level of the sea. Its higher acclivity is nearly perpendi-
cular on the north and south sides, and at the base is a
small circular lake which, though long supposed to be of
unfathomable depth, was some years since found by expe-
riment to be comparatively shallow. From the western
extremity of the lake issues a small stream forming a
boundary between the districts of Urquhart and Glen-
morriston. This rivulet, which is called the Jultsigli, or
Resting burn, flows though a beautiful tract of rocky and
•woodland scenery, making in its course some romantic
cascades, and falling from a stony channel, at the base of
a cliff 1600 feet in height, into Loch Ness, within three
miles of Invermorriston. The 7)J!;oc/i, a stream tributary
to the Coiltie, and enlivening a grove of birch-trees, also
has a beautifully picturesque cascade, equal in every re-
spect, except in the volume of water, to the celebrated
fall of Foyers ; and near the source of the Enneric, which
flows from Corrymony into Loch Meikly, is the fall of
Moral, of romantic character. The burn of Aheriachan,
on the confines of Inverness, and that of Aultguish, or the
Fir-tree burn, form a succession of cataracts. Of the
numerous fresh-water lakes in the parish, the most con-
siderable is that of Meikly. previously noticed ; the others
are of inferior dimensions, and not distinguished by any
peculiarity of features. They all, however, abound with
trout, perch, and pike. Salmon are found in the Morris-
ton, and in some of the other rivers, after floods ; and in
the burns and rivulets, trout are to be obtained in great
plenty, and of good quality.
In general the soil of Urquhart is a rich loam, of little
depth, but of great fertility ; that of Glenmorriston is
of inferior quality, light and sandy, but, under good
management, producing favourable crops. The crops
are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips, with the
usual grasses. Husbandry is in an improved state ;
and the lands have been rendered more fertile by a
liberal use of lime, which, from the scarcity of coal, is
brought from England at a cheaper rate than that at
which it could be produced here. Nearly all the wheat
raised in the parish, and a considerable quantity of the
oats, are sent to Inverness ; and for some years past, a
large quantity of potatoes has been exported for the
supply of the London market. The cattle are mostly
of the Highland breed, and great attention is paid to
their improvement ; the dairies are well managed, and
large quantities of butter and cheese are taken to Inver-
ness and other places. Sheep of the native breed are
kept on the lowland farms, and more than 20,000 are
reared in the highland pastures. Horses used formerly
to be bred for sale in Glenmorriston ; but sheep are
now the only stock reared for the market in that dis-
trict, and no horses are bred in the parish except what
4 E
URQU
URQU
are necessary for the purposes of local husbandry. The
plantations, which are very extensive, and in a thriving
state, consist of oak, ash, mountain-ash, beech, elm,
alder, poplar, sycamore, hazel, larch, pine, plane, firs,
and walnut. Fruit-trees of every kind are to be seen
in the gardens of the chief houses. The principal sub-
strata are, old red sandstone and conglomerate, of which
the rocks are mainly composed ; porphyritic granite,
in which are found crystals of felspar ; limestone ; and
mica-slate. The sandstone was quarried for certain
works of the Caledonian canal, since which time the
works have been occasionally opened to supply materials
for paving the streets of Inverness. In the parish are
the mansion-houses of Balmacaan, in the lower valley
of Urquhart, the property and occasional residence of
the Earl of Seafield ; Invermorriston, the seat of James
Grant, Esq., beautifully situated on the shore of Loch
Ness; Lakefield, the residence of Patrick Grant, Esq. ;
Corrymony, the seat of Thomas Ogilvie, Esq. ; Pol-
raailly ; Kilmore ; and a few others. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £623'2.
The villages of East and West Lewistown, and Inver-
morriston, are described under their respective heads.
In the vale of Urquhart are several rural hamlets, of
which the principal, called Milntown, contains l.'iO, and
the others collectively about 115, inhabitants. A few
persons here are employed in the handicraft trades
requisite for the accommodation of the neighbourhood,
and in the cultivation of crofts of land attached to their
houses. At Drumnadrochit and Invermorriston are
inns ; and facility of communication is maintained by
good roads, formed under the superintendence of parlia-
mentary commissioners for the construction of roads
and bridges in the Highlands, and which are kept in
tolerable repair. Ecclesiastically this parish, which
originally formed part of the parish of Abertarff, is
within the limits of the presbytery of Abertarff and
synod of Glenelg. The minister's stipend is £249. 9. 6.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £6 per annum ;
patron, the Earl of Seafield. The church, erected in
1837, is situated in the lower part of the vale of Urqu-
hart; it is a neat plain structure containing 1100
sittings. A chapel in connexion with the church, con-
taining 250 sittings, has been built at Meikly : the
minister of the parish officiates in it every third Sab-
bath. There is also a missionary station at Inver-
morriston, where a missionary officiates alternately with
another in the upper part of the glen ; he receives a
stipend of £60 from the Royal Bounty, and £20 from the
proprietors of land within the district. The parochial
school is subdivided into three, one of which is within
half a mile of the church, and is endowed with half the
salary of £34. 4. 4. ; the other two are at Invermorris-
ton and Meikly, and the masters receive each one-fourth
of the salary. The principal master has the dwelling-
house, and the fees of all collectively average about £50.
There are also two schools supported by the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge.
On a hill overlooking Loch Ness are the remains of a
vitrified fort called Uunscriben, which communicated
with other forts in the centre and at the eastern extre-
mity of the valley through which the Caledonian canal
now passes. In Glen-Urquhart is the rocky eminence
of Craigmoni, encircled round the summit with rude
walls of stone, and which, according to tradition, was a
578
place of execution, and also a signal station. A Norwe-
gian pri.ice named Moni is said to have landed in the
district of Crinan, and to have been attacked and routed
by the natives, from whose pursuit he retired to Craig-
moni, and established himself for some time in the ad-
jacent valley, called Dalraoni ; but being still followed
by the natives, he is reported to have perished at Corry-
mony, where his grave is still pointed out. On the east
of the bay of Urquhart are remains of a small establish-
ment of Knights Templars, of whom some were pro-
bably governors of the adjoining castle ; and there are
several cemeteries in the parish formerly belonging to
chapels, in one of which, called Kilmore, or " the great
burying-ground," the present parish church was erected.
There are also some cairns, and remains of Druidical
circles, but in a very imperfect state ; and the burn of
Aultsigh is memorable as the site of a sanguinary con-
flict in the beginning of the seventeenth century, be-
tween the elans of the Macdonells of Glengarry and the
Mackenzies of Ross-shire.
URQUHART and LOGIE WESTER, a parish,
partly in the county of Nairn, but chiefly in the county
of Ross and Cromarty, 2 miles (S. E.) from Dingwall ;
containing, with the villages of Conanbridge and New-
ton, and the hamlet of Culbokie, 2997 inhabitants, of
whom 2537 are in the rural districts. This place is not
distinguished by any transaction of historical import-
ance. It comprehends the ancient parish of Urquhart,
of which name the etymology has previously been given,
and the ancient parish of Logic Wester, the name of
which, in the Gaelic language signifying " a hollow," is
descriptive of its appearance. Of these parishes the
former occupies the eastern, and the latter the western,
district of the present parish. At what time they were
united, is not distinctly known ; but from some records
in which mention of them occurs as one parish, it would
appear to have been prior to the year 1490. The district
is bounded on the north-west by the Firth of Cromarty
and the river Conan or Conon, which latter separates it
from the parish of Dingwall and part of the parish of
Urray. It is nearly ten miles in length, and three miles
and a half in breadth, comprising about 12,5/0 acres,
of which 5300 are arable, 4500 meadow and pasture,
900 woodland and plantations, and the remainder moor
and waste. The surface rises by gentle undulations
from the Conan towards the south-east, but though
diversified with small eminences in several places, con-
tains nothing that can be called a hill. Towards the
ridge of Muolbuie it attains a considerable degree of
elevation, and from that point to the river it has the
appearance of a graduUy inclined plain. Though gene-
rally of pleasing character, and enlivened with planta-
tions, the scenery is not marked with any features of
peculiar interest ; but the higher grounds command
extensive and richly varied prospects over a wide ex-
panse of country, embracing the whole of the Cromarty
Firth with its ship|)ing, the town of Dingwall, and the
surrounding district, in high cultivation, and containing
some vilhis and gentlemen's seats.
The Conan has its source in a small lake in the moun-
tains, about tiiirty miles to the west of this ])arish, and,
flowing eastward along the southern boundary of Ding-
wall, diverts its course to the north, and falls into the
Firth of Cromarty. This river abounds with salmon,
trout, grilse, and other fish ; and is celebrated for its
U RQU
U R R
mussels, in which occasionally pearls of great heauty
are found : the salmon taken in its stream are of re-
markably rich flavour, and considerable quantities are
sent to the London market. There are numerous copious
springs of excellent water in the lower grounds, and also
a few springs slightly impregnated with iron, and some-
times used medicinally ; the springs in the upper parts
are of inferior quality, and in dry seasons yield hut a
very scanty supply. The Firth washes the shores of the
parish for nearly six miles and a half, and towards its
eastern extremity is about two miles in breadth, con-
tracting at Dingwall to little more than a mile. Its
average depth in the centre is about three fathoms, but
towards the shore it is comparatively shallow. The
beach in some parts is a fine sand, and in others clay.
A quay, which is accessible to vessels of small burthen,
was erected some years since at Alcaig, where vessels
land their cargoes of coal and lime, and other articles
of merchandise, and take, in return, props for use in
coal-pits, and timber for building and other purposes.
In some parts the soil is light and sharp, in others a
rich clayey loam ; but the most general is a deep black
mould of great fertility : the subsoil is dry, being either
sand or gravel. The principal corn crops are oats and
barley : wheat of good quality was formerly raised to a
considerable extent, but being found to exhaust the land,
its culture is not now so common. Beans, peas, potatoes,
and turnips are extensively cultivated, especially the
last, of which, since the introduction of bone-dust and
of guano for manure, heavy crops have been grown, and
eaten off the field by sheep, a practice that has tended
greatly to the improvement of the lands. Husbandry
is in a very advanced state. The farms in general vary
from twenty to 150 acres in extent; but the practice
of uniting several of moderate size into one large farm
has been gradually coming into favour. Considerable
encouragement is given by the landlords with a view to
the reclaiming of waste land. Some of the farm houses
and offices are substantially built and well arranged ; and
on many of the farms threshing-mills have been erected :
all the more recent improvements in the construc-
tion of agricultural implements have been adopted.
Much attention is paid to live-stock ; the black-cattle
and sheep reared here are of the breeds common in this
part of the country, and find a ready sale in the markets
to which they are sent. There are tracts of natural
wood, comprising oak, ash, mountain-ash, birch and
holly ; and such new plantations as have been formed
are in a thriving state. The rock in the parish is of the
old red-sandstone formation. Some quarries of free-
stone are in extensive operation, from which building
materials are sent to Dingwall and other places in the
vicinity, the stone being highly valued for building pur-
poses. Iron-ore is supposed to exist in some places,
but no attempts to explore it have been undertaken.
The annual value of real property in the parish is
£5619.
In this district the seats are, Ferintosh, the property
of Mr. Forbes of Culloden, a neat mansion surrounded
with a small but flourishing plantation of larch-trees ;
Findon, the property of Sir James John Randoll Mac-
kenzie, Bart., an ancient mansion recently improved,
beautifully situated between the Firth of Cromarty and
an extensive wood of venerable oak ; and Conan, the
seat of Sir Kenneth Smith Mackenzie, Bart., a hand-
579
some modern mansion, finely situated on the banks of
the river, and embellished with plantations. The barony
of Ferintosh formerly had the privilege of distilling
whisky from barley grown on the lands, free from the
duties of excise ; and numerous distilleries were conse-
quently established, which for a long time were in very
high repute : the privilege was abolished in 1780, on
the payment of an equivalent to the superior ; and now
not a distillery is to be seen, though the locality appears to
be peculiarly favourable, independently of its old associa-
tions. The villages of Conanbridge, Culbokie, and New-
ton are described under their respective heads. Fairs are
held at Culbokie, for cattle and various wares, on the
third Wednesday in April, the last Wednesdays in July
and October, and the second Wednesday in December.
Facility of communication is maintained by good turn-
pike-roads, one of which leads from Conanbridge to
Kessock, and has a branch to Fortrose and the ferry
of Fort-George : there is a substantial bridge over the
Conan ; and various cross roads through the interior of
the parish are kept in iiiditferent repair by statute-labour.
The post-town is Dingwall. Ecclesiastically the parish
is within the limits of the presbytery of Dingwall and
synod of Ross : the minister's stipend is about £220,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per annum ;
patron, Mr. Forbes of Culloden. The church, situated
on the shore of the Firth, and nearly in the centre of
the parish, is a plain structure, erected in 1*95, and
containing 1500 sittings. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship with a manse. The
parochial schoolmaster has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with
a house and garden, and the fees. Two schools are
supported by the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge, who allow the masters a salary of £17 each,
in addition to the fees, which are very inconsiderable.
A school was erected on his own lands by Sir F. A.
Mackenzie, whose son Sir Kenneth, the present baronet,
continues to provide the master with a house and garden,
and pay him a salary. At the south-western extremity
of the parish are several tumuli, in one of which were
found three stone coffins.
URR, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright,
85 miles (E. N. E.) from Castle-Douglas ; containing,
with the villages of Dalbeattie, Hardgate, Haugh, Spring-
holm, and part of the village of Crocketford, 3096 inha-
bitants, of whom 996 are in the rural districts. This
place, the name of which is of obscure origin, claims a
considerable degree of antiquity. From the remains
of some fortified camps, and the discovery of Roman
coins and military weapons, it is supposed to have been
visited by the Romans. The parish is bounded on the
west by the river Urr, and is nearly sixteen miles in
length, and rather more than two and a half in average
breadth, comprising an area of 30,000 acres, of which
25,000 are arable, 1000 woodland and plantations, and
the remainder meadow, pasture, and waste. Its surface,
though for the greater part even, is diversified by a range
of heights called the Larg hills, which have an elevation
of 600 feet above the level of the sea ; and the scenery,
being enriched with wood, is generally of pleasing cha-
racter. The only lakes of any importance are those of
Milton and Achenreoch, the former about three miles,
and the latter two miles and a half in circumference ;
they are both situated near the northern boundary of
the parish, and contain perch and pike. The river Urr
4 E 2
U R R
U R R A
has its source in Loch Urr, on the confines of Dumfries-
shire, and flows southward into the Sohvay Firth, re-
ceiving in its course several small tributaries : of these
the chief is the burn of Kirkgunzeon, which is navigable
for vessels of sixty tons from Dalbeattie to its influx.
Several kinds of fresh-water fish are taken in the river,
which formerly abounded also with salmon.
The SOIL, except in the upland parts of the parish,
which are moorland, is generally, though light, of great
fertility, and in a state of high cultivation : oats, barley,
wheat, potatoes, and turnips are the chief crops. Hus-
bandry has rapidly improved within the last half century,
and large quantities of grain and other produce are ex-
ported to Liverpool and other English markets. Great
attention is paid to the breeds of live stock : black-cattle,
sheep, and swine are reared in considerable numbers ;
and since the introduction of bone-dust as a manure for
turnips, many sheep have been fattened for the market,
and sent by steamers to Liverpool. The plantations are
extensive, and in a thriving state ; they consist of oak,
ash, elm, and Scotch fir, for which the soil seems well
adapted, and many of the trees have attained a luxuriant
growth. In this parish are limestone and ironstone, the
former of very hard and compact texture, and the latter
also of good quality, and in great abundance; but from
the want of coal, neither of them has been wrought.
The hills to the south are of a ligbt-grey granite, and
quarries have been opened, from which materials were
raised for building the houses in the village of Dalbeattie.
The annual value of real property in the parish is
£10,457. Spottes, the seat of William Young Herries,
Esq., is an ancient structure situated on the east bank
of the Urr. The villages are described under their re-
spective heads. Fairs, chiefly for hiring farm-servants,
are held at Dalbeattie in April and October ; and facility
of communication is afforded by the turnpike-road from
Carlisle to Portpatrick, which intersects the parish.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs this place is within the
limits of the presbytery and synod of Dumfries. The
minister's stipend is £232. 19. 6., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £30 per annum ; patron, the Crown.
The church, erected in 1815, at an expense of £1000, is
a neat plain structure containing 81 5 sittings. A chapel
in connexion with the Established Church, the minister
of which is appointed by the managers and male com-
municants, was lately erected in the village of Dalbeattie ;
where, also, are a Free church, a place of worship for the
United Christian Congregation, and a Roman Catholic
chapel. There are a place of worship for members of
the United Presbyterian Church at Hardgate, and one
for Reformed Presbyterians at Springholm. Parochial
schools are maintained at Urr, Dalbeattie, and Milton ;
the masters have respectively salaries of £22. 8. 9., £18,
and £11, in addition to their fees. On the estate -of
John Sinclair, Esq., of Redcastle, is a rude pillar of red
granite, about twenty-five feet high, which, tradition says,
marks the spot where rest the ashes of one of the princes
of Galloway, there slain in battle. In the parish are
several moats, of which that of Urr is sup])osed to be
one of the most extensive in the kingdom j it is situated
on the bank of tlie river, about half a mile from the
church, and is surrounded with a fosse. At I<>dingham
was found, some years since, a tripod of Roman work-
manship, of a very hard metal, apparently a ccmiposition
of tin and copper ; and three small silver coins of
580
Adrian, Tiberius, and Commodus, have been discovered
about a mile from the moat. A Roman javelin, also,
has been found in a peat-moss in the upper part of the
parish. The Rev. Dr. Alexander Murray, an eminent
professor of the Oriental languages, was for some time
minister of Urr.
URRAY, a parish, partly in the county of Inver-
ness, but chiefly in the county of Ross and Cromarty,
5 miles (S. S. W.) from Dingwall ; containing, with por-
tions of the two quoad sacra parishes of Carnoch or
Strathconon, and Kinloch-Luichart, 2716 inhabitants,
of whom 23 are in the county of Inverness. This place,
which consists of the ancient parishes of LTrray and
Kilchrist, derives its name from the river Orrin, on
whose banks its church is situated, near the confluence
of that water with the Conon, or Conan. The parish is
partly bounded on the north by the Conoa, and is about
seven miles in length and from three to six miles in
breadth. Its surface is varied with rising grounds, in
no part, however, attaining any considerable elevation ;
and the scenery, enriched with wood, and including
some fine views of the Firths of Beauly and Dingwall,
is pleasingly picturesque. The river Conon, after form-
ing its boundary for some distance, intersects the parish;
and the Orrin, a very rapid stream, which flows into the
Conon near Brahan Castle, waters the south-western
portion of the parish. The Conon abounds with salmon
and pike, and sea-trout are also found in it during the
months of July and August : on its bank is a sulphureous
spring, powerfully impregnated, and resembling in its
properties the water of Strathpelfer.
In the lower lands the soil is generally heathy and
unproductive, but on the rising grounds fertile, and of
good quality, producing favourable crops of oats, barley,
and potatoes. Agriculture is improving ; a rotation of
crops is duly observed, and the lands have been mostly
inclosed. The plantations, especially those around the
houses of the landed proprietors, are extensive and in a
thriving condition, consisting of firs, oak, ash, and the
other usual trees ; and on the banks of the rivers are
some considerable remains of ancient wood, chiefly alder,
ash, and willow, with a few oak and birch trees. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £7012.
In this district the principal seats are, Brahan Castle, on
the north bank of the Conon, pleasantly situated in a
well-planted demesne; Highfield House, on the east
bank ; and Ord House, situated on an acclivity near the
south bank of the Orrin. Fairburn Tower, on the oppo-
site bank of the river, is now in ruins. There are no
villages. A distillery of whisky has been estalilished,
which consumes a considerable quantity of the barley
grown in the parish. Facility of coinmu\ncation is
maintained by the great north road to Sutherland and
Caithness, which passes through the parish ; by the road
leading to the Western Highlands ; and by good cross
roads, and bridges over the rivers. Ecclesiastically this
place is within the limits of the |)resbytfry of Dingwall
and syno<l of Ross. The minister's stipend is £249.9.6.,
with a Tuansi', and a glebe valued at £15 per annum ;
patron, the Marchioness of Stallord. The church is a
spacious and handsome structure, well adapted for the
accomnioihition of the parishioners. The members of
the Free tJluirch have a place of worship. The parochial
schoolmaster has a salary of £25. 15., with a house, an
allowance of £2. 2. in lieu of a garden, and the fees. In
V A L L
VIGE
a barrow near Brahan Castle was found, some years since,
an uru of burnt clay containing some fragments of hu-
man bones.
USAN, a village, in the parish of Craig, county of
Forfar, 2 miles (S. S. E.) from Montrose ; containing
IG7 inhabitants. This is a small fishing-village, on the
eastern coast, north of Lunan bay, and often styled in
old records Ulysses haven. The steamers from Aber-
deen to Leith touch here in the summer. A mansion
belonging to the Keith family, to which are attached
several hundred acres of land, was built in 1820. A
quadrangular tower between twenty and thirty feet high
serves as a landmark to the fishing-boats.
UYA, an isle, in the parish of Northmavine, county
of Shetland. It hes on the north-west coast of the
parish, and covers a safe harbour of the same name on
the Mainland. Though its circumference scarcely ex-
ceeds two miles, it is considered of much value on ac-
count of its good pasture land.
UYA, an isle, in the parish of Unst, county of Shet-
land ; containing 23 inhabitants. This isle lies to the
south of Unst island, and has an indentation called Uya
Sound, forming a commodious harbour, well sheltered,
and which is a great resort of vessels engaged in the
deep-sea fishing. The isle is more than a mile in length
and nearly a mile in breadth, and affords pasturage for
cattle and sheep.
VAILA, an island, in the parish of Walls and
Sandness, county of Shetland ; containing 29 inha-
bitants. It lies south-west of the main land of the pa-
rish, at the entrance of a small sound, or more properly
a voe, to which it gives name ; and is about a mile in
length and half a mile in breadth. In the centre of it is
Melby House, the residence of the Scott family, principal
heritors of the parish.
VALEY, an isle, in the parish of Sandsting and
AiTHSTiNG, county of Shetland. This is a very small
isle, belonging to the Sandsting portion of the united
parish, lying southward of it, and giving name to a
sound, wherein is safe anchorage for fishing-vessels.
VALLAY, an island, in the parish of North Uist,
county of Inverness ; containing 59 inhabitants. This
is an island only at high water, being separated from the
north shore of Uist by a shallow sound dry at the sub-
siding of the tide. It is a mile and a half in length and
about half a mile in breadth, with, for the most part, a
light sandy soil remarkably fertile in corn and grass in
favourable seasons; but the surface is frequently covered
with sand when strong gales blow from the north-west,
the isle being entirely e.xposed to the wide sweep of the
Atlantic from that point. It is distant from the main
land of the parish about two miles, tlie interval at low
water presenting a spacious strand. At each extremity
of Vallay is safe anchorage for shipping.
VALLEYFIELD, LOW, a village, in the parish of
CuLROSS, county of Perth, 4i miles (E. by S.) from the
town of Kincardine ; containing 260 inhabitants. This
is a straggling village, beautifully situated on the north
shore of the Firth of Forth, and on the borders of Fife-
581
shire : the inhabitants are for the most part weavers.
In the vicinity is Valleyfield House, a modern, elegant,
and commodmus mansion, lately the seat of Sir Robert
Preston, Bart.; it stands within a spacious demesne,
tastefully laid out, and embellished with plantations.
The coast road from Torryburn to Kincardine passes
here.
VEMENTRY, an island, in the parish of Sand-
sting and Aithsting, county of Shetland ; contain-
ing 2 inhabitants. It lies in the bay of St. Magnus, on
the south-east side, close to the Mainland coast, from
which it is separated by the narrow sound of Eye. la
some parts, particularly on the east, it produces good
pasture, upon which cattle and sheep are fed.
VICARLAND, a village, in tlie parisli of Cambus-
LANG, Middle ward of the county of Lanark ; contain-
ing 123 inhabitants. It is one of thirteen small villages
or hamlets in the parish, several of them modern, and
some of them now united, and of which the population
is largely engaged in trade and marmfactures, chiefly
hand-loom weaving. In this village are about sixteen
houses.
VIGEAN'S, ST., a parish, in the county of Forfar ;
containing, with the villages of Auchmithie, Gowan-
Bank, and Marywell, the hamlet of Collistou-Mill, the
fjuoad sacra district of Inverbrothock, and part of that of
Ladyloan, 8793 inhabitants, of whom 55 are in the village
of St. Vigean's, 1 mile (N.) from Arbroath. This parish,
which originally comprehended the entire barony of Aber-
brothock, at present comprises only the lands of St.
Vigean's proper, the ecclesiastical district of Inverbro-
thock, and part of Ladyloan. It derives its name from
Vigeanus, a Culdee monk, and an eminent preacher, who
flourished in the tenth century, and lived in a hermitage
at the Grange of Conan, near the ancient baronial castle,
where the foundations of his chapel may still be traced,
and near which is a copious spring retaining his name.
The parish extends about five miles along the coast of the
German Ocean ; is upwards of eight miles in length from
east to west, and rather more than three miles in mean
breadth ; and comprises an area of about 13,400 acres,
of which 11,440 are arable, 840 woodland and planta-
tions, and the remainder meadow, pasture, and waste.
Its surface consists of three gentle declivities, of different
aspects, descending from two eminences of 250 and 550
feet respectively ; and of an intervening valley, through
which the stream of the Brothock flows into the sea at
the harbour of Arbroath. The coast is precipitous, with
some boldly-projecting rocky promontories, the most
conspicuous of which is that called Lud Castle. About
a mile from Arbroath the coast is indented with two
bays ; and in several parts the rock is perforated by
the action of the waves into caverns of fanciful appear-
ance, formerly the resort of large numbers of seals, now
scarcely seen on this part of the coast. There are also
several natural excavations in the cliffs at a considerable
height above the sea : one, about a mile from Auchmi-
thie, called the Geary Pot, forms a tunnel 100 yards in
length and 120 feet in depth. Some portions of the
shore have a sandy beach.
The SOIL, though varying greatly in depth, is tolerably
fertile, producing favourable crops of wheat, barley, oats,
turnips, and potatoes ; agriculture is highly improved,
and the rotation plan is prevalent. Furrow-draining
has been extensively practised, and bone-dust and guano
VIGE
WALL
have been used as manure for the turnip lands. Con-
siderable attention is paid to the improvement of the
breed of cattle, and the management of live-stock gene-
rally : the farm-buildings are substantial and well ar-
ranged, and threshing-mills have been erected on most
of the farms. The substratum is chiefly sandstone ;
there are quarries of stone for building, and also of
pavement flags. The woods are larch, with a mi.\ture of
Scotch fir, beech, and elm ; they are well managed, but
the situation of the parish is not favourable to the growth
of timber. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £16,9*5. Here are numerous seats occupied
by heritors ; the principal are Seaton, Letham Grange,
Abbethune, Newton, Parkhill, Collision, Millbank, Wood-
lands, and Springfield, which are all modern mansions
with the exception of Collision, an ancient mansion said
to have been erected out of the ruins of Gory Castle, by
a cadet of the Guthrie family.
A considerable portion of the suburbs of Arbroath is
situated in the parish, and there are three villages, Auch-
mithie, Marywell, and Gowan-Bank. The inhabitants
of the town part are chiefly employed in the spinning of
flax and tow, and the weaving of coarse linen cloth, for
the former of which there are not less than fifteen large
mills or factories, affording employment to about 1240
of the population, inclusively of persons engaged in the
factories as millwrights, foremen, and overseers. The
machinery of the mills is driven by steam-engines of 250-
horse power in the aggregate ; the quantity of fla.v con-
sumed is about 5500 tons annually, and the value of the
yam is estimated at £264,000. Of this quantity of flax,
the greater portion is imported from Russia, Prussia, and
Ireland. The weaving of the linen is carried on by hand-
loom, and affords employment to about 750 persons in
their own dwellings. There are also shops, or duck-
houses, for the weaving of canvas, containing in the
aggregate 242 hand-looms, and affording occupation to
more than 450 persons. Two establishments are con-
ducted for the bleaching of yarn, in which is apparatus
for the manufacture of the requisite acids employed in
the process; and there are several mills for plashing the
brown yarns, and establishments for calendering the
linens, in which are also hydraulic presses for packing
such as are intended for exportation. An extensive iron
foundry employs more than thirty persons ; the chief
castings are stove grates, mostly for exportation to
Canada, and attached to the premises are furnaces for
coke for the supply of the engines on certain lines of
railway. The Forfar railway passes for nearly four
miles through the parish, along the banks of the river
Brothock ; and facility of communication with the ad-
jacent towns is also afforded by the Dundee line, and by
roads kept in good repair. A fishery is carried on with
considerable success at Auchmitliie ; the fish are cod,
haddocks, skate, and halibut, and twelve boats, each
with a crew of five men, are regularly employed. The
number of cod fish caught during the season averages
about 10,000, and great numbers are salted and barrelled
for exportation. Many lobsters were formerly taken
here, and frequently not less than 16,000 were shijiped
in one season for the London market ; but the number
now is much diminished, seldom exceeding 1000. The
boats are also engaged in the herring-fisheries, which
last generally for about six weeks. Certain fairs once
held in the parisbare now transferred to Arbroath.
582
Ecclesiastically this place is within the limits of the
presbyt?ry of Arbroath and synod of Angus and Mearns :
the minister's stipend is £256. 5. 5., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £10 per annum : patron, the Crown.
St. Vigeau's church, which is situated on a rocky knoll
near the stream, is an ancient structure in the Norman
style of architecture, with a square tower ; it was en-
larged in 1S27, has 825 sittings, and is in good preser-
vation. The building contains many interesting details,
and in the churchyard are the remains of an old cross.
A second church, to which was lately annexed the eccle-
siastical district of Inverbrothock, was built in that
portion of the parish in 182S, at an expense of £2000;
it is a neat structure containing 1230 sittings. At
Auchroithie is a chapel of ease, built by the Countess of
Northesk in 1S29, in which a minister was once engaged
by the inhabitants to officiate, with permission of the
proprietor. There are places of worship for members of
the Free Church, Original Seceders, and Wesleyans.
The parochial school is well attended : the master has a
salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and the
fees ; also £20 per annum from a becjuest by Mr. Col-
ville, late town-clerk of Arbroath, for the gratuitous
instruction of five poor children. A handsome school-
house has been built by subscription, and aid from
government ; and there are other schools in the parish,
the masters of which derive their income from the fees.
Several chalybeate springs are still used medicinally.
In a vault under the church were interred the remains
of Sir William Young, tutor to James VI., under George
Buchanan.
VORGAY, an island, in the parish of North Uist,
county of Inverness ; containing 2 inhabitants.
YUIAVORE, an island, in the parish of Uig, county
of Ross and Cromarty ; containing 46 inhabitants.
This island lies in Loch Roag, to the south-west of Great
Bernera, from the nearest point of which it is distant
about half a mile. With the exception of Bernera, it is
the largest of several isles in the loch, though not ex-
ceeding a mile and a half in length and half a mile in
breadth. Like most of the land in the vicinity, and on
this part of the coast of Lewis, it has little elevation.
YUIAY, an island, in the parish of Bracadale,
county of Inverness ; containing 6 inhabitants. It is
situated in Loch Bracadale, on the south-west coast of
the Isle of Skye ; is of very small extent ; and like the
other islets in the same loch, is only a pendicle to a farm
on the opposite shore, affording pasturage for cattle
during part of the summer and wmter seasons.
w
WALLACETOWN, a quoad sacra district, in the
parish of St. Quivox, district of Kyle, county of Ayr ;
containing 4620 inhabitants. It is wholly a town district,
formed of the villages of W'aliace and Content, and ad-
joining the burgh of Ncwton-upon-Ayr. The villages
are built on the lands of Sir Thomas Wallace, of Craigie,
and have arisen since the year 1*60, in conseciuence of
the establishment of coal-works in the immediate neigh-
bourhood, and of the increase of manufactures in this
part of the country. They consist of indifferent houses,
WALL
WALL
inhabited chiefly by persons engaged in the mines and
in weaving, and by agricultural labourers, and artisans
in various handicraft trades : the weavers work at their
own houses for the manufacturers of Paisley and Glas-
gow. From the moderate rents, and consequent cheap-
ness of lodgings, numerous of the labouring classes from
Ireland have settled here permanently, and many more
make it a place of temporary abode. This district of
the parish being by far the most populous part of it, a
chapel was erected by subscription in 1835, at a cost of
£1550; and in the following year Wallacetown was
constituted a parish in itself, so far as respects ecclesi-
astical affairs. It is in the presbytery of Ayr, synod of
Glasgow and Ayr, and the patronage is vested in the
male communicants : the stipend of the minister is £150,
derived from seat-rents and collections, but there is
neither manse nor glebe. The churcli is a neat and
substantial edifice, adapted for a congregation of 865
persons. There are places of worship for members of
the United Presbyterian Church, Antiburghers, Reformed
Presbyterians, and Independents ; and a Roman Catholic
chapel. In the united villages are six schools.
WALLS and SANDNESS, a parish, in the county
of Shetland, 19 miles (W. N. W.) from Lerwick ; con-
taining, with the islands of Foula, Linga, Papa-Stour,
and Vaila, '2449 inhabitants. This parish, consisting
of the four districts of Walls, Sandness, Papa-Stour,
and Foula, is situated, with the exception of Foula, lon-
gitudinally about the centre of the Shetland Isles ; and
is bounded on the north, south, and west by the sea.
Walls and Sandness, to the former of which belongs the
islet of Vaila, are separated from each other by a promi-
nent elevation, and form the chief part of a peninsula
united to the rest of the Mainland by a narrow isthmus.
Papa-Stour, or Great Papa, on the north of Sandness, is
about two miles long and one broad, and divided from
it by a boisterous and perilous channel two miles wide,
called Papa Sound. Foula, another island, is distant about
eighteen miles west of Walls, measuring three miles in
length and one and a half in breadth. Exclusive of the
latter island, the parish extends about twelve miles in
length, between the extreme points of Papa and Vaila ;
it is five miles in breadth, and, besides considerable
tracts of mossy and mountain land, comprises about
1000 acres of cultivated soil. The surface of the whole
is much diversified ; the Walls district is marked by nu-
merous small eminences, and the other parts comprehend
some tracts of level, and much hilly and mountainous
ground. The coast is precipitous ; the rocks are gene-
rally 100 feet high, and those on the western shore of
Foula are even much more lofty, attaining an elevation
of several hundred feet, and, in one place, of 1200 feet,
and frequented in summer with swarms of sea-fowl. At
the little island of Vaila, the residence of John Scott,
Esq., of Melby, the principal proprietor of the parish, is
a superior harbour having two entrances, called Vaila
Sound.
The inhabitants are chiefly employed in agriculture
and fishing. Some of the farms contain six acres, but
in general they comprise only about two or three acres,
of arable land ; with a free portion of meadow or pasture
adjacent : the ground under tillage is rented, on an
average, at £1 per acre. The tenants have the privilege
of sending as many sheep, cows, and horses as they
please to graze upon the high grounds, and of cutting
583
a 'plentiful supply of good peat. The usual crops are
oats, bear, potatoes, a few turnii)s, and cabbages : the
ground is generally prepared by the spade, there l)eing
but three ploughs in the parish, and these belonging to
landed proprietors. For the most part the tenements
are strongly built ; but a due regard is not shown to
cleanliness, and the family often live in the same apart-
ment with sheep, pigs, and other animals. The inland
and higher parts of the parish are covered with a deep
mossy soil, bearing a short heathy grass which is eaten
off by large numbers of sheep and horses : the latter run
wild al)out the mountains ; the former, in the severity
of winter, are driven to the more verdant tracts upon
the shore to eat the sea-weed. There are fisheries chiefly
of cod, ling, and herrings. The first are taken at no great
distance from land, and principally by old men and boys;
the ling-fishery is pursued at a greater distance, and with
larger boats, giving full occupation in the season to most
of the young and middle-aged men. The herring-fishery
succeeds to that of ling about the middle of August, and
continues a month or six weeks, affording in general a
plentiful supply, and likely, when better understood and
more skilfully followed, to be productive of great benefit
to the district. In the Mainland part of the parish the
prevailing rocks are porphyry, quartz, gneiss, and red
sandstone ; in the isle of Papa-Stour, porphyry, trap,
and red sandstone ; and in Foula, old red sandstone,
with granite, gneiss, and mica-slate. The only mansions
of a superior kind are, one situated at Sandness, and
another in the isle of Vaila : both of them are modern
buildings. A cattle-fair is held in May, and another in
November. The disposable part of the produce of the
parish is sent to Lerwick. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £755.
It is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Olnafirth,
synod of Shetland, and in the patronage of the Earl of
Zetland : the minister's stipend is £158, of which
£62. 10. are received from the exchequer ; with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £15 per annum. Each of the
four districts contains a church, where divine service is
performed by the parochial minister, who officiates in
Walls and in Sandness once a fortnight, and in Papa as
often when the sound is passable, Sandness and Papa
being supplied on the same day : he visits Foula once a
year, on which occasion he remains there two Sundays.
In each church, in the absence of the clergyman, a
layman, who is usually the schoolmaster of the district,
reads a sermon every Sunday, and conducts other parts
of divine service. The church at Walls was built in
1743, that at Sandness in 1794, and that at Papa in
1806 ; the period of the erection of the church at Foula
is not known : they contain in the aggregate accom-
modation for 1064 persons. There are a place of worship
for members of the Free Church ; three places of wor-
ship belonging to Wesleyans, under the charge of one
minister ; and two belonging to Independents, having
also only one minister. A parochial school is kept in
one of the districts, the master of which has a salary of
£25. 13., with a house, and £5 fees ; and a school in
each of the others is supported by the Society for Pro-
pagating Christian Knowledge.
WALLS and FLOTTA, a parish, in the South
Isles of the county of Orkney, 9 miles (W. by S.) from
South Ronaldshay, and 16 (S. S. W.) from Kirkwall ;
containing 1558 inhabitants. This parish, the name of
WALL
WALL
which, anciently Falls or Waes, is of doubtful origin,
consists of the southern or Walls part of the island of
Hoy, the islands of Flotta and Pharay, and the unin-
habited isles of Little Rysay, Flotta-Calf and Switha.
It is bounded on the north by the parish of Hoy, on the
east by Scalpa Flow, and on the south and west by the
Pentland Firth. The southern portion of Walls is nearly
separated from the rest of that district by the bay of
Longhope, which extends inland almost five miles in a
direction from east to west. It is connected with the
northern portion only by an isthmus 200 feet in breadth
at low water, and at high water of spring-tides is com-
pletely insulated. The eastern coast of Walls is indented
by several small bays, of which the principal are Ore
Hope to the north, and Kirkhope to the south, of the
bay of Longhope. The western coast is distinguished
by the lofty promontory of the Berry rock, projecting
into the Atlantic, and forming, with Dunnet head on the
Caithness coast, with which it corresponds in feature
and in character, the two majestic columns that guard the
west entrance to the Pentland Firth. The extent of coast
here bounded by the Firth is twelve miles, the whole
of which is elevated ; it is abruptly steep, and in many
parts worn into fanciful caverns by the action of the
waves, which rush with resistless violence from the At-
lantic. The island of Flotta is situated to the east of
Longhope bay, and is bounded on the north by Scalpa
Flow, and on the south by the Pentland Firth. It is
nearly three miles in length, in some parts about two
miles in breadth, and is solely the property of the
Dundas family, Earls of Zetland. The coast is less pre-
cipitous than that of Walls ; and on the east side is an
excellent harbour, called Panhope, from some salt-pans
formerly established there. Pharay is situated to the
north-west of Flotta, and surrounded by Scalpa Flow ; it
is about two miles in length, nearly one mile in breadth,
and entirely the property of Mr. Heddle. The islands
which are uninhabited afford only pasture for sheep and
cattle : Little Rysay is to the east of Walls, between the
main land and the island of Pharay ; Flotta Calf is to the
north-east of Flotta, and Switha to the south of Flotta
and east of Longhope bay.
The number of acres cannot with any degree of pre-
cision be ascertained ; there are supposed to be about
2000 acres under the plough, and about 1000 in pasture,
the remainder being principally undivided common and
waste. In Walls the surface is diversified with hills ;
in Flotta it is comparatively level. The scenery is gene-
rally of a bold ami romantic character, and the view
from the higher grounds extensive, embracing features
of grandeur and sublimity. Though far from being per-
fect, the system of agriculture has been much improved
by Mr. Heddle, on his lands at Melsetter ; and con-
siderable tracts of waste have been reclaimed and brought
into profitable cultivation. The principal crops are oats
and bear, with jjotatoes. Little more is raised than is
necessary for home consumption, but (he quality is quite
equal, and in many instances superior, to that of the
produce of other lands in the county. The commons
afford tolerable pasture to flocks of sliccp, which graze
at large upon the hilLs ; and the rattle, which are of the
Highland breed, are also numerous, and thrive well : the
horses, though larger than those of Shetland, are small,
but hardy and active. In the north of Walls and in
Flotta are extensive tracts of moss which ftirnish fuel
584
for the inhabitants, and considerable quantities of this
fuel are exported to Leith and other ports. The rocks
are principally of the sandstone formation, and inter-
sected by amygdaloid interspersed with whin dykes, and
by argillaceous schist. There is little or no timber ; in
some parts are small plantations and shrubberies, and
the gardens produce apples, pears, plums, currants,
gooseberries, and strawberries, which ripen well. Mel-
setter is an ancient mansion, beautifully situated at the
western extremity of Longhope bay, and commanding a
fine view of the entrance of the Pentland Firth, and of
the Caithness coast, with the lofty mountains of Suther-
land in the distance.
The Firth affords an ample supply of excellent fish of
various kinds. The cod found here are in high estima-
tion ; and several fishing-smacks, with wells for pre-
serving them on the voyage, are employed for the supply
of the London market ; whither, also, most of the
lobsters taken here are forwarded. The herring-fishery
is likewise carried on to a large extent by the fishermen
of this place, who at the proper season repair to the
principal stations ; and the fish called sillocks are gene-
rally plentiful at all times, affording when young a nu-
tritious food, and of which the liver produces a con-
siderable quantity of oil : they are considered to be the
young of the coal-fish. The platting of straw is pursued
by part of the females at their own dwellings, but no
other manufacture, the inhabitants being mostly em-
ployed either in agriculture or in the fisheries. There is
no village.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is in the
presbytery of Cairston and synod of Orkney. The
minister's stipend, including £S. 6. 8., for communion
elements, is £158. 6. 8., part of which is paid from the
exchequer ; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £8 per
annum : the patronage is claimed both by the Earl of
Zetland and by Mr. Heddle. There are two churches,
one in Walls, the other in Flotta. Previously to 1839,
divine service was performed by the incumbent every
third Sabbath at Flotta, weather permitting, and the re-
mainder of the year at Walls ; but at that time, owing
to the insular situation of Flotta, an ordained missionary
was stationed there, who was supported by the Society
for Propagating Christian Knowledge, by the Dundas fa-
mily, the people of Flotta, and the minister of Walls.
The missionary quitted his charge in 184;5, and matters
returned to their former slate, the incumbent otlieiating
two days at Walls, and one at Flotta. In November
1845, a missionary was again stationed at Flotta, sup-
ported by the Home Mission scheme of the Church of
Scotland, and the parties above mentioned, exclusively
of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge.
The church of Walls was erected in 1832, and contains
500 sittings ; that of Flotta, of much earlier date, con-
tains only 180 sittings, which are inadequate to the
accommodation of the inhabitants of that place, and of
those of the island of Pharay, who attend divine service
there. Two jiarochial schools are maintained in Walls ;
the masters have each a salary of £25. A third school
is held, which is partly endowed ; and a school in the
island of Flotta is sui>ported by the Society for Pro-
pagating Christian Knowledge. There are some remains
of ancient fortifications, thrown u|) most prol)al)ly <luring
the hostilities between the inhabitants of Caithness and
the people of Orkney, while the latter were subject to
W A L S
WALT
the kings of Denmark ; the principal are on a rock near
the house of Snelsetter, anciently called the house of
Walls. There are also some remains of what appear to
have been chapels ; and several tumuli, none of which,
however, have been explored.
WALSTON, a parish, in the Upper ward of the
county of Lanark ; containing, with the village of Ells-
rickle, 493 inhabitants, of whom 101 are in the village
of Walston, 4 miles (N. by E.) from Biggar. The ancient
name is supposed by some to have been Welston, and
derived from the numerous springs here, one of which
became celebrated for its efficacy in the cure of cutaneous
diseases. Other writers think the name of the place was
H'aldefs-town, from its proprietor, Waldef, brother of the
Earl Cospatrick. The lands of Walston, with those of
Elgerith, now EUsrickle, once constituted a barony co-
extensive with the present parish, and forming part of
the lordship of Bothwell, which, from repeated for-
feitures, belonged at different times to various proprie-
tors. On the forfeiture of James Hepburn, Earl of
Bothwell, in 1567, the barony was granted by James VI.
to John, Earl of Mar, by whom it was sold to the Baillie
family ; and from them, together with the patronage of
the church, the manor of Walston was purchased by
George Lockhart, Esq., of Carnwath, whose descendant,
Sir Norman Macdonald Lockhart, Bart., is the present
proprietor. The lands of EUsrickle are divided among
several proprietors, the principal of whom is John Allan
Woddrop, Esq.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by the small
river Medwin, and is about three miles in length and
from two to three in breadth, comprising an area of
nearly 4500 acres, of which 2900 are arable, liOO
meadow and hill pasture, and about 40 woodland and
plantations. In some parts the surface is gently undu-
lated, and in other parts diversified with hills, rising
rapidly. Towards the east is Black-Mount, 1600 feet
above the level of the sea : from this the surface declines
gradually to little more than half that height, forming
on one side the valley of the Medwin, and on the other
the gradually-expanding vale of EUsrickle. On the
northern side of Black-Mount are the springs from which
the parish is supposed to have derived its name, and of
which the principal are the Buckwell, the Silver wells,
and Walston well. They afford a copious supply of ex-
cellent water, and form numerous burns that flow into
the Medwin, which, after passing the parish in a direct
channel sunk for that purpose, pursues a winding course
westward, and falls into the river Clyde.
In the valleys the soil is a brown mossy loam, alter-
nated with sand; on the slopes of the hills, of a more
tenacious quality ; and in some parts, a deep and rich
loam. Crops are raised of grain of all kinds, turnips,
potatoes, and hay ; the system of agriculture is in a
highly advanced state, and the rotation plan generally
adopted. The lands have been greatly improved by
furrow-draining ; and the lower grounds, which in many
parts were subject to inundation from the winding course
of the Medwin, have been protected by diverting its
waters into the straight channel already alluded to, con-
structed in 1829. Dairy-farming is well understood;
and the butter and cheese, of which latter the Duulop
kind is becoming more general, find a ready market in
Edinburgh. The cows are of the Ayrshire breed, with
an occasional cross with the short-horned ; about 400
Vol. II.— 585
are pastured on the farms, and on the hills and other
lands are about 700 sheep. There are plantations
chiefly of larch and Scotch fir; but from tiie small
number of acres that have been planted, great want of
shelter is still experienced by the farmer, who suffers
from the manifest injury of the crops. The hills are
mostly of the trap-rock formation, with superincumbent
strata of sandstone ; and limestone, found in some parts
of the parish, was formerly quarried and burnt for use
as manure ; but the difliculty of obtaining coal makes
it more profitable to bring lime from a distance. No
minerals are now met with ; but on the Borland farm,
near Walston well, are some caverns which indicate an
attempt at mining, supposed to have been made by a
company of Germans in the reign of James V. The an-
nual value of real property in the parisli, according to
returns made for the purposes of the Income tax, is
£2137.
The village of Walston, situated on the west of Black-
Mount, has been some years declining, and is now very
small. EUsrickle, however, on the south side, has been
gradually increasing, and, under the auspices of the pro-
prietor, Mr. Woddrop, who has laid out allotments for
building, may soon be of considerable extent. The situ-
ation of both villages is pleasing, but the latter has the
advantage of some thriving plantations in its vicinity.
A few of the inhabitants of both are employed in hand-
loom weaving for the cotton manufacturers of Glasgow.
Facility of communication is afforded by the turnpike-
roads from Dumfries to Edinburgh, and from Carnwath
to Peebles, which pass through the parish. Ecclesiasti-
cally this place is in the presbytery of Biggar, synod of
Lothian and Tweeddale. The minister's stipend aver-
ages £158. 14., of which more than half is paid from
the exchequer; with a manse, and a glebe valued at
£12 per annum : patrons, the Lockhart family, Barts.,
of Lee and Carnwath. Walston parish church is a neat
plain structure, chiefly erected about the close of the
last century, but having an aisle of more ancient date in
the later English style, with a window of elegant design;
it is in good repair, and contains 190 sittings. The
parochial school is situated at Walston : the master has a
salary of £30, with a house, and an allowance of £2. 2., in
lieu of garden ; the fees average £12 per annum. There
is Lkewise a school at EUsrickle. A parochial library was
commenced in 1814, and forms a collection of about 500
volumes, principally on religious subjects. There is also
a friendly society, established in 1808. A tripod of
brass was discovered by the plough, on the farm of Bor-
land ; it is supposed to be a relic of Roman antiquity,
Celts have also been found in different parts. Stone
coffins have frequently been dug up ; and near the vil-
loge of EUsrickle was lately found one containing an urn
which, on exposure to the air, crumbled into dust. On
the farm of Cocklaw are the remains of a circular camp,
consisting of two concentric circles of mounds and
ditches; the inner circle is twenty-seven yards in diame-
ter, and between it and the outer circle is an interval of
five yards.
WALTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Cults, district
of Cupar, county of Fife, 3 miles (S. S. W.) from Cupar ;
containing 28 inhabitants. This is a very small place,
situated in the eastern part of the parish, and only re-
markable for the vestiges of a Roman camp upon Walton
hill.
4 F
W AMP
WAND
WAMPHRAY, a parish, in the county of Dumfries,
9 miles (S. E. by S.) from the town of Moffat ; contain-
ing 509 inhabitants. This parish derives its name, in
the Gaelic signifying " the deep glen in the forest ",
from the situation of its church in a sequestered and
thickly- wooded vale on the south side of the Water of
Wamphray. It appears to have been of some little
consequence at an early period, and there are still ves-
tiges of the ancient house of Wamphray. No events of
historical importance are recorded in connexion with the
place; but at Girth-Head are some remains of a Roman
station, and the vestiges of a road leading from it to
Carlisle, and also towards Glasgow. On this road are
several stones at equal distances, supposed to have been
Roman milestones, near one of which Charles II. is said
to have passed a night on his route to England a little
before the battle of Worcester.
The PARISH is situated in the district of Upper Annan-
dale, and bounded on the west by the river Annan,
which separates it from the parishes of Johnstone and
Kirkpatrick-Juxta. It is about six miles and a half in
length and three miles in breadth, comprising an area of
12,000 acres; 3000 acres are arable, 250 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder hill-pasture, moorland,
and waste. The surface is marked by two mountainous
ranges, nearly parallel with each other and with the
river Annan, which intersect the parish from south-east
to north-west, and have an elevation varying from 1000
to 2500 feet above the level of the sea ; and also by two
ranges of hills of inferior height, of which the highest
bill does not attain more than 1000 feet. Between these
heights are beautiful valleys, and tracts of level land in
a state of excellent cultivation : the vale of the Wam-
phray is exceedingly fertile, and abounds with pleasingly
picturesque scenery. The Wamphray water, which has
its source in the hills to the north of the parish, taking
a southern direction, flows along the valley to which it
gives name, in some parts between banks richly wooded,
and in others between ijrecipitous rocks of freestone and
basaltic columns mantled with ivy. In about the middle
of its gracefully-winding course it forms numerous ro-
mantic cascades, behind the manse, not far from the
church ; and after a progress of nearly two miles and a
half between the mountain ranges, and having received
not a few streams from the heights, it abruptly diverts
its channel to the west, and falls into the river Annan
on the boundary of the parish. There is also a beauti-
ful cascade where this parish joins that of Moffat, called
the Bell-Craig, whose interesting scenery attracts many
visiters from the mineral wells of Moffat.
The soil is various; on the banks of the Annan, a deep
rich loam ; in some parts, of ligliter (juality, varying in
colour from a bright red to a dark brown ; and in others,
clay : the lower grounds have a subsoil of sand or gravel.
Crops are raised of wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and
turnips, with the usual grasses, and vegetables and fruit
of all kinds. The system of husbandry has been greatly
improved within tfie last thirty or forty years ; the farms
are of considerable extent, and the farm houses and olhces
in general well built, and adapted to the nature of the
farms, upon all of which tiircshing-machines have been
erected. Much waste land has been reclaimed and
brought into cultivation, and several of the larger sheep-
walks are interspersed with portions of arable ground,
producing excellent crops. The lands have been mostly
586
inclosed, and the fences are kept in good order. Many
of the cottagers here have pendicles of land attached to
their dwellings, in the cultivation of which, during the
intervals of labour at their respective callings, they are
profitably engaged. The cattle are chiefly of the Gallo-
way breed, and much attention is paid to their improve-
ment ; the sheep are principally of the Cheviot breed,
occasioually crossed with the Leicester. About 500
head of cattle, and nearly 16,000 sheep, including 1000
of the black-faced breed, are kept ; and also a consider-
able number of swine. The grain raised in the parish is
either for home consumption, or disposed of in the
neighbourhood ; the cattle are purchased by dealers for
the Dumfries market, and the sheep are sent to Liver-
pool and other places in the south, and occasionally to
Glasgow and Edinburgh. The plantations, which are
mostly of recent date, consist of Scotch fir, and larch,
with oak, ash, and other trees ; they are under careful
management, regularly thinned, and generally in a
thriving state. Along the banks of the rivers are some
remains of natural wood, chiefly oak and ash. Lime-
stone is found in some places, but it is not wrought,
from the scarcity of fuel for burning it into lime ; and
freestone, of very inferior equality, occurs in several
parts. The annual value of real property in Wamphray
is £3573. There are a few good houses occupied by
some of the smaller landed proprietors, but no seats ;
and the village, which is called Newton, is very incon-
siderable. Letters are forwarded from the office at
Moffat, with which place facility of communication is
maintained by the Caledonian railway, and the turn-
pike-road to Langholm, both which intersect the parish :
other roads also pass through the parish, kept in repair
by statute labour.
This place is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Loch-
maben and synod of Dumfries. The minister's stipend
is £221. 12. 10., with a manse, and a glebe valued at£12
per annum ; patron, the Earl of Hopetoun. Wamphray
church, situated nearly in the centre of the parish, is a
neat substantial structure, erected in 1834, and contain-
ing sufficient accommodation. There is a place of worship
for members of the United Presbyterian Church. The
parochial school is attended by nearly ninety children ;
the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and
garden, and the fees average about £25. In the parish
are vestiges of several ancient camps, some of which are
supposed to be of Roman origin, especially one near the
Roman road previously noticed, and another to the rear
of it. There were also till lately the remains of a Dru-
idical circle, almost entire, on a rising ground eastward
of the church ; but in the progress of agriculture, they
were removed. Dr. Ilogerson, physician to Catherine,
Empress of Russia, spent the earlier part of his life here,
and afterwards purchased the principal estate in the pa-
rish, near which, at Dumcrief in the parish of Mofl'at,
he resided till his decease; and he, as well as his son,
the late Dr. John Rogerson, physician to the forces, was
buried here.
WANDELL and LAMMINGTOUNE, a parish, in
the Upper ward of the county of Lanark ; containing
358 inhabitants, of whom 122 are in the village of Lam-
mingtoune, 6^ miles (S. VV.) from Biggar. These two
ancient parishes, whieli were united in l60.S, comprise
the baronies of Wandell and Lamniingtoune. The for-
mer barouy, anciently Quendall or Gmendall, signifying
WAND
WAND
"the white meadow", and called also Hartside, belonged
in the reign of Alexander II. to William dc Hertisheved,
sheriff of Lanark in 12'25, and in that of David II. to
William de Jardin, in whose family it remained till the
time of Charles I., when it was conferred upon William,
Marquess of Douglas. From him it descended to his
son, Archibald, Earl of Angus, who in 1651 was made
Earl of Ormond, and whose descendant was by a new
patent created Earl of Forfar and Lord Wandale and
Hartside. On the death of the second Earl of Forfar,
who fell in the battle of SherifFmuir in 1715, it reverted
to the Duke of Douglas ; and James, Lord Douglas, is
the present proprietor. The barony of Lammingtoune,
by marriage with the heiress about the year 1'296, be-
came the property of the Scottish hero Sir William
Wallace, whose only daughter conveyed it by marriage
to William Baliol or Baillie, ancestor of Alexander D. R.
Cochrane Wishart Baillie, Esq., the present laird. In
1715, a number of the Highlanders who had taken arms
in favour of the Pretender, under the command of the
Earl of Wintoun, refusing to accompany their general
into England, dispersed in two companies of about 200
each, one of which, retreating to the hills of Lamming-
toune, was assailed by the peasantry of this place under
the conduct of their lairds, made prisoners, and, after
being confined in the parish church for the night, marched
off to Lanark.
The PARISH extends along the banks of the river Clyde,
which bounds it on the west and south-west, for about
nine miles. It is from three to four miles in breadth ;
comprising an area of 1 1,300 acres, of which 6100 are in
the barony of Wandell, and 5200 in that of Lamming-
toune. The surface is boldly diversified with hills of
mountainous elevation, but easy of ascent, and of verdant
aspect, affording excellent pasturage for sheep. These
hills vary in their shape, some of them being finely un-
dulated, and others more abrupt and conical, with por-
tions of barren grey rock protruding above the turf.
Hillhouse hill near the church, and Lammingtoune hill
to the east of the village, rise 500 or 600 feet above the
level of the surrounding plains : but the highest hills in
the parish are Birnock hill in Wandell, and Duncan's
Gillhead in Lammingtoune ; near the former of which
lead was formerly wrought. There are several tracts of
flat land, watered by streams descending from the hills.
Of these streams, the Wandell, Hartside, Hackwood,
and Lammingtoune burns are the most copious : they
all form tributaries to the Clyde, which abounds with
trout of superior quality and large size, similar to those
in Lochinvar and Loch Leven. The hills furnish game
of various kinds, and partridges and grouse are espe-
cially found in great plenty. Deer were formerly nume-
rous in the barony of Wandell, which was therefore
called Hartside ; but the ancient forest that was their
accustomed haunt has long since disappeared, and there
is scarcely any wood now to be seen in the Wandell dis-
trict. In Lammingtoune are some hundreds of fine old
trees, chiefly about the village and manse, and on the
banks of the Lammingtoune burn.
Of the lands, about 2300 acres are arable, and about
900 meadow and pasture ; the soil is mostly dry and
fertile, and the rotation plan of husbandry in general
use. Crops are raised of oats, bear, barley, potatoes,
and turnips ; the dairies are under good management,
and their produce is sent weekly to the Edinburgh
587
market. The sheep, of which more than 6000 are fed oa
the pastures, are of the black-faced and Cheviot breeds,
principally the former ; the cows are the Ayrshire, with
an occasional mixture of the Teeswater. The farm
houses and offices are comparatively of an inferior order,
and covered with thatch, except in the district of Lam-
mingtoune, where the principal buildings are covered with
slate. Considerable progress has been made in draining
and inclosing the lands ; the fences are chiefly stone
dykes, with some few hedges of thorn. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £3668. The
village of Lammingtoune is pleasantly situated on the
north and east side of the Lammingtoune burn, and on
the road from Biggar to Dumfries. It had formerly a
market and two annual fairs, for which a charter was
granted to Sir William Baillie in the reign of Charles I. ;
but they have been long discontinued. The houses are
generally ancient, and of very indifferent appearance ;
but the surrounding scenery, enriched by the foliage on
the banks of the burn, is pleasingly picturesque. On a
steep brow of the burn is a handsome cottage for the
gamekeeper of the lord of the manor ; and in the village
is a house which was originally intended for an inn to
accommodate visiters, the trout-streams of this place
affording excellent sport to anglers. The house is now
occupied by a factor, and occasionally by the proprietor
himself. The Caledonian railway runs for more than
three miles through the Wandell district. Facility of
communication is also maintained by good roads that
pass through the village and parish ; by bridges over
the several burns ; and a bridge of two arches over the
Clyde, on the road to Abington and Crawford. A sub-
post-ofl[ice has been established in the village.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs, this parish is within
the limits of the presbytery of Biggar, synod of Lothian
and Tweeddale : the minister's stipend is £150, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £15. 10. per annum ; al-
ternate patrons. Lord Douglas and A. D. R. C. W. Bail-
lie, Esq. The church, situated on the boundary between
the two districts, is a very ancient structure, with a fine
Norman doorway ; it was repaired and enlarged in 1828,
at an expense of £300, and contains about 350 sittings.
There were formerly two parochial schools, one in each
district ; but that of Wandell has been discontinued,
and the parochial school of Lammingtoune has been
removed from the village to a building erected for its
use, within the boundary of Wandell, for the accommo-
dation of both districts. The master has a salary of
£35, with a house and garden, and the fees average
£12. 10. per annum. Connected with the school is a
bursary at the High School and University of Glasgow,
founded by the last Countess of Forfar in 1737- The
poor have the proceeds of bequests of £105 charged
on the Lammingtoune estates, and £75 by the late
Dr. Blinshall, of Dundee. There are some small re-
mains of the ancient castle of Lammingtoune, the seat
for some time of the renowned Sir W^illiam Wallace,
consisting of a portion of the walls, and the western
gable, with the arched window of the dining-room : the
rest was destroyed, unknown to the proprietor, by the
factor on the estate, for the sake of the materials. On
an eminence rising from the river Clyde are some re-
mains of the Bower of Wandell, the resort of James V.,
when pursuing the sport of deer-hunting in the once
thickly-wooded hills of Hartside. There are also camps
4 F2
WARD
W A T E
in various parts of the parish ; and three of them, on
Whitehill, at the northern extremity of Lammingtoune,
are supposed to be of Roman origin : the largest of
these, which nearly adjoin each other, is seventy yards
long and forty yards in width, and is defended by a
ditch five yards in breadth. On Starthope hill, in Wan-
dell, are the remains of a British camp, inclosed by a
circular rampart of earth and stones. There are some
Druidical relics. Scotch pebbles of great beauty are
found in the bed of the Clyde.
WANLOCKHEAD, a mining-village, in the pari.^h
of Sanquhar, county of Dumfries, 6 miles (E.N. E.)
from the town of Sanquhar ; containing about 840 in-
habitants. This place is situated at the eastern extre-
mity of the county, bordering on Lanarkshire, and upon
the small river Wanlock, from which it takes its name.
It appears to have had its origin in the discovery of
some valuable veins of lead-ore by Cornelius Hardskins,
a native of Germany, who, with 300 of his countrymen,
was, during the minority of James VI., employed by
the master of the English mint, under Queen Elizabeth,
in searching for gold among the hills in the immediate
vicinity. After gold had been found to the value of
£100,000, the works were discontinued as not remune-
rating the expenses ; but even within the last few years,
small quantities of gold have been discovered in the
bottoms of the glens, occurring in a granular form
among the rocks, mixed with sand and gravel. The
lead-mines, which are the property of the Duke of Biic-
cleuch, were opened in the year 1680 by Sir James
Stampfield, and subsequently continued by Mr. Matthew
Wilson, who extended the workings from Whitcleuch to
theW^anlock river. In 17.55, Messrs. Ronald Crawford,
Meason, and Company entered upon the concern, which
they conducted with great spirit. This company erected
no less than five steam-engines for carrying off the
water, of the aggregate power of 268 horses ; but the
expense of supplying the engines with coal, brought
from a distance of nearly twelve miles, so diminished
the profits, that the steam-engines were subsequently
replaced by a water-pressure engine, which answers the
purpose at a reduced cost. From the fall in the price
of lead in 18'29 and 1830, scarcely more than 1000 tons
were raised during those two years, though previously
the quantity had been large. The number of persons at
present employed is about "200, and they earn on an
average about £20 per annum each. The mines have
been worked by the proprietor, the Duke of Buccleuch,
since the year 1842. Wanlockhead is within a mile of
other works at Leadhills in the county of Lanark ; it has
an elevation of nearly l.")00 feet al)ove the level of the
sea, and is inhabited chiefly by miners and others con-
nected with the lead-works. A subscription library has
been established, which now forms a collection of 2000
volumes. A chapel in connexion with the Established
Church is maintained for the accommodation of the in-
habitants by the Duke of Buccleuch, who defrays the
whole expenses, including the minister's stipend, and
pays the salary of the master of a school. There is also
a female school endowed by the noble proprietor. The
members of the Free Cliurch have a place of worshij).
WARD, THE, a village, in the parish of Crudkn,
district of Ellon, county of Aberdeen ; containing
113 inhabitants. This small fishing-village is situated
on the coast, and is the eastern boundary of the bay of
588
Ardendraught, which extends about two miles along the
shore, ai.d has a fine beach of sand. There are two
other fishing- villages in the parish ; and near Ward is a
salmon-fishery. Vessels occasionally land coal and lime
here ; but the place is only accessible to them in tem-
perate weather.
WASHINGTON, a village, in the parish of Cupar-
Angus, county of Perth ; containing 119 inhabitants.
WATER OF LEITH, in the county of Edinburgh.
— See Leith, Water of.
WATERBECK, a village, in the parish of Middle-
BiE, county of Dumfries, I5 mile (N. E. by E.) from
the village of Middlebie ; containing 129 inhabitants.
It lies nearly in the centre of the parish, on a small
stream or beck which flows into the Kirtle water a short
distance from the village. The population is chiefly
agricultural.
WATERLOO, a village, in the parish of Auchter-
gaven, county of Perth; containing 117 inhabitants.
This village, which is pleasantly situated on the road to
Dunkeld, is of recent origin, having been erected within
the last thirty or forty years on lands belonging to Mr.
Wylie, of Airlywight. It takes its name in commemo-
raticjn of the celebrated victory of Waterloo, which had
been achieved shortly prior to its erection. The houses
are neatly built, and the surrounding scenery is diver-
sified ; the inhabitants are chiefly employed in weaving
at their own houses for the manufacturers of Dundee,
Newburgh, and Blairgowrie.
WATERNISH, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in
the parish of Duirinish, Isle of Skye, county of In-
verness, 17 miles (N. VV. by W.) from Portree ; con-
taining, with the hamlet of Stein, and island of Issay,
1260 inhabitants. This district, which is situated in
the north-eastern part of the parish, was for ecclesi-
astical purposes separated from Duirinish, under act of
the General Assembly, on the erection of a church by
government. The hamlet of Stein, containing thirty-
eight inhabitants, was built some years since by the
North British Fishery Society, for the encouragement of
the fisheries off the coast ; but it has not answered the
purpose intended, though a few fish are taken in the
lochs and bays with which this part of the coast is in-
dented. The island of Issay, situated between the lochs
of Dunvegan and Bay, and which is several miles in cir-
cumference, is luxuriantly fertile and in a high state of
cultivation ; containing ninety inhabitants. In the dis-
trict of Waternish are two schools, one of which is in
the hamlet of Stein.
WATERSAY, an island, in the parish of Barra,
county of Inverness ; containing 84 inhabitants. This
is an isle of the Hebrides, lying to the south of the
island of Barra, from which it is separated l)y a channel
about one mile in breadth, called the Sound of Water-
say, and by a narrow strait to the west only passable by
small boats. It is about three miles long, and in some
places more than a mile broad, and is divided into two
distinct hills, Watersay and Kyles : the soil is tolerably
fertile. Tlu' hills are connected by a flat sandy bar, on
the east side of which is an excellent harbo\ir, affording
shelter to vessels of any burthen.
WATERSTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Eccles-
machan, county of Linlithgow, f of a mile (\.) from
the village of Ecclcsniachan ; containing 33 inhabitants.
This is a very small place, lying a little south of the
WATT
WATT
high road from Kirkliston to Linlithgow, and nearly in
the centre of the more northern of the two districts
which make up the parish of Ecclesmachan.
WATTEN, a parish, in the county of Caithness,
10 miles (W. N. W.) from Wick ; containing 1266 in-
habitants. This place originally formed part of the
parish of Bower, from which it was separated about the
year 1638. It is situated nearly in the centre of the
county, and is supposed to have derived its name, in
the Danish language signifying " water ", from its ex-
tensive lakes. The only events of any importance con-
nected with the parish are, the various incursions of the
Danes, and the frequent hostilities between rival clans
in its vicinity ; and even of these, the memorials rest
rather on tradition than on any well-authenticated re-
cords. The PARISH is nearly ten miles in extreme
length and seven miles in mean breadth, comprising an
area of about 38,400 acres. Of this extent, about 5500
acres are arable and under cultivation, and the remain-
der, of which probably 5000 acres might be reclaimed
and rendered profitable, consists of moorland pasture,
moss, and waste. The surface is generally undulated,
without attaining any considerable degree of elevation ;
and is intersected, especially in the southern portion,
with numerous narrow glens, along which flow various
small streams that have their sources in the moorlands.
The river Wick has its commencement in the confluence
of two rivulets issuing from the lakes, and which in
their progress receive several tributary streams : on
their union, nearly in the centre of the parish, the river
thus formed flows eastward, and falls into the bay of
Wick. Loch Watten, near the northern boundary of
the parish, is a beautiful sheet of water, about three
miles in length, nearly two miles in breadth, and about
ten feet in average depth ; and is surrounded on all
sides by gently rising grounds in a state of rich culti-
vation. Loch Toftingall, near the southern boundary, is
of nearly round form, about five miles in circumference,
and having an average depth of eight feet ; but being
encircled by bleak and barren moors, it is greatly infe-
rior in its scenery to Loch Watten. Both these lakes
abound with trout and eels, the former fish weighing
from half a pound to five pounds, and the latter varying
from three to four feet in length. There are springs of
excellent water, and in several places are springs the
water of which is strongly impregnated with iron.
The SOIL varies in different parts : in some there is
a rich deep loam, alternated with clay and sand ; in
others, a stiff friable clay ; while in the neighbourhood
of the moors are large tracts of peat-moss. Crops are
raised of oats and bear, turnips, potatoes, and the usual
grasses. On the small farms husbandfy is in a back-
ward state, but on most of the larger has been greatly
improved : the principal farm-houses, also, are substan-
tial and well arranged. The lands have been drained,
and inclosed partly with dykes of stone, but chiefly with
hedges of thorn ; some of the commons have been di-
vided and inclosed, and all the more recent improve-
ments in the construction of agricultural implements
have been adopted. Great attention is paid to the ma-
nagement of live-stock ; and under the countenance of
the landed proprietors, who give premiums for the best
specimens, the sheep and cattle reared in the pastures
have been much improved. The sheep are chiefly of
the Leicester breed, and a cross between that and the
589
Cheviot ; and the cattle, of the native Highland breed,
with a cross of the Teeswater lately introduced. Since
the facility afforded by steam navigation, great numbers
of fat-cattle and sheep have been shijfped to Lcith, New-
castle, and London. There is now but little wood in
the parish, though numbers of trees of large size are
found embedded in the peat-mosses, with the bark per-
fectly entire, at sixteen feet below the surface. At
Scouthel are about ten acres of natural copse, consisting
of birch, hazel, and ash ; and at Watten is about an
acre of plantation of twenty years' growth, which, the
land being well trenched and drained, is in" a thriving
state. In this parish the principal substrata are flag-
stone and clay-slate, of which the rocks are chiefly com-
posed, with limestone and whinstone, which occur in
some few parts ; marl is found to a considerable extent
in the bed of Loch Watten, and bog iron ore is thinly
scattered over the surface in several places, more espe-
cially in the dry moorlands. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £4038. There are numerous
substantial houses, formerly residences of landholders ;
some of them are occupied by the tenants of the larger
farms, and others are the temporary resort of sportsmen
during the shooting season.
There is no village in the parish, the inhabitants of
which are all engaged in agricultural or pastoral pur-
suits. Fairs for sheep, cattle, and horses, the hiring of
servants, and for various kinds of merchandise, are an-
nually held on the first Tuesday in May and third Tues-
day in September, O. S., and the last Tuesdays in Octo-
ber and December. Large cattle-markets are held on
the first Mondays in July, August, and September. At
the bridge of Watten is a post-office under that of Wick,
with a daily delivery. Facility of communication is
maintained by good turnpike- roads, of which about
twenty miles intersect the parish in various directions ;
by roads kept in repair by statute labour ; and bridges
over the Wick and other streams. Ecclesiastically this
place is within the limits of the presbytery of Caithness,
synod of Caithness and Sutherland. The minister's
stipend is about £'200, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £18 per annum ; patron. Sir James Colquhoun, Bart.
The church, a very ancient structure, in which were
lately some allegorical paintings and other relics of anti-
quity, was substantially repaired in 1714, and contains
about 800 sittings. At Halsery, in the south-west of
the parish, a chapel was built by subscription in 1842,
containing 350 sittings. The members of the Free
Church have a place of worship. The parochial school-
master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house, and a
sum of money in lieu of a garden, A school is also sup-
ported by the General Assembly. A parochial library
was established in 1840, which contains nearly 400
volumes, and is supported by subscription. Dr. James
Oswald, of Methven, bequeathed a sum of money for
the poor of every parish in Caithness, from which this
parish received £100, now augmented by donations to
£300 : the interest is annually divided. There are nume-
rous remains of ancient Pictish forts, and in the heart of
the moorlands are the ruins of a Druidical circle, beauti-
fully situated in a hollow covered with turf. There are
also vestiges of chapels, the burying-grounds of which
are still remaining.
WATTS-TOWN, a village, in the parish of Nkw
MoNKLAND, Middle ward of the county of Lanark;
WEEM
W EEM
containing 400 inhabitants. This is one of numerous
villages in this and the neighbouring parish of Old
Monkland, which in some cases owe their origin, and in
others their increase in extent and population, to the
prosperity of the manufactures, and the working of the
coal and iron mines of the district.
WEEM, a parish, in the county of Perth, 1 mile
(N. W.) from Aberfeldy ; containing, with the hamlets
of Balnasuim, Caolvallock, Kirkton of Weem, Balwaha-
naid, Cragganester, Craggantoul, and Tombreck, and
part of the quoad sacra parish of Glenlyon, 890 inha-
bitants. This place is supposed to have taken its name
from the Gaelic word uamh, or uamha, signifying " a
cave :" perhaps a recess here of some kind formerly
afforded an asylum to persons in danger or distress,
though no traces of it are now to be found. On the
whole the parish is extensive, but it is distributed into
numerous and distant portions, and even those parts of
it which are continuous are so penetrated by narrow and
long-stretched-out tracts of other parishes, as to render
it impossible to give any correct description of its out-
line or dimensions. The most populous part of the
parish is a small district usually called IVeem, on the
northern bank of the Tay, bounded by the parishes of
Logierait and Dull, and extending about a mile and a
half in length. The distinct and detached portions are,
several extensive farms in Glenlochay, a tract chiefly
pastoral, and situated north-west of the village of Kil-
lin ; the district of Auchmore, also chiefly pastoral, con-
taining a considerable portion of wood, and which is
about two miles in length, extending for a short distance
on the southern bank of the river Dochart, and after-
wards along Loch Tay ; the district of Crunnich, stretch-
ing two miles on the north side of Loch Tay, the property
of the Marquess of Breadalbane, but formerly belonging
to the family of Menzies ; a continuous district in Glen-
lyon, several miles long, and generally called the Roros,
as well as some detached farms ; Newhall and Sticks, on
the south side of the Tay, between the villages of Ken-
more and Aberfeldy ; the ancient barony of Comrie, on
the south of the river Lyon, near its junction with the
Tay, likewise the property of the Marquess of Breadal-
bane, the ruins of whose ancient family castle stand on
the bank of the river; a large part o( Glenquaich, which,
though exceedingly stormy and desolate in winter, con-
tains some of the best-cultivated lands and most pleas-
ing scenery in the whole county ; and lastly, the portion
called MuTtldy, on the south bank of the Tay, about a
mile east from Aberfeldy. Thus, it will be seen that the
parish is remarkable for the unconnected distribution of
the lands of which it is composed.
In nearly all its parts the parish exhibits a hilly and
rugged surface, and the scenery is in consequence highly
diversified, comprehending, and harmoniously blending
together, the interesting features of the picturesque and
the imposing features of the romantic and sublime. The
most lofty elevation in this part of the country is the
mountain of Hfii-Lawers, the south side of which is in
Crannich-Lochtayside, and the north side in Roro-Glen-
lyon ; it is 401 Tj feet above the level of the sea, and the
highest land in the county. The Rock o/' ll'ixm, situated
near the castle of Menzies, rises about COO feet from
the grounds at its base, in some parts almost perpen-
dicularly. It is finely wooded, and is considered one of
the most striking and magnificent objects in the county.
590
From its summit are obtained views of the castle and its
rich scenery, with part of Loch Tay, and the lofty tops
of Ben-Lawers and Benmore, on the west, and Aberfeldy,
the woody retreats of Moness, and the valley of Strath-
tay, skirted by several ranges of hills, on the east ; the
whole receiving an increased effect from the numerous
windings of the river Tay, The chief lake connected
with the parish is Locli Tay ,- into the west end of which,
the river Dochart, rising on the borders of Argyllshire,
and receiving the waters of the Lochay, pours its aug-
mented stream. Issuing from the east end, the river
takes the name of Tay, a word supposed to be derived
from the Gaelic teth, signifying "hot or warm", in refer-
ence to the well-known temperature of the river and
loch, neither of which ever freezes.
The SOIL is exceedingly various ; in many places,
light and gravelly, especially on the higher grounds.
Much of it, however, is capable of producing good crops
of wheat or any other grain, but for the floodings of the
Tay, which has not yet been secured by proper embank-
ments, the adjacent lands being distributed among many
proprietors. About 1650 acres in the parish are sup-
posed to be in cultivation, in some parts under the four
or the five shift system of cropping ; and there are 300
acres in grass which were once in tillage. Ploughing-
matches used to take place annually, at which prizes
were adjudged by the late Sir Neil Menzies : these
matches acted with great effect in producing skill in
this branch of husbandry. Encouragement has been
afforded to agricultural improvement in general by the
Atholl Club, who hold their meetings every third year in
the village of Weem. The cattle are chiefly of the West
Highland breed ; and the sheep, which are very nume-
rous, from 3000 to 4000 being kept in Glenlochay alone,
are mostly of the black -faced kind. Sir Robert Menzies
of Menzies, and the Marquess of Breadalbane, hold
nearly all the lands ; the rent of the arable portion
varies from 15s. to £2. 10. per acre, and the usual term
of leases is fifteen years. The wood covers between 700
and 800 acres, and of these 190 are in the part called
the Rock of Weem ; the trees are mostly larch and oak,
but ash, elm, and beech are also planted, and there are
some native Scotch fir, birch, hazel, and mountain-ash.
The annual value of real property is £4'2S3.
Castle Menzies, to which considerable additions have
been made, is a fine picturesque structure. It is the
ancient seat of the Menzies family, whose ancestor is
supposed to have come over with William the Con-
queror, and who are now represented by Sir Robert
Menzies, Bart. The present castle was built in 1571,
and from its situation on a beautiful lawn at the foot of
the Rock of Weem, surrounded by stately trees of oak,
plane, and chesuut, forms an interesting object in the
scenery. The house of Auchmore, some time since the
residence of the Marquess of Breadalbane, was formerly
of small dimensions ; but it has been modernised and
greatly enlarged. It stands in an extensive park, sepa-
rated on the west from the parish of Killin by a stream
with well-wooded banks, and watered on the north and
north-west by the Uochart, the Dochart and the Lochay
united, and Loch Tay.
The village is very small, the parish being entirely
pastoral and agricultural : the Gaelic language is gene-
rally spoken. This is a polling-place for elections; the
Commissioners of Supply hold their statutory road and
WEIR
WE M Y
other meetings here, and the justices of the peace have
monthly meetings for small-debt cases, and occasionally
assemble for excise business. The presbytery of Weem,
consisting of nine incumbencies, namely, six original
and three government churches, was detached from the
presbytery of Dunkeld, and erected by an act of the
General Assembly, May 24, 1836, into a separate pres-
bytery, appointed to meet in this place. There is a
branch post daily through the village from Aberfeldy,
conveyed by a four-wheeled carriage fitted up for pas-
sengers also. Turnpike-roads run through the Weem,
Murthly, Crannich, Newhall, and Sticks divisions, and
good roads traverse most of the other parts. A bridge
crosses the Lochay near Killin ; and there is a superior
bridge of five arches over theTay, between Aberfeldy and
the village of Weem, forming a communication between
the northern and southern districts. It was finished in
the year 1/33, under the direction of General Wade ;
and not far from it is the spot where Sir John Cope's
army is said to have encamped in 1/4.5. The produce
of the parish is sent for sale chiefly to Perth, whence
coal is procured, at considerable expense, for the use of
those who can afford it : the people generally burn wood
and peat, the latter of which is of very inferior quality.
Two annual fairs, now almost disused, are held in the
village for general traflfic.
This place is in the presbytery of Weem, synod of
Perth and Stirling, and under the patronage of Sir R.
Menzies : the minister's stipend is £150, with a manse
and a glebe of five acres. Weem church was built in
1835, and contains 561 sittings. Part of this parish
is annexed for ecclesiastical purposes to the district
church of Glenlyon, in the parish of Fortingal, and
other parts are connected with the mission chapels of
Lawers and Amulrie ; the distance of the inhabitants,
in some places amounting to thirty miles, rendering
their attendance at the parish church next to impossible.
The parochial school affords instruction in geography,
practical mathematics, and Greek and Latin, in addition
to the ordinary branches ; the master has a salary of
£34. 4., with a house, and £10 fees. A bequest of £S per
annum by Mr. Gregory, of London, is appropriated to the
instruction of the poorer scholars. There are also three
schools, where the instruction is the same, partly en-
dowed by the Rev. Archibald Campbell, a former in-
cumbent, who died in 1740 ; each master receives £5. 1 1.
per annum. The antiquities comprise two upright
crosses, in the district of Newhall, supposed to have
formed part of the sides of a gateway to an ancient re-
ligious edifice ; also the east end of the old parish
church, containing a curiously sculptured monument,
with a Latin inscription, to the memory of Sir Alexander
Menzies, the thirteenth of the family, and his wife Mar-
jory Campbell.
WEESDALE, county of Shetland.— See Ting-
wall, Whiteness, and Weesdale.
WEIR, BRIDGE OF, a village, and for a time a
quoad sacra parish, partly in the parish of Houston and
KiLLALLAN, and partly in the parish of Kilbarchan,
Upper ward of the county of Renfrew ; containing 1571
inhabitants, of whom 1432 are in the village, 4 miles
(N. W. by W.) from Johnstone, and 7 miles (VV. by N.)
from Paisley. This thriving village stands on the river
Gryfe, by which it is divided into two nearly equal
parts ; and is indebted for its prosperity to the cotton
591
manufacture so extensively carried on in the parishes of
which it forms a portion. It is neatly built, and plea-
santly situated, within a mile and a half of Houston,
and about two miles to the north-west of Kilbarchan.
The manufacture was estabhshed here about the year
1790, since which time it has been gradually increasing
in importance, there being now five large cotton-mills,
in which about 500 of the population are constantly em-
ployed. The articles manufactured are chiefly of the
finer sort; and the mills, which are driven by the river
Gryfe, are fitted up with machinery on the best principles.
A tannery occupies a considerable number of persons :
the several handicraft trades requisite for the various
works, and for the supply of the neighbourhood, are
carried on ; and there are shops for the sale of groceries
and other goods. The village contains a branch post-
oflSce which has a regular delivery. Facility of com-
munication is afforded by turnpike-roads which pass
through the parish, by the Glasgow and Ayr railway, and
by canal-boats for goods from Johnstone to Paisley and
Glasgow. In 1846 an act was passed authorizing the
construction of a line from the Glasgow and Ayr rail-
way at Johnstone to Bridge-of-Weir. The church,
erected in 1826, is a plain structure, and till 1839 was a
place of worship for some members of the United Seces-
sion, who at that time were received into connexion with
the Established Church. In 1843 the building passed
into the possession of the Free Church body. A day
and evening school in the village, which affords instruc-
tion to about 200 pupils, is supported partly by endow-
ment, and partly by the fees.
WELL-PARK, for a time a quoad sacra parish,
chiefly in St. Mungo's parish, city of Glasgow, but
partly in the parish of ISarony, suburbs of the city,
county of Lanark ; containing 2904 inhabitants. — See
Glasgow.
WEMYSS, a parish, in the district of Kirkcaldy,
county of Fife ; containing, with the villages of Buck-
haven, East and West Coal-Town, Kirkland, Methill,
East Wemyss, and the burgh of West Wemyss, 5403
inhabitants, of whom 859 are in the village of East
Wemyss, 3 miles (N. E.) from Dysart, and 947 in the
burgh of West Wemyss, 2 miles (N. E. by E.) from
Dysart, and 4 (N. E.) from Kirkcaldy. This parish
appears to have derived its name, which in the Gaelic
language signifies " a cave", from the number of caverns
in the rocks that form its boundary towards the coast.
It extends about six miles in length, and about one and
a half in average breadth, comprehending an area of
nearly nine square miles. The parish is washed on the
south-east by the Firth of Forth, and comprises 5000
acres, of which 3556 are arable, 600 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder rough pasture and waste.
Its surface is varied ; the sea-shore is strongly defended
by abrupt rocks stretching boldly into the firth, and the
land rises gradually towards the northern and western
portions of the parish. The scenery is ornamented with
thriving plantations of modern date, and with some
natural woods in which are many trees of stately and
majestic growth. The soil, also, is generally fertile, and
the system of husbandry improved ; but the parish has
more of a manufacturing than of aa agricultural cha-
racter.
The substratum forms part of the great coal formation
of the district, and consists also of sandstone, clay-slate.
W E M Y
W E M Y
and argillaceous ironstone, with boulders of green or
whin stone. Numerous fossils are found in the shale
above the seams of coal, including some very fine spe-
cimens of forest-trees. The coal is extensively wrought;
four pits have been opened, and are still in operation.
The Werayss coal-work is on the principal seam, which
is nine feet in thickness, and has been wrought to a depth
of 300 feet below the level of the sea ; the annual pro-
duce is about 40,000 tons, and several powerful steam-
engines have been erected for draining off the water, and
expediting the working of the mine, in which more than
200 persons are employed. A pit for the parrot or gas
coal is worked without the assistance of machinery,
and employs twenty men. The two other coal-works,
the produce of which is principally for the supply of the
neighbourhood, employ together about eighty persons.
The ironstone has also been wrought with success, and
affords occupation to about forty persons. A vein of
yellow ochre has lately been discovered, and brought
under operation. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £7S0'2.
The weaving of linen employs a great portion of the
population, and works have been established at several
places. A very extensive salt-manufacture was carried
on at Methill, and at West Wemyss ; which, since the
removal of the duty, has been altogether discontinued
at the former place, and at the latter very greatly dimi-
nished. The whole quantity made at both places was
formerly 50,000 bushels annually. The quantity now
made at the latter is about 6000 bushels, of the total
average value of £500 ; the salt is of excellent quality,
and finds a ready sale in the neighbouring markets. A
fishery is carried on at Buckhaven, a place long cele-
brated as one of the most important fishing-stations on
this coast ; and at West Wemyss, a very convenient har-
bour has been constructed for the accommodation of the
vessels employed in the coal-trade.
West Wemyss, which stands pleasantly on the sea-
shore, about a mile distant from East Wemyss, is a
burgh of barony under the government of two bailies, a
treasurer, and council. It is chiefly inhabited by per-
sons employed in the coal-trade and the manufacture
of salt. A subscription library has been established,
which is well supported, forming a good collection of
volumes ; and a savings' bank has also been opened.
The village of East Wemyss is likewise situated on the
coast, and is principally inhabited by persons engaged
in the weaving of linen, for which it has been long dis-
tinguished. Four extensive factories are established
here, which, including one at Buckhaven, consume
nearly 'i.'iO.OOO spindles of yarn. The chief articles
manufactured are ducks, dowlas, ,ind sheeting, and the
annual |)roduce on the average is more than 1, '200,000
yards, partly for home consumption, and the remainder
exported; the amount of wages paid annually to weavers
and winders exceeds £10,000. The church and the
parochial school are situated in this village : the former, a
venerabh,' and ancient structure, forms an interesting
feature in the scenery. A subscription library has been
established more than thirty or forty years ; it contains
about .'{00 volumes, and is well supported. A savings'
bank lias also been long establishe<l, the deposits m which
amount to above £'2000. There is a post-ollice in the
parish ; and facility of intercourse with the neighbouring
towns is afforded by good roads kept in repair by statute
;>9i
labour, and by the turnpike-road from Kirkcaldy by
Kennowry to Cupar, which passes through the north-
western part of the parish. The western boundary of the
parish is skirted by the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee
railway. The sole proprietor of the lands is Captain
James Erskine Wemyss, R.N., whose magnificent man-
sion of Castle ff'emyss stands near the burgh of West
Wemyss, on the summit of a cliff rising abruptly from
the rocky shore of the firth, and commanding an exten-
sive view of the sea, and of the adjacent country, which
abounds with picturesque and romantic scenery. Near
it is the residence of the agent for the estate, beautifully
situated among the woods and plantations on the demesne
surrounding the castle.
Wemyss is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Kirk-
caldy, synod of Fife, and in the patronage of the Town-
council of Edinburgh : the minister's stipend is £'253.
11. 3., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per
annum. The church, a cruciform structure, is in the
early English style of architecture, displaying some
interesting details, and is adapted for a congregation of
1000 persons. A church was erected in the village of
Methill, which was closed on the Disruption of the
Church of Scotland ; it is a handsome edifice of stone,
raised at an expense of £1030, and adapted for 853 per-
sons. There is a place of worship at Wemyss for mem-
bers of the Free Church, another at Buckhaven for the
United Presbyterian Synod, and one at Methill Hill
Coal-Town for the United Christian Congregation. A
catechist for the instruction of the colliers and the per-
sons engaged in the salt-works in the parish, is appointed
by the family of Wemyss, according to a bequest by the
Earl of Cromarty, who, in honour of the memory of
Margaret, Countess of Wemyss and afterwards of Cro-
marty, appropriated a sum of money from which the
catechist derives a salary of £50 per annum. The paro-
chial school affords a useful course of instruction ; the
master has a salary of £34. 4., the fees, a house, and a
garden, for the deficiency of which last he has an equi-
valent of £1. 15. 7. There is a school in Kirkland, the
master of which receives, in addition to the fees, a salary
of £30 per annum from Messrs. Neilson and Company,
proprietors of the linen manufactory of that place. In
the village of Methill Hill Coal-Town is a school for the
children of those connected with the collieries there.
The late Mr. Archibald Cook, of Kirkcaldy, a native
of this parish, bequeathed property to a considerable
amount, which, after the decease of his widow, is to be
vested in the presbytery of Kirkcaldy, in trust for the
education of children of Wemyss. There are various
Sabbath schools, the children attending which are sup-
plied with books. A society called the Generous Society
was established in 1793, for the relief of sick and indi-
gent members ; its funds are ample, and well adminis-
tered. There are some remains of chapels at Methill
and near West Wemyss. To the east of East Wemyss
are the ruins of an ancient castle said to have been built
by Macduff, created Earl of Fife by Malcolm, King of
Scotland, al)out the year 1061 ; they consist chiefly of
two sc|uare towers, and portions of the walls of the
fortress, on an eminence overlooking the firth. Sir
Michael Wemyss, of this place, in conjunction with
Sir Michael Scott, of Bal weary, was sent as ambas-
sador, on the decease of Alexander III. in 1'290, to
Norway, to escort Margaret, his grand-daughter, and
WEST
WEST
heiress to the Scottish crown, on her return to Scot-
land ; the princess died at Orkney, on her passage. In
Castle Wemyss is still preserved a silver basin which
was presented by the King of Norway to Sir Michael
Wemyss on that occasion. The Earl of Wemyss and
March takes the former of these titles from this parish.
WEST BRIDGEND.— See Bridgend, West.— ^«rf
all places having a similar distinguishing prefix, will be
found under the proper name.
WESTBARNS, a village, in the parish of Dunbar,
county of Haddington, 'i miles (W. by S.) from the
town of Dunbar ; containing 1*0 inhabitants. This
village stands on the west side of Belhaven bay, and
on the road from Dunbar to Haddington. It is called
Westbarns in contradistinction to Eastbarns, a less con-
siderable village also on the coast, situated on the other
side of Dunbar, and distant from Westbarns about five
miles. The principal support of the place was a large
distillery employing a number of hands, and a flax-mill
erected in 1792 ; but the expectations of the proprietors
not being realized, both have been relinquished. The
small stream of the Beil, flowing through the parish for
about three miles, passes at the village into the bay of
Belhaven. The North-British railway runs by.
WESTBRIDGE, a village, in the parish of King-
horn, district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife; con-
taining .568 inhabitants. — See Invertiel.
WESTERKIRK, a parish, in the county of Dum-
fries, 6 miles (N. W.) from Langholm ; containing 650
inhabitants. By some writers this place is supposed to
have derived its name from its situation to the west of
an ancient fortress on the river Megget, near the influx
of that stream into the Esk ; and by others, from its
relative position to other churches in Eskdale, of which
district a portion was once included within the limits of
the parish. The manor, during the twelfth and thir-
teenth centuries, formed part of the possessions of the
Soulis family, and on the forfeiture of John de Soulis
was granted with the advowson of the church, by Robert
I., to the abbey of Melrose, to which it continued to be
annexed till the Dissolution. In the latter part of the
fourteenth century a chapel was founded here by Adam
de Glendonyng, who endowed it for the support of a
chaplain to sing masses for the repose of the souls of
James, Earl of Doiiglas, and his brother-in-law. Sir
James Simon, of Glendonyng, who had fallen in the
battle of Otterburn. A portion of the parish subse-
quently became the property of the Johnstone family ;
and Sir James Johnstone, Bart., in 1760, discovered on
the lands of Glendinning a rich mine of antimony, which
in 1793 was brought into operation, producing on an
average about 100 tons of regulus of antimony annually.
A village called Jamestown was built on the Megget, by
Sir James Johnstone, for the residence of the miners : it
contained a smelting-house and all the requisite appa-
ratus for working the mine, with a schoolroom for the
children of the workmen; and roads were formed for
connecting the vdlage with the chief lines of conveyance
through the county. On an average the produce of the
mines made an annual return of £8400. Towards the
close of the century, from what cause has not been re-
corded, the operations were discontinued : the village,
being abandoned, fell rapidly into decay ; and the only
remains of it are three or four cottages occupied by
families employed on the neighbouring farm.
Vol. II.— 593
The PARISH is bounded on the south for nearly two
miles by the river Black Esk, which separates it from
the parish of Eskdalemuir ; and is ten miles in length
and from five to six miles in breadth, comprising about
35,000 acres. Of this area, barely '2000 acres are arable,
300 are woodland and plantations, and the remainder
hill-pasture, moorland, and waste. Its surface is moun-
tainous and hilly, with the exception of the narrow val-
ley of the Esk ; but though some of the hills are heathy
and barren, the far greater number are covered with
verdure affording good pasturage for cattle and sheep.
The Black Esk, after forming for part of its course a
boundary of the parish, flows into the White Esk at a
place called the King's Pool ; and this confluence forms
the river Esk, which winds through the parish for seven
miles towards the south-east, and eventually falls into
the Solway Firth. The rivers Megget and Stennis have
their sources in a ridge of mountains separating the
counties of Dumfries and Roxburgh. Of these streams,
the former takes a southern course ; the latter flows
towards the south-west; and after a progress of six
miles the two unite at a place called Crooks, and then
flow together into the Esk, which receives also the
waters of numerous rivulets that descend from the hills
and water the parish in various directions. The Esk
formerly abounded with salmon, which are still found
in it in moderate numbers, especially after floods ; and
salmon, sea-trout, and the common burn-trout are taken
in some of the other streams, which are much frequented
by the angler. The moors afford game of every kind.
Grouse, partridges, and pheasants are very plentiful.
Hares and blackcock, snipes, curlew, lapwing, and plover
frequent the hills ; and woodcocks, and the various spe-
cies of common birds, are found in the woods on the
Westerhall estate.
On the low grounds along the banks of the Esk, the
soil is chiefly a light loam of great fertility ; upon the
rising grounds, a deep strong loam intermixed with
stones ; and the summits of many of the hills present
extensive tracts of moss. The principal crops are pota-
toes, barley, and oats, of which, however, not more is
produced than is sufficient for the consumption of the
inhabitants. There is nothing peculiar in the agricul-
ture of this parish, which is, indeed, chiefly of a pastoral
character, a very small proportion of the land being in
cultivation : the system of husbandry has been greatly
improved under the encouragement afforded by the
landed proprietors, and all the more recent discoveries
are in general operation. The cattle are of the pure Gallo-
way breed, which is found to thrive well upon all the
pastures, and is occasionally crosseil with the Teviot or
the Ayrshire : many of them attain a large growth, and
find a ready sale at high prices. More than 18,000
sheep are kept ; they are all of the Cheviot breed, and
much attention is paid to them : wool and sheep form
the chief dependence of the farmers. There are con-
siderable remains of natural wood along the banks of
the Esk ; and on the demesne of Westerhall are some
fine oak, ash, elm, plane, horse-chesnut, and other forest-
trees, which have attained to a luxuriant growth. The
plantations are extensive, well managed, and in a thriv-
ing state. In general the rocks are grcywacke and
greywacke-slate, and secondary trap is found on the
summits of the higher hills. Shell-marl occurs on the
lands of Megdale, belonging to the Duke of Buccleuch,
4G
WEST
WEST
who is the principal proprietor of the parish ; but the
pit being on the dechvity of a hill, is difficult of access,
and consequently but little of the marl is used for
manure. The only mineral ever discovered in the
parish was the antimony previously noticed. The
annual value of real property in Westerkirk is £4409.
Westerhall, the seat of the late Sir Frederick George
Johnstone, Bart., is an ancient mansion on the eastern
bank of tlie river Esk, beautifully seated in a demesne
embellished with well-grown timber and thriving modern
plantations. Burnfoot, Hopesrigg, and Georgefield, are
also handsome houses pleasantly situated. Facility of
communication with Langholm, the nearest market-
town, is afforded by good roads kept in excellent repair,
W'hich traverse the parish in various directions, and
many of which were constructed by Sir James John-
stone, to facilitate access to the mine formerly in opera-
tion. Of the l)ridges across the numerous streams, oue
may be mentioned over the Esk, a substantial structure
of three arches, and another, a handsome and picturesque
chain-bridge, opposite Burnfoot, erected by the late Sir
Pulteney Malcolm.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Langholm and synod of
Dumfries. The minister's stipend averages about £200,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £'20 per annum ;
patron, the Duke of Buccleuch. Westerkirk church,
erected in 17*8, is a plain structure, situated nearly in
the centre of the parish ; it is in good repair, and con-
tains 700 sittings. In the churchyard, which has a fiue
avenue of trees, is the mausoleum of the Johnstone
family, a handsome structure of stone, of circular form,
crowned with a graceful dome supported on fluted
columns of the Doric order, and embellished with a
richly-sculptured frieze. The parochial school affords
a useful course of instruction to about seventy chil-
dren ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, and the fees average £20. A paro-
chial library was established in 1795, and now forms
a large collection of volumes, many of which were pre-
sented by the late Thomas Telford, Esq., civil engineer, a
native of this parish, who also bequeathed £1000 to the
minister and Kirk Session, to appropriate the interest to
the purcliase of books for its increase. A friendly society
was established in 1789, which has a fund of £300
for the relief of the sick. On a rising ground between
the rivers Esk and Megget are several upright stones,
supposed to have formed part of a Druidical circle.
There are also, on the hills in the north-west of the
parish, some vestiges of camps apparently connected
with the Roman station in Eskdalemuir. On the farm
of Euzieholm are remains of a triangular fort of great
antiquity ; and at Glendinning and Westerhall are ruins
of castles.
WESTI-IOUSES, a village, in tlie parish of New-
battle, county of Edinburgh, 2 miles (S. E.) from the
village of Newbattle ; containing 133 inhabitants. This
small place hes nearly in the centre of the parish ; its
population consists cliiefly of colliers.
WESTMUIIl, a village, in that part of the parish of
KiRiiiEMUiR whieli formed the quoad sacra parish of
Lof.iK, in the county of Forfar ; containing 209 in-
habitants.
WESTMUIR, a village in the former ecclesiastical
district of Shettleston, parish of Barony, and within
594
the jurisdiction of the city of Glasgow, county of La-
nark. This place is also called Shettleston, which see.
WESTOWN, a village, in the parish of Errol,
county of Perth, 3| miles from the village of Errol;
containing 72 inhabitants. At this place are the pictu-
resque ruins of a church, which in several old documents
is referred to under the designation of the " Church of
the Blessed Virgin of Inchmartin", and in which, till
within the last sixty years, the minister of the parish
used on every alternate Sabbath to perform divine ser-
vice. The ruins are situated in a sequestered spot com-
prising much varied scenery, and display some highly-
interesting details of early English architecture.
WESTQUARTER, a village, in the parish of Glas-
ford, county of Lanark, 2^ miles (N. E.) from Strath-
aven ; containing 4S1 inhabitants. This village, which
takes its name from its situation in the western part of
the parish, is chiefly inhabited by persons employed in
the manufactures of the adjacent district. Westquarter
House is a handsome mansion ; and the village contains
the parish church, the parochial school, and a Sabbath
school. There are also one male and one female friendly
society, and a temperance society, which are well sup-
ported, and patronized by the heritors as productive
of benefit to the parish. Near the village are three
quarries of freestone, in which several of the labouring
poor find employment.
WESTRAY, a parish, in the county of Orkney,
19 miles (N.) from Kirkwall; containing 2131 inhabit-
ants. This parish, which consists of the islands of West-
ray and Papa-W^estray, is supposed to have derived its
name from its relative position with respect to those of
the Orkney Islands which are situated northward of
Pomona or the Mainland. It is undistinguished by any
event of importance, except the erection of a strong
castle, probably by some Scandinavian chieftain. This
castle, which was never fully completed, has, without
sufficient authority, been traditionally referred to a
comparatively late period ; being said to have been
built for the reception of Mary Queen of Scots, and her
husband Bothwell, after their marriage. From the plan
of its structure, however, the castle has every appearance
of a feudal fortress ; it is evidently of remote antiquity,
and was calculated, not only for a baronial residence,
but to be an almost impregnable fortress. The building
is of quadrangular form, inclosing an area into which
is an entrance by an arched gateway of stone ; and
within the court-yard is another entrance leading to
the principal hall, a room sixty-two feet long and
twenty-four feet wide, with a finely-groined roof twenty
feet high. The walls are of massive thickness, and in
the side wall is a narrow flight of stone steps conduct-
ing to the upper apartments. The remains, together
with the adjoining lands, are the property of John
Balfour, Esq., of Trenaby.
The island of Westray, containing 1791 inhabitants,
is bounded on the south by the firth of that name,
which separates it from the islands of Rousay and
Eaglcshay ; on the west by the Atlantic Ocean ; on the
east by a sound dividing it from the isles of Pbaray and
Eday ; and on the nortii and east t)y a sound from three
to four miles in breadtli, which separates it from the
island of Papa-Westray. The coast is indented with
numerous bays, of which the principal are those of
Tookquoy, Pierowall, Noop, and Rapness. Tookquoy,
WEST
WEST
on the south-east, is about four miles broad between
the two chief headlands, and penetrates into the island
for nearly five miles : its bed is sandy, affording good
anchorage for small vessels, but from its exposure to
gales from the south and south-west, it forms a very
insecure roadstead. The bay of Piernwall is only three-
quarters of a mile wide at the entrance, but within con-
stitutes a spacious circular basin, sheltered from all
winds, and accessible to vessels of 200 tons. Noop bay,
to the north of the island, is exposed to the full force
of the Atlantic, and rendered still more dangerous from
its intersection by a reef of rocks called the Rackwick.
Rapness bay, on the south, is equally unsheltered, afford-
ing little security for vessels in rough weather. The
headlands are precipitous, and the coast generally rugged
and abrupt, and, on the west, for four miles washed by
the Atlantic, which has worn the rocks into numerous
caverns. In some of the caverns, in tempestuous wea-
ther, the water is forced through natural crevices to a
considerable height. The surface of the island is varied.
In the centre it is low and flat. In the western part is
a range of hills called respectively SIcen, Fitly, and
Galla, extending almost four miles from south to north :
of these the highest, which is Fitty, has an elevation of
more than 6.50 feet. The surface of Papa-Westray
rises likewise to a good height, forming a ridge, the
sides of which slope gradually to the sea-shore. The
northern extremity of the ridge terminates in a lofty
headland called the Mull of Papa, in which is a cavern
of singular formation, spreading into a spacious circular
area, the roof seventy feet in height ; the entrance is
about fifty feet in width, and the floor, which has a
gentle declivity, is perfectly smooth and flat.
In some parts the soil of the parish is sandy, and in
others clay, loam, and gravel ; the number of acres is
estimated at 2.5,600, of which no more than 3000 are
arable, and the remainder pasture and undivided com-
mon. The principal crops are oats and bear, with some
potatoes and turnips. Little improvement has taken
place in husbandry, except on the lands of the chief
proprietors ; and the farm houses and offices are still
of a very inferior onler. The breeds of cattle and sheep
are both of the smaller kinds ; and though some attempts
have been made to introduce others of larger growth,
these have always been found to degenerate in a short
time. There is no timber of any kind in the parish,
and every endeavour to cultivate trees has proved abor-
tive, though in the mosses numerous trunks of trees
have been found embedded. The substratum is chiefly
limestone and trap, with blue and grey flagstone ; the
latter is very abundant, and several quarries have been
wrought for roofing. Manganese has been also found,
but not wrought. From the want of wood, the scenery
is rather of dreary than of pleasing character. There
are, indeed, several lakes in the parish, of which Swart-
mill and Tookquoy in the south, and Saintear and Bur-
ness in the north, are the most considcralile ; but they
are not more than half a mile in breadth. Those of
Burness and Saintear abound with trout, and eels are
found in Swartmill. There is also a fine lake which
extends nearly across Papa-Westray, and in which is
a small island with the ruins of a chapel dedicated to
St. Tredwall. Gleat, the seat of James Stewart, Esq.,
of Brugh, is a handsome mansion ; and there are other
residences. The village of Pierowall, consisting of about
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twenty scattered houses, is pleasantly situated at the
head of the bay of that name, and is principally inha-
bited by fishermen. About 200 females in the parish
are engaged in the manufacture of straw-plat. The
fisheries carried on are chiefly for cod, herrings, and
lobsters : the annual proceeds are estimated at £1000.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is in the
presbytery of North Isles and synod of Orkney. The
minister's stipend is about £202, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £15 per annum: patron, the Earl of
Zetland. There are two churches in Wcstray, and one
in Papa-Westray ; the North church, a very ancient
building, contains 700 sittings, the East church 400,
and Papa-Westray church 220 sittings. Divine service
is performed at each, in rotation, every third Sunday.
There are also places of worship for members of the
United Presbyterian Church and Baptists. The paro-
chial school, in Westray, is well attended ; the master
has a salary of £28, with a house and garden, and the
fees average about £3 per annum. A school in Papa-
Westray is supported by the Society for Propagating
Christian Knowledge, who pay the master a salary of
£16. 10. In the parish are various other schools, sup-
ported by the fees. There are several remains of ancient
chapels, of which one, called Cross Kirk, is on the south-
west side of Westray, close to the sea ; and on the island
of Papa-Westray is another, called the Kirk of How,
beautifully situated on a rising ground, and surrounded
by a cemetery inclosed with a stone wall. In two fields,
one on the north and the other on the south of Westray,
are numerous graves which have been discovered by the
removal of the sandy surface in strong gales. Several
of them have been opened, and found to contain skele-
tons, with some arms, chiefly swords, in a very decayed
state. Doubtless these were bodies of men slain in
some battle that took place here. Tumuli are scattered
through the parish, in one of which were found an urn,
a drinking cup, a quern, and some domestic utensils.
There are also several Druidical remains, and Picts'
houses.
WESTRUTHER, a parish, in the county of Ber-
wick, 5^ miles (E. by N.) from Lauder; containing 829
inhabitants. This place, it is said, was originally called
Wulfstruther, from the number of wolves with which it
was infested, but subsequently, on their disappearance,
was styled H'estruther, to distinguish it from an extensive
morass to the east of it, now called Dogden Moss. The
term Struther signifies "a marsh". The lands anciently
formed part of the parish of Home, from which they
were separated at the time of the Reformation, and an-
nexed to the parish of Gordon ; and owing to the dis-
tance of the church of Gordon, the remains of an old
chapel in the village of Bassendean were fitted up as a
place of public worship for the inhabitants. This place
of worship, however, being eventually found inconve-
nient for the population of the northern parts of West-
ruther, a church was erected in the village of West-
ruther in 1649 ; and the adjacent lands being severed
from Gordon, were erected into an independent parish
by act of the General Assembly. On a high hill at the
northern extremity of the parish, called the Tvvinlaw
Hill, are two lofty cairns of stone. There is a tradition
of a battle having been fought there between the Anglo-
Saxons and the Scots, who had previously been engaged
in frequent wars. On this occasion, it is said, a chal-
4 G2
WEST
WEST
lenge given by one of the Saxon chieftains to decide the
contest by single combat, was accepted by Edgar, the
only son of an aged Scottish warrior, and whose twin-
brother had been carried off captive in his infancy by
tlie Saxons in a former battle. The Saxon chieftain
was killed, and Edgar himself severely wounded. After
the combat, an aged Saxon, lamenting the death of the
chieftain, whom he eulogised as the bravest of the Ed-
gars, and bewailed as his adopted son, betrayed the
secret of his Scottish birth ; and Edgar, frantic with
remorse, tore the bandages from his wounds, and expired
on the corpse of his long-lost brother. The two large
piles of stones, now called the Twinlaw Cairns, were
raised by the warriors of both armies to commemorate
this melancholy event, for which purpose, suspending
all hostilities, and ranging themselves in one continued
line, they passed the stones from tlie brook at the base
of the acclivity, from hand to hand, to the siimmit, till
the monuments of their fallen leaders were completed.
The PARISH is of elliptical form ; nearly seven miles
in extreme length from north to south, and from three
to five miles in breadth from east to west ; comprising
about 13,000 acres, of which 11,000 are arable, 850
woodland and plantations, and the remainder moorland,
moss, and waste. Its' surface is varied, and terminates
towards the north in one continuous ridge of hills of
bleak and barren appearance, attaining an elevation of
1260 feet above the level of the sea, and commanding
extensive prospects over the fertile vales of Merse and
Teviotdale, which abound with picturesque and romantic
scenery. Towards the south, the lands by a gradual
descent expand into a spacious and undulating valley,
which intersects the parish from east to west throughout
its whole breadth, without any elevation that deserves
the name of a hill. The Blackadder has its source near
Wedderlie, in this parish, through which it flows for
nearly three miles in a winding course : afterwards,
taking a south-eastern direction, and forming a boun-
dary between this parish and Greenlaw, it falls into the
Whitadder at Allanton. Several rivulets also intersect
the grounds in various directions, constituting tributaries
to the Leader and the Tweed : of these, the Eden, cele-
brated for the size and quality of its trout, attracts an-
glers from all parts of the neighbouring country. Nu-
merous perennial springs afford an ample supply of pure
water ; and on Harelaw moor is a chalybeate spring
which, from the efficacy of its water in scorbutic com-
plaints, was formerly frequented by numbers of invalids,
who took lodgings in the vicinity, but which has of late
years fallen into neglect.
In general the soil, is light, resting on a rocky or
gravelly subsoil ; in the higher lands, a deep tenacious
clay well adapted for wheat ; and in some other parts, a
black sandy loam. Crops are raised of oats, barley, and
a little wheat, of potatoes, and turnips, with the usual
grasses. The husbandry is greatly improved; the lands
are well drained, and inclosed with hedges of thorn and
dykes of stone. Considerable breadths of waste land
have been reclaimed and brought into profitable cultiva-
tion. The farms, which were of very small extent, are
now of much larger size ; the farm houses generally arc
substantial, and the offices well built. Lime, brought
from a distance of twenty miles, is liberally used for the
improvement of the lands, and bone-dust has been in-
troduced. Threshintr. mills have been erected on all the
596
larger farms ; and under the encouragement afforded by
the propiietors, every recent change in the construc-
tion of agricultural implements has been adopted. Great
attention is paid to the management of live-stock : the
cattle, which are of various breeds, have been much im-
proved by a cross with Teeswater bulls ; the sheep are
of the Cheviot, Leicester, and black-faced breeds. The
produce of the parish, both in grain and cattle, is sent
to the market of Dalkeith. Forests of natural wood
formerly overspread nearly the entire surface, and in the
mosses are still found trunks of trees ; but the only
portion of the woods now remaining is on the lands of
Flass, where are some large old trees. The plantations
originally formed on the lands of Spottiswoode, by the
grandfather of the present proprietor, have been greatly
extended, and the whole are generally in a thriving state;
they consist of larch, which seems best adapted to the
soil, and of firs, interspersed with various other kinds of
trees. At Bruntaburn, one of the highest and most ex-
posed situations on the brow of Lammermoor, and where
it was thought no timber would thrive, are numerous trees
of lu.xuriant growth. The principal substrata are grey-
wacke, sandstone, and slate. Near Hounslow, freestone
of a reddish tinge, and of good quality for building, is
quarried ; and from the quarry were taken the materials
for the houses of that village, and for part of the new
mansion of Spottiswoode. A slate-quarry was wrought
at Bruntaburn ; but the quality of the slate being very
inferior, the works were soon abandoned. The annual
value of real property in the parish is returned at the
sum of £5339.
Spottiswoode House, the seat of John Spottiswoode,
Esq., is a stately edifice in the old English style of
architecture, with a tower in the centre, and is sur-
rounded by a handsome terrace 300 yards in length. It
is crowned by an open balustrade ornamented with
pedestals and vases. The house contains a good suite
of rooms, and includes the old family mansion, which
was restored, and incorporated into the present struc-
ture. Bassendcaii, the seat of Colonel Home, is an an-
cient mansion modernised, and is finely situated in a
demesne tastefully laid out, and embellished with thriving
plantations. H'eddcrlie, the property of Lord Blantyre,
is also an ancient mansion : it has been suffered to fall
into neglect, and is now never inhabited by the family,
except for a few weeks during the shooting season. The
village of Wedderlie has been gradually decreasing for
many years, and is now extinct ; the only villages in
the parish are the small ones of Hounslow and West-
ruther. Facility of communication is maintained by
good turnpike-roads, which intersect the parish for about
fifteen miles, and by other roads : the principal roads arc
those to Kelso, to Dunse, i»nd to Coldstream. There are
bridges over various streams.
For KCCLKSiASTiCAL purposcs this place is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Lauder and synod of Merse
and Teviotdale. The minister's stipend is £158. 6. 8., of
which about one third is paid from the exchequer ; with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £'25 per annum : patnm,
the Crown. Wcstruthcr old church, erected on the
separation of the parish from that of Gordon in 1649,
has, after imdergoing several alterations and repairs,
been al)andoned ; and a new church, well adapted to the
acconmiodation of the people, has been erected ; it was
opened in 1840. The members of the Free Church have
WHIN
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a place of worship. The parochial schoolmaster has a
salary of £"25. 13. 3., with a house and garden, and the
fees: the school-house is spacious and well suited to the
purpose. There is a parish library of standard worits,
formed by subscriptions of the parishioners ; and a
savings' l)ank has been established, in wliich are deposits
to the amount of £1300. Some remains still exist of
the chapel at Bassendeuu, used as a bnrying-place by
the family there. Of the chapel at Wedderlie the only
portion left is a vault, into which, at the Reformation,
the monks removed their most valuable effects, and
which just serves to mark out the site. The last ves-
tiges of the chapel of Spof.Hawoode, founded in the reign
of David II., have disappeared ; the only relie of it
which has been preserved is the baptismal font. There
are some traces of an ancient road called Horits dyke,
which extended from Berwick through the county, and
passed by the village of Westruther ; and there are also
remaining, but in a very dilapidated state, the walls of
a castellated building called Evelaw, which was one of
the border fortresses. Several stone coffins, containing
skeletons in good preservation, have been discovered by
the plough on lands that have been for ages in pasture ;
they were composed of large broad stones, and were
arranged with the greatest regularity. The situation of
these graves, together with the circumstance of many
similar relics having been found in the adjoining parish
of Lauder, appears to strengthen the tradition, already
referred to, that a battle occurred in the northern part
of Westruther.
WIIALSAY, an island, in the parish of Nesting,
LuNASTiNG, and Whalsay, county of Shetland ; con-
taining 6'28 inhabitants. This island is situated east-
ward of the Mainland, on which are Nesting and Lu-
nasting, the other portions of the parish ; and is distant
from it between two and three miles : the channel be-
tween is interspersed with several small isles. Whalsay is
about six miles in length and three in breadth ; is much
indented ; has a rocky shore ; and the land is of the usual
bleak and hilly nature of this part of Shetland, though
considered on the whole as tolerably fertile. The culture
of the ground is a subordinate occupation, the inhabi-
tants, for the most part, being engaged in fishing, and
drawing their chief subsistence from this pursuit. A
large and very handsome mansion has been erected on
the island, by Mr. Bruce, of Simbister, at the estimated
cost of £20,000 : it is built of fine freestone imported
across the sound of Whalsay ; but the edifice is con-
sidered as ill-placed, and of too expensive a description
for an island so destitute of interest, and of inducements
to reside upon it. One of three churches in the parish
is situated here : it is a very plain structure, built in
1768, and since then new-roofed ; and is visited by the
minister of Nesting eleven times a year. The island is
distant from Lerwick fourteen miles.
WHINS, a hamlet, in the parish of Ruthven, county
of Forfar, Ji mile (S. E.) from Ruthven church ; con-
taining 19 inhabitants. This small place lies in the
south-eastern extremity of the parish, and on the east
side of the river Isla.
WHINNIE-FAULD, a village, in the parish of
Cruden, district of Ellon, county of Aberdeen,
■2 miles (S. by E.) from the parish church ; containing
107 inhabitants. This place, also called Finnyfold, is
one of several small fishing-villages on the coast, within
597
the parish. The fish taken here are the white-fish com-
mon in this quarter.
WHINS OF MILTON, a village, in the parish of St.
Njnian's, county of Stirling, 2^ miles (S, S. E.) from
Stirling ; containing 5'28 inhabitants. This is now a con-
siderable village, situated nearly in the centre of the pa-
rish, close to the Bannock burn, and on the high road
from Stirling and St. Ninian's to Denny. Its vicinity is
remarkable as the scene of the murder of James HI., the
particulars of which treacherous deed are shortly these.
During the well-known skirmish between the king and
his insurgent nobility at Sauchie, about one mile distant,
his Majesty, anticipating his defeat, fled from the field,
unattended, and in heavy armour, in the hope of reach-
ing the Forth and getting on board Sir Andrew Wood's
fleet, which lay there waiting for him. While endeavour-
ing to cross the Bannock at this village, his horse was
startled at the sight of a pitcher which a woman, in the
act of lifting water, flung from her on beholding an
armed man riding swiftly towards her ; and James was
thrown. He was carried by a miller and his wife, who
were ignorant of his rank, into their house, known as
Beaton's mill, near which the accident occurred ; and on
recovering from his state of insensibility, fancying him-
self dying, he informed them that he was their king,
and requested they would send for a priest to impart con-
solation to him in his last moments. The woman ran
from the house, calling for a confessor ; and happening
to meet a party in pursuit of the unfortunate monarch,
she intreated of them, if there were a priest among them,
that he might instantly attend his Majesty. One of
them answered that he was a priest, and desired to be
immediately introduced to the king : he found him lying
in a corner, and approaching on his knees under pre-
tence of reverence, the regicide stabbed him several times
to the heart. The house is still standing, a little east
of the road from Stirling to Glasgow. The village has
latterly much increased in size: nail-making, which is
carried on to a great extent in the parish, is its staple
business.
WHITBURN, a parish, in the county of Lin-
lithgow ; containing, with the village of Longridge and
part of that of Blackburn, 2593 inhabitants, of whom
798 are in the village of Whitburn, 4 miles distant
(S. W. by W.) from Bathgate. This place is called White-
burn or Whitburn in contradistinction to the village of
Blackburn, in the adjoining parish of Livingstone, of
which parish it once formed a part. The parish of Whit-
burn is about six miles in length and two miles and
a half in breadth, comprising an area of rather more than
10,000 acres. A considerable portion towards the west
is barren waste, internally rich, however, in blackband
ironstone ; and the remainder is principally arable land
in good cultivation. The river Almond flows through
the northern part of the parish, and the Breich skirts it
on the south : the surface is also intersected by several
smaller streams. The system of agriculture is as much
improved as the nature of the soil, which is in many
parts a stiff retentive clay, will admit. Draining has
been practised with advantage, but not to such an ex-
tent as is requisite : the lands, also, are partly inclosed,
and some plantations have been formed ; but there is
still great room for improvement in these respects.
The substratum is rich in minerals. A very valuable
seam of coal has been wrought for more than a century.
WHIT
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and is still in operation : the mine is singularly orna-
mented with calcareous stalactites depending from the
roof in the form of strong pillars. Ironstone of argil-
laceous character occurs in beds varying from one inch
to several inches in thickness, and also in balls and flat
circular pieces ; it yields from twenty-seven to thirty-
three per cent., and is formed into pig-iron. A rich
vein of blackband ironstone has within the last few
years been discovered, and is extensively wrought by
the Shotts Iron Company, and Messrs. Holdsworth, of
Coltness, who have sunk numerous pits, from which the
water is pumped, and the ore drawn up, by steam-
engines. The ironstone is removed from the mouth of
the pits on railways, and piled in heaps varying from 400
or 500 to 2000 tons, for the purpose of being calcined,
during which process a pile of 1000 tons is reduced
sixty-four tons in weight. About 200 persons are em-
ployed in these works. There are several quarries of
sandstone of various kinds, and a quarry of white silice-
ous matter which is used for garden walks. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £7398.
Polkemmet, the seat of Sir William Baillie, is an an-
cient mansion, which has within the last few years been
new-fronted "and otherwise improved ; it is pleasantly
situated, and the grounds are embellished with planta-
tions. The village is neatly built, and chiefly inhabited
by persons employed in weaving cotton goods with
hand-looms at their own houses. A public library has
been established, towards the foundation of which £50
were given by Mr. Wilson, of this place ; it is supported
by annual subscription, and forms a well-assorted col-
lection. There is a branch of the City of Glasgow Bank.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Linlith-
gow, and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The minis-
ter's stipend, including £100 from land bequeathed for
the purpose in the county of Lanark, is £203. 6. 11.,
subject to certain payments to the minister of Living-
stone, from which the parish of Whitburn was separated
in 1718 : there is also a manse, and the glebe is valued
at £3. 10. per annum. The church was erected, and
partly endowed, by subscription ; it is a neat structure
in the shape of a cross. There are places of worship for
dissenters. The parochial schoolmaster has a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and about nine
acres of land ; the school fees average £25 or £30 per
annum. The late Mr. James Wilson bequeathed £4250
for the erection and endowment of free schools in this
and the adjoining parishes of Shotts and Cambusnethan :
with these funds two schools have been established here,
the masters of which have each a salary of £20 per an-
num, with a house and garden. About 200 children are
taught in the several schools, and of this nuniber about
seventy attend the parochial school. Mrs. Wilson left
£500 to the parish, the interest to be given to persons in
reduced circumstances, who have seen better days. Two
Roman coins of gold have been dug up in a bog at Cow-
hill.
WHITEFAUGH, a hamlet, in the parish of Carring-
TON, county of Edinburcii, if mile from Carrington
village ; containing 41) inhabitants. This is a small place,
lying in the north-west part of the parish, and near the
borders of tiie parish of Lasswade.
WIiri'KIlALL, a village, in the old parish of St.
Petkh, island of Stkonsay, parish of Stronsay and
Eday, county of Orkney ; containing 295 inhabitants.
598
This village is situated on a narrow promontory forming
the northern boundary of Mill bay, and the southern
shore of Papa sound, on the north-east of the island.
The inhabitants are chiefly employed in fishing. Kelp
was formerly manufactured here, as in the rest of Stron-
say, in considerable quantity. It was first made in 1722,
under the auspices of Mr. James Fea, of this village,
whose name, for so important a benefit, continues to be
remembered by the population with respect. The manu-
facture has latterly very much declined.
WHITEHILL, a village, in the parish of Dalkeith,
county of Edinburgh, 1^ mile (E. S. £.) from the town
of Dalkeith, containing 178 inhabitants. It lies in the
south-eastern extremity of the parish, a little south of
the high road from Dalkeith to Cranston ; and is of
modern erection, having been built for the accommoda-
tion of the colliers engaged in the mines in the vicinity.
The dvvelling-liouses are of a superior description, and
present an air of comfort, as well as neatness.
WIlU'EIlILLS, a village, iu the parish of Boyndie,
county of Banff, 2^ miles (W. N. W.) from Banff; con-
taining 626 inhabitants. It is situated on the coast of
the Moray Firth, midway between the towns of Banff
and Portsoy. About half of the population are engaged
in the herring, salmon, and lobster fisheries carried on
in the adjacent seas. The first of these occupies from
twenty to twenty-five boats from July to September;
and the herrings, when cured, are exported to Germany
and Ireland. Sixteen boats, during the ren\ainder of
the fishing season, are employed in taking haddocks,
ling, cod, and other fish, in general very successfully :
the salmon caught at Blaekpots, near here, average in
value £225 yearly, and when iced, or boiled and pickled
with vinegar, are sent to the London market. The
lobster-fishery is carried on by five or six boats with
basket-nets ; upwards of 1000 lobsters are taken iu the
season, averaged at fourpence each, and sent to London
in smacks provided with wells. The annual value of
the whole of the fisheries in the parish is computed at
£3000.
WHITEKIRK and TYNNINGHAME, a parish, in
the county of Haddington ; containing, with the vil-
lages of Whitekirk and Tynninghame, 11*0 inhabitants,
of whom 84 are in the former village, 85 miles (N.) from
the rising town of Linton. This place, which comprises
the ancient parishes of Tynninghame, Aldhame, and
Hamer, united in the year 176I, derives its name of
AVhitekirk from the appearance of the church of the
last-mentioned parish. Christianity is said to have been
first introduced into East Lothian in the .>iixth century,
by St. Baldred, disciple of Kentiirern, who established a
cell at Tijnniniiliame, where a monastery was subse-
quently founded in honour of his memory : after an ex-
tensive and laljorions ministry in propagating the truths
of Christianity, he died here in 606. The monastery was
pimulered by the Danes under Anlaf, who also burnt the
village of Tynninghame, iu 941 ; but it continued to
flourish till the Dissolution, and was granted with its
revenues to the Archbishop of St. Andrew's, wlio, on the
erection of the college of St. Mary in the archiepiscopal
city, conferred it upon the principal and fellows of that
establishment. The tithes still continue to lie paid to
the college; but since tlie year 1628 the lands of the
monastery have formed part of the possessions of the
Earls of Haddington, to whom the patronage of the
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church also passed. Of the ancient church of Tynning-
hatne, which had the privilege of sanctuary, and was in
higli repute, the only remains are two stately arches of
Norman character, marking out the hurial-place of the
Haddington family. On the invasion of East Lothian
by Edward III. in 13.56, his forces plundered the church
of Hamer or Uldtekirk, which at that time belonged to
the monks of Holyrood, and was iu such reputation that
frequent pilgrimages were made to the shrine of its
founder. It was under pretence of visiting that shrine
in fulfilment of a vow for the safety of her son, that the
Queen- Mother contrived to deceive Chancellor Crich-
ton, who had the custody of James II., and to remove
the young prince from Edinburgh to Stirling. The
church and barony of Hamer were in 1633 annexed to
the see of Edinburgh ; but on the subsequent suppres-
sion of that bishopric, the patronage of the living reverted
to the Crown.
The PARISH is situated at the mouth of the Firth of
Forth, along the shore of which it extends for four miles.
It is nearly five miles in length, and comprises 6000
acres, of which 4000 are arable, and the remainder wood-
land and pasture. The surface is gracefully undulated,
rising in no part to an elevation of more than 300 feet
above the level of the sea ; and when viewed from the
eminence of Whitekirk hill, or that of Lawhead, which
are the loftiest points, it displays a richly-diversified
and beautiful landscape, embellished with stately woods.
Lands in the highest state of cultivation finely contrast
with the expanse of the Firth ; and the prospects embrace
numerous interesting objects, of which the castles of
Tantallan and Dunbar, and the Bass Rock, are the most
prominent. The river Tyne intersects the old parish of
Tynninghame, and, passing through the lands of Tyn-
ninghame House, forms within the demesne, at the flow
of the tide, a spacious and beautiful lake, which disap-
pears at the ebb. It falls into the sea at Tynninghame
bay. This river abounds with trout, eels, and other fish,
and is frequented also by the grey salmon, but not in
large quantities : the right of fishery in the river, and on
the sea-coast to within a mile of Dunbar, belongs exclu-
sively to the Earl of Haddington. There is also a small
rivulet called the PeflFer, which flows through the western
part of the parish. In general the soil is a rich brown
loam, in some parts intermixed with clay : towards the
estuary of the Tyne, a waste and sandy marsh of about
300 acres has been reclaimed by embankment ; and
even on the highest hills the soil, though thin, is ex-
tremely fertile. The crops are, wheat, oats, barley, beans,
and turnips. Agriculture is in a highly improved state,
and the rotation plan is practised. Bone-dust has been
introduced with great advantage for manure. The farms
are mostly from 400 to ."iOO acres in extent ; the farm-
buildings are substantial and commodious, the lands
inclosed, and the fences kept in good order. Particular
attention has been paid to the improvement of the cattle,
which are generally of the Teeswater breed, introduced by
Mr. John Rennie. The sheep, of which a great number
are fed in the parish, are of the Cheviot and black-faced
breeds, with a few of the Leicester ; about 2000 are fed
upon turnips, and a much larger number fattened upon
grass for the Edinburgh market.
The woods, which are very extensive, were first
planted in 1705, by Thomas, sixth Earl of Haddington,
and consist of oak and almost every other variety of
599
forest-tree ; the trees thrive well, and there are nume-
rous specimens of stately size. About the same time,
the earl planted some hedges of holly to form a screen
from the sea breezes ; they have attained a remarkable
growth, and are a complete defence against the bleak
winds prevailing on this coast. There are many single
holly-trees of fine growth in Binning wood, and also
near the mansion of the Earl of Haddington ; some of
them are eight feet in girth, and more than fifty feet
high. In this parish the rocks are of whinstone, &c.
The annual value of real property amounts to £10,720.
Tynninghame, the seat of the earl, is a stately mansion
embosomed in wood, and plantations of great beauty :
on the south-west of the house is a grass-walk, nearly
750 yards in length, planted on both sides with hedges
of holly, eleven feet broad at the base, and about fifteen
feet in height. Newbijlh, the residence of Sir David
Baird, is a spacious mansion also inclosed with thriving
plantations ; and Sea-Cliffe House, the residence of
George Sligo. Esq., is romantically situated near the
sea, of which it commands an exceedingly fine view.
Facility of communication with the towns in the neigh-
bourhood is afforded by means of good roads, of which
the high road from Edinburgh to London passes through
the south, and that from Dunbar to North Berwick
through the centre, of the parish. The North-British
railway, also, skirts the southern boundary of the pa-
rish, the line running parallel with the London road.
There is a station on the line, at Linton, in the parish of
Prestonkirk ; also a post-office there, from which letters
are forwarded daily.
Ecclesiastically this parish is within the limits of
the presbytery of Dunbar, synod of Lothian and Tweed-
dale, and in the alternate patronage of the Crown and
the Earl of Haddington : the minister's stipend is £306.
11. 2., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £30 per an-
num. The church is in the decorated English style of
architecture, with a square embattled tower, and, oc-
cupying an elevated site, forms an interesting and con-
spicuous feature in the landscape ; it has been repaired,
and is well adapted to the accommodation of the pa-
rishioners. There are two parochial schools, affording
together instruction to about 120 scholars; the masters
receive each a salary of £34. 4. per annum, with a house
and garden, and the fees of each average £35. The
poor have the interest of various bequests amounting to
nearly £600. Eleven cottages for the reception of widows
were erected prior to 1745, on ground given for the pur-
pose by the Earl of Haddington ; to each of them is a
good garden, and the widows have also an allowance of
coal.
WHITELETTS, a village, in the parish of St. Qui-
vox, district of Kyle, county of Ayr, l\ mile (E. N. E.)
from Ayr ; containing 754 inhabitants. This is a thriv-
ing village of recent origin, situated nearly in the centre
of the parish, and on the high road from Mauchline to
Ayr. It is in the heart of a district abounding in coal,
for the conveyance of which, from the several col-
lieries to the harbour of Ayr, a railway has been laid
down : the coal is shipped for various places on the
Irish coast.
WHITEMYRE, a village, in the parish of Dyke
and MoY, county of Elgin ; with S3 inhabitants.
WHITENESS, in the county of Shetland.— See
TiNGWALL, Whiteness, and Weesdale.
WHIT
WHIT
Burgh Seal.
WHITHORN, a royal
burgh and a parish, in the
county of Wigtown, 1 1 miles
(S.) from Wigtown, and 9*5
(S. by W.) from Glasgow ;
containing, with the village
of Isle-of-Whithorn, 2795
inhabitants, of whom 495
are resident in Isle-of-Whit-
horn, and 150'2 in the burgh.
This place, which occupies
the south-eastern extremity
of the county, is of remote an-
tiquity, being identified as the Leucophibia of Ptolemy,
during the Roman occupation of Britain, and as subse-
quently the capital of the Novantes, who made them-
selves masters of the whole of Galloway. It seems to
have derived its present name from the erection of a
church here by St. Ninian in the fourth or fifth century,
which, being the first in the country built of white
freestone, was from its light appearance designated
Candida Casa, of which Whitfiorn or Whitliern is a plain
Saxon translation. In the eighth century the place
became the seat of the ancient bishops of Galloway ;
and it continued to be the head of that diocese after
its revival in the twelfth century. Fergus, Lord of
Galloway, in the reign of David I. founded here a priory
for Prsemonstratensian canons, the church of which was
appropriated as the cathedral of the see. This esta-
blishment was eminent from the possession of the relics
of St. Ninian, and for centuries before the Reformation
was the resort of devotees on their pilgrimage to visit
the saint's shrine, among whom were several of the
Scottish sovereigns. In I4'25, James I. granted full
protection to all strangers coming into Scotland for that
purpose ; and in 14/3, Margaret, queen of James III.,
attended by a retinue of ladies of her household, made
a pilgrimage to the shrine. James IV. during his reign
paid frequent visits to the church, on which occasions
he presented offerings in honour of the saint ; and his
son and successor, James V., in the years 1,532 and
1533, performed pilgrimages to the shrine, which, even
for a considerable time after the Reformation, continued
to attract devotees. Among the distinguished priors of
this establishment were, Gavin Dunbar, afterwards arch-
bishop of Glasgow ; and James Beaton, Archbishop of
St. Andrew's, and Chancellor of Scotland. The priory
flourished till the Dissolution in 1.561, when its revenues
amounted to £1016 in money, and various payments in
kind ; it contained many valuable historical muniments,
and some sculptured memorials of the Coultharts of
Coulthart, chiefs of their name. Of the ancient build-
ings nothing remains but a few arches and vaults.
The TOWN is situated almost in the centre of the
parish, and consists principally of one spacious street
more than half a mile in length, which towards the
centre expands into an unusual breadth, and from
which diverge two or three smaller streets and lanes.
In general the houses are neatly built, and roofed with
slate : many of tlie more ancient have been taken down,
and rebuilt in a better style ; and various other improve-
ments have been made in the appearance of the place.
The prin(i|)al street is intersected nearly in the middle
by a rivulet, over which is an invisible bridge. There
are no manufactures carried on ; and the only trade is
600
that which the'town derives from its proximity to the
small pon of Isle-of-Whithorn, and from the pursuit of
the handicrafts requisite for the supply of the neigh-
bourhood. Branches of the Bank of Scotland and the
Edinburgh and Glasgow Bank, and an agency for the
Aberdeen Insurance-office, have been established. A
fair, chiefly for hiring harvest-workers, is held annually
at Midsummer, and a cattle- market monthly from April
to January. Whithorn was erected into a royal burgh
by charter of King Robert Bruce, which was confirmed
by charter of James IV. in 1571- The government is
vested in a provost, two bailies, and fifteen councillors.
There are no incorporated trades possessing exclusive
privileges, and every inhabitant is free to carry on trade
within the burgh ; no civil causes are brought before
the magistrates for decision, and their criminal jurisdic-
tion extends only to breaches of the peace. The town-
hall, situated on the west side of the principal street, is
a substantial structure with a tower and spire, and at-
tached to it is a gaol, used for temporary confinement.
This burgh is associated with New Galloway, Stranraer,
and Wigtown, in returning a member to the imperial
parliament.
The PARISH is bounded on the south by the Irish
Channel, and on the east by the bay of Wigtown. It is
about eight miles in extreme length, and varies from two
to five miles in breadth, comprising an area of 10,000
acres, of which the whole is arable, with the exception
of about 200 acres of meadow and a little waste. The
surface, though generally level, is marked by numerous
hillocks of various form and appearance, most of them
covered with briers and whin, which give to the parish
an aspect of sterility. There are three small burns,
each of which in its course sets in motion a barley and
corn mill. Of the numerous springs of water, one, on
the Isle of Whithorn, is slightly chalybeate. The several
lakes have been drained, and some of them brought
under tillage : of those lake-grounds which have not
been cultivated, some form peat-mosses, and others
produce great quantities of excellent marl. The coast,
which is more than nine miles in extent, is in parts
bold and rocky, especially towards Burrow Head, on the
south, where many of the rocks rise perpendicularly
from the sea to a height of 200 feet. Some of the rocks
are perforated with deep caverns ; and on the east are
several bays, whereof the principal are Port-Allan, Port-
Yarrock, and Isle-of-Whithorn, at which last is a com-
modious harbour.
In general the soil is fertile, in some parts a rich
vegetable mould resting upon rock ; it has been much
improved by a liberal use of extraordinary manures, for-
merly consisting of sea-shells and marl, and now of
bones and guano. The chief crops are, oats, bear,
barley, and turnips. Husbandry is making steady pro-
gress : a due rotation of crops is uniformly obs^crved ;
the farm-buildings are substantial, and roofed with slate,
and the lands mostly inclosed with stone dykes. The
cattle, once wholly of the Galloway breed, have since
the increase of dairy-farming been partly of the Ayr-
shire breed ; considerable numbers are fed on turnips
for the butcher, and sent by sea to Liverpool. The
plantations are gradually increasing in extent, and on
the lands of Custlewigg are some noble specimens of
oak, ash, beech, and firs. An attempt was at one time
unsuccessfully made to work coal ; and at Tondcrghie,
WHIT
WHIT
copper of rich quality was discovered by a mining com-
pany from Waits, but the works were afterwards dis-
continued. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £ 1 0,3 1 3. Castlewigg, the seat of Hugh H athorn,
Esq., is an ancient and venerable mansion, beautifully
situated in a richly-planted demesne, near the western
border of the parish ; and Tonderghie, near the southern
coast, the seat of Hugh D. Stewart, Esq., is a hand-
some modern mansion, commanding a fine view of the
English coast and the Isle of Man. The only village is
Isle-of- Whithorn, which is described below.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Wigtown and synod of Gal-
loway. The minister's stipend is about £'246, with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum ; patron,
the Crown. The church, erected on part of the site of
the priory in 1822, is a substantial structure containing
800 sittings : in the churchyard are the only remains of
the priory and cathedral, conveying but a faint idea of
the ancient grandeur of the buildings. There are places
of worship for members of the Free Church, the United
Presbyterian Church, Reformed Presbyterians, and Ro-
man Catholics. Of the two parochial schools, one is in
the burgh and the other at Isle-of-Whithorn : the master
of the burgh school has a salary of £39, with £6. 6. in
lieu of a dwelling-house ; and the other master a salary
of £19. 10. About half a mile west of the town are the
remains of a Roman camp, and numerous Roman coins
have been found near the priory, and in other parts of
the parish. On the shore are the ruins of several castles
and fortresses, supposed to have been built for the pro-
tection of the coast from the frequent incursions of the
Scandinavians, who made the Isle of Man their common
rendezvous in their predatory attacks on this part of the
country. Not long since, there was discovered in a
marl-pit on the estate of Castlewigg, the head of a urus,
which was sent to Sir Walter Scott, and is yet to be seen
over a door at Abbotsford.
WHITHORN, ISLE OF, a sea-port village, in the
parish of Whithorn, county of Wigtown, 2^ miles
(S. E.) from the town of Whithorn ; containing 495 inha-
bitants. This place is situated at the head of a small
bay in the south-eastern coast of the parish, and de-
rives its name from an island at the mouth of the
bay, on which are the ruins of an ancient church sup-
posed to have been the first place of Christian worship
erected in this part of Scotland. The island is less than
half a mile in length, and scarcely a quarter of a mile
broad ; it affords shelter from easterly winds to vessels
entering the bay, but is not distinguished by any par-
ticular features of importance. The village is princi-
pally inhabited by seamen and others employed in the
trade of the port, which consists chiefly in the exporta-
tion of cattle, sheep, and swine, grain, and other agri-
cultural produce ; and in the importation of coal and
lime from England, and various kinds of merchandise
for the supply of the district. Though narrow at the
entrance, the harbour has good accommodation for the
vessels employed in the coasting-trade. A commodious
pier was constructed towards the close of the last cen-
tury, by aid from the funds of the Convention of Royal
Burghs. Vessels sail weekly to Whitehaven and other
towns on the Enghsh coast ; and the Galloway steamers
call at this place occasionally on their passage to and
from Liverpool.
Vol. II.— 601
WHITSOME and HILTON, a parish, in the county
of Berwick ; containing 6'22 inhabitants, of whom
about 200 are in the village of Whitsome, 7 miles (N. by
E.) from Coldstream. These two ancient parishes, in
the eastern part of the county, were united in 1*3.5, after
the decay of the old church of Hilton, from the situation
of which upon an eminence that district derived its
name. The incumbents of both the parishes, together
with several of the clergy in the vicinity, swore fealty to
Edward I. of England, at Berwick, in 1296, upon which
occasion their parsonages were restored to them. In
1482, the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III.
of England, in his progress through the county of Ber-
wick, burnt this place, and laid waste many of the cir-
cumjacent lands. The united parish is about four miles
and a half in length and nearly two miles in breadth,
comprising an area of 4900 acres, of which 4720 are
arable and pasture, and ISO woodland and plantations :
there is no waste. Towards the north and east the sur-
face is generally even, but in other parts diversified with
rising grounds and hills, of which the highest has an
elevation of rather less than 3.50 feet above the level of
the sea. The only river is the Leet, a small stream
which, from its source near the northern boundary,
flows southward through the parish, and after receiving
various tributaries, falls into the Tweed at Coldstream.
The SOIL is fertile, and the lands are under excellent
cultivation ; the crops are, grain of every kind, potatoes,
and turnips, with the usual grasses. Great improve-
ment has taken place in the system of husbandry, and
considerable tracts of land previously unprofitable have
been drained and rendered productive. The farm-houses
are substantial, and on all the farms are threshing-mills,
five of them driven by steam ; the cottages of the la-
bourers, also, have in many instances been rebuilt in a
more comfortable style. The lands are inclosed with
hedges of thorn, kept in excellent order ; and all the
more recent improvements in the construction of agri-
cultural implements have been adopted. Few sheep or
cattle are reared in the parish ; such as are kept on the
pasture lands are generally purchased at the neighbour-
ing markets. The plantations include firs and various
kinds of forest-trees, which are all in a thriving state,
and contribute materially to the beauty of the scenery.
Sandstone and whinstone are the principal rocks, and
there are extensive quarries in operation : in 1824 and
1825 an attempt was made to work coal, and after
boring to a great depth, some seams were discovered,
but not sufficiently promising to warrant the opening of
a mine. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £7639. The village of Whitsome is situated nearly
in the centre of the parish, and adjoining it, on the east
and north, are two portions of the ancient common, used
for bleaching, and in each of which is a spring of pure
water. Facility of communication with Dunse, Berwick,
Coldstream, and other towns, is maintained by good
roads, and by bridges over the various streams.
Ecclesiastically this place is in the presbytery of
Chirnside, synod of Merse and Teviotdale. The minis-
ter's stipend is £233. 17. 11., with a manse, and the
glebes of Whitsome and Hilton, together containing
thirty acres, and valued at £60 per annum ; patron,
David Logan, Esq. The church, erected in 1803, is a
plain structure containing 260 sittings. The parochial
school, situated west of the village, is attended bv up-
4 H
WHIT
WHIT
wards of eighty or ninety children j the master has a
salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, arid the
fees average about £60 per annum. In a field on the
farm of Leetside, called the " Battle Knowes," are the
remains of a camp supposed to be of Roman origin. It
is of quadrilateral form, each side forty-two yards long,
with the entrance on the south-east, to which was an as-
cent by a causeway of rough stones lately removed. Near
the site, some workmen, draining a field in 18^7, disco-
vered a vessel of copper, now preserved in Blackadder
House ; and in the vicinity were found, more recently,
several stone coffins about four feet and a half in length,
each composed of six flags, and containing the remains
of a skeleton apparently of a person six feet in stature.
In each of the coffins was also an urn of unglazed pot-
tery, of triangular shape, containing black dust. While
draining some lands near Leetside in 1832, a well, in-
closed with hewn stone, was discovered at a considerable
depth below the surface of the ground. According to
tradition, there were some houses near the well, called
Temple Hall from their proprietors, the Knights Tem-
plars, who possessed lands in this parish.
WHITTINGHAM, a parish, in the county of Had-
dington, 3 miles (S. by E.) from Prestonkirk; contain-
ing 700 inhabitants, of whom 42 are in the village of
Whittingham. This place is supposed to have derived
its name, signifying in the Saxon language " the town
of the white meadow," from the colour of the soil. It
was in the fourteenth century the baronial residence of
the Earls of March, who held their courts here, and
whose descendant, Patrick, in 13fi3 granted to Sir
Alexander de Ricklington one-half of the lands of Spott,
forming part of their barony. In 1372 George, Earl
of March, gave in marriage with his sister Agnes, to
James Douglas of Dalkeith, the whole manor of Whit-
tingham, with the patronage of the chapel ; and it
remained in the possession of that family nearly two
centuries. In 1564 Mary, Queen of Scots, conferred
the manor and castle, the patronage of the church, and
all appurtenances, on James, Earl of Morton, the repre-
sentative of the Douglas family, which grant was ratified
by the Scottish parliament in 1567. Soon after receiv-
ing these lands, the earl was banished from his country
for the part he had taken in the murder of David Riz-
zio, and took refuge in England ; but having obtained
his pardon from the queen, he returned to Scotland,
and was restored to his possessions. It was not long,
however, before he again conspired against the laws ;
and entertaining the Earl of Bothwell at his castle of
Whittingham, he concerted with that nobleman the
murder of Darnley, the queen's consort, for which he
was tried at Edinburgh, found guilty, and executed,
having the night previous to his execution confessed his
guilt. The manor, like other portions of the earldom
which had been forfeited by the earl's attainder, was
restored to the family by James VI.; and it remained in
their possession till, by marriage of the daughter of Sir
Archibald Douglas, who succeeded her father as heiress
of Whittingham, the manor was conveyed to Lord Seton
of Kingstone. Ultimately, the Seton title becoming ex-
tinct, the ])roperty was vested in tiie last lord's sister,
Elizabeth Seton, who married the Honourable William
Hay of Drummelzier, by whose descendants the estate
was in 1817 sold to James Balfour, Esq., whose son, James
M. Balfour, Esq., succeeded him in 1845.
602
The PARISH is about eleven miles in length from north
to south, and about four miles in average breadth ; com-
prising 20,675 acres, of which 3958 are arable, 215
woodland and plantations, and the remainder pasture
and waste. Its surface is varied and irregular, abruptly
undulated, and rising into hills of considerable elevation.
The highest of these is Stoneypath hill, having near its
summit the remains of an ancient castle which form a
conspicuous feature in the landscape, and commanding
a rich and extensive prospect, embracing part of the
German Ocean, the island of May, the Bass Rock, the
Firth of Forth, the coast of Fife, and a large portion of
East and Mid Lothian. Of two fine streams that water
the lands, that called the Whittingham has its source in
the parish of Garvald, and after being augmented by the
Nunraw burn, flows along a beautiful and romantic
glen, between banks whose acclivities are embellished
with stately trees ; it falls into the sea atBelhaven. The
Whitadder has its source also in the parish of Garvald,
and after receiving some tributary streams in its course,
joins the Tweed within a few miles of Berwick. There
are numerous springs of excellent water, affording an
abundant supply.
The SOIL is various; in some parts light and sandy, in
others a sterile clay, and in some a rich and fertile loam:
the higher division of the parish comprises part of the
Lammermoor hills, in certain places arable, but generally
furnishing only pasturage. Crops are raised of wheat,
barley, oats, and turnips. On some farms the fences
are thorn hedges, and on others dykes of stone, both
kept in good order. The farm-buildings are substantial
and commodious, and all the recent improvements in
implements of husbandry have been adopted. In the
higher lands, among the Lammermoor hills, the farms
are very extensive ; and though on some of them, as
already observed, part of the soil is arable, they are
generally grazing land. About 6000 sheep are fed, which
produce on an average between 800 and 900 stone of
wool annually; and a few black-cattle are also reared.
The woods and plantations are chiefly around the man-
sion of the principal proprietor, and on the sloping banks
of the Whittingham water. In this parish the rocks
are mostly greywacke, of which the great range of
the Lammermoor hills is mainly composed, with granite
found in mass beneath, and red freestone of excellent
quality, which has been extensively quarried for building
and other purposes. Both iron and copper ores have
been met with on the banks of a stream in the Lammer-
moor district. Whittingham House is a llaudsome and
spacious mansion in the Grecian style tJf architecture,
pleasantly situated on the bank of the Whittingham
water, and commanding an extensive view of the sur-
rounding country and of the sea ; the grounds are
formed into walks and gardens tastefully laid out, and
the approaches to the demesne arc remarkably fine,
consisting of avenues of stately timber. The village
stands on an eminence having an elevation of about 360
feet above the level of the sea. It possesses facility of
communication with Haddington and Dunflii, the near-
est market-towns, by good roads, and also with the
other parts of the district by roads kept in excellent
order. In this parish the roads traverse more than
thirty miles in various directions within its limits. The
annual value of real property in the parish is returned
at £7339.
WICK
WICK
This district anciently consisted of the two chapelries
of Penshiel and Whittingham, both of them subordinate
to the church of Dunbar ; the former was appropriated
to the Lammermoors, and the latter to the lower district
of the parish, and each constituted the head of a prebend
in the church of Dunbar when it was made collegiate in
the year 134'2. The parish is in the presbytery of Dun-
bar, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the pa-
tronage of Mr. Balfour: the minister's stipend is £266.
12. I., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per an-
num. The church, situated on the north bank of the
Whittingham water, was built in 1722, and was put into
complete repair in 1820 ; it is adapted for a congregation
of 350 persons. The parochial school affords education
to about seventy-five scholars ; the master has a salary
of £34. 4. 4., with £30 fees, and a house and garden.
At Prieslaw, in the southern part of the parish, are the
remains of an encampment, of oval form, and nearly
700 yards in circumference. It is defended by three
ditches on the north side, and by four on the south.
These ditches are separated from each other by intervals
of about twelve yards, and the outer one is continued
round the whole area. There are some remains of the
ancient castle of Whittingham, part of which is in good
preservation, and still inhabited ; and also of Stoney-
path Tower, which was the property of James Douglas,
first Lord Dalkeith : it appears to have been strongly
fortified, and great part of the lofty walls are yet left.
Some slight remains exist of the old baronial mansion
of Penshiel, and of the ancient chapel, which was situ-
ated in a glen, near the house now called " Chapel
Haugh." At Papple, also, about twenty feet of one of
the walls of a religious house are still remaining; but
nothing is known either of its original foundation or of
its history.
WIA, an isle, in the parish of Barra, county of
Inverness. This is a small isle of the Hebrides, and is
uninhabited.
WIA, an isle, in the parish of South Uist, county
of Inverness. It lies on the south-east of the island of
Benbecula, from which it is separated by a very narrow
channel called the Sound of Wia, where is a small and
safe harbour. The isle is about two miles in length and
one mile and a quarter in breadth, and is much indented
on every side. Its rocks, like those of nearly all the
islands in this quarter, are wholly gneiss.
WICK, a royal burgh,
the county town, and a
parish, in the county of
Caithness; the parish con-
taining, with the town of
Wick proper, Pulteney-Town
, adjoining, and the villages of
Sarclet, Staxigoe, Reiss, and
I Ackergill, 10,393 inhabitants,
of whom 1333 are in Wick
proper, 16 miles (S. by E.)
from Canisbay, 2O5 (S. E. by
E.) from Thurso, and 276 (N.)
from Edinburgh. This place, the name of which signi-
fies in the Celtic language a village or small town on an
arm of the sea, appears to have been originally inhabited
by a Celtic tribe, who at a very early period fell under
the power of the Picts, of whose settlement in this part
of the kingdom, many ancient monuments are still re-
603
h Seal.
maining. The Norwegians under Sigard, brother of
Ronald, to whom Harold had granted the Orkneys,
eventually obtained possession also of Caithness, Suther-
land, and Ross, which continued to be governed by a
succession of Norwegian carls for many generations.
About the year 1330, that part of Caithness which in-
cludes the parish of Wick belonged to the family of
Cheyne, of whom the last male heir. Sir Reginald de
Cheyne, dying in 13.50, was succeeded by his two daugh-
ters, who by marriage conveyed the lands to the Sin-
dairs, Sutherlands, and Keiths. In 1464, a feud arising
between the clan of Gun, who held lands here, and the
Keiths, a sanguinary conflict took place on the moors of
Tannach, in this parish, in which the former were de-
feated : and above a century afterwards, in 1588, the
Earl of Sutherland in revenge for the slaughter of some
of his dependents by the Sinclairs, Earls of Caithness,
made an inroad into the territories of the latter, burnt
the town of Wick, laid siege to their baronial castle of
Girnigoe, and after a fruitless endeavour to reduce it,
wasted the adjacent district. The lands in this parish
belonging to the Earls of Caithness were sold in 16*2,
by his grandson, to the lord of Glenorchy, who, having
thus become proprietor of the greater part of Wick,
married the countess, and assumed the title of Earl of
Caithness. To vindicate his claim to this honour, which
was disputed by Sinclair of Keiss, Glenorchy raised a
considerable force ; and Sinclair, with a band of 400 of
his adherents, took post in the town of Wick, to inter-
cept his progress to Keiss. A battle now occurred, in
which Sinclair was defeated ; but notwithstanding, his
right was subsequently acknowledged, and Glenorchy, to
compensate his disappointment, was created Baron of
Wick. The baron did not, however, long retain his
lands here ; for in the year 1690, dividing the estate
into numerous portions, he sold them to as many pro-
prietors ; and Sir George Dunbar, of Hempriggs, is now
the principal landowner.
The TOWN is situated at the head of the bay of Wick
in the Moray Firth, on the north side of the river Wick,
over which is a handsome bridge connecting the town
with the populous district of Pulteney-Town. Its streets
are irregularly formed, and the houses but indifferently
built ; the place is, however, lighted with gas from
works erected in 1S40, and the inliabitants expect to be
soon amply supplied with water. A subscription library,
established in 1826, now forms a collection of more than
1600 volumes; and there are reading-rooms in Pulteney-
Town and Wick, the former established in the year 1829
and the latter in 1840, both well supplied with public
journals, and supported by subscription. The weekly
paper called the John O'Groat Journal is also published
here. Among the principal manufactures carried on
are, the making of ropes and cordage, for which there
are four establishments employing about eighty men ;
and the building of ships, one or two of which are
always on the stocks, occupying about fifty men. There
are also twelve yards for boat-building; nearly 100
boats are annually launched for the fisheries, and from
seventy to eighty persons are engaged in the yards.
Here are a distillery and brewery, a meal and barley
mill, and four saw-mills, three of them driven by steam ;
an iron-foundry has been established in Pulteney-Town,
and about sixty men are employed in preparing paving-
stones for exportation. The females are much occupied
4 H2
WICK
WICK
in spinning yarn, and making it into nets for the herring-
fishery ; for which fishery, also, nearly 300 coopers are
constantly employed. The post-office has a daily de-
livery ; and the revenue, previously to the reduction of
the postage, averaged £1200 a year. A branch of the
Commercial Bank has been established, and a handsome
building of freestone with an Ionic portico erected for
its use : there is also a branch of the Aberdeen Town and
County Bank. The market, which is abundantly sup-
plied, is on Friday. Fairs for cattle are held at Kilmin-
ster on the first Tuesday in March; at Wick on the first
Tuesday after Palm Sunday, also in the month of June,
and about the end of November ; and at Hill of Wick
on the Tuesday after the SOth of July. Facility of inter-
course is afforded by good roads, which pass for many
miles through the parish; and a steam-boat plies weekly,
from March till November, between Lerwick, Kirkwall,
Wick, Aberdeen, and Leith, for goods and passengers.
The trade of the port was early carried on upon a
tolerable scale ; and in 1.588, when the Earl of Suther-
land burnt the town, it is recorded that he plundered a
ship belonging to one of the merchants of the place.
In 1843 the number of vessels registered as belonging
to the port was thirty-five, of the aggregate burthen of
2529 tons ; and the tonnage of the vessels that touch
here averages in the aggregate about 30,000 annually :
the customs in the year 1S43 amounted to £824. There
is a chamber of commerce in the town. The original
harbour, at the mouth of the river Wick, in the bay,
was accessible only to vessels of very small burthen ;
and in 1810 a harbour was consequently constructed by
the British Society for extending the Fisheries and
improving the Sea-coasts of the kingdom, at a cost of
£14,000, towards which £8500 were granted by govern-
ment. This was capable of receiving 100 vessels of
considerable size ; but from the great increase of the
fishery, subsequent to the erection of Pulteney-Town by
that company, a more capacious harbour was formed, at
an expense of £40,000. In 1844 the society obtained
an act of parliament for further extending the harbour
of Pulteney-Town. There are also small harbours at
the villages of Sarclet, Broadhaven, and Staxigoe. A
salmon-fishery is conducted in the bay and river of
Wick, and about 150 men are generally engaged through-
out the year in the white-fishery off the coast. The
principal trade arises from the herring-fishery, which
was first established here in I767, by two or three indi-
viduals who fitted out two sloops for the purpose. In
1808, the British Society granted portions of land in per-
petual feus, on low terms, for the encouragement of the
fishery, which since that time has rapidly increased,
and is now carried on to a vast extent, affording em-
ployment to nearly 8000 persons during the season.
The season usually commences about the middle of
July, and continues till the end of September. About
900 boats are engaged, and the average quantity of fish
is 88,500 barrels, of which 63,500 are of fish cured for
exportation, chiefly to Ireland and the Baltic, to the
former country 50,000, to the latter 5000 ; the remainder
is either consumed at home, or sent coastwise. On the
19fh of August, 1848, during a heavy gale of wind, thirty
herring-boats were lost, and thirty-seven fishermen were
dnjwned, in attempting to make Wick harbour, to which
they belonged. The custom-house for the district has
been removed from Thurso to this town.
604
The town was erected into a royal burgh by charter
of James VI. in 1589; and in 1828, the courts of the
sheriff, previously held at Thurso, were removed to this
place as the county town. The government of the burgh
is vested in a provost, two bailies, a treasurer, a dean of
guild, and seven councillors. There are no incorporated
trades. The fee for admission as a burgess, originally
£8. 8. for a stranger, and half that sum for the son or
son-in-law of a burgess, has since been reduced to £4. 4.
In the session of 1844, an act of parliament was passed,
conferring the requisite powers for enforcing police regu-
lations in Pulteney-Town, and for supplying it with
water. The town and county hall is a neat building of
stone, with a campanile turret terminating in a cupola
and dome ; the hall is a well-proportioned apartment,
and its walls are hung with portraits of the late Earl of
Caithness, the late Sir John Sinclair, of Ulbster, the late
James Traill, Esq., of Ratter, sheriff-depute of Caithness,
and Kenneth Macleay, Esq. The town-house and gaol
were erected in 1828, at an expense of £2000, of which
the greater part was paid by the burgh : the gaol is
sufficient both for the burgh and the county ; it is well
ventilated, with the advantage of airing-yards, and is
visited by a chaplain who has a salary of £20 per an-
num. This burgh, with the burghs of Kirkwall, Dor-
noch, Tain, Dingwall, and, since the passing of the Re-
form act, Cromarty, returns a member to the imperial
parliament : the number of voters within the boundary
is 364.
The parish Is bounded on the east by the Moray
Firth, and is about sixteen miles in extreme length from
north to south, and about six miles in average breadth,
comprising an area of above 60,000 acres, of which
about a fourth is arable land, and the remainder rough
pasture, moss, and waste. Its surface is generally flat,
with a gradual slope in some parts. From the bay of
Wick, the vale of Stircoke extends in a western direc-
tion for nearly nine miles to the lake of Watten, with-
out attaining an elevation of more than sixty feet above
the level of the sea. About half a mile above the town
commences a similar valley, stretching in a southern
direction, almost parallel with the coast, and at its
southern extremity rising to a moderate height ; while
on the north-west, a third valley, in which is the deep
and extensive moss of Kilminster, separates the parish
from that of Bower. The only rising grounds that can
be called hills are the heights of Yarrow and Canister,
towards the south-west. The coast is indented with
numerous bays, which make it about twenty-six miles in
extent ; and presents a great variety of features. To the
north it is rocky : thence the land slopes by degrees to
the bay of Keiss, the shores of which are low, and
formed of flinty sand ; and to the south of this e.xten-
sive bay is the boldly-projecting promontory called
Noss Head, on which are the ancient castles of Sinclair
and Girnigoe. Between this and Broadhaven is the
small bay or harbour of Staxigoe. Between Broadhaven
and the bay of Wick is the headland of Proudfoot, con-
stituting the northern boundary of the bay, of rugged
and precipitous aspect ; and on the south of the bay is
a projecting rock between two immense chasms, on
which arc the remains of the tower of Auld Wick, form-
ing an excellent landmark to mariners. Still further to
the south are the fishing-haven of Hempriggs, and the
harbour of Sarclet.
WICK
WIER
There are several lakes in the parish. The principal
in the north are, Loch Wester, within less than a mile of
Keiss bay, about a mile long and less than half a mile
wide, and from which an outlet flows into the bay ; Loch
Noss, on the promontory of Noss Head, and which, not-
withstanding its elevation and the absence of any inlets,
is seldom dry ; and Loch Kilminster, in the centre of the
moss of that name, about three-quarters of a mile in
breadth. To the south of the last is Loch Ifinless, con-
nected with it by a rivulet which eventually flows into
the river Wick. In the southern part of the parish are.
Loch Dhu, three-quarters of a mile in circumference ;
Loch Hempriggs, about a mile in length and half a mile
in breadth, from which an outlet is cut into Pulteney-
Town ; Loch Yarrow ; and Loch Sarclet. The principal
river is the Wick, which issues from Loch Watten, in
the parish of Watten, and, flowing through the rich and
fertile valley of Stircoke, after receiving various tributary
streams, falls into the bay of Wick. The scenery of the
parish, with the exception of a few pleasing spots near
the mouth of the river, is uninteresting.
The SOIL is various ; in some parts light and sandy,
in others a rich loam, but for the greater part a stiff
clay. Agriculture previously to 1790 was in a most
neglected state ; the lands were in the hands of middle-
men, by whom they were sublet in small portions, and
at extravagant rents, to tenants utterly incapable of
managing them with profit. Sir Benjamin Dunbar,
however, who succeeded his father in 1782, entirely
changed the system, divided his lands into commodious
farms, and let them to tenants at a moderate rent on
lease ; since which, a rapid and effectual improvement
has taken place. Lands have been drained and inclosed ;
the farm buildings are substantial and commodious, and
all the more recent improvements in implements of hus-
bandry have been adopted. Crops are raised of grain,
of turnips, and different grasses. The cattle are of the
pure Highland breed, and a cross with the short-horned ;
and the sheep generally of the Cheviot, with a few of a
cross between that and the Leicester breed. There is
very little natural wood. Plantations have been made
to a considerable extent around the houses of pro-
prietors ; but with the exception of the elder-trees, to
which the soil appears favourable, they are not in a
thriving state. The rocks are chiefly of greywacke,
grey wacke- slate, sandstone of various colours, lime-
stone, and flagstone : stone is extensively quarried ; and
the flagstone, after being dressed for pavement, is ex-
ported in large quantities. Veins of iron, lead, and
copper ore have been discovered in some places. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £17,028.
Hempriggs House, the seat of Lady Duffus, and of con-
siderable antiquity, is a spacious and handsome man-
sion, finely situated, and surrounded with plantations.
Ackergill Tower, the seat of Sir George Dunbar, Bart.,
anciently the baronial castle of the Keiths, stands on the
southern shore of Keiss bay, and is a noble rectangular
structure, eighty-two feet in height, and the walls of
which, crowned with battlements, are thirteen feet in
thickness. The whole edifice, though bearing the hoar
of antiquity, is in a state of entire preservation. Stir-
coke House, the seat of William Home, Esq., of Scou-
thel ; Thrumster House, the seat of Robert Innes, Esq. ;
and Rosebank, the seat of Kenneth Macleay, Esq., of
Keiss, are also good mansions.
605
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes this place is within the
limits of the presbytery of Caithness, synod of Caithness
and Sutherland. The minister's stipend is £232. 1. 8.
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £50 per annum ;
patron. Sir George Dunbar. Wick church, erected in
1S30, is a spacious structure of blue stone with dress-
ings of freestone, in the early English style of architec-
ture, with a spire, and contains 1981 sittings, including
146 on forms : it is conveniently situated at the western
extremity of the town. A church was built by govern-
ment near the bay of Keiss, at an expense of £1500,
in 1827 ; and in 1833 a quoad sacra parish was assigned
to it : the minister has a stipend of £120, and a manse,
by endowment of government. There are places of
worship for members of the Free Church, the United
Presbyterian Church, Reformed Presbyterians, Baptists,
Independents, Original Seceders, and Wesleyans ; and
during the fishing-season, a Roman Catholic chapel is
open for strangers, chiefly from Ireland. The parochial
school is numerously attended ; the master has a salary
of £34. 4. 4., and the fees average about £50 or £60
per annum. There are schools at Keiss, Noss, and
Ulbster, each of which is endowed with £7. 10. from a
bequest by the Rev. William Hallowell, to which an
equal sum is added by the Society for Propagating
Christian Knowledge. Schools are likewise held at
Thrumster and Stircoke, for which the proprietors have
built houses, and have given endowments in land to the
masters, to whom, also, salaries of £25 each are paid by
the General Assembly. At Pulteney-Town is a school
supported by the British Society for extending the
Fisheries and improving the Sea-coasts of the Kingdom.
There are numerous Sabbath schools in the parish, and
also many private schools.
Among the various monuments of antiquity are, the
ruins of Picts' houses scattered throughout the parish,
and the ruins of two ancient castles called Linglass,
with which it is said a village was connected ; they are
both of conical form, and are said to have been destroyed
by fire. At Ulbster is an upright stone, inscribed with
illegible characters, supposed to have been erected to
the memory of a Danish princess, married to the foun-
der of the clan Gun, and wrecked on her arrival at
Caithness. Along the coast are the remains of the
baronial castles of Auld Wick, Girnigoe, Sinclair, and
Keiss. In the churchyard, and opposite to the door
of the parish church, are the roofless walls of Sinclair's
aisle, part of the ancient church of St. Fergus, in which
was deposited the heart, cased in lead, of George, fifth
Earl of Caithness, whose body was interred in the church
of St. Giles at Edinburgh. There are also still some
remains of several places of worship thought to have
been originally built by the Culdees. The parish of
Wick confers the title of Baron on the Marquess of
Breadalbane.
WIER, an island, in the parish of Rotjsay and
Eagleshay, county of Orkney ; containing 96 inhabit-
ants. This is a small low island, divided from that of
Rousay, on the south-east side, by the narrow channel
of Wier Sound ; it is about two miles in length and one
in breadth. The isle has a productive soil, but the cul-
tivation is indifferent. There are some ruins of a church ;
and at a little distance from them, on an eminence, are
those of a castle, built about the middle of the twelfth
century.
WIGT
WI G T
Biiri'h Seal.
WIGTOWN, or WIG-
TON, a royal burgh, a sea-
port, the county town, and
a parish, in the county of
Wigtown or Wigton, 105
miles (S. W. by S.) from Edin-
burgh ; containing, with the
village of Bladnoch, 2562 in-
habitants, of whom 1972 are
in the town. This place is
supposed to have been long
occupied by the Saxons, who
in the 7 th or 8th century
made themselves masters of this part of the country,
and from whom the town is said to have derived its
name, in the Saxon language descriptive of its situation
on a hill. The ancient castle founded by that people,
and of which slight traces of the fosse are still discerni-
ble on the side of the hill, subsequently became a resi-
dence of the kings of Scotland ; and during the dis-
puted succession to the Scottish throne it was delivered
into the custody of Edward I. of England, who ulti-
mately restored it to John Baliol, whom he appointed
successor to the crown. In 1206, a convent for Domini-
can monks was founded here by Devorgilla, daughter of
Alan, Lord of Galloway, and mother of Baliol, King of
Scotland. It was endowed with land by Alexander III. ;
with a grant of the fishery of Bladnoch and Cree by
James III. ; and with other possessions by James IV.,
who generally lodged here while on his pilgrimages to
the shrine of St. Ninian at Whithorn ; and also by
James V. The convent was situated on an abrupt ridge
south-eastward of the town, overlooking the bay of
Wigtown ; but no traces of the buildings can be now
discovered, though, within the last century, human bones
and various sepulchral remains have been dug up on the
ground supposed to have been its cemetery. Many of
the lands of this district have long formed part of the
possessions of the Earls of Galloway.
The TOWN is beautifully situated upon an eminence
rising to an elevation of 200 feet above the level of the
sea, and consists of several regular and well-formed
streets. Of these the principal street is very spacious,
and has in the centre a quadrangular area inclosed by
an iron palisade, at one extremity of which is the town-
hall, and at the other a market-cross, a Gothic column
of hewn granite, erected in 181 6. The inclosure is laid
nut in gravel walks shaded with shrubberies and ever-
greens, surrounding a bowling-green in the middle ;
and at one end is a verdant mound formed into terraces.
The houses, some of which are ancient, are generally
well-built ; and of late years many handsome houses
have been erected, giving to the town a pleasing and
prepossessing appearance. Assemblies are held in a
suite of rooms in the town-hall, in which, also, is a pub-
lic library, supported by subscription. The environs
abound with varied scenery ; the sands on the shore of
the bay are dry at low water, and afford an agreeable
promenade. No manufactures are carried on ; the
trades are such only as are requisite for the sujjply of
the town and neighbourhood. In the village of Blad-
noch, however, about a mile distant, is an extensive
distillery. The maritime business consists chiefly in
the exportation of grain, potatoes, and other agricul-
tural produce. Wigtown harbour, which is about a
606
quarter of a mile from the town, is accessible to vessels
of 300 tons ; and the jurisdiction of the port extends
over all the creeks on the coast of the county, from the
Mull of Galloway to the mouth of the river Dee. In 1843
and 1844 the harbour dues were let by public auction
for £55 each year ; but owing to the increase of shipping
and trade, they were let in 1845 at £107. There are
a custom-house, a post-office, and branches of the Edin-
burgh and Glasgow Bank and the British Linen Com-
pany. Facility of communication is afforded by good
roads ; and two steam-packets for goods and passengers
ply between this place and Liverpool every week in the
year. The market is well supplied with provisions.
Insignificant fairs are held on the first Friday in Feb-
ruary, the first Monday in April, the 17th of June, and
the last Fridays in August and October ; O. S.
This place was erected into a royal burgh by char-
ter of David II. in 1341, granted to Malcolm Fleming;
and that personage, who had been guardian and pre-
ceptor to the infant monarch, was created Earl of Wig-
town ; which title became dormant, or extinct, on the
decease of Charles, Earl of W^igtown, in the year 1747.
The original charter having been destroyed, was renewed
by James II. in 1457, and confirmed and extended by
Charles II. in 1661. The government is vested in a
provost, two bailies, and fifteen councillors. There are
no incorporated trades, nor are any exclusive privileges
enjoyed by the burgesses. The magistrates exercise
both civil and criminal jurisdiction within the royalty ;
but the former has become very inconsiderable since
the establishment of the sheriff's small-debt courts ;
and the cases of the latter, chiefly petty misdemeanors,
are very few. The revenue of the burgh is about £470
a year. Wigtown is associated with New Galloway,
Stranraer, and Whithorn, in returning a member to the
imperial parliament. The town-hall is a spacious build-
ing with a lofty tower, and contains, besides the court-
room, the assembly-room and library already noticed.
The PARISH is bounded on the east by Wigtown bay,
and on the south by the river Bladnoch. It is almost
si.x miles in length, and about four miles in breadth,
comprising by estimation an area of nearly 7000 acres.
Of this area, about 3000 acres are arable, 2000 pasture,
and the remainder plantation, moorland, and moss. The
surface is greatly diversified ; in the north-east, gene-
rally flat, and bearing every appearance of having been
once covered by the sea ; on the north-west, chiefly ex-
tensive and level tracts of moor and moss ; and on the
south, interspersed with hills that are arable and in
good cultivation. The principal river is the Bladnoch, on
which there is a salmon-fishery ; and a stream called
the Bishop's burn flows along the north-eastern boun-
dary of the parish into the Firth of Cree, in Wigtown
bay. The soil is various, in some parts a dry, light,
and fertile mould, and in others less productive ; the
crops are wheat, barley, bear, oats, beans, potatoes, and
turnips, with the different grasses. Agriculture has of
late greatly improved ; the lands have been mostly
drained and inclosed, and several tracts of waste have
been brought into ])r(>fitable cultivation. In this district
the substrata arc chiefly greywacke and greywacke-slate.
The annual value of real property is £61 88.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the piirish is within
the limits of the presbytery of Wigtown, of which this
is the seat, and the synod of Galloway. The minister's
WIGT
WIGT
stipend is £272, with an allowance of £30 in lieu of
manse, and a glebe valued at £24 per annum ; patron,
the Earl of Galloway. The church, situated in a beau-
tifully retired spot at the eastern extremity of the town,
is a very ancient structure, but from frequent alterations
and repairs retains little of its original character; it
has 660 sittings. There are places of worship for mem-
bers of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian
Church. Three schools are under the patronage of the
corporation. One of them is the parochial and burgh
grammar-school, conducted by a master who receives a
salary of £24, a sum of £10 allowed for an assistant, and
a parochial salary of £11. 2. 3., the two first amounts
being paid by the corporation ; the two other schools
are for girls, and the mistresses respectively receive
salaries of £12 and £10 a year from the burgh funds.
The grammar-school, for which a spacious new building
was erected in 1845, is attended by from 120 to 150
pupils. There are Sabbath schools, in which about
300 children are taught ; and the poor have the interest
of bequests producing £18 per annum. The principal
relics of antiquity are, a circle of nineteen upright stones
surrounding three of loftier elevation, called the tomb
of Galdus, King of Scots ; and several cairns, supposed
to have been raised over the bodies of the slain in some
battle fought near the spot.
WIGTOWNSHIRE, a maritime county, in the south-
west of Scotland, bounded on the north by Ayrshire ;
on the east by the stewartry or county of Kirkcudbright
and by Wigtown bay ; and on the south and west by the
Irish Sea. It lies between 54° 38' and 56° 5' (N. Lat.)
and 4° 16' and 5° 7' (W. Long.), and is about 32 miles
in length and 29 miles in extreme breadth ; comprising an
area of nearly 4S0 square miles, or 305,000 acres ; 7711
houses, of which 7440 are inhabited ; and containing a
population of 39,195, of whom 18,290 are males and
20,905 females. This county, which forms the western
portion of the ancient district of Galloway, appears to
have derived its name from the situation of its chief, or
perhaps at that time its only, town, on an eminence
whose base was washed by the sea. At the period of
the Roman invasion of Britain, it was inhabited by the
Celtic tribe of the Novantes, who seem to have in a great
measure maintained their independence against the at-
tempts of the Romans to reduce them to sul)jection.
On the departure of the Romans, the province became
part of the territories of the Northumbrian kings, under
whose government it remained till the commencement
of the ninth century, when it fell into the power of the
Picts, who continued, for a considerable time after the
union of the two kingdoms by Kenneth II., to exercise a
kind of sovereign authority in this part of Scotland. But
amid all these changes, the original Celtic inhabitants
retained their ancient customs, and preserved that
natural impetuosity of character and indomitable spirit
which caused them to be known as the " wild Scots of
Galloway ". From their heroic valour, they obtained
from the Scottish monarchs the privilege of forming the
van in every engagement at which they might be present;
and under their own independent lord, who was killed in
the conflict, they highly distinguished themselves at the
battle of the Standard in the reign of David I. The last
of the lords of Galloway was Allan, whose grandson,
John Baliol, succeeded to the Scottish throne on the
death of Alexander III. After the decease of Robert
607
Bruce, the county of Wigtown, with the title of Earl, was
conferred by David II. on Sir Malcolm Fleming, from
whose family the lands passed to the Douglases, by whom
they were held till their forfeiture in 1453, after which
they were divided among various families, the Agnews
being created heritable sheriffs.
Previously to the abolition of episcopacy, the county
was included in the diocese of Galloway ; it is now in the
synod of Galloway, and comprises the presbyteries of
Wigtown and Stranraer, and seventeen parishes. For
civil purposes the county is under the jurisdiction of a
sheriff-depute, by whom a sheriff-substitute is appointed,
who resides at Wigtown, the county-town, where quarter-
sessions are held in March, May, and October, and the
sheriff's court every Tuesday. A court of quarter-session
is held at Glenluce on the first Tuesday in August ; and
sheriiTs courts for small debts are holden at Stranraer
every alternate month, and at Newton-Stewart and Whit-
horn every three months. The county contains the
three royal burghs of Wigtown, Stranraer, and Whit-
horn ; the burghs-of-barony of Newton-Stewart, Garlies-
town, Glenluce, and Portpatrick ; and several small
ports and thriving villages. Under the act of the 2nd
of William IV., the shire returns one member to the
imperial parliament.
The SURFACE, though generally level, is diversified
with numerous hills, some few of which attain a con-
siderable degree of elevation. The coast is deeply in-
dented with bays. That of Wigtown, on the south-east,
partly separates the county from the stewartry of Kirk-
cudbright ; and the bay of Luce on the south, and Loch
Ryan on the north-west, divide the western portion of it
into the two peninsulas called the Rhynns of Galloway.
Of the several rivers, the principal is the Cree, which has
its rise on the confines of Ayrshire, and taking a south-
eastern course, partly separates the county from the
stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and falls into Wigtown bay;
it abounds with salmon, and is navigable for several
miles. The river Bladnoch rises in the district of Car-
rick, in the south of Ayrshire, and after a southern
course of several miles through the county of Wigtown,
falls into Wigtown bay. The small river Poltanton, or
Piltanton, after a short course flows into Luce bay.
There are various less important streams ; and of the
numerous inland lakes, which are generally of but small
extent, the most interesting, from the beauty of the
surrounding scenery, are those of Castle-Kennedy and
Soulseat, in the parish of Inch. The woods, with which
the county appears to have fornnerly abounded, have
almost entirely disappeared ; but of late years, the de-
ficiency has been supplied by plantations, which succeed
well. Scotch fir and oak thrive with care, and also
spruce and silver firs under the protection of the pinas-
ter introduced by the Earl of Galloway ; but the most
luxuriant trees are the beech, ash, elm, sycamore, birch,
alder, plane, and larch, for which the land seems pecu-
liarly favourable.
The SOIL is generally a shallow hazel loam resting on
a gravelly bottom, with large tracts of moss and moor
occurring in several places, and considerable portions of
fine pasture ; the richest land is near the coasts. On
the shores of Wigtown and Luce bays are extensive
breadths of sands, at low water. Agriculture has been
gradually improving, and the rotation plan is prevalent ;
the chief crops are oats, barley, turnips, and potatoes.
WIGT
WILS
The farms mostly vary from 300 to 700 acres, but some
few are nearly 1500 acres in extent : the farm-buildings,
formerly of very inferior character, have been much im-
proved. The principal manures are lime, marl, sea-
shell, and sea-weed, of which last abundance is found
on the coast. In many parts the lands have been
drained and inclosed, on the sheep-farms principally
with stone dykes, and on the arable lands with hedges
of thorn ; and under the auspices of the Earl of Gallo-
way and others, the various agricultural improvements
that originated in the county of Dumfries, have been
adopted almost to their full extent in this part of the
country. Considerable attention is paid to the rearing
of live-stock. The cattle are of the native breed, hardy,
compact, and well-proportioned ; and great numbers of
them, both fat and lean, are sent to the southern
markets. In general the sheep are of the black-faced
breed ; but a small kind of the white-faced, supposed to
be of Spanish origin, is reared, and also some of the
Linton, Teeswater, and Northumberland breeds : large
numbers of sheep are pastured on the moorlands, in
flocks of from 10,000 to 15,000. The horses, being of
the true Galloway breed, are much esteemed ; and large
numbers of swine are fed, forming not only a profitable
stock for home consumption, but also for exportation,
not less than from 15,000 to 20,000 being annually
shipped.
The principal rocks are schistus whinstone, sand-
stone, clay-slate, and, in some places, greenstone, por-
phyry, and the basaltic formation. Iron-ore is under-
stood to be abundant, but from the want of coal it is
unavailable ; and there are indications of copper-ore in
the vicinity of Whithorn. The seats within the county
are Galloway House, Craighlaw, Dunskey, Ardwell
House, Dunragget, Balgreggan, Kildrochet, Glasserton,
Monreith, Lothnaw Castle, Barnbarroch House, Pen-
ninghame House, Merton Hall, Corswall House, Physgill,
Corsbie, and Logan, with various others. From the
scarcity of fuel, the manufactures are very inconsiderable.
The principal public works are distilleries. Flax-spinning
for domestic use, and weaving by hand-looms for the
supply of the district, are carried on to a moderate ex-
tent ; and a portion of the females are employed in
embroidering muslin. The chief trade consists in the
fisheries off the coast, which are very extensive, and for
which the numerous bays afford ample accommodation ;
and in the exportation of grain and other agricultural
produce, black-cattle, sheep, swine, and wool, in the con-
veyance of which a considerable number of vessels are
employed. Facility of communication throughout the
interior is maintained by good roads in various direc-
tions ; and of the steam-boats that frequent the ports,
one plies between Portpatrick and Doniighadce on the
opposite coast of Ireland. The annual value of real pro-
perty in the county is £135,40", of which £1'24,S07 are
returned for lauds, £10,06'i for houses, £507 for fishe-
ries, and £31 for quarries. Among the antiquities are,
some Druidical remains at Torhouse, where is a circle of
nineteen stones of unhewn granite ; similar relics at Glen-
tarra; numerous ruins of castles, of which those of Sorbie
are beautifully picturesque ; cairns, tumuli, encampments,
and relics of Roman anticpiity ; the remains of the abbey
of Luce, of which the chapter-house is still entire ; and
the ruins of ancient chapelb and some other religious
houses.
608 I
WILKISTON, a village, in the parish of Kirknew-
TON, cou.ity of Edinburgh, If mile (E. by S.) from the
village of Kirknewton ; containing 81 inhabitants. This
is a small place, lying in the eastern part of the parish,
and on the north side of the Glasgow road, near the
ninth milestone from Edinburgh.
WILSONTOWN, a manufacturing village, in the
parish of Carnwath, Upper ward of the county of
Lanark, S^ miles (N. E. by N.) from Lanark ; contain-
ing, according to the census of 1841, 113 inhabitants.
This place owes its origin to the abundance of mineral
wealth in that district of the parish in which it is situ-
ated, and to the establishment of iron-works in the year
1779 by Messrs. Wilson, of London, from whom it
derived its name. The existence of coal and ironstone
in the parish, which rendered it so peculiarly favourable
for the enterprise, induced these gentlemen to erect
works for the manufacture of pig-iron ; and the success
with which the design was attended, led to the raising
of another furnace in 1/87. On the erection of a steam-
engine to draw otf the water from the mines, a much
greater facility of access was afforded to an almost inex-
haustible field of coal, which mineral had been pre-
viously obtained with difficulty ; and the works were
consequently extended, and carried on with increased
activity. An additional furnace was erected, with blow-
ing engines of larger power ; and in addition to the
making of pig-iron, great quantities of ballast for ships,
shots of from four to eighteen pounders, and pipes of
various kinds, were manufactured. In 1790 an extensive
forge for making blooms was erected, and the works were
progressively increasing in importance ; but a misun-
derstanding taking place the following year among
the partners, the establishment was totally suspended for
a considerable time, and lastly sold under an order oi
the court of session in 1798. Mr. John Wilson, the
senior partner in the firm, became the purchaser; and
the works were again brought into active operation, with
additions. A rolling and slitting mill was erected, and
also an additional blowing engine of greater power ; new
hammers were set in motion in the forge ; and the
weekly produce of the works, which previously had been
only about twenty tons, was now increased to forty tons,
of manufactured iron. The village grew up for the ac-
commodation of the persons employed in these extensive
works, which at that time, including carpenters, engi-
neers, and millwrights, afforded constant employment to
2000 persons, whose monthly receipts for wages ex-
ceeded £3000. In 1808, however, from the great de-
jiression in the price of iron, the works began to decline;
and in 1812 they were wholly abandoned, and the manu-
facturing population of the district bereft of employment.
In this state the establishment continued till the year
1821, when the works were purchased by Mr. Uixon, of
the Calder iron-factory, by whose son, Mr. William
Dixon, the present proprietor, they were again brought
into operation. An act for the formation of a railway,
called the Wilsontown, Morningsidc, and Croftness rail-
way, was passed in June, 1841. The line extends from
the south terminus of tiie Wishaw and Coltness railway
to the turnpike-road from Whitburn to Wilsontown, and
was opened throughout, both for minerals and passen-
gers, in June, 1845. Acts of parliament for several
branches, including a branch of about nine miles to the
Caledonian railway, were passed in 1846, and in 1S49
WILT
WIND
an act transferring the line to the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow railway company. The Caledonian railway has a
branch of nearly three miles to Wilsontown. There is
a chapel in the village, for the accommodation of the
people employed in the iron-works.
WILTON, a parish, in the district of Hawick, county
of Roxburgh ; containing, with the hamlets of Apple-
tree-Hall and Dean, 1 867 inhabitants. This place, whose
name in ancient records is written Walltown and IVillls-
town, is of uncertain origin ; and little worthy of his-
torical notice occurs in respect to the parish, which may
be regarded as a suburban district to the town of
Hawick, the village of Wilton being completely identified
with that town. The parish is situated on the river
Teviot, along the banks of which it extends for nearly
five miles ; it is about three miles and a half in breadth,
and comprises an area of seventeen and a half square
miles. Wilton is bounded on the north by the parishes
of Minto and LiHiesleaf, on the east by Cavers, on the
south by Hawick, and on the west by the parishes of
Ashkirk and Roberton. About two-thirds of the land
are under tillage and the remainder in pasture, with the
exception of about 100 acres of woodland. The land
is of moderate quality, the agriculture good, and the
four and the five shift courses of husbandry prevail ;
considerable progress has been made in draining, and
along the banks of the river excellent crops of wheat are
raised. The plantations are of oak, ash, elm, and beech,
with larch, Scotch, spruce, and silver firs to nurse. In
general the farm-buildings are commodious ; the lands
are all inclosed, and the arable fields are fenced with
thorn, which is thriving and well kept. Considerable
expense has been incurred in an embankment of the
Teviot, which is however not sufficient fully to protect
the lands from the overflowing of that river. The chief
fuel is coal, which has recently been procured at a more
moderate price than formerly. Nearly one-half of the
lands are the property of the Duke of Buccleuch, who is
also owner of the teinds ; the remainder is divided
among numerous minor heritors. There are various
neat family residences, of which Wilton Lodge, Stirches,
an ancient mansion, Burngrove, Briery- Yards, White-
haugh, and Midshiels, are the principal.
A considerable portion of the population are employed
in the woollen manufacture, which is extensively carried
on in the parish, and for which considerable facilities
are afforded by the river, and by the tributary streams
of the Borthwick, which falls into it near the southern
extremity of the parish, and the Slitrig, which joins it
at Hawick. There are five mills for spinning wool ; two
of them are the property of persons in this parish, and
three of persons resident in Hawick. The manufactured
articles are, lambs' wool yarn and hosiery, blankets,
plaidings, flannels, tartan shawls, and other goods of a
similar kind. The mills contain fifty teazing, scribbling,
and carding engines, preparing wool sufficient for the
constant working of 9578 spindles. The quantity of
wool consumed weekly is nearly 12,000 pounds. About
230 persons have the care of the machinery and supply
it with the material ; there are 240 employed in the
manufacture of stockings, about seventy-five weavers,
and forty persons engaged in scouring, dyeing, and
finishing the goods. Some of these mills employ two sets
of workpeople, and are continued in operation day and
night. A communication has been opened with Hawick,
Vol. II.— 609
by the construction of a bridge of four arches over the
river Teviot ; and the line thus formed joins the Edin
burgh road at a place called Dovemount Well. Great
facility of intercourse is afforded by the Edinburgh and
Hawick railway. The nearest post is Hawick, and the
market of that place is frequented by the inhabitants of
this parish. There are two inconsiderable hamlets, in
addition to what may be called the suburban village ;
these are, Appletree-Hall to the north, and Dean to the
south. The annual value of real property in the parish
of Wilton is £9794.
It is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Jedburgh,
synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patronage
of the Duke of Buccleuch : the minister's stipend is
£294. 2. 9., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £30
per annum. A considerable portion of the glebe, called
the Mains of Wilton, lying contiguous to the manse, is
said by tradition to have been originally given to the
then minister by his relative, the laird of Langlands.
There are also about sixteen acres of land lying at some
distance from the manse, which were acquired by the
incumbent on the division of Wilton common in 1765 ;
but the soil is of very inferior quahty. The church was
built in 1762, and in 180f a new aisle was added by
subscription : the edifice is conveniently situated, and
affords accommodation to 460 persons. Wilton paro-
chial school gives a useful education : the master has a
salary of £34. 4. 4. ; the school-house and the dwelling-
house are both indifferent and incommodious, and the
master receives a compensation in money for deficiency
of garden-ground. The Rev. Mr. Crawfurd, incumbent of
the parish in 1713, was eminent for his literary attain-
ments, and was author of a work entitled Dying Thoughts,
and various other theological works. Dr. Charters, also,
a subsequent minister, was distinguished as a preacher,
and for his exemplary piety.
WINCHBURGH, a village, in the parish of Kirk-
liston, county of Linlithgow, 2^ miles (W. by N.)
from the village of Kirkliston ; containing 222 inhabit-
ants. This place, which at one period was celebrated
for its culture of bees, lies in the western part of the
parish, on the high road from Linlithgow to Edinburgh,
and near the Union canal. It is also close to the Edin-
burgh and Glasgow railway, which here proceeds through
a tunnel 330 yards in length, twenty-six feet in width,
and twenty-two in height. There is a station on the line,
at one extremity of the tunnel. The inhabitants are for
the chief part engaged in agriculture. A fair is held in
the village on the first Friday in June, but it is wholly
for pleasure, no business being transacted. Here,
Edward II. first drew his bridle in his flight from Ban-
nockburn ; and in the vicinity is Niddry Castle, formerly
a possession of the Earls of Wintoun, and at which
Queen Mary halted after her escape from the castle of
Lochleven.
WINDMILL-HILL, a village, in the parish of Dal-
ziEL, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 2 miles
(E. N. E.) from Hamilton ; containing 225 inhabitants.
This village is situated near the parish church, on the
high road from Stewarton and Dalziel to Glasgow ; and
is inhabited by persons engaged, among other occupa-
tions, in the freestone-quarries in its immediate neigh-
bourhood. The stone is of a very hard and rough grain,
interspersed with quartz, and is much in request for
mantel-pieces, and for pavements for forges, being found
41
WIST
WOOD
to withstand the effects of fire to a great degree. The
materials for building the bridge of Hamilton were pro-
cured from these quarries.
WINDY-EDGE, a hamlet, in the parish of Sanqu-
har, county of Dumfries ; containing 57 inhabitants.
WINDYGATES, a village, in that part of the parish
of Markinch which formed the quoad sacra parish of
Milton of Balgonie, district of Kirkcaldy, county of
Fife, 2f miles (E. S. E.) from the village of Markinch;
containing 120 inhabitants. This village lies in the
south-eastern part of the parish, bordering on the parish
of Kennoway. It stands on the high road from Mark-
inch to Leven, and a little to the south flows the river
Leven, which turns various paper and other mills. In
the vicinity, at Cameron bridge, is an extensive dis-
tillery.
WINTON, a village, in the parish of Pencaitland,
county of Haddington, 3 miles (S. E. by E.) from
Tranent. This place, which is situated in the north-
western part of the parish, derives its name from the
Earls of Wintoun.its former proprietors, of whom George,
the fifth and last earl, adhering to the interests of the
house of Stuart, and joining the Pretender in 1715, was
taken prisoner in the battle of Preston, and sentenced
to execution for treason. He was committed to the
Tower of London, from which, however, he contrived to
effect his escape ; and embarking for the continent, he
took refuge in Italy, and died at Rome in the seventieth
year of his age. His estates were forfeited to the crown
at the rebeUion ; and the family, which had flourished
more than si.x centuries in East Lothian, became ex-
tinct. Winton House, the ancient residence, was a spa-
cious edifice, erected in 1619, but has been deserted,
and suffered to fall into decay ; it is beautifully situated
in grounds containing numerous fine trees of stately
growth.
WISHAWTON, in the county of Lanark.— See
Stewarton and Wishawton.
WISTON and ROBERTON, a parish, in the Upper
ward of the county of Lanark ; containing, with the
village of Newton, 929 inhabitants, of whom 141 are in
the village of Wiston, 7 miles (S. W. by W.) from Biggar,
and 201 in the village of Roberton, 9^ miles (S. W.)
from the same town. It comprehends the old parishes
of Wiston and Roberton, which were united in the year
1772. Their names, of uncertain origin, were probably
derived from proprietors ; and from the designation of
a farm in the former, called The Place, the owner of
Wiston would appear to have been resident. The parish
is about six miles in length and four in breadth ; it is
bounded on the south-east by the river Clyde, and com-
prises 9400 acres, of which 3800 are arable, 200 woodland
and plantation, and the remainder moorland and pasture.
The surface is strikingly diversified with hill and dale.
Tinto, or "the hill of fire", perhaps so called as ori-
ginally a seat of Druidical superstition, rises on the
northern confines of the parish, with an elevation of 2300
feet above the level of the sea, commanding an un-
bounded prospect over the adjacent districts, embracing,
among other prominent objects, the heights of Ilartfell,
Queensberry, Cairntable, and Goaf fell, the Isle of Arran,
the Bass Rock, and the hills in the north of Enijland
and of Ireland. Nearly in the centre of the parish is the
hill of Dungavcl, rising with a double apex to a consider-
able elevation, and strongly contrasting, in its rich ver-
610
dure and beauty of appearance, with the rugged, precipi-
tous, and harsh features of the former hill. The scenery
is at many points beautifully picturesque, and embel-
lished with wood.
The SOIL is chiefly light and gravelly, alternated with
a rich black loam, and in some parts with portions of
marshy land ; the crops are oats, wheat, barley, pota-
toes, and turnips. Agriculture is advanced ; the lands
are drained and partly inclosed, and the farm houses are
improving both in comfort and appearance. Much at-
tention is paid to the management of the dairy, and to
the breed of live-stock : from 300 to 400 milch-cows are
kept, of the Ayrshire breed ; and the sheep, of which
nearly 4000 are on the average pastured, are chiefly of
the black-faced Linton breed. The silver medal of the
Highland Agricultural Society was some years ago
awarded to Mr. Muir, for his success in reclaiming waste
land here, for which the abundance of lime affords every
facility so far as that stimulant is wanted. In 1845 the
same gentleman gained several prizes at the society's
cattle-show, for Ayrshire queys. The woods, more than
half of which have been planted within the last few
years, are very carefully managed ; they consist of larch
and Scotch fir, with an intermixture of other trees. The
substrata are chiefly greywacke, of which the hills are
composed, red sandstone, and limestone ; the last is
extensively wrought on the Newton estate, and the
works produce annually about 18,000 bolls. In the
seams of limestone are found embedded corals, branches
of trees, and shells of different kinds. Coal is supposed
to exist, and an attempt was made to explore it; but
the works were suddenly suspended, and have not been
since resumed. Hardington House, an ancient edifice,
was formerly the residence of the celebrated Lord Brax-
field ; it is situated on the Clyde, in a richly-wooded
demesne, and is now inhabited by Lord Braxfield's
grandson. Facility of communication is afforded by
roads kept in due repair by statute labour, and by the
turnpike-road from Stirling to Carlisle, which passes
through the whole length of the parish : the main trunk
of the Caledonian railway intersects the parish in its
eastern angle. The annual value of real property in
W^iston and Roberton is £4953. Ecclesiastically this
parish is in the presbytery of Lanark, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr, and in the alternate patronage of the Crown
and Lord Douglas : the minister's stipend is £204. 9.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £40 per annum.
The church, formerly that of the parish of Wiston,
which was enlarged after the union of the two parishes,
is an old edifice adapted for a congregation of nearly
400 persons. In the village of Roberton is a place of
worship for members of the United Presbyterian Church.
The parochial schools of Wiston and Roberton are both
kept up, and are well attended ; the master of each has
the maximum salary, with the fees, and a house and
garden. In these schools more than 130 children re-
ceive instruction. A subscription library is supported
at Roberton, forming a well-assorted collection of books
on general literature.
WOLFIIILL, in the parish of Cargill, county of
Peuth : containing 122 inhabitants. This is an agri-
cultural village, one of three within the parish.
WOODEND, a hamlet, in the jjarish of Metiiven,
county of Perth ; containing 31 inhabitants, who are
engaged in rural occupations.
WOOD
Y A R R
WOODHAVEN, a village, in the parish of Forgan,
district of St. Andrew's, county of Fife, 4 miles (W. S.
W.) from Ferry port- on-Craig ; containing 92 inhabit-
ants. It is situated on the south shore of the Tay, in
the western part of the parish, nearly opposite the
town of Dundee ; and was formerly one of the ferry-
stations to that place, the other being at Newport, about
a mile eastward. In consequence, however, of the
greater facilities afforded by the latter, and the shorter
and more convenient passage thence to Dundee, New-
port has become the principal resort. The village is of
pleasing and rural appearance ; and the harbour, which
is the property of Henry Stewart, Esq., of St. Fort, is
capable of admitting vessels of 150 tons' burthen. Some
business is done in exporting the agricidtural produce
of the district, and in importing lime, freestone, and
coal.
WOODLANE, a village, in the parish of Kincar-
dine, county of Perth ; containing 102 inhabitants.
WOODSIDE, for a time a quoad sacra parish, in
the parish of Old Machar, district and county of
Aberdeen ; containing 4839 inhabitants. This place,
which derived its name from the seat of the principal
landed proprietor, was separated for ecclesiastical pur-
poses from Old Machar, and erected into a quoad sacra
parish, under act of the General Assembly in 1834. The
district is nearly two miles in length, and about a mile
and a quarter in breadth ; is bounded on the north by
the river Don ; and consists principally of three contig-
uous villages, extending along the line of the great
north road. Of these, the principal is Woodside, and
the others are called respectively Cotton and Tanfield.
The villages are neatly built, and lighted with gas from
the works at Aberdeen ; they consist of detached houses,
and a few small streets intersecting the turnpike-road at
right angles. The inhabitants of this district are mostly
employed at the Grandholm works in the vicinity, and
in the spinning and weaving of cotton in the village of
Woodside. The cottop-works were erected by Messrs.
Gordon, Barron, and Company, of Aberdeen, who also
established a printing and a bleach field here ; they are
driven by a water-wheel of 180-horse power, and by a
steam-engine lately erected, and afford employment to
960 persons, of whom fifty-six are children of less than
thirteen, and 312 between thirteen and eighteen, years
of age. Many of the population also are occupied in
granite-quarries, which are extensively wrought for ex-
portation.
A post-office under that of Aberdeen has been esta-
blished : and facility of communication is afforded by
the turnpike-road to Aberdeen and Inverury, which tra-
verses the valley of the Don in a direction nearly paral-
lel with the road. The scenery is pleasingly diversified
by the windings of the river, and the adjacent country
abounds with interesting scenery. The Don contains
trout and salmon ; and fisheries were formerly esta-
bhshed on it, but they are gradually diminishing in
value. Woodside House, the seat of Patrick Kilgour,
Esq., is a plain modern mansion, on the west bank of
the Don. Hilton, the property of Sir William John-
stone, Bart, situated on a rising ground commanding a
fine view of the city of Aberdeen, is an ancient mansion
in the cottage style, rapidly falling into decay. The
church, erected in 1829, at a cost of £"2100, is a hand-
some structure in the Grecian style, and of the Doric
611
order, containing l.'jQO sittings; it is lighted with gas,
and attached to it are a vestry, and a room capable of
containing 100 persons. This building passed to the
Free Church, and in 184,5 the members of the Establish-
ment erected an elegant chapel of ease. At the village
of Cotton is a place of worship for Independents ; and
there is also in the district a small Gaelic meeting-
house. A school was erected in 1837, and is supported
by subscription; it affords instruction to 150 children,
and has a small library. A public library, forming a
collection of 1200 volumes, is also maintained; and a
library connected with the Free Church has nearly COO
volumes. There is a school connected with the factory
at Woodside, and in several Sunday schools are more
than 600 children.
WOODSIDE, a village, in the parish of Markinch,
district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife ; containing 135
inhabitants. It is one of nine villages in the parish, the
population of which has latterly increased, owing to the
extension or introduction of various manufactures.
WOODSIDE, a village, in the parish of Largo, dis-
trict of St. Andrew's, county of Fife ; containing 108
inhabitants. This small village is situated in the inte-
rior of the parish.
WOODSIDE, a village, in the parish of Cargill,
county of Perth ; containing 169 inhabitants. This,
and Burreltown, are contiguous villages, situated on the
high road from Perth to Cupar-Angus, and distant about
two miles and a half from the latter place, and four
from the parish church. The Perth and Forfar railway
passes in the vicinity. Here is a school, to which a
small library is attached.
WOODSIDE, NORTH, a viUage, in the former eccle-
siastical district of St. Stephen's, parish of Barony,
county of Lanark. This is a considerable and popu-
lous village, situated in the western part of the parish,
near the borders of that of Govan, and distant from
Glasgow, which lies eastward, about a mile. Its inhab-
itants are partly employed in the neighbouring fac-
tories, and in hand-loom weaving for the Glasgow manu-
facturers. A chapel of ease was supported here, many
years since, by Mr. William Gillespie, the proprietor of a
cotton-mill ; by whom, also, a school was maintained
for the instruction of the children of his workpeople.
YARROW, a parish, in the county of Selkirk, 9
miles (W.) from Selkirk ; containing, with the village of
Ettrick-Bridge and part of Yarrowford, 1'264 inhabit-
ants. This place, which is of considerable antiquity,
was originally known as the parish of St. Mary ; its
present name was acquired from the removal of the
church to the banks of the river Yarrow, about the
middle of the seventeenth century, since which time the
parish has invariably retained the name of that river.
The surrounding district formed part of the royal forest
of Ettrick, and in the reign of Bruce was recovered
from the English by Sir James Douglas, upon whom, as
a reward for his fidehty, that monarch conferred the
lands, which at the same time he erected into a free
royalty. On the attainder of the Douglas family in
4 12
Y A R R
Y A R R
1455, the lands became forfeited to the crown, and part
of them were granted to Sir Walter Scott, ancestor of
the Dukes of Buccleuch, in consideration of his active
services in the suppression of the rebellion of that pe-
riod. The forest of Ettrick was afterwards given by
James IV. to his queen, the Lady Margaret, of England ;
and James V. frequently resorted to this place to enjoy
the diversion of the chase, a memorial of which is still
preserved in the name of a pass called the " Hart's
Leap ", marked by two stones said to have been placed
there by the king and his attendants.
The PARISH is of very irregular form, about eighteen
miles in extreme length, and nearly sixteen miles in
breadth. It comprises 71,410 acres, of which 2740 are
arable, 640 woodland and plantations, and the whole of
the remainder moorland, affording rough pasturage for
sheep and a few cattle. The surface is hilly and moun-
tainous, and intersected by three continued and preci-
pitous ranges, which traverse the parish in a north-
eastern direction, and of which the Blackhouse Heights
have an elevation of almost 2400, the Minchmoor of
about 2300, the Hangingshaw Law of 2000, feet above
the level of the sea. The chief rivers are the Yarrow,
the Ettrick, and the Tweed, which last in some parts
forms the northern boundary. The beautiful river Yar-
row has its source in the hills on the confines of Dum-
fries-shire : with other streams, it forms two consider-
able lakes ; and after a course of many miles through the
parish, it falls into the Ettrick. The valley through
which this river winds abounds with picturesque and
romantic scenery, and perhaps no stream in the country
is associated with reminiscences of deeper interest, or
more closely identified with the finest strains of Scottish
minstrelsy. The two lakes are the loch of St. Mary
and the loch of The Loices. Of these the former, seven
miles and a half in circumference, is separated from the
latter, which is about a mile and a half in circuit, by a
narrow neck of land, or sandbank, thrown up by oppo-
site currents of two small streams ; the larger lake is
thirty fathoms, and the smaller eleven fathoms, in depth.
Their borders are thinly ornamented by some dwarfish
trees, part of the remains of the ancient forest, and by a
few plantations of recent date. The picturesque ruins
of the church of St. Mary, in the neighbourhood of
these lochs, have now nearly disappeared. There are
several lakes of less importance, some of them contain-
ing rich beds of shell-marl, which is used as manure
for the lands. Numerous springs of excellent water
afford an abundant sujiply for domestic use.
In general the soil is a light brown loam, of good
quality, but thickly intermixed with stones ; along the
banks of the rivers it is gravelly, and in some other
places clayey, inclining here and there to bog. The
crops are oats, barley, turnips, and potatoes ; agricul-
ture is much improved, and the four and the five shift
courses are now adopted. Bone-dust has been intro-
duced with success in the cultivation of turnips. The
marshy lands have been mostly drained, and irrigation
has been practised on lands requiring it : the arable
farms have been inclosed, and also the sheei)-walks in
the hilly pastures. Improvements in the jiarish have
been mucli promoted by the encouragement held out by
the Selkirkshire Pastoral Society, established under the
patromige of tiie late Lord Napier, and which holds a
triennial meeting in this parish. Considerable attention
612
is paid to live-stock. About 45,000 sheep are kept:
they are chiefly of the Cheviot breed, with about 1200
or 1500 of the black-faced kind, once the prevailing
breed ; also a few of the Leicester on some of the farms.
The cattle are of the Ayrshire crossed by the short-
horned breed : the number of milch-cows is 200, and
of young cattle nearly the same ; and about 130 High-
land cattle are pastured on the hills. There are but
very few, and these widely scattered, remains of the
ancient forest ; the chief are some oak-trees on the
West Faldshope hills, but they are more remarkable for
their great age than for the stateliness of their growth.
There are also some remarkably fine trees at Hanging-
shaw, among which are a plane and a beech of very
large size. The plantations consist of oak, ash, elm,
beech, and plane ; with alder, birch, larch, spruce, and
Scotch fir, as nurses. The substrata are chiefly grey-
wacke and clay-slate. Sandstone is found in some
places, with aluminous shale ; pyrites of iron and cal-
careous spar are also prevalent, and nodules of galena
are occasionally met with. The annual value of real
property in the parish is £1 1,690. Ashicsteel, the seat
of Major-General Sir James Russell, K.C.B., is plea-
santly situated on the banks of the Tweed ; the man-
sion-house has been enlarged and beautified, and the
grounds are tastefully laid out, and embellished with
plantations. Elibank Cottage, which had also been en-
larged and improved, was destroyed by an accidental
fire in 1840. There are small villages at Yarrowford
and Ettrick-Bridge, chiefly inhabited by persons em-
ployed in the handicraft trades requisite for the wants
of the parish. A circulating library is supported by
subscription. Facility of communication with the neigh-
bouring tovvns is afforded by good roads along the banks
of the rivers, and by bridges kept in excellent repair.
This place is in the presbytery of Selkirk, synod of
Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patronage of the
Crown. The minister's stipend is £233. 8. 1., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £34. 10. per annum. Yar-
row church, erected in 1640, and thoroughly repaired
in 1826, is a plain edifice adapted for a congregation of
430 persons. At Ettrick-Bridge is a chapel in con-
nexion with the Establishment, erected and endowed by
the Duke of Buccleuch. There are two parochial schools,
one at Yarrow and the other at Ettrick-Bridge. The
master of the former has a salary of £31. 6. 6., with
£12 fees, and a good house and garden: a handsome
and commodious schoolroom was built for this school
in 1830. The master at Ettrick-Bridge has £20 per
annum, with £10 fees, and a house and garden. Three
other schools are supported by subscription of indi-
viduals, for the children of those districts in which they
are situated ; but there are, notwithstanding, in the re-
moter parts of this extensive ]iarlsh, some children who
are not within the reach of instruction. A branch of
the Selkirk Savings' Bank was established in 1815. In
various places are remains of strongholds or castles
occupied bj' chieftains of feudal times. The most con-
siderable ruin is Blackhouse, seated in a lonely glen,
and anciently the seat of the Black Douglases : in the
inuncdiate vicinity are seven large stones, pointing out
the spot where seven brothers of that family were killed.
A portion of Elibank Castle still overhangs the river
Tweed ; and the lower portions of the massive walls of
Dryhope Castle, the seat of the Scott family, are entire.
YELL
YELL
To the west of the church is a spot regarded as the scene
of a sanguinary conflict between some rival clans ; and
two large upright stones are supposed to indicate the
sepulchres of the chieftains who fell on that occasion.
In the progress of cultivation, a large flat stone was
discovered by the plough, inscribed with a legend in Latin,
of which the only legible portion was, hie memoruc et . . .
hicjacent in tumulo duoJUii Uberali. On Dryhope Haugh
was a large cairn, the stones of which were removed to
furnish dykes for inclosures.
Connected with this parish have been numerous
remarkable persons, of whom were, Mary Scott, cele-
brated in minstrelsy as the " Flower of Yarrow ",
daughter of John Scott, of Dryhope ; Sir Gideon Mur-
ray, senator of the College of Justice by the title of
Lord Elibank ; Dr John Rutherford, pupil of the cele-
brated Boerhaave, and subsequently professor of the
practice of physic in the university of Edinburgh, who
was born in the parish during the incumbency of his
father ; Russell, the historiau of ancient and modern
Europe, who resided at Elibank ; and his kinsman.
Colonel William Russell, distinguished for his military
exploits in India, and more particularly at Manilla.
Sir Walter Scott resided at Ashiesteel for ten years
after the demise of Colonel Russell. Soon after he had
been appointed sheriff of Selkirkshire, while resident
here, he is said to have composed some of his earliest
works ; and a small hillock, now covered with shady
trees, and which was his favourite resort for study, is
still called the Sheriff's Knowe. James Hogg, better
known as the "Ettrick Shepherd", was long resident in
the parish.
YARROWFORD, a village, partly in the parish of
Selkirk, and partly in that of Yarrow, county of
Selkirk, 5 miles (W. by N.) from the town of Selkirk;
containing 46 inhabitants. This village, situated on the
borders of the two parishes, derives its name from a
ford over the Yarrow, on the north bank of which river
it is built. Though a small place, it is beautifully
seated ; and in its vicinity are, Newark Castle, once the
residence of Anne, Duchess of Buccleuch ; Haining, the
former abode of the family of Pringle ; and Fowlshiels,
the birthplace of the celebrated and unfortunate travel-
ler, Mungo Park. The river, whose pastoral beauties
have been so sweetly depicted in Scottish song, is in
this quarter finely and thickly wooded ; many of the
plantations on its banks are of recent formation. The
stream of the Ettrick unites with it about two miles
from Selkirk.
YELL, an island, in the county of Shetland ; con-
taining 2689 inhabitants. This island, one of the most
northern of the Shetland group, lies to the north-east of
Northmavine on the Mainland, to the south-west of
Unst, and to the west of Fetlar. It is about twenty
miles in length and six in breadth, having, generally,
a bold and rocky coast, indented with numerous bays
and voes, several of which form safe and convenient
harbours, and serve as excellent fishing-stations. Two
ranges of hills, varying from 200 to 400 feet in height,
extend almost the whole length of the island, in a nearly
parallel direction, from north to south, and are in some
parts intersected by other hills running east to west ;
the surface otherwise is moderately low, particularly
along the whole of the eastern coast. For the most part
the soil is of a mossy quality, mixed with particles of
613
decayed rock ; and in several places are extensive peat-
mosses, in which arc found large trees, though scarcely
a shrub is now to be seen growing in the isle. The
arable land is chiefly near the shore, and is very incon-
siderable in proportion to the undivided common, which
is estimated at about 45,000 acres, producing an abun-
dance of a rough sort of grass, here called lubbo, that
grows naturally, and affords a tolerable pasture for
sheep, horses, and black-cattle. In the northern part
of the island the principal bays are Basta voe, Gloup
voe, the sand of Brecon, Papal-ness, and Cullivoe ; on
the south the chief harbours are liamna voe and Burra
voe, about a mile distant from each other. Gloup voe
is the only place where the ling or deep-sea fishing is
now carried on in Yell. The fishing-boats belonging to
the east side of the island assemble at this station for
the summer fishing about the 1st of June, and leave
again about the 12th of August : the boats on the west
side fish at Northmavine. The nearest market-town is
Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, distant, due south from
Hamna voe, about twenty-six miles. The island is in-
cluded in the two parishes of Fetlar and North Yell, and
Mid and South Yell, which see.
YELL, MID and SOUTH, a parish, in the county
of Shetland, 32 miles (N.) from Lerwick ; containing,
with the islands of Hascussay and Samphrey, \~0!>
inhabitants. It includes the middle and southern dis-
tricts of the island of Yell, which belongs to the group
usually called the North Isles ; and annexed to the pa-
rish are the island of Samphrey, on the west, distant
about a mile from Yell, and the island of Hascussay,
about one mile distant towards the east. It is bounded
on the west by Yell sound, which is six miles across,
and distinguished from most of the other channels on
the north coast of Shetland by the great rapidity of its
current ; on the east by Colgrave sound, which averages
three miles in breadth ; and on the south by that of
Lunnafirth, about four miles broad. There are 37,000
acres of land in the parish, of which about 4000 are
inclosed; and of this latter portion 1500 acres are cul-
tivated. The coast varies in its aspect in different parts,
but in general is bold and rocky. It is penetrated by
several voes or inlets affording good landing-places, with
ample accommodation and security for vessels in any
weather. Mid Yell voe, on the east, contains sufficient
space and depth of water to moor a large fleet. Near
this is Whalefirth voe, on the west, separated from the
former only by a tract of land a mile broad, so that, by
the construction of a canal, the junction of the two
sounds, and consequently of two great seas, might be
effected. On the south are the harbours of Burra voe
and Hamna voe, which are both secure and convenient
retreats, about a mile distant from each other.
In the INTERIOR the surface consists for the most
part of hills covered with peat, supplying plenty of good
fuel, and of extensive tracts clothed with a short coarse
grass, affording tolerably nutritious pasture for sheep
and cattle. The cultivated land lies chiefly along the
shore. There are two principal ranges of hills in the
parish, rising from 200 to 400 feet in height ; they
stretch nearly from one extremity to the other, and are
frequently crossed by subordinate eminences taking a
direction from east to west. The soil exhibits various
modifications of moss, with admixtures occasionally of
clay incorporated with particles of rock and of sand trans-
YELL
YEST
ported by storms from the margin of the island, and
scattered over the surface. The chief grain cultivated
is bear and oats, the average annual value of which is
about £2300; potatoes return upwards of £1000. Mea-
dow-hay and other crops are also raised, but in inferior
proportions ; and ponies, cattle, and sheep traverse the
hills and mountains in large numbers, the occupiers of
farms having a common right of pasture according to
their respective rents. The spade is in general use,
being better suited to the nature of the surface, and to
the size of the farms, than is the plough. The small
portions of land that are under tillage present in many
parts specimens of careful industry. Agriculture, how-
ever, is still in its infancy ; large tracts of common offer
temptations to the successful application of capital by
draining, and the tracts already inclosed for pasture are
capable, if the tenants possessed the means, of being
rendered doubly valuable by being brought under tillage.
The prevailing rocks are gneiss, with portions of granite,
quartz, whinstone, and some rocks of the micaceous
class. Bog-iron ore has been found ; and in several
places, layers of rich loam, from one to two feet in
thickness, have been discovered lying under masses of
peat-moss, and incumbent on the prevailing rock ; the
earth being embedded with birch, oak, &c. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £3.5'2.
The inhabitants follow fishing as their principal occu-
pation. The profits of ling, tusk, and cod, though
variable, may be averaged at £500 per annum ; and
other fish, caught for domestic consumption, with the
oil obtained from them, may be valued at £360. Sea-
trout are abundant, and salmon have sometimes been
taken. The large numbers of cockles, also, are found
occasionally of great service to the inhabitants, many of
whose lives were saved in the scarcity of 1837 through
the sustenance afforded by this fish. Horses and pigs,
but especially cattle, sheep, and lambs, constitute an
important part of the disposable produce of the parish ;
numbers of them are sold yearly, and they fetch a much
higher price than formerly in consequence of the facilities
given by the introduction of steam-vessels. Ecclesiasti-
cally this parish is in the presbytery of Burravoe, synod
of Shetland, and in the patronage of the Earl of Zetland.
The minister's stipend is £158, of which about a tentli
is received from the exchequer: he has also from £15
to £20 per annum from the rents of bequeathed lands ;
with a manse, rebuilt in 1807 and several times repaired,
and a glebe valued at £20 a year. The church at Mid
Yell, built in 1832, is as conveniently situated as pos-
sible, as is also the church lately erected at South Yell ;
but both, though with every advantage of locality, are
necessarily but thinly attended during a considerable
portion of the year. Many of the inhabitants reside at
great distances, and find it impossible to attend in the
winter; there is neither road nor bridge in the parish,
and the surface is in that season to a great extent a
mossy swamp. A missionary has for several years offi-
ciated in South Yell, supported by the Royal Bounty ;
there is a place of worship there for Weslcyans, and in
Mid Yell one for Independents. A jiarochial school was
established in 1822; the salary of the master is £26,
with a house, and about £5 fees. The antiquities are
inconsideral)le, being only a few Picts' houses, and the
niins of tenements once occupied by the natives, where
knives, hammers, &c., of stone, have been found.
614
YELL, NORTH, in the county of Shetland. — See
Fetlar.
YESTER, or, as it is popularly called, Gifford, a
parish, in the county of Haddington, 4 miles (S. by E.)
from Haddington; containing 1069 inhabitants, of whom
525 are in the village of Gifford, about 140 in the ham-
lets of Long Yester and Long Newton, and the remain-
der in the rural districts. This place, the ancient name
of which was St. Bothan's, derived its present name, after
the Reformation, from the lands of the Hay family, part
of which lie within the limits of the parish. The lands
were granted by William the Lion to Hugh de Gifford,
son of an English gentleman of that name, who in the
reign of David I. had settled in East Lothian, and ac-
quired extensive landed property. The Gifford family
resided for a long period in the baronial castle of Yester;
but on failure of heirs male, in 1418, their wide estates
were divided among four daughters, co-heiresses, of
whom the eldest, who possessed the manor of Yester,
conveyed that property to the Hay family, by marriage
with Sir William Hay, of Locherwert. Sir William's de-
scendants were in 1488 created Lords Hay of Yester,
and in 1646 Earls, and in 1694 Marquesses, of Tweed-
dale. The parish is about six miles in length from east
to west, and about five miles in breadth, comprising
8928 acres, of which 5400 are arable, 946 woodland and
plantations, sixty undivided common, and 2522 hill pas-
ture. Its surface is in general elevated, rising gradually
to the Lammermoor hills, of which Lammerlaw, the
highest of the range, is 1*00 feet above the level of the
sea, and wholly within the parish. The vale of Yester
is a tract of fertile land, through which the Gilford
water flows, between banks richly crowned with wood
and thriving plantations, and comprehending much
pleasing scenery, and, in some parts, beautifully pictu-
resque features. The Lammermoor hills are covered
with heath, interspersed with only a few spots of ver-
dure, but affording excellent pasturage for sheep. From
these heights descend numerous streams which, uniting
at some distance from the base, form the Gilford water.
The SOIL is principally a light loam intermixed with
clay, and has been by good cultivation mostly rendered
fertile, and in some parts adapted to the growth of
wheat. About 300 acres more of the pasture or waste
land might be reclaimed, and brought into tillage, at a
moderate cost. The chief crops are barley, oats, and
turnips. Agriculture is greatly improved : lands have
been drained and inclosed ; bone-dust, rape, and guano
are used as manures with success, and every improve-
ment in implements of husbandry has been adopted.
Many of the farm-houses are very substantial and com-
modious, having been recently erected. Great attention
is paid to live-stock. Al)out 4000 sheep are kept ; of
the Cheviot and Leicester breeds, with a cross between
the two. The cattle are of the short-horned breed, with
some of the native Highland and Shetland breeds ; aboat
400 arc kept. In this parish the wood consists of oak,
ash, beech, elm, and lime, of which many fine trees are
found on tlie lands of Yester House. The substrata are
principally limestone and clay ; the former is worked at
Kidlaw, in the southern ])art of the parish, and the clay
is well adapted for making tiles for roofing and draining,
for which purpose the Marcjucss of Tweeddale has erected
a mill upon his lands. Yester House, the seat of the
marquess, is a handsome mansion, beautifully situated
YETH
Y E T li
on the banks of the Gifford water, and surrounded liy a
spacious demesne. Newton Hall and Newhall are also
in the parish. The village of GifiFord stands in the vale
of Yester, and Long Yester and Long Newton at the foot
of the Lammermoor hills ; the nearest market-town is
Haddington. Fairs are held at Gifford on the last Tues-
day in March, the third Tuesday in June, and the first
Tuesday in October ; they are well attended, and gene-
rally from 3000 to 4000 sheep, 500 head of cattle, and
500 horses are exposed for sale. During harvest, a sta-
tute-fair is held every Monday morning for hiring farm-
servants. A sub-post has been established ; and facility
of intercourse is afforded by good roads : about three
miles of turnpike-road pass through the parish, and
about thirteen miles of common road kept in repair by
statute labour. The annual value of real property in
Yester is £5842.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Haddington, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in
the patronage of the Marquess of Tweeddale : the minis-
ter's stipend is about £240, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £30 per annum. The church, situated in the
village of Giff'ord, was erected in 1708, and repewed and
thoroughly repaired in 1830 ; it is a substantial edifice,
and adapted to a congregation of 600 persons. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
There are three parochial schools, respectively at Gifford,
Long Yester, and Long Newton : the master of the Gifford
school has a salary of £34. 4., and a house and garden ;
the master of Long Yester has £8. 11. 1. from Gifford, and
£17. 2. 2. from Garvald, and the master of Long Newton
a salary of £8. 11. 1., with a house and garden each.
About a mile from the church, and in the grounds of Yes-
ter House, are the remains of the church of St. Bothan's,
from which the parish derived its former name. It
appears to have been a very elegant, though small,
cruciform structure of red sandstone. The transepts
are of much earlier date than the nave : the pulpit, which
is of oak, very richly carved, was removed to the present
church. What remains of this ancient edifice is now
appropriated as a place of sepulture for the Tweeddale
family. At Duncanlaw, in the eastern part of the parish,
was a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas, of which there
e.xist no remains. The distinguished reformer, John
Knox, was born in the village of Gifford ; and it is said
that Sir Isaac Newton was descended from a branch of
the Newtons of Newton Hall. — See Gifford.
YETHOLM, formerly Yetham, a parish, in the dis-
trict of Kelso, county of Roxburgh ; containing 1292
inhabitants, of whom 326 are in Kirk-Yetholm and 618
in Town-Yetholm, 8 miles (S. E. by E.) from Kelso.
This place derives its name, signifying "the hamlet of
the gate," from its position on the confines of North-
umberland, the open narrow valley of the Bowmont,
during the border warfare, having afforded facility of
entrance into either country for the purposes of depre-
dation. No events of historical importance are recorded
with reference to the place. It is said to have been
selected by Douglas as the rendezvous of the Scottish
army previously to the battle of Otterburn, and the
churchyard was the place of sepulture of many of the
Scottish chieftains who fell at Flodden Field, within six
miles of the church. The parish is about four miles in ave-
rage length and three in breadth, comprising 8400 acres,
of which 2000 are meadow land, and mountain or hill
615
pasture, 100 wood and plantation, 200 undivided com-
mon, and the remainder arable. The surface is divided
into numerous small and beautiful valleys by the many
hills which intersect it, and of which the highest have
an elevation of nearly 800 feet above the level of the
sea. Of these valleys tiie principal is the vale of Bow-
mont, through which runs the river of that name ; it
is about two miles long, and varies from a quarter to
half a mile in breadth. The river has its source in the
Cocklaw hill, and flows with a rapid course into one of
the streams tributary to the Tweed: it is subject to
frequent inundations, which occasion much injury to
the surrounding lands ; and abounds with excellent
trout. There is a fine sheet of water called Yetholm
Loch, of irregular form, and about a mile and a half in
circumference ; it contains a great number of pike and
perch, and is the resort of various kinds of aquatic
birds. The inhabitants of Kirk-Yetholm have the pri-
vilege of grazing their cattle, and cutting turf, upon the
common ; and about 500 acres adjacent to the two vil-
lages are occupied by the inhabitants at rack-rent, in
portions varying from two to fifty acres each.
The SOIL is in general fertile, and in the valleys a
rich loam ; the lower hills are in cultivation, producing
good crops, and the higher afford excellent pasture to
numbers of sheep and cattle. Agriculture is much im-
proved, and the four and the five shift courses prevail :
wheat, barley, and oats are raised, of which a consider-
able portion is sent to distant markets ; and nearly one-
fifth of the whole arable land of the parish is sown an-
nually in turnips. Great attention is paid to the rearing
of live-stock, upon which the farmers depend as much
as upon agriculture ; the cattle are almost exclusively
of the short-horned breed, and the sheep, which number
about 5000, are the Cheviot and the Leicester, with an
occasional cross between them. Lime, procured within
a distance of ten miles, is much used as a stimulant to
the land ; and besides the application of ordinary ma-
nure, bone-dust and guano brought from Berwick have
been extensively introduced. The farms vary greatly in
size J the farm-buildings are commodious, and the lands
are fenced in some parts with hedges of thorn, and in
others with loose walls of stone. The hills are chiefly
of the transition series, consisting of felspar-porphyry
and pitchstone-porphyry, of which the former is most
prevalent, and thickly interspersed with nodules of jasper
and agate : occasionally, crystals of calcareous spar are
found ; and there is red sandstone, but not of very good
quality. The vale of Cherry-Trees contains some moss
varying from eight to fourteen feet in depth, in which
trunks of various trees, especially of oak, of extreme
hardness, have been found ; the moss has been drained,
and the land brought into cultivation. Cherry-Trees,
the seat of Adam B. Boyd, Esq., who is the only resident
heritor, is a very handsome modern building, pleasantly
situated in the vale, and surrounded with thriving plan-
tations. The villages of Town-Yetholm and Kirk-Yetholm
are both situated in the vale of Bowmont, and are go-
verned by baron-bailies appointed respectively by the
Marquess of Tweeddale and Mr. Wauchope. These
villages communicate by a good bridge over the river
Bowmont. In Town-Yetholm was formerly a monthly
market. The roads are kept in proper order ; a turn-
pike-road extends for about four miles within the parish,
and affords facility of intercourse with Kelso and other
Y ETH
ZET L
towns. Fairs are held at Kirk-Yetholm on the 27th of
June for Cheviot sheep one year old, and cattle, and on
the '24th of October for ewes and cattle ; at Town
Yetholm on the 5th of July for lambs and wool, and
the 1st of November for cattle. This parish has been
for a long period the resort of gypsies, of whom the
largest body in Scotland seem from time immemorial to
have established their head-quarters here. The number
of these at present is about 100, and they live chiefly
by selling horn spoons of their own manufacture, and
coarse earthenware; their general habits are orderly and
peaceable. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £6/89.
Yetholm is ecclesiastically in the presbytery of Kelso,
synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the patronage
of Andrew Wauchope, Esq. : the minister's stipend is
about £200, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £2,5
per annum. The old church was a very indiflFerent
ijuilding, and insufficient for the accommodation of the
parishioners. A new church was therefore erected in
1S37, well adapted for a congregation of 750 persons.
There are places of worship for members of the United
Presbyterian Church and Old-Light Burghers. The
parochial school affords a useful education ; the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with the fees, and a house
and garden : the school-house is one of the best in the
country. Another school, and a girls' school, have been
lately built. A parochial library contains about 500
volumes ; there are a library connected with one of the
dissenting places of worship, and two Sunday-school
libraries. On the summits of Castlelaw and Camp hill,
the former on the farm of Vencheon, and the latter on
that of Halterburn, are remains of fortifications, each
inclosing a circular area nearly 300 yards in diameter,
and defended by a double fosse and rampart. Upon
the summit of Yetholm Law are the remains of a camp
of quadrilateral form, and of considerable dimensions :
the supposition of its Roman origin has been much
616
strengthened by the discovery of an urn of brass con-
taining COO Roman coins, on the farm of Mindrum,
near the borders of the parish. On what was formerly
an island in the lake of Yetholm, stood the baronial
residence of the Kers, of Loch Tower, a branch of the
Ro.xburghe family. The churchyard of the parish con-
tains the remains of many of the border chieftains ;
and at a depth of nearly six feet from the surface have
been discovered a stone coffin with a skeleton of gigantic
stature, and a kistvaen consisting of four upright stones
joined together, and covered on the top with a flat
stone, under which was a human skull. Dr. Scott, an
eminent chymist, and physician to King Charles II.,
resided at Thirlestane, in this parish, in an ancient man-
sion lately taken down.
YIELDSHIELDS, a hamlet, in the parish of Car-
luke, Upper ward of the county of Lanark, 1^ mile
(E.) from the village of Carluke ; containing 66 inha-
bitants. This is a small place situated nearly in the centre
of the parish, and a short distance north of the Jock's
burn, a stream tributary to the Clyde. Close to it is
the old Roman road called the Watling-street, which
passes through Clydesdale to the western extremity of
the wall of Antoninus, and intersects this parish for
several miles in a north-western direction. The course
of the road may be traced from the Roman camp near
Cleghorn, by Kilcadzow, Coldstream, and this hamlet,
onward, by Dyke, to Belston ; after passing which, it
runs, by Castlehill, into the adjoining parish of Cara-
busnethan. On the confines of the old red sandstone,
in this quarter, is a band of limestone, which has been
wrought near the hamlet.
ZETLAND, Isles of. — See article Shetland.
INDEX
CHIEF PLACES INCIDENTALLY DESCRIBED IN THE WORK.
%* The latter of the two names in each line refers to the Article where the place indexed is noticed.
Abbotrule, seat ; Southdean.
Abbotsford, Melrose.
Abb's Head, Coldingham.
Abercairney, Fowlis Wester.
Abergeldie, seat ; Crathie.
Acharn, Kenmore.
Aehilty, loch ; Contin.
Achindarroeh, Locligilphead.
Achnacarry, Kilmalie.
Achnacloich, lake ; Rosskeen.
Achnacroish, Torosay.
Adamtown, Monkton and P.
Advie, Cromdale.
Atfarie, Kiltarlity.
Aigas, Kiltarlity.
Aiket Castle, Dunlop.
Aikey, Old Deer.
Airdlamont, Kilfinan.
Airdmeanach, Kilfinichen and
Kilviceuen.
Airthrey ; Logie,co. C, P., and S.
Ale, river ; Anerum.
Allanbank, house ; Lauder.
AUanton House, Caml>usnetheu.
AUardyce, Arbuthnott.
AUoway, Ayr.
AUerniuir, Lasswade.
Almond, Linlithgowshire.
Almond, Perthshire.
Altirlie, Pettie.
Altyre, Raftbrd.
Araisfield, Haddington.
Araondell House, Uphall.
Annat, Kilmadock.
Annoek, Dreghorn.
Arasaig, Ardnaniurehan.
Arbigland House, Kirkbean.
Arbikie, Lunan.
Ard, loch ; Aberfoyle.
Ardblair, Blairgowrie.
Ardenconnel, seat ; Row.
Ardeouaig, Kenmore.
Ardgour, BaUichulish.
Ardgowan House, Innerkip.
Ardincaple, Kilbrandon and Kil-
chattan.
617
Ardincaple Castle, Row.
Ardinniug, Strathblane.
Ardkiuglass, Lochgoilhead and K.
Ardle, river ; Moulin.
Ardlussa, Jura and Colonsay.
Ardraaddy, Kilbrandon and Kil-
chattan.
Ardmellie, Marnoch.
Ardmore House, Eddertou.
Ardnacallich, Kilninian and K.
Ardnave, Islay.
Ardpatrick, Kilcalmonell and
Kilberry.
Ardtornish, Morvern.
Ardverikie, Laggan.
Ardwell, Stoneykirk.
Argrennan, seat ; Tongland.
Arkaig, lake ; Kilmalie.
Armadale Castle, Sleat.
Armidale, Farr.
Arndean, Blairingone.
Arndilly, Boharm.
Arniston, seat ; Borthwick.
Arnold's (St.) Seat, Tannadiee.
Aros, Salen.
Arran House, Kilbride.
Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh.
Ashare, Eddrachillis.
Ashiesteel, seat ; Yarrow.
Atholl, Moulin.
Auchenharvie, Stewarton.
Auchinbathie, Loehwinnoch.
Auchinhove, Lumphanan.
Auchinlilly, Denny.
Auchintool, seat ; Marnoch.
Auehiries, Rathen.
Auchlunies, Maryculter.
Auchmacoy, Logie-Buchau.
Auchmedden ; Aberdour, co. A.
Auchmore, Weem.
Auchramiie, Glenisla.
Auchray, loch ; Aberfoyle.
Auchi'y, seat ; Monquhitter.
Auchtertyre, Newtyle.
Auld Water, KLrkpatrick-Iron-
gray.
Auldbar, Aberlerano.
Auldcathie, Dalmeny.
Aultgraad, Kiltearn.
Avich,Kilchrenan and Dalavich.
Avochy, Huntly.
Avon, Avondale.
Avon ; Kirkmichael, co. B.
Avon, Linlithgowshire.
Awe, loeh ; Kilchrenan and Dal-
avich.
B.
Ba, loch ; Torosay.
Badenoch, Kingussie.
Badenyon, Glenbueket.
Baidland, hill ; Dah-y.
Balantrodach, Temple.
Balbardie, Bathgate.
Balbegno Castle, Fettercairn.
Balblair, Kirkmichael and C.
Balbirnie, Markinch.
Balcarres, Kilconquhar.
Baiearry, Rerrick.
Balchrystie, Newburn.
Balcomie, Crail.
Baldoon, Kirkinner.
Baldovie, Kingoldrum.
Balfour Castle, Markinch.
Balgavies, Aberlerano.
Balgovie, Craig.
Balgreggan, Stoneykirk.
Ballagan, Strathblane.
Ballenerieff, Aberlady.
Ballengeich, Stirling.
Balliubreieh, Flisk.
Ballindalloch, Balfron.
Ballindalloch, Inveraven.
Balloch, Bonhill.
Ballochmyle, Mauchhnc.
Ballumbie, Murroes.
Balmacaan, Urquhart and G.
Balmakewan, Marykirk.
Balmanno, seat ; Dron.
Balmoral, seat ; Crathie.
Balnagown, Kilmuir Easter.
Balnakiel, Durness.
Balnamoon House, Menmuir.
Balquhaiu Castle, Garioch.
Balruddery, Lift' and Benvie.
Balthayock, Kinnoull.
Balvaird Castle ; Abernethy,
county Fife.
Balvicar, Kilbrandon and Kil-
chattan.
Balweary, Abbotshall.
Bamfi' House, Alyth.
Bantaskine House, Falkirk.
Barbieston, Dalrymple.
Barcaldine, Ardehattan.
Bardowie, Baldernoek.
Baremman, Roseneath.
Bargally, seat ; Minnigaft'.
Bargany, house ; Dailly.
Bargrennan, Minnigaft'.
Barnbarroch, Kirkinner.
Barnbougle, Dalmeny.
Barneluith, Hamilton.
Barutalloch, Langholm.
Barnton, seat ; Craraond.
Baroehan, Houston andKillallan.
Barr, Loehwinnoch.
Barr hill, Kilbarchan.
Barracks, Rannoch.
Barraston, Baldernoek.
Barskimraing, Stair.
Bassendean, Westruther.-
Battledykes, Oatlilaw.
Baturrich, Kilmaronock.
Beath, hill ; Dunfermline.
Beaufort Castle, Kiltarlity.
Bell-Craig, Wamphray.
Belladruni, Kiltarlity.
Belleville, seat ; Alvie.
Belmont House, Meigle.
Belton House, Dunbar.
Bemersyde, Mertoun.
Ben-a-Bhragidh, Golspie.
Benagen, Boharm.
Benalder, Laggan.
Ben-an-Tuirc, Killean and Kil-
chenzie.
Benbeoeh, Dalmellington.
Ben-ChapuU, Kilninver and K.
Ben-Chlibrig, Farr.
Benchochan, Aberfoyle.
lienchonzie, Monivaird and .S.
Bencleugh, hill ; Alva.
4 K
INDEX OF PLACES INCIDENTALLY NOTICED.
Ben-CoL-hail, Ardchattan.
Ben-Cruaclian, Ai-dchattan.
Benderloch, Ardchattaii.
Bengaillin, Campbelltown.
Bengairn, hill ; Ren-ick.
Beu-ghlo, Blair- AthoU.
Ben-Griam-more, Kildonan.
Ben-Hope, Durness.
Ben-Hom, Golspie.
Ben-Hutig, Tongue.
Ben-Laoghal, Tongue.
Ben-Lawers, Perthshii'e.
Ben-Ledi, Perthshire.
Ben-Lomond, Buchanan.
Ben-Macdhui, Crathie and Brae
mar.
Ben-maigh, Torosay.
Benmore, Killin.
Benmore, Kilfinichen and Kil-
viceueu.
Bennabuird, Cratliie and Brae-
mar.
Beunan, hill ; Straiton.
Benneaw, Glenbucket.
Ben-Nevis, Kihnalie.
Ben-Newe, Strathdon.
Benochee, Oyne.
Ben-Radh, Reay.
Ben-ReisipoU, Ardnamui'chan.
Benrinnes, Aberloiu*.
Ben-Spiouuadh, Durness.
Beu-Starive, Ardchattan.
Bentealluidh, Torosay.
Benvan, Kilmartin.
Ben-Veallich, Loth.
Benvenue, Aberfoyle.
Ben-Vorlich, Arroehar.
Benwhat, Dalmellingtou.
Ben-Wyvis, Fodderty.
Berbeth, Straiton.
Bighouse, Reav.
Bin Hill, CuUen.
Binaity, Ballingry.
Binn, hill ; Kinfauns.
Binns, Abereorn.
Binny Craig, Linlithgow.
Birkhall ; Glenrauiek, &c.
Birnam, Little Dunkeld.
Bi-shopric, Little Dunkeld.
Bishop's Hill, Portmoak.
HIaekadilur, Edroni.
lilackburn, KinneUar.
Blaokcraig, New Cumnock.
Blackerstone, Longformacus and
Ellim.
HIackethouse, Middlebie.
Blackhall, seat ; Strachan.
Blackhouse, Yarrow.
Hlack-Larg Hill, Sanquhar.
Black-Mount, Walston.
Blackpots, Boyndie.
Blackstfine House, Kilharchan.
Blackwood House, Keir.
Jilair, estate ; Dairy, co. A.
Blair Castle, Culross.
Blair House, Carnock.
Hlair-.Adam, Cleish.
Ulair-Urummond, Kincardine-
in-Montcith.
lilairquhan Castle, Straiton.
lilervie, Kafford.
Blythswood, Renfrew.
Hoath, scat; Auldearn.
Hoddin, t'raig.
Bogie, Wester ; .'\bhot,sliall.
Bolshan, Kiiincll.
Bonche«ter Hill, Hobkir|>.
BoneMHan, Kilfinichen and Kil-
viccuen.
Bonningtoii, Lanark.
Boon Hill, L(-'ger\vr)od.
Bo'|uhan, Gargunnoek.
618
Bourtree, Irvine.
Bowhill, seat ; Selkirk.
Bowmont, vale ; Yetholm.
BoyndUe Castle, Tyrie.
Brackla, Cawdor.
Brackland, Callander.
Braehead, house ; Cramond.
Braelangwell, Kirkmiehael and
CuUicudden.
Braelangwell ; Kincardine, co.
Ross and Cromarty.
Brae-JIoray, EdinkilUe.
Brae Riach, Rothiemiu'chus.
Brahan Castle, Urray.
Braky, Kinnell.
Brander, Argyllshire.
Branxholme, Hawick.
Breacacha, Tiree and Coll.
Breek, loch ; Balmaclellan.
Breochel, Rasay.
Brisbane, seat ; Largs.
Broad Law, Tweedsmuir.
Broad Meadows, Hutton.
Broadford, Strath.
Brodie House, Dyke and Moy.
Broich House, Kippen.
Brolas, Kilfinichen and K.
Broom House, Edrora.
Broomhall, Dunfermline.
Broomholm House, Langholm.
Brotherton House, Benholme.
Brown-Carrick, hill ; Maybole.
Broxmouth, Dimbar.
Bruar, Blair-Atholl.
Brunstane, Liberton.
Bruntsfield, Momingside.
Bruxie, hill ; KinnefF.
Buachail-Etive, Ardchattan.
Buchan Ness, Peterhead.
Buckie Den, Lmian.
Bunchrew, seat ; Kirkhill.
Burg, Kilfinichen and K.
Biu'gie, Rafford.
Burleigh Castle, Orwell.
Burnbrae, Mid Calder.
Burness, I'irth and Stenness.
Burnfoot, seat ; Middlebie.
Burnfoot, seat ; Westerkirk.
Burnmouth, Ayton.
Burnside, Rescobie.
Burnswarli, Hoddara.
Busby, Kilmaurs.
Buy, loch or inlet ; Toi-osay.
Bvrecleugh, Longformacus and
"Ellim.
Cadzow, Hamilton.
Caerlanrig, Cavers.
Cairn, river ; Glencaim.
Cairn-a-Mount, Kincardineshire.
Cairnbroe, Both well.
Cairness, seat ; Lonmay.
Cairngorum; Kirkmiehael, co. U.
Cairngrytle, Pettinain.
Cairnharrali, Anwoth.
Cairnkiimow, Pcnpont.
Cainmiore, Strathdon.
Cairupat, l*ortpatri(rk.
Cairnsnuiir, Carsphairn.
Cairnsnniir, Minnigaff.
Cairntabif, mountain ; Douglas.
Cairntaggart ; Glcnnniick, Ace.
Cairntoul, Crathie and liraemar.
Cakemuir, Cranston,
('aider, river ; Blantyrc.
Calder, Lochwinno<*h.
Calder, North and South ; Jloth-
well.
Calderhall, Kirknewton and E. C.
Calderwood, East Kilbride.
Caldra House, Fogo.
Caldwell House, Beith.
Caledonian Canal, Inverness.
Caledonian Railway, Edinburgh.
Callader, loch ; Crathie and
Braemar.
Callart, Kilmalie.
Callendar House, Falkirk.
Cally, seat ; Girthon.
Calton Hill, Edinburgh.
Cambusmore, Kilmadock.
Camilla, Auchtertool.
Camis-Eskan, Cardross.
Camperdown, Liff and Benvie.
Carapsaile, Roscneath.
Camstraddan, Luss.
Camustane, Mouikie.
C^andacraig House, Strathdon.
Cantly, Grange.
Cantyre, Argyllshire.
Cape Wrath, Durness.
Capenoch House, Keii*.
Caprington, Riccarton.
Carberry ; Inveresk, and Mus-
selburgh.
Carbeth, Strathblane.
Carbost, Bracadale.
Cardanoch, Holytowu.
Cardouess, Anwoth.
Cardrona, seat; Traquair.
Cardross, Port-of-Monteith.
C'arfin, seat ; Holytown.
Carinish, North Uist.
Carlinwark, Kelton.
Carloway, Lochs.
Carloway, Uig.
Carlowrie, Kirkhston.
Carusalloch, Kirkmahoe.
CaroUne Park, Granton.
Carolside, Earlstoun.
Carpow ; Abernethy, co. P.
Carradale, Saddell and Skipness.
Carrick, Ayrshire.
Carse, Rescobie.
Carse Bridge, Alloa.
Carsegownie, .\bcrlemno.
Carskey, Southend.
Carslogie, house ; Cupar.
Cart, river ; Paisley.
Cartside Cottage, Catheart.
Carty, Newton-Stewart.
Cassilis ; Kirkmiehael, co. A.
Castle-Craig, Kirkmiehael and C.
Castle-Craig, Kirkurd.
Castle-Forbes, Keig.
Castle- Fraser, Cluny.
Castle-Grant, Cromdale.
Castlehill, Obrick.
Castle-Huntly, Longforgan.
Castle-Kennedy, Inch.
Castle- Leod, Fodderty.
Castle-Menzies, Weem.
Castlemilk, St. Mungo.
Castle-Semple, Lochwlunoch.
Castle-Stuart, Pi^ttie.
C^astle-Toward, Dunoon.
Castlewaws, Loehwinnoch.
Castle- Wemyss, Wemyss.
Castlcwigg, seat ; Whithorn.
Caterthun, Monmuir.
Cathkin Hill, Cannunnock.
Catlaw, Kingoldruni.
Cavens, seat ; Kirkbean.
Ceannard, loch ; Dull.
Cellardykes, Kilrenny.
C'essnoek, Galston.
Chanlock, Penpont.
Chanoury, l''ortrose.
Chapelhill, Moneydie.
Charleston ; Nigg, co. K.
Chen-y-Trees, Yetholm.
Chester House, Houuam.
Cheviot Hills, Morebattle and
Mow.
Chon, loch ; Aberfoyle.
Clanyard, Kirkmaiden.
Clashbeunie, Errol.
Clatchard Crag, Abdie.
Clatto Hill, Kemback.
Claverhouse, Mains and Strath-
martine.
Cleghorn, Lanark.
Cleland House, Holytown.
Clerkington, Temple.
Cliffdale, seat ; Shapinshay.
Clifton Hall, Kirkliston.
Clifton Park ; Linton, co. R.
Clober, New Kilpatrick.
Clochnabane, Strachan.
Cloncaird ; Kirkmiehael, eo. A.
Cluden, Holy^vood.
Cluny, Marnoch.
Cluny Castle, Laggan.
Clyde, river ; Lanarkshire.
Cockburn Law, IJunse.
Cocklerue, Linlithgow.
Cockpool, Ruthwell.
Coilsfield, Tarbolton.
Colgrave Sound, Fetlar.
CoUelo Hills ; Aberdour, co. F.
CoUyn House, Collin or Collyn.
Colquhalzie, 'Trinity-Gask.
Coltness, house ; Carabusnethan.
Comiston House, Colinton.
Comlongan, Ruthwell.
Compston, seat ; Twynholm.
Conan, Urquhart and L.
Conansythe, Carmylie.
Condie, Forgandenny.
Coniglen, valley ; Southend.
Coolmey, Fetteresso.
Corbet, Morebattle and Mow.
Corkendale-Law, Neilston.
Corodale, South Uist.
Corpach, KilmaUe.
Corra Lin, Lanark.
Corran of Ardgour, Ballichulish.
Correen, Auchindoir and Kearn.
Corrichie, Banchory-Ternan.
Corrymony, Urquhart and G.
Corse, Coull.
Corsehill, Stewarton.
Corswall, Kirkcolm.
Corynuulzie, Crathie and Brae-
mar.
Coul, house ; Contin.
Countesswells, Peterculter.
Cowal, Argyllshire.
Cowbrae Hill, Borthwick.
Cowdenknows, Earlstoim.
Cowglen, Eastwood.
Cowhill, Holywood.
Craig, Auchindoir and Kearn.
Craigandarroch ; Glcnmuick, i.c.
("raigcrook, house; Cramond.
Craigdnm, Tarves.
Ci'aigdaiTm'b, (jlencairn.
Ci'aigdai'roch, house ; Contin.
Craig-Dhereag, hill ; Port-of-
Monteith.
Cr.aig-I)hn, Port-of-Monteith.
Craigellachie, .\bcrlour.
Craigellaehie, Lnwir; Rothes.
C'raigencallie, .Minnigaff.
Craigend Castle, .Strathblane.
Craigends, seat ; Kilharchan.
Craigengower, Straiton.
Craigenscore, G lenbucket.
Craigfoodie, D.airsie.
Craighall, Ceres.
Craighall, seat ; Rattray.
Craighead, Hertram-Sholts.
Craigie Hall, Dahneny.
Craigieburn House, Moffat.
INDEX OF PLACES INCIDENTALLY NOTICED.
Craigiovar, Looclid ami CiiHlinio.
Craiglaw House, Kirliowen.
Craig- Lockhart, (loliiiton.
Craiglusc:u% DuntV-i-inlint'.
Craigiuilc, KincanliTii- O'Ni'il.
Craigiuillar Castle, Liljertmi.
rrai.,'-0«l, hill ; Tcaliiig.
CraigdUii, Cratliie anil liracinar.
Craig- I'liadric, Inverness.
Craig- Rossie, Aucliterariler.
Craigston, King-Kilvvard.
Craig-y-Barns, DunkoUl.
Crannich, district; Weem.
Crathes Castle, Banchory-Ter-
nan.
Crawfiuil Priory, Cults.
Crawfurrlland, Kilmarnock.
Creran, Ardcliattau.
Crickii]), Closeburn.
Criffel, hill; Newabbey.
Crimoumogate, Lonmay.
Crinan Caiuil ; Kilmartin, and
South Knapdale.
Crombie, Marnoch.
Crombie-Point, Torryburn.
Crosbie, Troon.
Crosspool, bay ; Tiree and Coll.
Crossraguel, Kirkoswald.
Cruaclilusach, North Knapdale.
Cruggleton, Sorbie.
Cruickston Castle, Paisley.
Cuft' Hill, Beith.
Cuil, Lisniore and Appin.
Culblean ; Glenmuick, &c.
Culcreuch House, Fintry.
Culhorn House, Inch.
Culloden, Uaviot and Dunlichty.
Culloden House, Inverness.
Culter, seat ; Peterculter.
Cultoquhey, Monzie.
Culzean Castle, Kirkoswald.
Cumloden, Minnigaff.
Cunninghame, Ayrshire.
Curgarff, Strathdon.
Currie House, Borthwick.
D.
Dail, seat ; Craignish.
Dalgarno, Closeburn.
Dalgoner, Dunseore.
Dalguise, Little Dunkeld.
Ball, Rannoeh.
Dalmalioy, estate ; Rathe.
Dalquharran, house ; Dailly.
Dalqulmrn, Cardross.
Dairy, Killin.
Dalvcy, Dyke and Moy.
Damiett, hill ; Dollar.
Damsay, Firth and Stenness.
Dargavel, Erskine.
Darleith, Bonhill.
Darnaway, Dyke and Moy.
Darrach, hill ; Denny.
Dawick, seat ; Drununelzier.
Dechmont, Cambuslang.
Dechmont-law, Livingstone.
Dee, Crathie and Braemar.
Dee, Kirkcudbright co.
Deer Camp, Morton.
Delgaty Castle, Turriff.
Delvine House, Caputh.
Devon, river ; Muckart.
Devon, Black ; Clackmannan.
Devonshaw, Blairingone.
Dhuisk, Colraonell.
Dhuloch ; Glenmuick, &e.
Dinard, strath ; Durness.
Dirrington,Longforniacus andE,
Disblair, Fintray.
Doehart, Killin.
Doelifour, Inverness.
619
Dollar Liiw, Manor.
Don, river ; Strathdon.
Donibristle Park, Dalgcty.
Doon, lake and river ; Straiton.
Doonjiolme, Ayr.
Dorniont, seat ; Dalton.
I)i>iiiadilla's Tower, Durness.
Douglas Park, Bothwell.
Douloch, Invcrary.
Doune, The ; Rothienuirciius.
Doveron, river ; Alvali.
Dowalton, lake ; Sox'bie.
Downhill or Doonhill, Dunbar.
Downie Hills, Mouilde.
Downic Park, Tannadice.
Dregliorn Castle, Colinton.
Drum, estate ; Druraoalc
Drum House, Gilmerton.
Di'umclog, Avondale.
Drunifin, Tobernviry.
Dfunnnond Castle, Muthill.
Drummossie, Daviot and Dun-
lichty.
Drums, house ; Ersldne.
Drumsargart, Cambuslang.
Drumtochty Castle, Fordoun.
Drvden, seat ; Roslin.
Dryfe, river ; Drjfesdale.
Dryhope, Yarrow.
Duart, Torosay.
Duchal, Kilmalcolm.
Duchrae House, Balmaghie.
Dnchray, Dunkeld and Dowally.
Duddingston House, Abercorn.
Durt" House, Banff.
Dugalston, New Kilpatrick.
Dulnanside, Duthil.
Duloeh, Inverkeithing.
Dumbuek, Old Kilpatrick.
Dumerief, Moffat.
Dumfries House, Old Cumnock.
Dumglow, hill ; Cleish.
Dunagoil, Kingarth.
Dunbarrow, Dumiichen.
Dun-Charloway, Lochs.
Duncruib, Dunning.
Duncruin, Kilmaronoek.
Dundaff, Ninian's (.St.).
Dundargue ; Aberdour, eo. A.
Dundas, Dalmeny.
Dundonnell, Loclibroom.
Dundroich, Eddlestone.
Dundurcus, Rothes.
Dunearn, hill ; Burntisland.
Dungavel, Wiston and Roberton.
Dunglass, Oldhamstoeks.
Dunglass, Old Kilpatrick.
Dunglass, hill ; Sti-athl)laue.
Dungoiach, hill ; .Strathblane.
Dungyle, hill ; Kelton.
Dunian, hill ; Bedrule.
Dunikier Law, Kilconquhar.
Dunira, seat ; Comrie.
Dunnideer, hill ; luscli.
Dunnikier ; Pathhead, co. F.
Dunolly, Kilniore and Kilbride.
Dunphai! House, Edinkillie.
Dunrobin, Golspie.
Dimsinnan, Collace.
Dunskeath ; Nigg, co. R. and C.
Dunskey, Portpatrick.
Dunstaffnage, Kilmore and K.
Duntreath, .Strathblane.
Duntulin, Kilmuir.
Duuure, Maybole.
Dunvegan, Duirinish.
Durie, estate ; Scoonie.
Eagerness, Sorbie.
E,aglescarme, Bolton.
Earl's Hill, Ninian's (St.).
Earl's .Scat, Strathblane.
Earlston, liouse ; Borgue.
I'.arn, vale ; Coniric.
I'^ai-uock House, Hamilton.
Eccles House, Peiipont.
Eck, lake ; Strachur and Strach-
lachlan.
Eden, King- I'jdward.
iMlenwood, scat ; Ceres.
Edinample, Bahjuliidder.
Edingight, house ; Grange.
Edingiassie, .Strathdon.
Edinshall ('astle, Dunse.
Ednam House, Kelso.
Edradour, seat ; Moulin.
Edrington, Mordington.
Egliuton Castle, Kilwinning.
Eichies, Knockando.
Elcho, Rhind.
Elderslie House, Renfrew.
Eldin, estate ; Lasswade.
Elibank, Yarrow.
Elioek House, Sanquhar.
Ellandonan Castle, Dornie.
EUer-Holm, Elgar.
Elliston, Lochwinnoch.
Elsness, district ; Lady.
Elvingston, Gladsmuir.
Endrick, vale ; Drymen.
Emiich, Rothiemurchus.
Enoch's (St.) Hall, Bothwell.
Enterkine, Tarbolton.
Eorsa, Kilfinichen and K.
Erehlcss Castle, Kiltarlity.
Eriboll, Durness.
Ericht, lake ; Laggan.
Erochd, Fortingal.
Esk, Dumfries-shire.
Esk, Edinbui'ghshire.
Esk, Forfarshire.
Esk, loch ; Cortachy and Clova.
Eskadale, Kiltarlity.
Ethie House, Inverkeillor.
Etive, Ardchattan.
Evan, Moffat.
Eveliek, Kilspindie.
Faitley, Old Kilpatrick.
Faldonside, Galashiels.
Falfield, Kilconquhar.
Falside Castle, Tranent.
Fare, hill ; Banchory-Ternan.
Farg, stream ; Arngask.
Farme, seat ; Rutherglen.
Farragon, hill ; Dull.
Faskaily, seat ; Mouhn.
Faslane Castle, Row.
Fasque, seat ; Fettercairn.
Fassfern, Kilnialie.
F"'atlips ; Symington, co. L.
Fedderate, ruin ; New Deer.
Fendoch, Monzie.
Fenella, Fordoun.
Fergus, loch ; Coylton.
Ferintosh, Urquhart and L.
Fernihirst, Jedburgh.
Ferntower, Crieff.
Fetternear, Garioch.
Feugh, Banchory-Ternan.
Fifeuess, Crail.
Findrassie, New Spynie.
Fingask Castle, Kilspindie.
Finlarig, Killin.
Finlayston, Kilmalcolm.
Fmnart, hill ; Row.
Fishwick, Hutton.
Flanders Moss, Drymen.
Flemington, Pettie.
Flemmington, Aberlemno.
Floors, seat ; Kelso.
Foodie, Dairsie.
Forss, Thurso.
Fort (St.), (''organ.
Fort-Charlotte, Lerwick.
Forth, river ; Stirlingshire.
Forthar, Kettle,
Fothrlngham, Inverarity.
Foudlanil, hill ; hisch.
Fountaiiiliall, Pcncaitland.
Fowlshiels, Varrowford.
Foyers, Invemess-Kliire.
Fraochy, loch ; Kcnmore.
Freetieid, seat ; Rayne.
Freeland, Forgandenny.
I''rendraught, Forgue.
Friars' Carse, Dunseore.
G.
Gala House, Galasliiels.
Galloway House, Sorbie.
Galti-igil Head, Duii-inisli.
Galval, castle ; lioharm.
Gamhair, river ; Fortingal.
Gamliuinn, Rothiemurchus.
Gardyne Castle, Kirkden.
Gareloch, Roseneath.
Garlies, estate ; Mimiigaff.
Garrel ; Kirkmichae!, co. D.
Garry, Blair-Atholl.
Garscube, New Kilpatrick.
Garthlaud, Lochwinnoch.
Gartincaber, Kilmadock.
Gartshore, Kirkintilloch.
Geanies, seat ; Tarbat.
Geddes House, Naii'n.
Georgetown, Rannoeh.
Germain's (St.), Tranent,
Gight Castle, I'yvie.
Gillesbie, Hutton and Corrie.
Gillknocky, Canonbie.
Gilmerton, Athelstaneford.
Girdleness; Nigg, co. K.
Girgenti, Stewarton.
Girnigoe, Wick.
Glackharnis, Aberlour.
Gladefield ; Kincardine, co. Ross
and Cromarty.
Glasnock House, Old Cumiiock.
Glassmile, Glenisla.
Glen Hill, Newabbey.
Glenalla ; Kirkmichael, co. A.
Glen-Almond, Monzie.
Glenartney, Comrie.
Glenavon ; Kirkmichael, co. B.
Glenbarr,Killeanand Kilchenzie.
Glenbeiman, Kirkpatrick- Iron-
gray.
Glenbran, Abernyte.
Glenbreekry, Southend.
Glenbuckie, Balquhidder.
Glencainail, Torosay.
Glen-Cannich, Kilmorack.
Glencreran, Lismore and Appin.
Glendean, Traquair.
Glendinning, Westerkirk.
Glendochart, Killin.
Glendoick House, Kiniauus.
Glen-Dye, Strachan.
Glenelchaig, Kintail.
Glen-Etive, Ardchattan.
Glen-Euchar, Kilninver and K.
Glenfairness, Ardclach.
Glenfalloch, Killin.
Glen-Farrar, Kilmorack.
Glen-Fiddich, Mortlach.
Glenfinart, Dunoon and Kihnm.
Glenfinlas, Callander.
Glen-Finlass, Luss.
Glenforsa, Torosay.
Glen-Froon, Luss.
4 K 2
INDEX OF PLACES INCIDENTALLY NOTICED.
Glcnfi-uin, Row.
Gleugarnock, Kilbirnie.
Glengarry, Kilmonivaig.
Glengonner, Crawford.
Gleniffer, Pai-sley.
Glen-Kindv, Strathdon.
Glen-Lednock, Comrie.
Glenlee, seat, Kclls.
Glenlivet, Inveraven.
Glenlochay, Killin.
Glenmore, Fortingal.
Glenmore, Inverness-shire.
Glenmore, Torosav.
Glen-Ormiston, Innerleithen.
Gleuprosen, Kirriemuir.
Glenquaich, district ; Weem.
Glenquhargan, Penpont.
Glenquiech, Tannadiee.
Glenrinnes, Mortlach.
Glenroy, Kilmonivaig.
Glenshee ; Kirkmichael, co. P.
Glen.spean, Kilmonivaig.
Glenterra, Inch.
Gleu-Tilt, Blair-AthoU.
Glen-Turret, Monivaird and S.
Glentyan House, Kilbarclian.
Glen-Ure, Ardchattan.
Glenure, seat ; StrathfiUan.
Gloup, Fetlar and North Yell.
Glow, loch ; Cleish.
Goatfell, Kilbride.
Gollanfield, Pettie.
Gordon Castle, Fochabers.
Gordon-Mills, Kirkmichael and
CuUicudden.
Gordonstown, seat ; Drainie.
Gosford, Aberlady.
Gowling Hills, .Stirling.
Grandtully, Dull.
Grange, Monifieth.
Grange, Tundergarth.
Grangemuir, Anstruthcr Wester.
Gray, seat ; Liff and Benvie.
Grecnhill, seat ; Hounam.
Grcenhill, Momingside.
Gross, .Stornowav.
la-ey Marc's Tai'l, Moffat.
Grieslieniisji, Duirinish.
Gruinard, Kilchoman.
Gryfe, Houston and Killallan.
Guiltree ; Kirkmichael, co. A.
Gumscleugh, Traquair.
Gunsgreen, Ayton.
Guynd, CannyUe.
H.
Haddcnrig, .Sprouston.
Iladdo House, Methlick.
Hafton House, Dunoon.
Hailcs Castle, Prestonkirk.
Hailcs, New ; Invcrcsk.
Haining, scat ; ^'arrowford.
Hallgreen, castle ; liervie.
Hallhcad, Lcochel and Cushnie.
Hallidown Hill, Ucrwick-on-
Tweed.
Ilallyards, Auchtertool.
Hallyards, Manor.
Hanicr, Whitckirk and T.
Handcxwood, West (!aldcr.
Hangingshaw Law, Yarrow.
Harhurn, West Caldtr.
Hardacrcs, Eccles.
Hardi-i], Uobcrton.
Ilardgatc, Old Kilpairick.
Hardiiigtnn House, Wiston and
Roberton.
Harclaw, Canonbie.
Harlaw, Garioch.
Hartfcll, .Mnirat.
liarthlll, ruin ; Ovne.
620
Hartside, Wandell and L.
Harvieston, Borthwick.
Harviestoun, Tillicoultry.
Hatton, estate ; Ratho.
Hatton, hill ; Newtyle.
Hatton Castle, Turriff.
Haughhead, Eckford.
Haughton, seat ; Alford.
Hawkhead House, Paisley.
Hawthornden, Lasswade.
Hecla, mountain ; South Uist.
Hell's Clcuch.Kirkurd.
Helvels, Duirinish.
Hempriggs House, Wick.
Hendersyde Park, Kelso.
Herbertshire Castle, Dunipace.
Herbertshire House, Denny.
Herdmanston, seat ; Salton.
Hennand, West Calder.
Hennitage, Castleton.
Herriotfield, village ; Moneydie.
Hillswick, Northmavine.
Hirsel, seat ; Coldstream.
Hoddam Castle, Cummertrees.
Holburn Head, Thurso.
Hollylee, Innerleithen.
Holydean, Bowden.
Hol\Tond Palace, Edinbm'gh.
Hope, loch ; Durness.
Hopes, Garvald and Bara.
Hopetoun House, Abercorn.
Hourn, inlet ; Glenelg.
House, isle ; Burra and Quarff.
Houton, Orphir.
Howquoy, headland ; Holm.
Hunterston, West Kilbride.
Huntingtower, Tibbermore.
Huntly, Gordon.
I.
Idrigil, Duirinish.
Inch House, Libertou.
Inehbrakie, Crieff.
Inchdrewer, Banff.
Inch-Effray, Madderty.
Inchmahonie, Port-of-Monteith.
Inchrye House, Abdie.
Inehyra, KinnouU.
Indal, Kilchoman.
Ingane.ss ; Andrew's (.St.),co. O.
Inglismaldie, Marykirk.
Inishdrynich, Glenorcliy and 1.
Innerpeffray, Muthill.
Inncrwell, Sori)ic.
Innes House, Urquliart.
Inverallan, Cromdale.
Inverawe, Glenorcliy and I.
Invercarron ; Kincardine, co.
Ross and Cromarty.
Invercauld, Cratbie and Brac-
mar.
Invcrcrnan, Strathdon.
Inverhadden, Rannoch.
Inverie, bouse ; (ilenclg.
Inverlochy, Kilmonivaig.
Invermay, Forteviot.
Inverniorristi>u,Urquhart andG.
Inverneill, Snutli Knapdale.
lnveri|uharity, Kirriemuir,
luverquicch, Alyth.
Inverugie Castle, Fergus (St.).
Isla, river ; (JUnisla.
Isla, river; Keith.
J.
.lariljnc Hall, Ajiplcgartli.
.Icrviston, Holy town.
Jordanhill, Renfrew.
K.
Kailzie, Traquair.
Kaim, Duffus.
Kame Hill, West Kilbride.
Kames, Rothesay.
Katrine, loch ; Aberfoyle.
Keil, estate ; Southend.
Keir House, Lecropt.
Keithick, Cupar-Angus.
Kelburn, Fairlie.
Kellie, Cambee.
Kelly, seat ; Innerkip.
Kellyheads, Newlands.
Kelty, Callander.
Ken, Kells.
Kenmure Castle, Kells.
Keppoch, Cardross.
Kcrilaw, Stevenston.
Kerlock, Strachan.
Kerse House, Grangemoutli.
Kessock, Knoekbain.
Ketlan, Ardchattan.
Kilcoy, Killearnan.
Kildrochat, Stoneykirk.
Kilkerran, house ; Dailly.
Killiecrankie, Moulin.
Killiuess, Kirkmaiden.
Killisport, loch or inlet ; Soutli
Knapdale.
Killoran, house ; Colonsay.
Kilniory, Kilmichael-Glassary.
Kiljiurnie, Newtyle.
Kimmerghame, Edrom.
Kinairdy, seat ; Marnoch.
Kincaid, Lennoxtown.
Kincaldrum, Inverarity.
KincarcUne, Fordoun.
Kincraig, Earlsferry.
Kindar, lake ; Newabbey.
Kinellan, loch ; Contin.
Kingerloch, Lismore .and Appin.
Kinglas, Ardchattan.
Kingoody, hill ; Bourtie.
King's Castle, Kirkwall and St.
Oia.
King's Meadows, Peebles.
Kingswell, seat ; Sorn.
Kinloch, Rannoch.
Kinmount House, Cunnnertrees.
Kinnaird, seat; Larbert.
Kinnaird Castle, Farnell.
Kinnaird Head, Fraserburgh.
Kinnaird House, Little Dunkeld.
Kinnedars, Saline.
Kinneil, Borrowstounncss.
Kinni'U, seat ; Killin.
Kiiiniiiiuonth, Lonmay.
Kinnordy, Kirricnuiir.
Kinrara, seat ; Alvie.
Kintra, Ardnamurchan.
Kip]n't Hills, Slains and F.
Kippilaw, Bowden.
Kipjis, Turphichen.
Kirkaldy Grange, Kinghorn.
Kirkapol Bay, 'Tiree.
Kirkbuddo, Guthrie.
Kirkcoimel, ancient ]iarish; Kirk-
pati'ick-l''Ieming.
Kirkdale, Kii-kinabreck.
Kirklnrtbar, Markinch.
Kirkhill, Meigle.
Kirkmaiden, Glasserton.
Kirkside House, Cyrus (St.).
KirkstyU', Ruthwcll.
Kirklomie, Farr.
Kirklon 
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